<NEW DOWSING COURSE> pt.1 ... Section 3

[MAYATNIK]

S.3 --- USING L-RODS AND PENDULUMS

In this section we look at both the L-rod and also the Pendulum, and see how they actually work.  In many applications the L-rod is interchangeable with the Pendulum.  By examining how each works, it is then possible to get a much better understanding than just using one particular tool right from the start, though the user may well choose to later use one rather than the other according to their preference.  Outside of Dowsing Societies the Pendulum has tended to have become more popular (though its field of application narrower outside of dowsing), and this is largely due to its extreme portability, as it can be slipped into the smallest pocket, compared with the L-rods, plus the New Age interest in crystals and the extensive manufacture and promoting of the 'crystal pendulum' as a divination tool.  As a result of the crystal pendulum boom, so to speak, many people are not aware of all that lies behind it, both in the wealth of divination experience people have had over the centuries and the many versatile uses of the Pendulum other than the perceived question/answer mode (a part of "Information Dowsing") which has sadly made divination almost appear to be just a game, and the Pendulum just a 'toy', oten an object of suspicion and even ridicule by those who are ignorant of the facts and who may also erroneously compare it and put it in the category of such as the Ouija board (use of the Ouija board and similar 'devices' designed and used by those who often know next to nothing about the proper way to go about divining information) all of which has contrived to give the Pendulum a bad image that is in every way undeserved.  So, this course seeks to redress that imbalance, and this section in particular now addresses the differences and similarities in those two tools, the L-rod and the Pendulu, which work from exactly the same 'source'.

Since many more people have heard about the Pendulum than the L-rod tool, we shall start by looking at the latter which the reader is very likely not to be familiar with or even heard of.  For the purpose of this course, and to get the maximum understanding and therefore benefit, it is assumed that the reader will have bought, or made, both L-rods and a Pednulum (see the previous section for details of this and also other useful information where appropriate).  If the reader has not yet got these tools, then they can be made later after reading this section, but it is strongly advised to read the previous section in any case (and in fact to read all sections of this course carefully) to follow what is being explained, because important information may well be in a different section due to the need to keep the course as compact as possible and avoid repetition unless it is a recap that is given along with further explanation for a particular application.

The essential difference between L-rods and Pendulums, is that the L-rod swivels to give an answer, and additionally can be used to 'point' in the direction of what is sought.  The Pendulum, on the other hand, swings, from side to side or in and out to give an answer (generally, 'yes' or 'no'), and in addition can also be used to 'point', though in this case (since it swings) it has to be determined which end of the swing is the direction pointed to, and in that respect the L-rod (only one rod, rather than two in this case) is easier to use.  The Pendulum tends to be used more for "Information Dowsing/Divination" than the L-rod but either can be used.  In Map Dowsing the Pendulum has obvious advantages due to its smallness, but again the L-rod can be used for this.  Dowsing L-rods are preferred by many for what is called 'prospecting' and for this 2 L-rods are used in searching for oil, water, minerals, roman ruins and buried treasure (coins etc) and many other things.  Again, using different techniques , the Pendulum can do the same thing as L-rods  in many applications.  So, this section will compare the different techniques in a general sense, and this will greatly aid the student dowser in an understanding of what they are doing and how best to go about it with confidence.

