Category Archives: Childhood

The Best Day Ever

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

This is the second post about what happened on my 8-day silent retreat in July. If you haven’t read last week’s post, I encourage you to do that before you read today’s. “I’d like you to pray the third exercise … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Reflections, Seed Cracked Open, Spiritual Direction, Writing | Tagged confusion, Daniel Ladinsky, Erik Sorensen, Esther Hizsa, First Week, grace, Hafiz, Ignatian prayer retreat, John 1:16, Luis Alveart, Michael Cook, Night Prayer, Phumzile Phala, Seed Cracked Open, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

Helping Each Other Make It Home

Posted on June 21, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

As you can imagine, I have been reflecting on the love mischief of tears and paying attention to what has come to my awareness. Five truths have emerged. 1. I didn’t deserve to be bullied. That statement alone brings me … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, community, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Chris Chiu, Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations, Esther Hizsa, Father Richard Soo, forgiveness, Hong Kong Rally, Jan Weenix, Matthias Zomer, Photo of woman on dock, Richard Wagamese, Romans 15:7, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Return of the Prodigal Son | 2 Comments

The Love Mischief of Tears

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“Find your pitch and hum it,” Donna said on the first morning of the seventh annual SoulStream Partner Gathering at Sorrento Centre. We hummed in harmony and in unison following her instructions. Then she stopped and remarked how beautiful we … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, community, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged An Invitation to Wholeness, belonging, Daisuke Tsutsumi, Esther Hizsa, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23:5-6, Psalms for Praying, Robert Kondo, Sorrento Centre, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Dam Keeper | 3 Comments

Having Tea with My Rage

Posted on April 12, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

I knew I needed to forgive, so my friend loaned me the book Women Who Run With the Wolves. I turned to the chapter on forgiveness. Near the end of it, Clarissa Pinkola Estés outlines the stages of forgiveness. But before I … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Lent, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Bentley Tea Cup, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Galatians 5:1, rage, reconciliation, snap713, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Welcoming Prayer, Women Who Run With the Wolves | 2 Comments

Truth and Reconciliation

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

For an hour and a half last Sunday afternoon, I was not myself. I was an indigenous woman who lived in Canada on Turtle Island (North America) when the settlers first came to our land. My life was short. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Creation, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, Esther Hizsa, George Erasmus, Isaiah 42: 1, Isaiah 42:3, Kairos Blanket Exercise, Kanaka Bar, Native Norhwest, Sealaska Heritage Stoer, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, T’eqt’aqtn’mux | 1 Comment

Sardines in the Dark

Posted on October 26, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Our grandson called out our names in the dark. But there was no answer. The silence confirmed his deduction: his cousin had found our hiding place. He was on his own. Our grandchildren love to play Sardines in the Dark. … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Stories | Tagged environment, Esther Hizsa, God with us, Heidi Braacx, Jeremiah 29:14, Karina Inkster, Sardines in the Dark, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Guardian, Vegan Vitality, Vegan Yarn, Veganism | 8 Comments

Shame’s Spell

Posted on October 19, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Jesus pushes me out of uncomfortable places and pulls me into them. –Steve Garnaas-Holmes I almost said no to co-facilitating Living from the Heart next year because it makes me uncomfortable at times. I’ve told you how it tosses me … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Bono, Esther Hizsa, Eugene Peterson, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Living from the Heart, Psalm 18:16-19, Shame, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Who do you say that I am? | 2 Comments

Living Out of Our Stories: Part 2

Posted on September 8, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

You either walk inside your own story and own it or stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness. –Brené Brown I don’t have to do anything to find a story from my past that has me hustling. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged #anger, Brene Brown, Chris Feichtner, Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 43: 19, Lisa E, Looking Back, Psalm 137, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tower # 15 | 2 Comments

God Inclined His Ear to Me

Posted on June 16, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. –Psalm 116:1,2 I imagine God inclining his/her ear to … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Helpful Images, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged Burning Bush, Douglas Steere, Esther Hizsa, Father Elton Fernandes, Helichrysum: Memory of the Sun, Henri Nouwen, Michael Cook, Night Prayer, On Listening to One Another, Pentecost, Psalm 116:1-2, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

Here Be Tigers

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

People in authority can make me nervous. I’m always afraid they’ll turn into a tiger, pin me in a corner, and pounce on me for doing something wrong. It doesn’t make a lot of sense. For the most part, the leaders I … Continue reading →