Category Archives: Stories

A Spark of Something Holy

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Last week’s post reminded me of a previous post I wrote a few years ago. Here it is again. Fred and I have been attending an Anglican Church in our neighbourhood. For Lent we joined a group that has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Stories, Wednesday Lunch Club | Tagged Anne Yungwirth, Blueberry, Brian McLaren, Burnaby, Esther Hizsa, freedom, Hannah Nieman, Matthew 23:20, Shame, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church, We Make the Road by Walking, Whitney Thore | 2 Comments

God in Every One of Us

Posted on July 13, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

God is in all creation–including us–just by virtue of the fact that we were created by God and of God. In the beginning, there wasn’t anything else but God to create us with. We were made in the image of … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Reflections | Tagged compassion, Esther Hizsa, Eve Chan, Najat, Philippians 2:13, sexual abuse survivors, spiritual director, spiritual director Vancouver, sunflower. sunflower sprouting, wholeness | Leave a comment

DIY Prayer Retreat #11: Releasing Reality

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Hi everyone, I led our contemplative groups’ monthly retreat in June and this is what I used. For instructions and guidelines to help you lead a DIY, check here. May you be blessed as you open yourself to God in … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Prayer Retreat Outline, Reflections, Resource | Tagged Alana Levandoski, Anthony de Mello, awareness, Bark Cabin Natural Area, Coco Love Alcorn, Esther Hizsa, Felix Culpa, John Philip Newell, Nicholas A Tonelli, pilgrimage, Reza, Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Sunrise, Susanne Nilsson, The River, Vulcan Stream | Leave a comment

Exactly What I Need

Posted on July 6, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

It’s also helpful to realize that this very body that we have, that’s sitting right here, right now with its aches and its pleasure, is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, and fully alive. — Pema Chodron … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Creation, Overeating, Reflections | Tagged 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Calgary Community Services, Esther Hizsa, No Body Is Perfect, Pema Chodron, Permanence (2015/16), SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, Zhang Dali. Rob Oo. | 4 Comments

A Faithful Companion

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

See the whole universe, not only as something to love but as something that can love you back. –Pierre Teilhard de Chardin As many of you know, I have a Christmas cactus in the room where I pray, write, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Homelessness, Reflections | Tagged Alice Popkorn, B.C. Housing, Burnaby Now, Burnaby Task Force on Homelessness, Christmas Cactus, dgozgozz, Esther Hizsa, Lauren Boothby, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Psalm 27:14, Richard Rohr, seasons, Sitting in Silence, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | Leave a comment

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

Forgiven

Posted on June 1, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

As I kneel at the altar to receive the Eucharist, it suddenly occurs to me that when Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips,” he may not have been speaking generally or just identifying … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Eucharist, Feast of Reconciliation, forgiveness, Inside Out Church, Isaiah 6:1-8, Jerry Adams, Luke 15:18-20, Matthew Johnson, Rembrandt, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. James Anglican, The Return of the Prodigal Son | 2 Comments

Tossed About

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I think I’m doing fine until a miscommunication leads to a last-minute pick up from Sure Copy. Piles of photocopied class notes for the Living from the Heart course cover our dining room table. Hurriedly, I check, count, and paperclip each … Continue reading →