RELATING THE PENDULUM TO DOWSING

For those who have used the Pendulum for Information or 'Spiritual' Dowsing only, or who have read various accounts of what the Pendulum can do in those things there is often only a vague notion, or even none at all, of its potential other than in that particular area.  In addition to this, many who practice esoteric arts – such as witchcraft and New Age interests (particularly with crystals) have latched on to only a small part of what can be done with the Pendulum – each particular application tends to be isolated or focussed in one particular direction, for example a growing number of Reiki practitioners now use the Pendum for chakra and aura diagnosis, and some of these move tentatively into that area known as Information Divination but rarely understand more than what they have read in the odd book that happens to deal with their particular field of interest, so there often arises an element of suspicion or fear about contacting some unknown 'source' outside of the area they feel comfortable with.  This propensity to have a level of fear associated with the use of the Pendulum is due to how it has been incautiously used without looking at the whole spectrum of dowsing – so it is often wrongly associated with ouija boards and other divination aids that have sprung up and have been used by people who most often did not have any real overall understanding, and even books have been written by some people that fail to give anywhere near an overall or even balanced picture.  Notions abound regarding what the 'source' is that provides information of whatever kind through the Pendulum, and these are often brightly coloured by the various conceptions and misconceptions in our society.  There are those who feel it is the way to contact their guardian angel, some Higher Intelligence or God, or Alien Beings.  Little wonder then, that there is confusion and even Fear about it.  And yet, it has been used in Dowsing for 8,000 years, even before the L-rod came along (the Y-rod, or more accurately Y-twig, was the other main Dowsing tool used along with the Pendulum right from the earliest time in the Ancient Civilizations... and even by Neolithic so-called 'cavemen' who were in fact extremely knowlegeable about it and many other things that are not generally realised by those who have only read 3 or 4 paragraphs in some school textbook).  Dowsers do not have such problems with the Pendulum that New Age people often have, and it is simply regarded as being an alternative tool to the L-rod in applications where it is more suited because of its portability essentially.  A Dowser is not really concerned about what the 'source' is, and neither does he or she have any Fear of 'lower entities' or suchlike entering the tool – which says something about the conditioning that pervades many esoteric groups causing polarisation due to them only understanding the raw basics (if indeed  they understand that, much less its potential!) applicable to their own particular 'in thing' in the broader context, plus hysteria and shudders from those outside such groups who neither understand what is really going on in such groups nor have  any understanding of a balanced nature.  Dowsing is an Art/Science, very old and stable, and has never hand those problems.  Indeed, on the contrary, it has done much to help science, although the mainstream scientific community (itself polarised) does not accept this, and many famous people of science and other fields have used the Pendulum in their work (as described in Section 1).  So, the reader can proceed with confidence that there are no 'negs' in the Pendulum, and they can best assume that any negativity comes from conditioning, doubt or lack of respect for the tool, in whatever quantity those things may be present.  And any Dowser will tell you that with the aforementioned 'baggage' you are not likely to succeed with the Pendulum or L-rods until that negativity has been banished and replaced with positivite, receptive attitude and a quiet contemplative 'frame of mind', and that with those things in place you will  then progress well if you have diligence in learning and practice your dowsing regularly as a 'way of life' rather than a mere interest, and that will also aid inner-development giving a firm foundation, without fear, for when you come to do Information Dowsing.  To put it bluntly, if L-rods had been taken up by the minority esoteric communities then they too would have attracted the 'Fear Syndrome' about 'negs' and 'lower entities'.  But they have not, and do not give problems that the Pendulum is said to give, even when they are used for 'spiritual' dowsing.  When all is said and done, they are both simply pieces of matter that interact with an unseen 'source', and in dowsing in all its aspects they work exptremely well and accurately, as has been proven for millennia.  It is like everything else in this world, it will be what you want it to be and work or malfunction accordingly.  Dowsing works, and all it requires is your confidence in it.

