Category Archives: compassion

The Wisdom of Tara Brach and Pádraig Ó Tuama

Posted on August 28, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Last week’s Love Mischief led me to a talk by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Before I had a chance to listen to it, this short video from Tara Brach landed in my inbox. What came up for me as I listened … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Mindfulness, Poetry, Prayer Retreat Outline, Reflections, Stories, Wednesday Lunch Club | Tagged Elizabeth Bowen, Esther Hizsa, Imagining Peace, In the Shelter, Joseph Campbell, Krista Tippett, On Being, Pádraig Ó Tuama, receptive presence, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tara Brach, Travelling Light | 4 Comments

The Big Reveal

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

(Warning: This video contains strong language.) Comedian Hannah Gadsby begins her new show, Douglas, by telling her audience what to expect. “This way I can meet your expectations–or alter them,” she says with a smile. Gadsby goes on to say … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged autism, big reveal, Book of Genesis, Esther Hizsa, Hadrian Hizsa, Hannah Gadsby, Kelly Dycavinu, Kie Miller, Knit Together, On Being, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Poetry Unbound, Psalm 139:13-14a, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 4 Comments

The Way God Is Transforming Me

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Even your own life is not your business. It is also God’s business. Leave it to God. –Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets So I left my life in God’s hands and trusted that if I kept listening to God’s still small … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Colossians 1:26-27, Esther Hizsa, Esther's collage, Frederick Buechner, God's business, Kristin Neff, Mustard Seed, Radical Compassion, self-compassion, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Telling Secrets, Transformation, Wendy Linnington | 1 Comment

Fear and Grace

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

As soon as we gathered on the screen, I felt nervous. Insecurity jumbled my words and hid others. The twelve faces in front of me belonged to the facilitators of Living from the Heart, and I was in charge of … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Black Lives Matter, Dr. Tiffany Jana, Esther Hizsa, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Measuring Up, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 7:1-2, Psalms for Praying, racism, Sounds True, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, TMI, woodleywonderworks | Leave a comment

Embracing the Power I Have

Posted on May 8, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

If Jesus were my spiritual director and had read Becoming What I Eat and Drink, he wouldn’t ask me about my desire to be Mr. Rogers. He would ask me about the agitation I felt watching that scene from Jesus … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Mindfulness, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged cautious kitty, courage, Esther Hizsa, Jeff Imbach, jridgewayphotography, Living from the Heart, Probably Tomfoolery, Riik@mctr, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Great Realisation | Leave a comment

Rooted, I Rise

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Two weeks ago, I looked at my Christmas cactus and wondered if, like me, it needed a haircut. It’d finished blooming, so it was time. But then I saw a tiny bud and found another and another. My faithful friend … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Holy Week, Overeating, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Adriene Mishler, As the mist rises, Easter, Esther Hizsa, Good Friday, Joan Chittister, Mark Seton, Maya Angelou, Rainer Maria Rilke, Schlumbergera, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Still I Rise, Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Yoga with Adriene | 2 Comments

Using Our Imaginations to Be with Christ in Holy Week

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

In the past few posts (and in my upcoming Good Friday post), I have shared how Christ has shown compassion for me in my suffering. Now I want to be with Jesus in his suffering. The best way I know … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Easter, Holy Week, Ignatian Spirituality, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Resource | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Father Richard Soo, Jesus at Gethsemane, Jesus on his way to be crucified, Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet, Jesus’ arrest. Luke 23:26-27, John 13, John 20:11-18, John 20:24-29, John 21, Living from the Heart, Luke 24:13-35, Mark 14:43-49:, Matt 26:36-45, Matthew 27: 33-56, Matthew 27:32, Matthew 27:57-61, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Burial, The Crucifixion, The Last Supper | Leave a comment

A Meditation for These Uncertain Times

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Pause with me. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then take another. Continue to breathe slowly and deeply. Notice where your body feels tense and send your next breath there . . . to your shoulders, neck, … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Lent, Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections, Resource | Tagged Adriene Mishler, anjan58, Artotem, Blue Skies of Scottsdale, Christine Valters Paintner, coracle, David Wise, Dru Bloomfield, Esther Hizsa, Giving Hands, It is well with my soul, Lamentations 3:22-23, Mike Prince, Nashville Cell Phone Choir, Parker J. Palmer, Pema Chodron, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, uncertainty | 1 Comment

Being Counted

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

“I talked to a nurse practitioner about my gastric reflux,” I said to my spiritual director. “I changed my diet, don’t eat after supper and raised the head of our bed. And that’s not all I’ve been doing to care … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Mindfulness, Mystical, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim | Tagged Être homme, body, c'est précisément être responsable, Community meal, Esther Hizsa, Five Contemplations, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Jean-François Millet, Millet, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church, The Potato Planters, Thich Nhat Hanh, Vassilis Londos, vegan | 4 Comments

The Cave

Posted on February 21, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Pain. Sharp, deep and relentless. That’s what I feel when I’ve been treated unfairly. I keep wondering why they did that to me? I can imagine that it’s hard for them to admit they made a mistake. If I confronted … Continue reading →