Category Archives: Mindfulness

This Moment, This Conversation, This Life

Posted on June 28, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Summer has arrived and life is more spacious. Nothing urgent demands my attention. I can finally get to the mundane jobs that I’ve been putting off for a while. However, cleaning cupboards and straightening drawers are not as appealing as … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, George Hodan, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Mindfulness, Myla Kabat-Zinn, Richard Eriksson, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steven Harris | Leave a comment

Making Peace with My Addictions

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Dan Harris, a co-anchor for Good Morning America, got his studio audience to meditate for sixty seconds. Some amazing love mischief, eh? Many people try meditating but give up because they can’t stop the distractions. Harris explains that we don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Overeating, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 10% Happier, addictions, centering prayer, Cynthia Bourgeault, Dan Harris, Esther Hizsa, Father Thomas Keating, Isaiah 30:15, meditation, Open Mind Open Heart, Overeating, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 2 Comments

God Expands My World

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

My world’s gotten small. It happened so subtly, I hardly noticed. But now that I’m aware of it, I can see signs of shrinkage–not caring that I don’t care, taking things personally, being angry about something because of its effect … Continue reading →

Posted in False Self, Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Caroline, Doctrine of Discovery, Esther Hizsa, James Finley, Kairos Blanket Exercise, Learning to Pray, Merton's Palace to Nowhere, residential schools, Rod Janz, small black bird, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Truth and Reconciliation | Leave a comment

Caught One

Posted on November 2, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I caught a dream. I dreamt I was driving someone else’s car and giving a few friends a ride. We got in and I took off, then traffic slowed down. I applied the brakes but the car didn’t respond as … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged bc211, car keys, caring for our bodies, dream catcher, dreams, Esther Hizsa, Joslynn Gallant, Progressive Housing Society, Psalm 32:8, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Wednesday Lunch Club | 1 Comment

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

A New Kind of Happy

Posted on September 14, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

It was raining and the forecast was for rain all week. I wouldn’t have minded if it was a typical week of writing, seeing directees, and going to the Wednesday Lunch Club, but all that was scheduled for the next … Continue reading →

Posted in Homelessness, Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Anne Yungwirth, Esther Hizsa, If you can't beat it, Karen O'Shannacery, Psalm 16:11, Society to End Homelessness, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Splash | 2 Comments

How My Suffering is Ending My Suffering

Posted on June 22, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

In my post “Releasing Reality,” I referred to Anthony de Mello’s counsel to let our suffering end our suffering. How does that work? Suffering reveals my siren gods. It reveals the alluring attachments that toss me about. Suffering helps me notice … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged 2 Peter 1:3, Anthony de Mello, attachments, awareness, Coco Love Alcorn, Esther Hizsa, Herbert James Draper, Luke 5:1-11, Matthew 7:9-11, Psalm 16, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 27:13, Richard Rohr, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, suffering, The Naked Now, The River, Ulysses and the Sirens | Leave a comment

Life below the Surface

Posted on June 15, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Saturday morning at the annual SoulStream partner gathering at Sorrento, Lorie Martin, our retreat facilitator, invited us to enter the meeting room in silence. Pictures of creation were scattered over two long tables. She asked us to choose an image that … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Anthony de Mello, awareness, Choose Love, Esther Hizsa, Grace upon Grace, Invited, John 10:10, Living from the Heart, Lorie Martin, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Next Dawn | 4 Comments

Releasing Reality

Posted on June 8, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I’ve been feeling out of sorts for a week or two–unmotivated to pray or read in the evenings. I just want to disappear and indulge in things that make me feel good. I feel this way whenever uncomfortable stuff gets … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Anthony de Mello, awareness, Christian.Rudman, Esther Hizsa, John 3:19, Jon 12:46, Lonely Tree, Mika Hiironniemi, Nicholas A Tonelli, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, stillness | 5 Comments

God Sees Me

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

All of a sudden, I was the boy in the story. I heard Jesus tell the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” While they stood there perplexed, I made my way through the crowd and offered Jesus my uneaten … Continue reading →