PENDULUM MOVEMENTS

The Pendulum has two basic types of movement; lateral (side to side, or in and out) plus circular (which may be clockwise or anti-clockwise).  It can be 'programmed' to respond with various meanings attached to each movement as the user chooses, if they wish.  Suprisingly, Dowsers do not have a 'standard' for the various movements, and it is left to the teacher (or the book) to explain the movements of the Pendulum, and this applies also to esoteric groups that promote the use of the Pendulum outside Dowsing.  So, there is actually considerable confusion as to what should be a 'correct' movement as one tries to compare the movements advocated by one group and then another.  Nevertheless, the Pendulum works, because of the 'programming' principle.  Before we look at various meanings attached to any particular movement of the Pendulum, I want to talk about 'programming' so that the reader will have a better understanding.  We are all programmed from birth to fit into our environment (it is actually a much bigger story than that, since we are actually programmed before birth – but that is something that the reader can investigate for his or her self, using the Pendulum to ask questions; that is 'spiritual' dowsing).  In our initial programming we exhibit those traits that are 'us', and this is how WE REACT to our environment.  Conditioning is different, and that is how our environment expects us to react, as the 'norm' in any particular group we find ourselves in.  Conditioning (the insistance that we should comply) takes away the Free Will in our present state of evolution.  Higher Beings do not take away Free Will, because they have obtained the Wisdom as they have advanced in evolution, that conditioning to conform is not the opposite of anarchy, thus they have achieved a state of self-regulation simply by obtaining that Wisdom and teaching it to shape their 'society'. (Again, a very worthwhile topic for investigation using the Pendulum).  So, we have in our present stage of evolution a need to remove that baggage of conditioning if we are to effectively communicate with Higher Realms, the 'source', whatever you wish to call it, because while there is conditioning there is 'colouration' in our notions.  We need to apply 'intent' individually, and not by 'group demand' in our lives, to effectively evolve – and that ability to project intent is built into our prior programming as an individual.  What has already been built into us, and is at a 'subconscious' level in terms of how we can understand it, is a connection to what is termed the 'Collective Consciousness' – and that connection is to a 'group consensus', an entirely different thing to 'group demand'.  So, when we 'programme' the Pendulum we are tapping-on to a facility of that group consensus, that permits from that time on a functionality which the Pendulum will adopt and exhibit.  And that programming is done by simply having the 'intent' for it to so be.  It should then simply be a matter of instructing the Pendulum to assign a meaning to a particular movement, and this in fact does work.  We 'intend' for it to be so (either by strong intent in our mind, or by thinking of it, or 'telling' it in words).  If we don't programme in this fashion, it will nevertheless still provide certain movements in reaction to certain questions or situations (such as finding something we intended to find) – so it already has what we describe in our present computer technology jargon as a 'default' mode.  We could, by experiment deduce what the meaning might be, but we would not understand all of the movements.  Why, for example, does a Pedulum sometimes circle one way and sometimes another? Some have found that the clockwise circling seems to indicate 'yes' for them, others say it is the anti-clockwise movement that gives a 'yes' response to them.  Yet others still, find that a side to side (or even in and out) appears to indicate 'yes'.   If we didn't programme it, then we might assume it is purely arbitrary.  Yet, there is clearly an 'intelligence' there in the Pendulum somehow, for it does give consistent answers when used according to certain prescribed methods.  So, we can assume that it is programmed at the 'source' to give those evident indications.  But why are those movements different for some people?  We can note that within each 'group' of people (such as individual Dowsing Societies) there  tends to be broad agreement, as to what each movement means, but another 'group' will ascribe different meanings.  What is clear, is that overall a person within a particular group can pick up a Pendulum for the first time, and find it gives similar movements to what are obtained by others in that group.  Hence, returning to what we were discussing earlier, there is clearly a 'group consensus'.  In fact, this exists at a subconscious level, because the person picking up the Pendulum for the first time may not in fact have had the full meanings explained to them.  No Dowsers have made a study of this, nor even thought about it.  The philosophy of dowsing is to build upon what has become the 'norm', though it is not here a 'group demand' but a subconscious 'group consensus', and in that there is now an added dimension.  Because the 'source' accepts the majority 'consensus' and makes it the 'default' for whichever group it is that is using it.  That, explained my guide to me, is the way it is.  So, when my guide decided she wanted me to tell people about the Pendulum one of the main things was to stress that it should be used for Information/Spiritual Divination in what she termed the 'Advanced' Mode, to differentiate between the 'Default' Mode that the Pedulum assumes when a Dowser, or an average person just picks the Pendulum up.  (There is actually a 'default' chakra/aura  mode that is becoming a 'standard' in that field also, and which the 'source' recognises and adopts when the Pendulum is applied to such things by a Reiki practitioner).

