Dowsing

The study and detection of human response to water, minerals, and other underground materials. Dowsing, or "water witching," is usually distinguished from the related subject of radiesthesia by its focus on nonliving materials such as water, metals, minerals, or buried objects. Both dowsing and radiesthesia operators employ a divining-rod, pendulum, or similar device as an indicator of unconscious human sensitivity to hidden materials. Radiesthesia extends such detection to medical diagnosis and treatment, discovery of missing persons, telepathy, clairvoyance, and related paranormal phenomena. In Europe (particularly in France), however, the two terms are used synonymously.

The traditional form of dowsing is with a Y-shaped hazel branch. The operator holds the two ends in his hands and walks over an area thought to contain underground water. When crossing water, the branch turns over, often with considerable force, and the dowser is able to map the course of the under-ground water.

For some years it was hypothesized that some underground emanation or occult force moved the branch, but modern researchers tend to favor the idea that the operator responds to the hidden water in such a way that his own nervous energy moves the branch. Some theorists have compared this effect with table-turning or the raps often reported within Spiritualism. This does not preclude the possibility that some electro-magnetic impulse stimulates the dowser's muscles through the nervous system, although there is no evidence of such an impulse.

Modern dowsers have developed considerable sensitivity and skill and will venture to estimate both the depth and possible yield of underground water. In addition to branches, dowsers employ many other forms of indicators—rods made of whalebone or wire, twisted coathangers, rods with cavities for a "sample" of the material sought for, and especially small pendulums. Since international agreements now outlaw whale hunting, plastic indicators are being substituted for whalebone.

Some dowsers even search for hidden materials over a scale map of a district, using a small suspended pendulum instead of a rod, and "map dowsing" has become synonymous with teleradiesthesia; (i.e., the tracing of materials or persons using a representation of an area instead of visiting the actual area). Some kind of psychic or other paranormal link is suggested between a district and its representation on a map.

Although dowsing and radiesthesia remain controversial, there seems to be considerable successes in water witching and the discovery of buried minerals. Water diviners have been widely employed by governments and businesses. One skilled dowser, Major C. A. Pogson, was official water diviner to the government of India between October 1925 and February 1930. During this period Pogson traveled thousands of miles locating sites for wells and bores and was a consultant on all matters relating to underground water.

The oldest organization in the field is the British Society of Dowsers, founded in the 1930s. There is also an American Society of Dowsers, which can be contacted at P.O. Box 24, Brained St., Danville, Vermont.

Sources:

Barrett, William, and Theodore Besterman. The Divining Rod: An Experimental and Psychological Investigation. London, 1926. Reprint, New Hyde Park, N.Y.: University Books, 1968.

Benedikt, M. Ruten-und Pendel-lehre. Vienna; Leipzig, 1917.

Besterman, Theodore. Water Divining: New Facts & Theories. London: Methuen, 1938.

Bird, Christopher. The Diving Hand. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1979.

Cameron, Verne L. Aquavideo; Locating Underground Water. Santa Barbara, Calif.: El Cariso, 1970.

——. Map Dowsing. Santa Barbara, Calif.: El Cariso, 1971.

——. Oil Locating. Santa Barbara, Calif.: El Cariso, 1971.

Carrié, Abbé. L'hydroscopographie et métalloscopographie, ou l'art de découvrir les sources et les gisement metallifers au moyen de l'électro-magnétisme. Saintes, France, 1863.

Chambers, Howard V. Dowsing, Water Witches & Divining Rods for the Millions. Los Angeles: Sherbourne Press, 1969.

Chevreul, M. E. De la Baguette divinatoire, du pendule dit explorateur, et des tables tournantes. Paris, 1854.

De France, Henry. The Elements of Dowsing. London, 1948.

De Morogues, Baron. Observations sur le fluide organoélectrique. Paris, 1854.

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Maby, J. Cecil, and T. B. Franklin. The Physics of the Divining Rod. London, 1939.

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Nicolas, Jean. La verge de Jacob, ou l'art de trouver les trésors les sources, les limites, les métaux, les mines, les minéraux et autres cachées, par l'usage du baton fourché. Lyons, France, 1693. Translated as Jacob's Rod. London: Thomas Welton, 1875.

Nielsen, Greg, and J. Polansky. Pendulum Power. New York: Warner, 1977.

Roberts, Kenneth. Henry Gross and His Dowsing Rod. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1952.

Stark, Erwin E. A History of Dowsing and Energy Relationships. North Hollywood, Calif.: BAC, 1978.

Tromp, S. W. Psychical Physics: A Scientific Analysis of Dowsing, Radiesthesia & Kindred Divining Phenomena. New York: Elsevier, 1949.

Underwood, Peter. The Complete Book of Dowsing & Divining. London, 1980.

Vogt, Evon Z., and Ray Hyman. Water Witching, U.S.A. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1979.

Wayland, Bruce and Shirley Wayland. Steps to Dowsing Power. Life Force Press, 1976.

Weaver, Herbert. Diving, the Primary Sense: Unfamiliar Radiation in Nature, Art and Science. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1978.

Willey, Raymond C. Modern Dowsing. Cottonwood, AZ: Esoteric Publications, 1976.

Wyman, Walker D. Witching for Water, Oil, Pipes, and Precious Minerals. River Falls: University of Wisconsin Press, 1977.