Is dowsing a gift, a skill or both?

[BaronH]

Im asking because my wife and I ran across some dowsing rods in our basement so we both walked around with them. When I walked around with them they would cross with bizarre accuracy over the same places regardless of my approach. My wife picks them up and walks around and gets absolutely zero response.

 

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[aarthrj3811]

Hey BaronH..That’s a great question. My personal answer is that it is a skill. I have known a few people that get no response to the rods. It may be that they think that they will not work..Some people just have some kind of preconceived ideas about dowsing...As far as it being a gift I don’t think so... Art

 

[Cochetopa]

Hi, BaronH,
If I can do it, anybody can. It's a skill. Also, I agree w/Art's suggestion why some people do not experience the dowsing response.
Sincerely,
-C

 

[MrBalance]

One possible option is that your wife is experiencing the response but is blocking the movement of the rods.
Put the rods in wooden pipes and hold the pipes vertically.

discharge the rods by pointing them down and rubbing against each other.

Watch your wife and make sure she is not compensating for L-rod moves with her hand movement.

Only do it if she is interested in dowsing like you are: wifes/girlfriends (or their dad!) may not find dowsing very appealing:

 

[AmericanDowsers]

Greetings,

I just noticed this thread and thought I would chime in and say hello.

Art is correct - dowsing is a skill that can be taught, practiced, and honed like most other skills. Some people come to dowsing naturally and have 'the gift' without needing to practice, and for others it can be a difficult challenge that takes a great deal of practice. In between are the majority of people who have some level of response to dowsing right off the bat, and with practice learn to improve the dowsing response to become more accurate over time. Like most other skills, some take to it quickly, others struggle with it, and the majority are somewhere in between

Also adding to Art's post, there are a great deal of preconceived notions and superstitions surrounding dowsing. Ask five different dowsers how to dowse and you'll get six different answers back! What works for some might not work for others. Practice the basics and you will learn what works for you.

I'm happy to have found this forum and will be a regular reader from now on. Cheers!

Nathan Platt
Operations Manager
American Society of Dowsers
dowsers.org

 

[lesjcbs]

I think it is both a gift and a skill. The reason I say this is when I first dowsed, I too only experienced the rods crossing over something. Up to that point and time, all I knew about dowsing was how to hold the L rods out in front of me and when they crossed,look for a target beneath them. And so,all I had in the beginning was rod crossings over targets and nothing else.

Then, I learned from ART and other very highly skilled and experienced dowsers in this forum how to, shall I say: “FINE TUNE’ my dowsing technique beyond just holding them out in frontof me and walking around until they crossed. This was when I stared moving into the “techniques” for long-rangedowsing. You will discover that the combined hours of work and experience that ART and others like him in this forum have done in the past reaches into the hundreds if not thousahnds of hours of dedicated work and experimenting. Listening and learning from them as I have, will save you tons of time and will put you ahead of the class.

Long-range dowsing is very different than just walking around somewhere waiting for the rods to cross. It is the skill used to enhance the gift, as you have to employ things that do not come naturally.

Long-range dowsing involves, finding the distance to target through triangulation, using ground antennas and magnets to magnify and enhance target frequency strength and direction, knowing what position the rods will be in ( X or > ) which tells you when to stop scanning as the target is straight out in front of you, finding target depths and other techniques. All these “LEARNED TECHNIQUES” and others I have not mentioned here fall into the skill category as they have to be learned either from someone else or discovered through trial and error on your own over time in the field.

This why I think dowsing is both a gift and a skill.

Les

 

[aarthrj3811]

Hey gals and guys...Nothing about Dowsing is set in stone..There is not any rules except for what works for you. There are a lot of people who think they are Dowsers just because the rods will move...The ones who will not practice and learn soon fall by the wayside. I still have an open mind and try most of the stuff I read...If it works I will think about adding it to my personal list of rules...Art

 

[TerryC]

Is dowsing a gift, or skill? It is a myth! TTC

 

[aarthrj3811]

myth
Myth | Define Myth at Dictionary.com
1.
a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
2.
stories or matter of this kind: realm of myth.
3.
any invented story, idea, or concept: His account of the event is pure myth.
4.
an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
5.
an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.