Because a Pendulum is very likely to go immediately into 'default' mode, my guide asked me to tell people to whom I teach the Pendulum, to instruct it to "Go to 'Advanced' Mode" to ensure it will give consistent standard responses for all users, unless a certain movement is required to be reprogrammed for the duration of a particular set of tasks.  In fact, and this is interesting in the light of what we have been discussing here, those who have read my previous texts on this (in the <AND THE TRUTH SHALL BE KNOWN – You'll see> thread) or read through this course, will find that invariably the Pendulum will automatically go immediately, without being specifically  programmed by the user, into 'Advanced' Mode, since it is in the mind of the person, effectively an 'intent', albeit at a subconscious level so not recognised as such by the person encountering the Pendulum for the first time (when, remember, it would otherwise normally adopt 'default', or Dowser Mode).  Only if it should be found to have gone to 'default' mode, therefore, would it need to be instructed to change to 'Advanced' with the "Go to........" programming instruction (and this of course can be used to revert back to 'default' Dowsing Mode at any time, if desired – as may be found to be the case for certain applications in this course, should the user wish to do that, or try both modes).

Thus far, we have seen how the Pendulum has come over the years to adopt a 'default' (or 'standard') mode for the Dowser (albeit that there are slight differences between meanings ascribed according to the particular group).  But, there was a time before Dowsing Groups existed, and even  before the art was kept and cherished by such as the French Monasteries and clergy in defiance to the church (and who thankfully kept many of the principles safe), and the Pendulum was used in Ancient Times used stonemasons who already knew the Art of Dowsing, and they must have learned it from somewhere, from some time previous.  At some time long long ago, the Art and its methods had been  therefore given to someone, before any groups became established (whether stonemasons, or otherwise), and the Pendulum – the oldest of all dowsing tools – was taught to others from the mists of time before any recorded history that has survived (some ancient philosophers wrote about Atlantis, and a 'crystal technology', and even Neolithic art depicts dowsers in action, along with pictures of their dowsing tools).  So, there was an original 'defacto standard' method and understanding that went with it.  That method is what my guide now terms the 'Advanced' Mode, because originally it was very advanced, and could do more than what Dowsers now use it for.   Over the centuries much was lost, and we only have what has been preserved and carried on by Dowsers.  Due to persecution and fear impressed on people over the ages by those who wanted to control the masses, the Divination side was suppressed and much more was lost, especially in the understanding, of that aspect of the Art.  Those things I am now explaining in a simple manner, as instructed by my guide, for the reader to begin to understand what the potential of the Pendulum really is.

INITIALISING THE PENDULUM FOR 'YES' AND 'NO' RESPONSES

In Information and Spiritual Dowsing Divination you will need to have a movement that means 'yes', and one that means 'no'.  These are fundamental.  As explained in section 2, the user should allow the Pendulum to assign a particular movement to each of 'yes' and 'no', since this will obtain the best sensitivity for the individual due to the fact that the genetic make-up of that particular person is a crucial element in that because of their dynamic energy field.  But, we have also seen that there is confusion of movements ascribed in dowsing, since this is not understood by them.  So, the first-time user should initially - after allowing a couple of seconds for the Pendulum to 'settle' (this is what my guide terms 'log-on') before proceeding after picking it up - instruct the Pendulum to go to Advanced mode.  Then, the instruction "GIVE me a 'Yes', please" should be issued.  Observe which way the Pendulum moves.  This should be either left to right across the body (the Pendulum should be held central in front of the chest, and about 6 inches forward of it), or it will be in and out, at right-angles to the body (which is why there should be sufficient space for that movement, hence the 6 inches).  Next, the instruction, "GIVE me a 'No', please" must be issued.  It is not sufficient to assume that because one way is 'yes' then the other way must therefore be 'no'.  The act of issuing these two instructions is for the 'source' to  assign these two movements and their associated meanings of 'yes' and 'no'.  Again, check that all is in order with this, and that the Pendulum has indeed given a movement that is at right-angles to the previous one.  From that time on, the Pendulum will always respond with those two movements for 'yes' and 'no' respectively, or their equivalent meanings, and those assignments of movements will remain in effect for the rest of that person's life as their default.  Even if the user then at any time after chooses Dowsing 'default' mode for any particular application, the Pendulum will still give those correct movements, and not various ones that dowsers get.

