DOWSING / DIVINING
West Country Borehole Dowsing is also known as divining
Dowsing or Divining is a way of locating underground water, oil metal , and many other substances without the use of scientific apparatus.
A Y or L shaped twig or rod, called a dowsing rod/divining rod which is sometimes used during dowsing to locate the object or material, although some dowsers use other equipment or no equipment at all.
The most well known gesture of the dowser is that which consists in holding a hazel stick in one’s hands, and to advance over the ground, the stick forming a V and by exerting a light pressure to maintain it parallel to the ground.
When the dowser passes directly over a bank, or underground water source, the rod will react and either drop or rise upwards (depending on the person holding it). A good dowser can find the banks, width, direction of the current, its depth as well as its flow rate. With practice the dowser advances over the ground, holding his diving rod firmly (but not too tightly) in his hands.
These rods can be any of the following materials, plastic, hazel, willow, almond, steel brass or even whale bone.
We advance slowly, exerting a light pressure to maintain the rod stable and parallel to the ground, fingers closed around the rod, and palms turned upwards. When passing directly over a bank, an underground water source, the rod of the dowser will be raised and remain raised, (or drop and stay down, depending on the person using the rod).