Category Archives: Prayer

Frogs in My Bowl

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

I checked my pockets for the third time, but my new credit card wasn’t there. “I was sure I brought it along,” I said to Fred anxiously. Then I remembered that a bunch of my cards fell out of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Everything Belongs, fail fail again fail better, Father Thomas Keating, frogs in a bowl, Ignatius of Loyola, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, Pema Chodron, Prayer of Examen, Prince Ea, Richard Rohr, Romans 8:28, Seth Godin, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Farmer Story, The Sacrament of the Present Moment | 2 Comments

Fail Better

Posted on August 30, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

I ended my eight-day retreat with a keen desire to be more compassionate. But within days, I acted on a judgment and hurt someone. Soon afterward, I read Pema Chödrön’s fail fail again fail better. Chödrön says that when things … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Mindfulness, Mystical, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, fail, fail fail again fail better, Heart's Desire, Isaiah 48:6-7, Last Day, Pema Chodron, Rachel Titiriga, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Ted Rheingold, Welcoming Prayer | 1 Comment

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

The Prodigal Daughter

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“Be gentle with yourselves,” Erik, our director, told us as we began our 8-day silent retreat. After a few more instructions, he sent us off to pray with scriptures that spoke of God’s enduring, present, and attentive love for us. … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 8-day prayer rereat, Angel of Healing, Anne Davis, Erik Sorensen, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian prayer retreat, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Isaiah 43:1-7, Luke 15:20, Psalm 139:1-18, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Susan Lordi | 7 Comments

Yes

Posted on July 12, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

“I tell people you need to pray as long as it takes to get to YES, a foundational yes–yes to reality, to the moment, to God present in the grass, to God present in you and in me,” Richard Rohr … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Mystical, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Genesis 2:7, HeartMath, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Matthias Ripp, Oprah, peace, Richard Rohr, Richard Wagamese, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 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

Inseparable

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Fred and I gathered on Vancouver Island with family and friends of my nephew Lee to spread his ashes. Some came just for the ceremony, some for a few days and, others, like us, stayed for the whole week to … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Dostoyevsky, Esther Hizsa, Hafiz, Richard Wagamese, Romans 8:38-39, Sacred Heart, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Garnaas-Holmes, whitetail deer. spreading ashes | 2 Comments

Beginning to Forgive

Posted on April 19, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.” –Luke 23:34 (CEV) Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Holy Week, Lent, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged Brad Jersak, Bury the Hatchet, Christ on the Cross, Christ washing disciples feet, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, CWR magazine, Dirck van Baburen, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, John 13:1-17, Luke 23:34, Matthew 18:21-22, Sonnenstrahl, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Women Who Run With the Wolves | 2 Comments

A Holy Place

Posted on April 5, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Of course I told my spiritual director what happened, and she listened compassionately as I talked and cried. She asked me to name my feelings and notice how they felt in my body. I told her that I felt betrayed, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections, Songs, Stories | Tagged betrayal, Bowen Island, Contemplative Outreach, Esther Hizsa, forgiveness, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 18:16, rejection, Scott Erickson, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Light of Failure, Welcoming Prayer | Leave a comment

A Punch in the Gut

Posted on March 29, 2019 by Esther Hizsa

Sometimes self-awareness bubbles up gently and slowly expands to softly widen our world view and make more room for love to flow in and out of our hearts. Sometimes self-awareness comes like a punch in the gut. I know this. … Continue reading →