PENDULUM CIRCLING MOVEMENTS

I have already mentioned that the other basic movement of the Pendulum is the circular motion (in either direction).  My guide told me that this movement should be called <searching> because that is the movement that automatically happens in 'Advanced' Mode when the Pendulum is searching in order to then give an answer of 'yes' or 'no' as a result of what it finds.  At the time my guide told me this, and during which time I was using the Pendulum for many tasks that involved searching, I had never heard of Dowsing, nor what dowsers did.  I only knew what my guide had told me (and this turned out many years later to be exactly what dowsers did, plus much more that dowsers did not know about!).  Throughout this course, you will see many references to <search> mode, as understood by Dowsers.  That is NOT the same thing as <searching>.  I would rather term the Dowsers standard <search> mode as <ready> mode, but since it has already become well established in the many books and societies of dowsing practice, I keep to the convention in naming it as <search> as well as <ready> (which some Dowsers now themselves call it) when it applies to L-rods.  The L-rod diviner simply sets his rod(s) to point forward, so that they will be ready to respond as he moves when the required 'target' has been found, thus he is searching in effect.  The Pendulum, however, spins as it performs an actual search, but this spinning motion is the <searching> for the answer to a question and not the <ready> or <search> mode that is used in L-rod or even Pendulum 'prospecting' operations, where the L-rod or Pendulum should be static at that point.   The fact that by the Pendulum circling it shows the user what is being done following a question which requires a search due to there being many variables, can be likened, in a computer analogy,  to the 'hourglass' that appears on screen when the computer is performing a 'save' action, but the computer displays the 'hourglass' while it is in fact searching for the place to put the file, whether there is enough room for it and much, much more that the user is not aware of.  This is equally true of the Pendulum when it is performing its <searching>.  In fact, as my guide has explained to me, the Pendulum works through a kind of 'computer' to access the data it is searching.  It is, of course, not like any computer you might imagine, and is in fact a 'living computer' that can do things you could never dream of. This is a fascinating area of exploration, and you can ask the Pendulum to explain more to you about this by asking questions about the 'computer' and how higher beings use it fro many things, but  it is not central to this discussion, and what is being explained here is simply what is happening.  A further thing that may be noticed from time to time is that during the course of the spinning <searching> motion, the Pendulum may pause very briefly to indicate a 'yes' or a 'no', and then resume its <searching> spin.  This, for the observant user if they note it, is useful to indicate what is happening as the search proceeds.  It occurs in a complex search and is part of the normal function of searching when a straightforward search will not provide the answer – in other words, where there are many variables that need to be taken into account,  since they may interact in a complex way, to arrive at an answer.  So, the occasional pause and slight 'yes' or 'no' indication is simply the 'computer' (as you can imagine it) ticking off each search avenue – " 'Yes', that is ok" ......or...... " 'No', that does not apply here" ... and bearing that in mind you will be able to follow the search pattern with practice, and thus gain additional insight.  If you frequently get such a pattern in the searching for an answer to give you, then it is worthwhile considering how you might simplify your questions, to arrive at answers that will then be intermediate along your questioning line, but also give you far more information as a result for your investigation.

