Shirley Heelas

Shirley Heelas

I'm 64, a part-time Life Coach. My background is in Psychology, as a college lecturer. I'm interested in spirituality, the mind/body debate, consciousness, psychological health, nature, art, writing.

Location UK

Achievements

Activity

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    Thank you for a very interesting and enjoyable course.

  • Shirley Heelas replied to [Learner left FutureLearn]

    @AdrienneCullen-Morgan I totally agree with you there, Adrienne. Thanks to everyone who put this course together. ... How about a follow up?

  • @ChrisLoten Thanks Chris. So many links to follow up on now.

  • This course has been fascinating. It surprised me how much the early Quakers travelled around the country, and the world. And how resolute they were in their belief that they were right and the established church was wrong. Very brave in those times. Their story has been very inspiring, to believe in "my inner voices" more, to go into that quiet place more...

  • @PaulKamill I suppose, Paul, it depends on how you define "God" and how you believe God interacts with us (if at all). I don't particularly like the term "God" as I think it is saying there is one "figure", one presence .... out there somewhere. But I do believe in a Higher Power that we are all a part of. And that we can "tap into" this. I have organised...

  • I was wondering during this video, ... how would our history have changed (if it would have at all) if Quakerism had by some miracle become our national religion? Any ideas?

  • @BarbaraLister Thanks for the link Barbara. Very interesting.

  • Yes Dale, I'm the same. A lot of what we've learnt about her has surprised me.

  • Yes Tony, I wondered that.

  • Good point Randal. She does seem to have been very quickly persuaded by his words!

  • Shirley Heelas replied to [Learner left FutureLearn]

    @LianneDrummond I'm now inclined to agree with you, Lianne. Very rude. ... But was he also very brave, at a time when witchcraft accusations were rife?

  • I love maps and exploring. I think I will retrace (some of) his steps later this year.

  • Looking forward to it. Pity it's only a 3 week course.

  • @AdrienneCullen-Morgan Hi Adrienne, That's interesting. Why have you grown to dislike him?

  • This course just gets better every week. i'm enjoying finding out more about Fox, and his views on the Bible and Jesus. And I find myself relating to Quaker ideas more and more. I like the discovery tool too. Other learners' insights and ideas are very helpful and interesting.

  • The voice here was a lot calmer, less ecstatic, than I imagined the words as I read them. .... But the calmness is nice. ... The words now demonstrate more a "meekness".

  • Exhilaration, true happiness, .... his words even lifted me (and I'm hyper stressed by a boundary dispute at the moment!!)

  • Good point Gilly. I think it might have been for some.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    "Christ had come to end the ... priests, ... and tithes .... looking for God in the wrong place.." I agree with everything the video just reported of Fox's words. ... Why didn't Quakerism become the one true church? ... Has anyone any ideas? Is it to do with power and wealth? .... I would love to have been on Firbank Fell that day. Must have been uplifting...

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    I think I live an "inward spiritual life". I have never found a church or religious group that I can affiliate myself to. More and more I come to the realisation that I should have investigated Quakerism years ago. I respectfully disagree with Jill about the need for a preacher or teacher. I have my own thoughts and ideas, I research the ideas of others, I...

  • I totally agree William.

  • Arriving in a strange town with a radical message? Brave (or foolish) in those times. Listening to the video, Fox's travels remind me of the travels we are told Jesus made, spreading the word, .... the same "news" in my opinion. Again, I'm not a Christian, but I've studied the bible and I do see similarities. Does anybody else?

  • Thanks for that link Paul.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    That is amazing. .... That they embarked on worldwide travels to spread the word, in the days when travel was by no means easy or safe. Incredible.

  • I do, Ben. I tell everybody how great this is.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    Very interesting first week, I learnt a lot and am now even more keen to learn more. Thanks for putting on this course.

  • I think this exercise will be more useful as the course progresses. .... I must admit I did wonder if it was working properly too.

  • The Quaker project website is really interesting. It's now bookmarked so I can easily keep checking back with it. Thank you.

  • I really enjoyed this video. I've never climbed Pendle Hill but it is now on my list for this summer hopefully. See you there Susanna!

  • No wonder Fox was critical of the church at that time! I'm astounded to hear these ideas so clearly described by Hilary. I knew them I'm sure, but for some reason, the first part of this video shocked me. Fox was a brave man. He made something new of the words in the bible? I'm in the right place then.

  • Just listened to the video again. - Yes, the established church can, in my opinion also, actually hold people back from finding God in their lives.

  • I have always believed myself that we can have "a direct connection with the divine", we don't need priests etc to act as intermediaries for us. I like his ideas about spiritual experience being more important than texts etc. I think that's why I'm more and more drawn to Quaker ideas. The ideas merge with my metaphysical beliefs/studies.

