Dowsing,
also called divining or water witching, is a generic
term for practices which proponents claim empower them
to find water, metals, gem stones and hidden objects,
usually by fluctuations of some apparatus (typically
a Y-shaped twig, rod, rods, or pendulum) over a piece
of land or a map. Some claim to need no apparatus at
all but to 'feel' reactions. Repeated tests under controlled
conditions have not supported these claims, but they
continue to be believed by many people.
The ability to find people, artefacts or substances
by use of maps, pictures or physically being in a place
are currently the most popular applications of Dowsing.
Most dowsers use two 'dowsing rods' and/or a pendulum.
The rods, traditionally known as 'Wishing Rods', are
formed into an L shape and are usually made of copper
although the oldest known material was wood, usually
forked Hazel branches along with Apple, Beech and Alder.
(It is said that metal coat hangers work just as well!).
One rod is held in each hand and you have located what
it is you are looking for when the rods cross.
When using a pendulum most people weight the line with
a crystal, or heavy weight. The important thing seems
to be the length of the line which the pendulum swings
on. In his book, "The Power of The Pendulum," Tom Lethbridge
explains his own experiments into pendulum lengths and
also his own theories as to how dowsing works. However,
what does seem a mystery is how diviners can dowse over
a map to find people or substances when the focus of
the search can be many kilometres away. Indeed this
does suggest some sort of psychic activity.
Dowsing is reported to date back approximately 7000
years but origins are still unknown. It is accepted,
however, that the Egyptians used images of forked rods
in some of their artwork as did the Ancient Chinese
kings. In Europe, it was known for dowsing to be used
in the Middle Ages to find coal deposits. Since this
time people have dowsed for everything from lost objects
to missing people, some of them are reported to be very
accurate although the scientific community as a whole
have yet to decide if they support or refute this ability.
Some people earn money by advising mining companies
before they carry out test drilling/core sample