Normally you can expect a clockwise circular motion for <searching>, but occasionally you may encounter an anti-clockwise circling.  This has several meanings, but the main one is still <searching>.  When producing an anti-clockwise motion in searching, the Pendulum is actually searching in a different way than normal, and this may be a search back in 'time' as we know it, through various 'time-frames', but it can be generally regarded as a search through our space in whatever way.  A second meaning of this anti-clockwise movement is called <erase> for simplicity.  It is actually far more than that, and generally means some kind of reorganisation of data at a higher level.  This secondary meaning also indicates that there is a shuffling about (including erase) of data in what you could term (in computer jargon) its 'buffer' concerning the current Question/Answer Session.  Sometimes the Pendulum will not keep a step by step record of each question, for its own reasons, and will therefore make a 'summary' of some kind.  If the Pendulum goes into an anti-clockwise circling when no obvious search can be assumed by the user, then it is often likely that the secondary function is being indicated.  Whichever function it may be, it is simply an indication to inform the user of what is in process.  If you progress to really advanced use of the Pendulum then the circling motion will become more important to you. For the time being however, it is just something that you will gradually get more used to seeing and later working with in Information Dowsing.  Scanning to analyse things in great depth, using<scan> mode, is another advanced feature that exhibits a circular motion when that mode is invoked (this has its own particular characteristics, a widening of the circle and then a diminishing of the circle, as the <scan> proceeds).  As an advanced function it must be used in the proper manner, so it will not be discussed here, except to say that it has numerous applications.  As you can see, from what I have explained here about the circular motion of the Pendulum, it is not a simple function, like 'yes' or 'no' – so, it should not be reprogrammed, although many do this, in their lack of understanding, and so therefore lose much of the Pendulum's versatility.

Some dowsers use the circular motion of the Pendulum as their equivalent of the L-rod <search> mode, and some even use the Pendulum in a lateral swinging motion to "start <search> mode off".   This is wrong!  What is even more wrong, and clearly shows that such dowsers have not even given any thought to the mechanism of the Pendulum, is the fact that they actually physically set the Pendulum swinging, say from side to side, or set it spinning themselves.  The Pendulum is not an old 'crock' or vintage car that needs to be set into action as if starting it with a cranking handle!  There is a reason why they do this, as my guide explained to me with a sigh.  That practice was originally started by some teachers with their dowsing 'newbie' students to give them confidence – the psychology of seeing something happening vigorously, particularly if the student was only getting a barely noticeable movement of the Pendulum when first starting to use it, gives a subliminal burst of initial confidence that they are 'getting somewhere', and the only thing it generates is enthusiasm  at the expense of confusion.  Thus it was, that this action became a habit, and has now become a common practice.  Many dowsing books say that the user should put the Pendulum into <search> mode by setting it into motion (either lateral of circular), and that it will then settle into giving an answer after it has stopped the movement initiated by the Pendulum user.  It is more like the Pendulum will provide an answer after it has stopped being dizzy from the enforced shoving of it into motion!  This totally unnecessary action does not affect accuracy, but I advocate my pupils to ignore such practices, and to be aware when they see them described in dowsing books.  All that is ever needed is to let the Pendulum dangle, and it will either remain like that until it gives a response to a question, or (in the case where there is a good 'rapport' between the user and the Pendulum) a quiescent 'yes' movement, which should be taken as the equivalent of a 'smile' that a friend would have in your presence.  If your Penduum 'smiles' at you in this way, then there may be occasions that demand a quick recognition of a 'yes' when something is found, for example, as you walk forward in a 'dowsing pass'.  In this case, you should instruct the Pendulum to be still until it finds what is being sought (or responds to a question).  In between questions, in an Information Dowsing session, you can avoid any confusion between any two adjacent answers that may be the same movement by simply saying, "Stop please" when you have obtained the answer to a question, before proceeding to the next one, and it will oblige.