  • Very well read. I do prefer to hear things read out loud, I do this for my own writings as a sort of check.

  • Me too Susanna! Always. Even trying to fit into the education system as a teacher! Fox's words resonate in me, religions? All man-made I feel. Even Christianity (with the greatest of respect to Christians taking this course.) Did Jesus ever want this? Wasn't he just trying to get his message across? "Go into thy closet".... go within?

  • He left home at 19 to "travel and search for answers"? To me that seems amazing. But .... not so many years ago, "children" were in full-time work at 14, classed as adults. So 19 wouldn't have seemed young back then, would it? All I've learnt so far, he was an incredible man.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    I didn't actually know about Charles' attempts to introduce the book of common prayer into Scotland, - or if I learnt this at school, I'd forgotten! And I think any war would make people think about their mortality, and God, and man's inhumanity to man, and the purpose of life. At least it would me.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    Wow! Such interesting tutors, thank you for putting this course together. Me, I'm 65, retired, ex psychology lecturer. Have never followed any organised religion, although I've investigated most of them I think, apart from Quakerism. But I'm very #spiritual, meditate regularly, have investigated consciousness studies (for an online "Masters"). I live on a...

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    Hi everyone, I'm in Norfolk, UK. I'm looking forward to learning more about Quakerism. I've felt drawn to it for a long time but .... well life just drags you along, doesn't it? But now I'm retired I have more time. And hopefully I will finally attend my first Quaker service in Great Yarmouth. If anyone on this course is from Norfolk, please do get in touch.

  • Hi Haydn, That's a shame. I think you'd get your money's worth from it. I'm only doing theses courses for fun too, over 20 so far! Maybe think about it anyway. Have fun.

  • Hi Haydn, i've paid for unlimited access to all of the courses, i think it was about £200, then you keep access to all of the course content (as long as you passed) and could even redo the courses if you want, which i will probably do on some because i've been pushed for time recently and would love to carry out more reading around etc. So maybe something for...

  • Yes, that's exactly it. My attention span is better than that of a goldfish but ....

  • Hi, I was thinking really just of the link between mindfulness and levels of religiosity, but now you mention it, I just had a quick Google search and there seem to be previous studies looking at how mindfulness impacts ethical awareness and ethical decision making. So getting more interested about expanding my original research to include morality corrrelated...

  • I hope to carry out the project and submit it for peer review sometime this year.

  • My final report would be in the form of an essay, but with sections for Methodology, Previous research, Graphs, Statistics, Analysis etc.

  • If I do carry out my research idea "The link between levels of religiosity and mindfulness practice/interest", I would use qualitative research, survey/questionnaire, probably defining religiosity levels using the same criteria as I did in my degree dissertation.

  • I'm not really interested in video games ... or Ninjas, so didn't really find this of interest to me personally.

  • I love the idea of a mindful garden. I think I used to have something that I could possibly have called that, with my own standing stones, and a pond, and stone bench etc.

  • There was too much here, in my opinion, too wide a focus.

  • I found this study particularly interesting to me, as I'd been very interested in phantom limb studies as a degree student. Will definitely read up more on this again now,.

  • This was extremely interesting. Jan's views below about the possible bias involved are accurate too, well picked up on.

  • An interesting project. Would like to know more.

  • All of them! Motivating me to carry out my research idea.

  • I would like to investigate the possible link between levels of religiosity and interest in/practice of mindfulness.

  • I want to achieve more information on mindfulness, academic and practical. I would like to learn to live more in the present, rather than the past or possible future.

  • No, I haven't.

  • I know exactly what you mean. I like to write too, but so many projects unfinished. I'm always getting sidetracked by courses like this!

  • I enjoyed the shorter meditations more than the longer ones, but having said that, the walking meditation has turned into one of my favourites. I find it easier to focus somehow.

  • Yes, I loved degree studies, doing the research for my dissertation "The relationship between religiosity and morality". Would love to do another one. ... We'll see. ... You should try it. Nothing you couldn't handle.

  • Thanks Jan, I thought I'd done that, but I will go through it all again. ... Yes, still debating whether to do a project for Module 6. I really enjoy research etc. But it's the time factor. Watch this space.

  • I would love to carry on to Module 6 but still trying to work out if I'll have the time. ... I'm down as 89% complete on this course. .... What haven't I done (to get the 90%)? Does anyone know?

  • I can totally relate to the example of mindfulness and its link with becoming vegetarian! The same happened to me many years ago. ... I would hope I can find the time to get involved with this module.

  • 3.5 Improvement

  • I like that poem. So true!

  • Mindfulness could be dangerous when I practice it walking outside! But I've started trying to practice it when doing my pen and ink artworks. Usually I'm thinking about all manner of things but I' trying to focus on every line now.