Sorry TerryC...Your trying to spread manure...Thank You for your service for all of us in the US...Art

 

[TerryC]

myth
Myth | Define Myth at Dictionary.com
1.
a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.
2.
stories or matter of this kind: realm of myth.
3.
any invented story, idea, or concept: His account of the event is pure myth.
4.
an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.
5.
an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.

Sorry TerryC...Your trying to spread manure...Thank You for your service for all of us in the US...Art

Art, all contradictions side, you are number 45 since Vietnam. The first came from a fellow who was not yet born when I did my duddty WITH A VENGENCE AND LOVED IT

 

[lesjcbs]

TerryC:

Welcome.

I assume from your avatar that you are a Marine or were at one time a Marine. In either case,thank you for your service.

I am a retired U.S. Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Officer with 20 years of service. I was a “MUSTANG”as they are called, but it was worth it. I retired in 1990 and am currently living the good life.

Now part of that good life is after many years of blind and stubborn skepticism and doubt, I finally tried dowsing and the rest is history. No, I cannot explain it for sure but I favor Einstein’s take on it. He says: "I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as they do astrology, as a type of ancient superstition. According to my conviction this is, however, unjustified. The dowsing rod is a simple instrument which shows the reaction of the human nervous system to certain factors which are unknown to us at this time."

If you will, please say why you think dowsing is a myth. But before you do that, read the following article.

United States MilitaryDowsers in Viet Nam

A member of the AmericanSociety of Dowsers, ASD, proved the efficacy of dowsing to Marines at a USMC training center in Virginia by successfully finding all of the concealed underground installations, amazing camp officials. He dowsed a map of the training center the night before the actual demonstration. At USMC Camp Pendleton in Southern California, enlistees were screened for their dowsing ability. One out of five was found to have the ability.

Louis Matacia, an operations analyst at the Marine Corps Schools at Quantico, Virginia, is given credit for instituting and teaching the use of dowsing. He taught one hundred and eight Marines, en route to Vietnam, military dowsing basics. They used it successfully during the Vietnamese war. Its efficacy was proven beyond any doubt to the Marine Command, but it wasn’t sanctioned for use. Despite this, the Corps used it.

Dowsers were used to locate booby traps, message drops, buried telephone lines and supplies, mines, enemy tunnel systems, Viet Cong underground emplacements and weapons caches.They were able to locate subterranean tunnels at Khesan when electronic detectors were useless. A professional military dowser can locate the enemy, day or night, under and above ground, under water and the precise location, despitethe distance between the dowser and the target. Dowsing was said to have saved many lives.

Very little publicity was released about the success of dowsing at the time. It was classified until recently. Paul Smith, retired Intelligence officer, led the department of military dowsing and teaches civilian dowsers methods and techniques used in military dowsing.

From: http://suite101.com/article/dowsing-used-by-the-military-a140079

 

[aarthrj3811]

~abitexex~

To me it is a tool. Nothing more nothing less

And like any tool you have to learn how to use it....Art

 

[calisdad]

My wife worked for the parks department for 25 years. She still has hers and uses them to find water leaks I believe. And find them she does. Skill, tool, art, myth whatever. You can't argue with sucess.

I'd say they are a tool and like any tool you have to learn how to use them.

 

[rockhound]

Most here are correct. It is a gift to some, but to others, it has to be taught or practiced to become proficient. Becoming acquanted with the tools we use is always the first step toward locating what we are looking for, no matter which type of devices we use, electronic or mind control devices. There is no protocal as such, as each person has to find their own way of communicating with the dowsing tools we use. What works for one person, will not necessarily work for someone else. Some people have an abundance of electrical energy flowing through their bodies, while other have hardly any. It all depends on your overall health and circulation. Whenever I am instructing a newbie, I stand back and watch their reactions to buried targets, they have no clue as to where they are buried, so I just watch and can determine if they need teaching or have the gift already. Good Luck. rockhound

 

[lesjcbs]

Rockhound:

Excellent post. Would you mind sharing some ideas and thoughts you have on how to dowse?

