PAUL Amey, a north Oxford painter, had artist's block and thought he might never work again.

He lacked inspiration and drive and was at his wits' end. Then an old friend suggested he try holistic healing.

The experience astounded him and left him profoundly moved, tearful - and cured.

"It was as if the healer had sunshine coming out of her hands. I was left completely re-energised by the whole experience," he said.

The healer was Pamela Collins, who lives in Watlington. She has been running a holistic healing clinic in Amersham for years and is now starting one in Oxford.

Her services and those of the other healers are free. They practise healing because they feel they have a gift and should use it appropriately and are all members of the Spiritualist Church in Headington.

"A lot of people think we are cranks, but what's in it for us? We take up huge amounts of our time doing this and all have busy jobs. It's not an ego thing and not something we talk about very much."

Pamela knew she had healing powers ever since she was a child. Her uncle and grandmother practised it and people have always been drawn to her. "People sit next to me on the bus or plane and tell me their deepest problems, things they have never told anyone else." She trained under famous healer Dennis Sale and is recognised by the Surrey Healers Association.

When Mr Sale retired she took over his Amersham clinic and has been running it ever since.

It opens once a week, and anyone can come for free healing. Clients range from mothers and children to the elderly and terminally ill.

Pamela is keen to explain that she is not trying to replace doctors or claim she can perform miracles. "We are not playing God but there is room for complementary medicine to work alongside the medical profession," she said.

Of course it is easy to be deeply cynical about the whole subject but her case studies tell their own stories.

"A recent patient arrived when he had been given three months to live. He was angry, scared and upset. We were definitely a last resort. He was in so much pain he would have done anything to relieve it. He received healing every week and lived for a year. But when he died he was at peace with himself finally and we controlled the pain.

"Another woman was suicidal when she got to us. She had two hip replacement operations and the second had gone badly wrong. She couldn't cope with the pain and wanted out. With regular healing she has learned to control that pain. Her life has been transformed." Healers transmit positive energy into people with emotional or physical problems. AHers is not to reason why it works, but great heat is felt by both parties and patients often see lights, feel elevated or hear music.

The body has eight energy centres from the base of the spine to the scalp. The healers tune into each centre, open, tune-in and unblock them before shutting them again.

Wendy Jewson, of St Ebbes, is a landlady and former nurse and has been a healer for several years now. Wendy, who still works with stroke patients, was told by so many people that she had healing hands she eventually decided to make use of them and was recruited by Pamela after extensive training.

She will also be taken on at a new holistic healing centre opening up soon in Oxford.

Called the Haven Healing Centre, it will open at the Friends' Meeting House in St Giles, Oxford, on April 2. The first meeting is from 10.30am to 12.30pm and all denominations are welcome. Anyone interestedwishing to receive healing or join the Oxford group should phone Pamela on 01491 614275.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.