  • I do like mindful walking. I agree with Jan, it's not so easy outdoors, but I do try. But indoors it's much easier to truly focus eg on my feet and the steps.

  • I hate apps!! (Showing my age.) Good video, ... Different people would prefer different types of approach/teaching. My preference would be as simple and non-intrusive as possible.

  • ... As a spiritual or mystical practice.... That would appeal to me, so a non clinical setting.

  • I've seen a few adverts locally but I don't think the people running the classes have been through the training discussed in this course, but of coure I could be wrong. Just because they don't specify it doesn't mean they haven't done it?

  • Thank you for that video. ... I seem to have lost the last 10 years somehow! ... A blur of stressful and sad times sadly.

  • Understandable Jan. We all have such busy lives now and sometimes an "assignment" is the last on our list of priorities!

  • I like that John and totally agree. Very well put.

  • Very well put Anne.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    I don't think this mindful space would work for me at all. The cairs look decidedly uncomfortable. I've already previously described my living room space, which to me is perfect for my mindfulness practice.

  • Yes Helen, I'm the same. I did prefer some guidance but I'm now liking the silent meditation, and yes, the bell helps, doesn't it?

  • My mind is changing. The more I experience silent meditations, the more I like them and benefit from them.

  • Very peaceful. Enjoyed it. .... I thought I preferred the guided meditations, but .... maybe I'm changing.

  • I enjoy it when I practice, and definitely benefit from it, but I'm not as disciplined as I should be ie in making time for it.

  • Due to lockdown, I'm not really seeing anybody, so cannot comment on whether any difference in me is visible as yet. ... And no, I don't think I've noticed any marked difference. ... But maybe it's helping me cope with the everyday stressors?

  • As an ex psychology teacher, I can see that construct mindfulness can be taught (usefully) in schools/colleges with no problems as far as I can see. But many benefits for students.

  • To me, there is ... conflict here. I can't really say why, .... apart from that they are using these techniques to enhance their ability to fight, to commit violent acts, ... but they are only using mindfulness techniques to enhance their training programmes. I don't have a definitive answer.

  • Mindful Utopia - That is a wonderful dream! ... But I understand Zizek's ideas and concerns. .... Mindfulness seems to have positive benefits but also possibly "unwanted" effects? ... Any answers?

  • @KateD Yes Kate, I was thinking the same, about how people's thinking seems to be changing.

  • I enjoy these experiments.

  • Thanks for that. Extremely helpful.

  • We all seem to see it as ... community, family, kinship, bloodline.

  • Hi everyone, I'm Shirley, from Norfolk, UK. I come to this course because of a lifelong love for (and feeling a connection with) Scotland. I would love to have my DNA tested for Scottish roots somewhere, as from the very first time I visited Scotland many moons ago, I just felt I belonged there. I'm interested in history, archaeology, theology anyway, but to...

  • Me too David.

  • Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm a bit late joining sadly, but I'm still pleased to read that the course team are involved daily, a bonus for the course, thank you. I've joined because I just LOVE Scotland, especially the Highlands and get up there (from Norfolk) on a regular basis, and hope to relocate even maybe one day, I just feel so at home there. Have...

  • These interviews have been excellent, - clear, informative.

  • This has got me more interested in Buddhism and in looking into the historical side of it.

  • "the purpose of the dharma is to get you into a new situation in your life where you can then pursue your goals and your whatever it is that you know is meaningful for you" - Perfect! I really like these interviews, so clearly expressed and easily understood. Thank you.

  • I didn't know this about the Buddha, that he "compared his teaching to a medical treatment". Very interesting. And I like the encapsulation that mindfulness is Dharma stripped of Buddhism!

  • Very interesting, a wise man. I like his approach and thoughts.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    I don't think I would like this room in the picture, - too many other people, ... too open, too bare maybe? My space is cosy, with my pictures, candles, trinkets, cosy, welcoming, and .... safe? Like my guide's arms around me.

  • I really liked this poem. It's philosophy is "spot on". I believe that even negative experiences are given to us for us to learn from, and our guides always know what we need.

  • Hi Anne, Thank you for your feedback on my assignment. You put a lot of thought into it and it was really helpful.

  • I will use this one regularly I think.

  • I liked this one. Beneficial for me personally.

  • Shirley Heelas made a comment

    I think I've still got a copy of Aurelius' Meditations somewhere. Will look it out. I didn't realise this curse was going to go into all of this. Not complaining! It's great. ... Back to the content of the video ... Fears and emotions - my biggest enemy.

  • @sandraD Hi Sandra, ... No, I don't believe that ease of life equates to happiness. Yes, in modern society, our lives are much easier, but on the whole are we happier?? I'd say not. ... And is there more mental illness and depression now than there ever has been? Does anyone know the figures?