Category Archives: Reflections

A Big Problem and No Guarantees

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

“What’s that?” I said, pointing to the profusion of what first appeared to be dust. Fred turned off the engine. Steam continued to billow out from under the hood, and an “Oh no!” clenched my stomach. We were in Manning … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 105 Hikes In and Around Southwestern British Columbia, anxiety, car troubles, Esther Hizsa, Fred, Manning Park, Mark 4:39, Mt. Hozameen, radiator, Snow Camp, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Stephen Hui | 1 Comment

The Way God Is Transforming Me

Posted on July 24, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Even your own life is not your business. It is also God’s business. Leave it to God. –Frederick Buechner, Telling Secrets So I left my life in God’s hands and trusted that if I kept listening to God’s still small … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Colossians 1:26-27, Esther Hizsa, Esther's collage, Frederick Buechner, God's business, Kristin Neff, Mustard Seed, Radical Compassion, self-compassion, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Telling Secrets, Transformation, Wendy Linnington | 1 Comment

Staying the Course

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

It’s been almost three months since my convergence, and I can feel the difference. I fit into clothes I haven’t worn in years and can now bike up Burnaby Mountain and down again in just under an hour. But the … Continue reading →

Posted in Overeating, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Chickpea curry, Esther Hizsa, Ignatius of Loyola, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 10:12, Psalms for Praying, Rule of Life, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Stocksnap, Wallpaper Flare, Yoga with Adriene | 4 Comments

A Free Gift from the Universe

Posted on July 10, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

It’s quiet in my heart these days. I hear the urgent faintly in the distance, but it’s easily ignored. My “work” is to bike or walk somewhere each day and fit everything else around it. The movie I’m living could … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Annie Dillard, Esther Hizsa, Fred Hizsa, full moon, John Lodder, Kristen Bryant, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, See a penny, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

Fear and Grace

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

As soon as we gathered on the screen, I felt nervous. Insecurity jumbled my words and hid others. The twelve faces in front of me belonged to the facilitators of Living from the Heart, and I was in charge of … Continue reading →

Posted in compassion, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Black Lives Matter, Dr. Tiffany Jana, Esther Hizsa, Jessie Wilcox Smith, Measuring Up, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 7:1-2, Psalms for Praying, racism, Sounds True, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, TMI, woodleywonderworks | Leave a comment

Inside a Living Temple

Posted on June 26, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

“If your body is a living temple, you are inside that temple,” Donna Varnau said near the end of our guided meditation. I rested in my body-temple with deep gratitude. The belief that God is incarnate in all things is … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Prayer, Reflections, Stories | Tagged 1 Corinthians 6:19, Donna Varnau, Esther Hizsa, Focusing. Full Body Presence, Judith Blackstone, Michael Pravin, Namaste, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Yoga | 1 Comment

Stepping into This Moment

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

To live mindfully in the present, I have to slow down and take deliberate steps. First, there is an awakening to this moment and noticing what is in it and me–what I see, feel, and think. I observe myself and … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Embers: One Ojibway's Meditations, Esther Hizsa, hand in Wild Grass, Jonathan Emmanuel Flores Tarello, lloyd Morgan, Nan C. Merrill, Psalm 23, Psalms for Praying, Richard Wagamese, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Walkers!!! Ruun!!! | Leave a comment

Grace and Practice of the Present Moment

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

Living in the present moment is a contemplative practice that has been difficult for me. You’ve heard me struggle with this in my blog posts. I am as addicted to thinking as I am to food. I’m constantly thinking about … Continue reading →

Posted in Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged awakening to now, Bernard Ruelle, Esther Hizsa, Goutte d'eau, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Martin LaBar, Practicing Presence, present moment, Raindrops on daly lily leaf, Rod Janz, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, This | 4 Comments

Planting Mustard Seeds

Posted on June 5, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

While others have been baking bread or planting gardens during this pandemic, I’ve been focused on Living from the Heart. For the past few months, our team of facilitators has been figuring out Zoom, revising lesson plans, and meeting frequently so … Continue reading →

Posted in Reflections | Tagged Bishop Michael Curry, Esther Hizsa, Fr. Lawrence Lew, Hard Working Life, Living from the Heart, O.P., Parable of the Mustard Seed, Pentecost, Px4u by Team Cu29, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Zoom | Leave a comment

The Fourth Event

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

On Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost, the fourth big event chronicled in the New Testament. Christmas names the first one: the incarnation of Christ. God comes into our lives–into our joy and suffering. They called him Immanuel, “God with us.” Reading the … Continue reading →