Tag Archives: Ignatian Spirituality

Being Counted

Posted on March 6, 2020 by Esther Hizsa

“I talked to a nurse practitioner about my gastric reflux,” I said to my spiritual director. “I changed my diet, don’t eat after supper and raised the head of our bed. And that’s not all I’ve been doing to care … Continue reading →

Posted in community, compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Lent, Mindfulness, Mystical, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories, Stories of an Everyday Pilgrim | Tagged Être homme, body, c'est précisément être responsable, Community meal, Esther Hizsa, Five Contemplations, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Jean-François Millet, Millet, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. Stephen the Martyr Anglican Church, The Potato Planters, Thich Nhat Hanh, Vassilis Londos, vegan | 4 Comments

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

I Love You More than Anything

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I love You more than anything. And when I am in my right mind I know this to be true But You know it all the time. —Rob Des Cotes If actions speak louder than words, mine wouldn’t say I … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Ignatian Spirituality, Overeating, Prayer, Reflections, Rob Des Cotes, Spiritual Direction | Tagged 1 John 4:19, Elya Bergen, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatius of Loyola, Imago Dei Communities, Jesus with the children, John20:19-22, Michael O'Brien, Principle and Foundation, Rob Des Cotes, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Spiritual Exercises | Leave a comment

Time for Rising

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Lift your head and dry your eyes. Time for rising. –Steve Bell, Bethany in the Morning During Lent, I tried unsuccessfully to refrain from zoning out. Many evenings I succumbed to temptation and played Scrabble on my tablet or snacked while watching … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Overeating, Reflections | Tagged Abbey of the Arts, Bethany in the Morning, Christine Valters Paintner, consolation, desolation, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Raising of Lazarus, Richard Rohr, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Sunrise, Susanne Nilsson, Ted, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Naht Hanh | Leave a comment

Silently Blooming

Posted on November 3, 2017 by Esther Hizsa

It’s this time of year, when the nights are long and the days cold and rainy, that I begin to accompany people through the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises Retreat in Daily Life. These retreatants embark on a nine-month journey with Christ, asking … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged Audrey Assad, Christmas Cactus, Early Bud, Esther Hizsa, I Shall Not Want, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatian Sprititual Exercises, Lonely, Michael.PortrayingLife.com, Psalm 23:1, R. Halfpaap, spiritual direction, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

Turned

Posted on April 29, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

Something significant has happened to me a few times now. After a full day, unprocessed feelings can hang over me like a grey cloud. The theme of the conversation in my head often includes some disappointment in myself. I know these negative thoughts dissipate … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Blue Skies of Scottsdale, Brooding Sky, consolation, desolation, Dru Bloomfield, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatius of Loyola, Jesus and Mary, John 20:16, Resurrection Day, Ridolfo Ghirlandaio, scyrene, spiritual deception, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Stephen Rossetti, The Procession to Calvary, When the Lion Roars | 6 Comments

DIY Prayer Retreat #3: Meeting Jesus in Scripture and in Daily Life

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

Nearly every month I gather with friends for a silent retreat. It has been a rich experience. I explained how it works here and introduced Ignatian prayer here. Joy Richardson, a spiritual director living in Coquitlam, prepared and led this retreat. An … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer Retreat Outline, Resource | Tagged Album Page 94, Chris Kilkes, Esther Hizsa, finding God in every day life, Healing of Peter's mother-in-law, Ignatian retreat, Ignatian Spirituality, Joy Richardson, old photo album, Prayer of the imagination, Rembrandt, Savio Sebastain, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Coquitlam, spiritual director Vancouver | Leave a comment

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

I can’t spend a whole week on retreat with a holy God and not be confronted with my sins, I thought. Yet every time Sylvester assigned scriptures for me to pray with, it never came up. I started to believe I was going … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Poverty of Spirit, Prayer | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Ignatian retreat, Ignatian Spirituality, John 13;1, Julian of Norwich, prayer, sin, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Transformation | 2 Comments

My Soul Speaks

Posted on May 8, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

Jesus kept his promise. During my eight-day retreat, he showed himself to me as I prayed with biblical stories and imagined myself as Hannah, the woman by the well, a child playing with Jesus, and the apostle Peter. “When you pray, ask … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Prayer, Praying with the Imagination | Tagged 1 Samuel 1-2, Esther Hizsa, Guercino, Ignatian retreat, Ignatian Spirituality, John 4; 1-26, Luke 22:54-62, Matthew 18:1-5, Samaritan woman, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Sylvester Tan, woman at the well | 8 Comments

Eight Days Alone with God

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

After a long kiss goodbye, Fred drove off. I brushed off my nervousness and unpacked my things. It didn’t take long–just clothes, knitting needles and yarn, my Bible, notebook and a copy of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. No computer, no other … Continue reading →