In a further section we shall be looking at how the Pendulum can be used in various investigations, both of a scientific nature and in Information Dowsing, so for now I leave it to the reader to think about the L-rod usage described here and to think how those methods can be adapted to the Pendulum (remembering that the L-rod <search> mode is really only a <ready> mode, and the Pendulum's ready mode is just waiting to give a response when required).

USING L-RODS

Traditionally, when searching for things underground and therefore invisible, the method is generally to walk forward slowly holding two L-rods, one in each hand and each rod pointing ahead in what is termed <search mode>, while at the same time the dowsing operator visualises what is sought (water, oil, coins, etc) in a quiet, contemplative frame of mind.  When what is being sought is somewhere in the earth underfoot, at whatever depth it may be, then the rods swivel smartly into <found> position when the dowser is immediately above.  this <found> reaction may be inwards or outwards, depending on the person.  It has been noted that many dowsers in America get a <found> reaction that makes the rods swing outwards, but generally the reaction is an inward swivel (and in this case the rods cross each other, either at 45 degrees or more, and may even completely swivel inwards to touch the body, the extent depending on the operator as the reaction varies with the individual somewhat).

Dowsing is not a haphazard affair, and there are techniques which can be employed to narrow down the direction where the desired 'target' (as it is called) may lie.  This is a vast improvement on what metal detectors can do when people are searching for old roman coins and the like (also, metal detectors can only detect metal, and not other valuable artifacts that may be clay pottery or remains, and certainly not the line of an old roman foundation that may lie beneath), plus the treasure hunter needs to divide a field up into narrow strips and carefully walk the entire length of each strip – often without even finding anything, since metal detection is a guessing affair, based on only assumptions that there may be metal coins in the vicinity due to extant roman ruins or historical records.  The Dowser does not have these problems, since he is able to obtain very accurate data from "information dowsing" prior to the field-work, either by question-answer divination, or by Map Dowsing (these will be discussed later, for students to try these techniques for themselves).

First though, before we proceed any further, the student should familiarise him/her self with the L-rods, and become confident in holding them.

The L-rod, as has been described in the previous section, is made almost always from stiff wire (such as fencing wire, or even more commonly metal coat-hanger wire) and bent into an L-shape, having a short end (about 4 inches) and a long end (about 10 inches).  The long end is held parallel with the ground, generally slightly above waist height.  The short end is gripped by the hand, but not tightly (especially if not sleeved in tubing) so that the horizontal long end is friction-free and can therefore swivel from left to right.  It is more usual to have the short end in a tube that will allow this free movement, and so the tube can be then gripped firmly, otherwise if there is no tubing the wire must be held very loosely to make it friction free; this can produce variable sensitivity and the user tends therefore to worry about whether the grip is slack enough, thus distracting from focussing the 'intent' by visualisation on the task in hand.  I recommend that the user fits tubing for ease of use (the metal or plastic tube of a ball-point pen is often employed for this purpose, again see the previous section for details on L-rod construction).

It will be found that the best position is obtained by holding the elbows in to the side of the body and forming a right-angle between upper arm and forearm.  Each hand then holds an L-rods such that the long end is always parallel with the ground.  If the L-rod is facing slightly upwards or downwards then there will be more difficulty in obtaining a reaction, but the correct parallel position is soon found with a minute or less or practice usually; it will soon come to feel natural.  Spend a few moments getting used to holding an L-rod in your hand, holding it like a pistol.  Let it swivel about as yu hold it to get the feel of how it would move if it was reacting; then  find a position where you can hold it still.  When you have got the 'feel' of handling one rod, spend a few further moments holding 2 L-rods in the manner prescribed.

