Category Archives: Mindfulness

Seeing Ellery

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

God, help me see what you see, I pray as I walk. I wonder if I’ll ever slow down enough to see more than a label: that’s a tree, a flower, a truck that needs a new muffler. Annie Dillard … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Annie Dillard, Earth Day, Elizabeth McKitrick, Ellery, Erin Khoo, Esther Hizsa, Genesis 1:31, goldfish, Maryam Khezrzadeh, maxxum, Medium, Mindfulness, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Second Nature Home Boutique, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 7 Comments

Time for Rising

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Lift your head and dry your eyes. Time for rising. –Steve Bell, Bethany in the Morning During Lent, I tried unsuccessfully to refrain from zoning out. Many evenings I succumbed to temptation and played Scrabble on my tablet or snacked while watching … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Overeating, Reflections | Tagged Abbey of the Arts, Bethany in the Morning, Christine Valters Paintner, consolation, desolation, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Raising of Lazarus, Richard Rohr, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Sunrise, Susanne Nilsson, Ted, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Naht Hanh | Leave a comment

Miracle Moments

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I love the drama in the stories of Jesus’ resurrection, watching the progression from sadness and despair to confusion and then to joy. One minute life is dark and pointless and the next, it’s bright and full of possibility. Jesus’ presence changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, John 3:3, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh | 4 Comments

Peace, Be Still

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

Mark’s gospel says that one evening Jesus got into a boat with his disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee. He was exhausted after a day of teaching and healing and fell asleep on a cushion at the back of … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Mystical, Reflections, Stories, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim | Tagged Benedictine Sisters of Turvey Abbey, Esther Hizsa, Jeff Imbach, Jesus calms storm, McCrimmon Publishing, Soren Kierkegaard, SoulStream, SoulStream founders, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Imbach, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim | 2 Comments

God So Loves the Earth

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

This earth, this world that God loves so much, is beautiful and broken. I have been asking God to show me ways I can participate in healing our planet. As I read and listen for God’s direction, I begin to see small steps I … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged A Rocha, care for creation, Earth Day, Ecological Examen, Esther Hizsa, Evgeni Zotov, FarbenfroheWunderwelt, Jason Major, Joseph Carver, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Thich Naht Hanh | Leave a comment

Get Real Still

Posted on March 11, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

It was easy to pick out our grandson in the line-up of swimmers. The eight-year-old wore a life jacket and was a foot or two shorter than the others. Like those ahead of him, he waited for his turn to try the obstacle course that stretched … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Anatomy of Trust, Brene Brown, Esther Hizsa, Feather, Fred Randall pool, Jim Champion, Paula D'Arcy, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 4 Comments

Just Be Still

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

“Be still, and know that I am God,” says the psalmist. Nearly every Thursday evening, our contemplative group gathers to do just that. Of course there is time for fellowship, reflection and songs, but we also pray in silence for … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Mystical, Prayer | Tagged be still, centering prayer, Cloud of Unknowing, Ephesians 3;20, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Kelly Dycavinu, Knit Together, Moonbeams, Psalm 46:10, silent prayer, William Johnson | Leave a comment

The Hand that Stilled the Storm

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Esther Hizsa

Lately Jesus has been inviting me to hold his hand as we walk through life together. That reminds me of something that happened when Heidi was born. She was delivered as planned by caesarean section a week before the due date. Since I … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Stories | Tagged Christ Calms the Storm, Christian Asuh, David L. Fleming SJ, Fr. Lawrence Lew, Hold On, Luc De Leeuw, Mark 4:39, Pray as you go, Soul of Christ, SoulStream | 4 Comments

Seeing

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Esther Hizsa

A friend of mine recently returned from a three hundred kilometre pilgrimage in the United Kingdom. She and her husband walked twenty-five kilometres a day, much of it in silence. As they walked, she experienced a deepening stillness that enabled … Continue reading →