 

[rockhound]

OK! I have a coin plot that I use to test metal detectors and dowsing or LRL's with. Whenever someone wants or needs to try their instrument, I let them use this plot as a testing grounds. I have pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters buried at different depths. I also have a piece of copper pipe buried. Newbies will start and I will watch their reactions to whichever meta or coin they are next to, as I know where they are buried. With L rods, start at the bottom left corner of a field and try to follow a somewhat northerly direction. Depending on which type instrument you are using, try to visualize the target you are searching for in your minds eye. Don't concentrate on the rod(s), but concentrate on the terrain. When you are locked on to a target, your rod(s) will alert you and then you can concentrate on the rods themselves, but keep that image in your mind as you proceed to the target. Practice doing this at home where someone has buried a known object without your knowing where it is hidden. Practice, practice, practice. Good Luck. rockhound

 

[lesjcbs]

The starting off in a cardinal direction I have heard before but have never really done it much. I'll start doing it regularly soon.

Visualizing the target is what I do when I know what the target is, especially for long-range shots, which is what I am working on now. Otherwise I wait until my rods cross and as a result, I find all kinds of stuff.

I probably concentrated on my rods too much. You know, anticipating a find. That will change.

I will concentrate more on the terrain, then on my rods while keeping my target in mind as you suggest. I have heard about this before also.

Any suggestions for long range dowsing?

Thanks,

Les.

 

[rockhound]

For long range dowsing, you will need longer rod(s). The rods should be viewed as an antennae, for better reception, you will need longer antennae. Some rods have an adjustable length built in, so you can locate long distance, then shorten the rods when approaching your target, for better pinpointing. Although when rods cross they can be accurate, I use a pendulum to back up my pinpoint. I also use a pendulum to map dowse with, as I find I can get a more precise pinpoint. When I locate my target, I will start walking backwards with my rods and see where they uncross, this is a pretty good indicator of the depth. I have left targets that were too deep to dig before. If you concentrate on your rods, you can influence their movement. If you want more power, take off your shoes and socks. Keep any unused hand hanging down with you fingers spread and not touching each other. Have fun and good luck. rockhound

 

[lesjcbs]

For long range dowsing, you will need longer rod(s). The rods should be viewed as an antennae, for better reception, you will need longer antennae. Some rods have an adjustable length built in, so you can locate long distance, then shorten the rods when approaching your target, for better pinpointing. Although when rods cross they can be accurate, I use a pendulum to back up my pinpoint. I also use a pendulum to map dowse with, as I find I can get a more precise pinpoint. When I locate my target, I will start walking backwards with my rods and see where they uncross, this is a pretty good indicator of the depth. I have left targets that were too deep to dig before. If you concentrate on your rods, you can influence their movement. If you want more power, take off your shoes and socks. Keep any unused hand hanging down with you fingers spread and not touching each other. Have fun and good luck. rockhound

The use of longer or shorter rods make sence when one understands that antennas need to be the right length to pick a frequency. I have adjustable rods and have from time to time changed their lenghs while scanning for a target. I need to work on it.

Determining the depth I am familiar with.

Never heard of going bare footed for more power. Sound like something I need to see if it works for me.

Keeping the empty hand at the side I have heard about also, but spreading the fingers and keeping them from touching each other at the same time is something new. I use two rods but I have heard that using one is better.

As I mentioned before, I am sure now that I concentrate on my rods more than I should.

I have never used a pendulum. HMM.

Thanks,

Les

 

[aarthrj3811]

Hey Les...I also search walking in the Cardinal directions...I find that I can search a larger area faster by doing this. I also use two rods...The way dowsing works best for me is to bait my rods and search keeping my mind occupied with thoughts that have nothing to do with treasure hunting..Try everything that you hear about and see what happens..Find what works for you...Art