How Pendulum Dowsing Works

Using a pendulum is called dowsing, along with other means of gathering information from involuntary muscle responses. Other dowsing tools include the forked stick, a bobber, and dowsing rods.

A pendulum can be as fancy as a quartz crystal on a silver chain or as mundane as a washer tied to a piece of string. The bobber has a handle, a spring and a long shaft that vibrates in response to various questions. Dowsing rods are L-shaped rods held in a piece of tubing that allows the rods to move independently. A forked stick is just that, a piece where two branches fork from one. All these devices are used to find water on property, and the larger tools are very good for walking the actual grounds.

Pendulum dowsing or divination is better for use indoors. It can be used to find water on a property by using a map, even at a great distance. The other tools work better on site. The pendulum can answer yes/no questions about any subject, if properly phrased. Several practitioners use a circular design similar to a protractor, which has markings for degrees, numbers, and other kinds of answers. Some people have even made whole books of such markers for specific kinds of questions, such as what occupation might be most suitable or which of several options is preferred. Some people merely spread out their other hand and indicate by tapping each finger to indicate what answer will be understood for that finger if the pendulum swings that way.

How does pendulum dowsing work?

The pendulum swings in response to involuntary muscle movements, which the unconscious mind controls. Dowsers believe that the Inner Being, Higher Self, Universal Agent or Collective Unconscious has access to much more information than the logical mind. Since the Universe is all energy, the dowser's unconscious can tap into that energy, the eternal NOW, and bring back information about past, present or future events, if the dowser is clear and precise in forming questions.

Dowsing, like any other psychic art, requires practice, primarily to clear oneself of attachment to the answer. The persona/ego always has a desired response to any question it wishes to ask, and this preference must be turned off to get a reliable answer. Turning of this preference is called clearing oneself. Clearing is an act of will, of mental attitude which must be learned. It helps at the beginning to look away from the pendulum for a few seconds while it changes motion from a circle or certain angle to one that is recognized as an answer.

To experiment with dowsing, tie a metal washer, or a large bead, or something similar to a piece of string about six inches long. The weight should swing freely. Some practitioners suggest "training" the pendulum to swing back and forth for "yes," left and right for "no."

Other dowsers ask the pendulum to show them how it swings for yes, and how it swings for no. In either case, you need to know how you will read the response. Some people hold the pendulum still and wait for it to move, some swing it diagonally between the yes and no positions, and still other swing pendulum in a circle while asking the question.

Then you can practice with items that have no emotional content for you. Lay out three playing cards face down. Ask if the card is red, and if you get yes, ask if it is hearts. Do the same for clubs or spades. Turn the card over to see if you are right. Don't be concerned if it takes a while for this to work.

Doing a practice exercise that has no emotional value for you allows you to feel how the pendulum works without being tempted to move it intentionally.

Some health care practitioners use the pendulum to check the chakra energy centers in the body and to restore them to energetic health. Others use the pendulum to find and clear energy blocks in the body.

Raymond Grace is experimenting with clearing and purifying water, both bottled drinking water and known contaminated springs. His goal is to purify drinking water for all living beings on earth, reversing the current trend of pollution. He has had success in raising the nutritional value of food, clearing ghosts from property and changing the negative environment of schools and social service arenas.

A good beginning text for learning dowsing is A Letter to Robin by Walt Woods from the American Society of Dowsers. Raymond Grace's book Techniques that Work for Me is also good. Grace's book The Future is Yours is very inspiring, but not extremely helpful in learning dowsing technique.