Energy Flows in Fountain Group

THROUGHOUT the world are groups of people who regularly meet and meditate with the aim of sending a collective healing energy to heal the planet. Fountain International is one such group and under the guidance of local metaphysician Gillian Cotterell people are meeting in Albany for the sole purpose of enveloping the town, its surrounds and on a larger scale, the earth in a healing energy.

There is nothing outlandish, obscure or coltish about Fountain International. It is simply the effort of people who believe in the presence of a universal or spiritual energy to get together and conduct a focus healing meditation. It is a non-profit organisation that attracts the participation of people from all walks of life to meditate on the well being of the planet. As Ms Cotterell says. the teaching is quite simple. "An individual or group relax into a peaceful frame of mind, a meditative state, and send healing thoughts to a focal point in that place," she said. In Albany 'that place' is a small Aboriginal statue in the Alison Hart-man Gardens in York Street. "It works on the principle "thought is power" and when we imagine in a meditative state (or daydream), we start to create," she explained. "So. if we imagine healing energy flowing through our chosen focus and spreading out into the town, positive reactions with the earth's (energy) fields will create a healing state in the people and the town. "It is suggested people do this for one minute each day and come to group meetings when possible."

The reason for having a particular focus. such as the statue, is that it assists people in concentration and makes the collective group energy more powerful. In fact, Fountain Groups all over the world claim sonic impressive results from their efforts ranging from a reduction in local crime rates to a lesser occurrence of car accidents particularly in black spots.

Fountain International was conceived in Brighton, England. about 20 years ago. The story of its inception goes like this: 'The original meeting was called to prevent a bike gang coming down from London to thrash a local (Brighton) gang," Ms Cotterell said. ''There were some well known energy workers present at the meeting and when the bikers got to the outskirts of Brighton they stopped. had a 'conflab' and decided to go in and have a drink with the locals. The gang war was over. The group had chosen a beautiful fountain as their 'hara' (focus point) and so Fountain was started." Over the years the Fountain International network evolved, it was based on the principle that communities, like people, suffer from dis-ease (being not at ease) and, like people, can also he healed.

Ms Cotterell is planning a public meeting on the principles of the Fountain International meditation for the autumn equinox on March 21. She has a vast background in metaphysics claiming a lifetime of study in the area, a study spanning more than 60 years. For at least 30 of those years, she conducted workshops and classes and describes metaphysics simply as a non-physical explanation of life. She spent a number of years in Victoria where she ran a successful Fountain group. Some 20 months ago, she made the move to Albany and although retired has conducted practical classes to metaphysics. Last year she ran a series of metaphysical classes for Albany's Under 50's Club. "I don't belong to any way or teaching now, I have been there done that. I teach a nonreligious style of metaphysics that is very practical," Ms Cotterell said.

Although at this stage of her life she is not keen to organise local workshops or classes, she was willing to run classes for groups if other people wished to do the organising. Hopefully the generous offer to share a lifetime of knowledge and experience will he taken tip by interested local people. And as for a few words of wisdom from a lady who has been there and done that: "If it doesn't help you live now forget it."