Feature

Dowsing and Dowsing Rods

by Barb Knox

A dowsing rod, otherwise known as a divining rod, has been historically defined as a tool used to find water or minerals. A Dowsing Rod is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as: a forked rod believed to indicate the presence of water or minerals especially by dipping downward when held over a vein. Today, many paranormal investigators believe that dowsing rods can be used to communicate with spirits. Typically, dowsing rods are made of copper or brass in the shape on an L. Keep in mind that dowsing can be done using other instruments like the pendulum but for our purposes today, our focus will be on dowsing rods.

In my opinion, dowsing rods are a way of locating energy in its many forms. Scientifically speaking, energy cannot be created or destroyed, it only changes in form. All things are made up of energy, so it makes logical sense to say that when we die our energy just changes in form. It is my belief that dowsing rods are one way to locate that energy.

While we use dowsing regularly during investigations, it is mainly in conjunction with other equipment. We cannot use dowsing evidence alone to determine if a home or location is active. Keep in mind also that you can never be sure exactly who you are communicating with or if the entity or entities are being truthful. It takes time, but dowsing is generally a very simple practice.

When beginning a dowsing session it is good practice to ask permission. Simply ask permission aloud and instruct the rods to cross for yes and point away from each other for no. You may also ask the rods to show you yes and no but that is entirely up to the user. From this point you may ask a series of yes or no questions and you are dowsing! To test the validity of the answers you are getting, you may want to ask a control question. This question can be a nonsense question that you already know the answer to like “are you a purple dinosaur”? If the answer is yes then you know that whatever or whomever you are talking to is not being completely truthful. With some practice you will begin to feel how the rods move and change in intensity with different energies.

My advice would be to experiment at home and see what works best for you. You do not have to be in a “haunted” location to dowse. Like any skill, dowsing is a learning process.

Stick with it and happy hunting!

-Barb