Category Archives: Poverty of Spirit

I Want to See

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Esther Hizsa

“If a man [or woman] born blind were told about the nature of the colour yellow, he would understand absolutely nothing, no matter how much instruction he received. Since he never saw these colours, nor their like, he would not … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Mystical, Popular Posts, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Climate change, Esther Hizsa, Fr Lawrence Lew O.P., Fr.Marko Rupnik, Jesus healing the blind man, Katharine Hayhoe, Krista Tippett, On Being, Saving Us, spiritual director Burnaby | Leave a comment

Come Home, Sweetheart

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Esther Hizsa

Sunny dayslong bike ridespeaches and time–lots of leisurely time to enjoy momentswithout conflictdeadlines or problems to solve. Then the rain we needed cameto put out the firesalong with the restrictions we needed to keep us all safe.News kept coming from Haiti … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Bernal Saborio, Cheryl Richardson, Covid 19, Esther Hizsa, Everything you've said, forever_carrie_on, hug, Melody Owen, Peaches, Pen Waggener, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Garnaas-Holmes, Tapping Summit | 1 Comment

Being Vulnerable

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Esther Hizsa

“How can you be so vulnerable?” readers have asked me over the years. That question makes me nervous. Am I too vulnerable? What criticism have I invited? Then I hear from these askers the most common response to my honesty: … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories, Writing | Tagged Brené Brown, Catherine Singleton, dandelion, Downton Abbey, Esther Hizsa, Gabor Maté, Glennon Doyle, In the Shelter, Krista Tippett, Living from the Heart, Maya Angelou, On Being, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Peter Ealey, Shame, Sia, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Wisdom of Trauma, Thomas Hübl, vulnerability, Vulnerability Ted Talk | 2 Comments

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Esther Hizsa

. . . we start to notice the dynamics of this welling up [of the longing for God] out of the most fundamental day-by-day realities of our life, in our daily intimacy or lack thereof, our physical health or lack … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mystical, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Artotem, Christopher Owen, Different, Doug Ellis, Esther Hizsa, Giving Hands, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Ignatius of Loyola, James Finley, Kodiak and the butterfly, Principle and Foundation, Purgation, Rachel Garrett, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Rolling Stones, The Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton, You can't always get what you want | 2 Comments

Perfectly Me

Posted on April 9, 2021 by Esther Hizsa

Finally, I’m coming to the conclusion that my highest ambition is to be what I already am, that I will never fulfill my obligation to surpass myself unless I first accept myself. . . . The unaccepted self that stands … Continue reading →

Posted in Mystical, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Anthony de Mello, Apple on a tree, Esther Hizsa, Greg Clarke, James Finley, Kristina Servant, Matthew 5:48, Pomme, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Thomas Merton, Turning to the Mystics | Leave a comment

Even When

Posted on March 13, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

I’m here as promised. I have lots of time but nothing I want to write about. I’m waiting, listening, remembering that You always come through. We’ve done three hundred and ninety-five blog posts together, and You’ve never let me down. … Continue reading →

Posted in Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Writing | Tagged Covid 19, Denis Fournier, Doug Greenberg, Eastern Phoebe, Esther Hizsa, Into the Silent Land, Marco Verch, Martin Laird, persevere, Richard Rohr, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Universal Christ | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in compassion, False Self, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Spiritual Direction | Tagged Ben Sutherland, Cynthia Bourgeault, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Hurt, Josefina de Vasconcellos, Pema Chodron, PierreKarl Schnyder, reconciliation, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tonglen, William Paul Young | 2 Comments

Fred Saves the Day

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“I have my passport,” Fred said on Sunday night, “but I can’t find yours.” We were going to Bellingham, Washington the next day to pick up my books and have lunch with friends. We needed our passports to cross the … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, False Self, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Seed Cracked Open, Stories | Tagged Anthony de Mello, Esther Hizsa, Felipe Bastos, Find Your Loud, Friendship, Kwerks, Laura and Ryab Koch, Living from the Heart, lost passport, Seed Cracked Open, Song of the Bird, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

A Frog Trainer Retires

Posted on September 20, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

The image of trying to get all my frogs in a bowl keeps coming to mind whenever I notice a desire for things to go my way or fear that they won’t. This noticing brings a little more freedom. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Poverty of Spirit, Reflections, Stories | Tagged acceptance, ASIM CHAUDHURI, authenticity, being myself, belonging, Esther Hizsa, frog training, Julian of Norwich, orange shirt day, Phyllis Webstad, Psalm 36:5, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Showings of Julian of Norwich | 1 Comment

Love Is Our Birthright

Posted on August 9, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

This is the third post about what happened on my 8-day silent retreat in July. If you haven’t read the previous posts. I encourage you to do that before you read today’s. Erik suggested that I pray with Psalm 51. … Continue reading →