Diving rods and dowsing sticks were once used to find water underneath the ground. While it may sound like a tradition from an ancient cult, this technique has actually been used for hundreds of years. Even today, there are villages around the world that use divining rods to find water.
How Do Diving Rods and Dowsing Work?
The divining rod is a rod shaped like the letter “y.” It is typically made out of wood, plastic or a cane. Once the dowser is holding the wand with either hand, they start to walk over the land in question. They hold the rod in front of them as they slowly move along and pay attention to any movements of the rod.
The best dowsers say that they actually have to visualize what they are looking for. If they want to find an underground spring, they imagine it in their mind’s eye. Famous dowsers like Peter Taylor of Wales have found underground springs that produce 20,000 liters of water per hour. Taylor also uses his skills in African villages as a volunteer. He helps villagers find water sources near their towns.
Does Dowsing Actually Work?
According to practitioners, diving rods work. Dowsers say that the water gives off a type of magnetic signal that is then picked up by the rod. Unfortunately, not everyone is suited for this task, and many beginners fail to
If you are trying to locate water, hold the divining rod firmly, but loosely enough that it can twitch when it finds water. You do not want it to roll around on your hands. You can make your diving rod out of woods like dogwood, peach, cherry or hickory. Then, walk back and forth over areas where you think there may be an underground spring or water vein. You can also start by using a spot that you know has water present so that you are aware of how the divining rod responds to water.
Some dowsers use metal divining rods, but these are not necessary when you begin. They have to be designed specifically for the purpose, so a metal rod is ideal for beginners.
There are certainly detractors to this type of water witching, but proponents would argue that this practice has been successful for hundreds of years. Whatever the case, developing your skills as a diviner will take time.