Now, to get used to the actual <found> reaction from the rods, and to gain confidence, we need a visible 'target' to find at first, before one dashes off looking for invisible things, whatever they may be.  In using a visible 'target' we are not interested in the finding (since we know exactly where it is!) but in the reaction obtained when we reach it by walking slowly towards it).  So, if you are indoors select something that you can test the L-rods with.  The edge of a table, the edge of a carpet, anything that can be passed over and which can be approached at an angle (nearer to a right-angle is best initially, though you can vary this for practice).  If you are outside, say in the garden, then the edge of a path, or edge of a lawn is ideal.  All that remains is to visualise (keep in your mind) what it is that you are 'seeking' and slowly (from about 4 ft, or just over 1 metre) walk towards it with the rods in <search> mode (that is, facing forward at waist height, elbows hugging the side of the hips).  As you come to the edge of the carpet, path, lawn, whatever,  then you will observe the reaction obtained - and therefore the correct <found> reaction for you, which may be for the rods to swivel  outwards or to swivel inwards.  Whichever way it is will be the way it will react in future for you when any desired 'target' is found.

Now, the world is your oyster as they say.  You can search for anything – not only water, minerals etc but also discover many fascinating things both of a scientific nature plus  exploring the esoteric energies of such as ley-lines and standing stones, and much more besides in various fields of interest (pun not intended) such as archaeology and the like.

Dowsing is therefore very often an outdoor pursuit, and is healthy since it involves excursions to interesting places, plenty of fresh air and great interest from all who see you doing it.  Don't be afraid to be seen.  It is a great pastime, and makes many friends, just as walking the dog seems to invariably attract people to talk to you with the dog as the focal point of the conversation, and new horizons will be there for you in many ways as a result.

If you are trying the L-rods out tentatively in your back garden and the next door neighbour peers over the fence, then simply call out cheerfully, "Great tool, this!" and then explain (you'll not need prompting!) what it's all about in one short sentence: "Archaelogists use this in searching for buried treasure-trove – better than the metal detector, quicker results!"  And the neighbour is very likely to invite you in for a coffee, the purpose of which will be to pick your brains - and maybe hope to share in that treasure if you find it, or even make their own dowsing tool to go off and keep the treasure they find for themselves.  Who cares – you have won increased credibility and respect by your use of  this marvellous tool that they see.  The only problem you will have is keeping them at bay, because dowsing is essentially a quiet, contemplative activity, so is generally solitary unless companions appreciate your need for quiet relaxed-concentration.  this idea of being relaxed and focussed at the same time is called having the right 'frame of mind' (and which also has to be positive) by which means success is assured.  So, practice this and visualising at the same time and you will soon become proficient at dowsing with either L-rod or Pendulum).

Accuracy is important, so a dowser always needs an accurate reference.  Simply walking forward and obtaining a <found> reaction is not in itself precise – because where exactly does 'found' mean..... Does it mean between the feet, or where the rods are?  By default it means between the feet, as you come to be over the spot visualised (the edge of a buried wall, or the leading edge of an underground stream, whatever).  Some dowsers specify the tip of the right thumb, but I prefer the default of between the feet, since this is easier to mark by just bending down at that spot and sticking a marker (such as a skewer) into the ground, or chalking it, or similar, if it is a solid surface.  The idea of using the right thumb comes from another technique which will be discussed later, where the hand is held out and the tip of the thumb used as a reference 'sight' (in that case only 1 L-rod is used).  But, as with other 'methods' in Dowsing these things get carried over by people who don't understand them, but they work nevertheless.  However it is much better to know exactly what these things mean in order to avoid any possible confusion, and so I explain these 'carried over' methods and their true meaning wherever appropriate in this course.  To obtain accuracy then, decide on your reference point always, and programmme the L-rods (or your Pendulum) by simply thinking or saying, "Let between my feet be the <found> reference" – and, from then on, it will be the desired accuracy point exactly.  Practice this with a visible 'target' after programming, and as you walk over the 'target' path-edge say, then the rods will swivel to <found> as you come to the point of crossing that boundary.  Turn back and with the L-rods set into <search> mode (facing forward) cross it again, and they will swivel to <found> exactly over the boundary edge.  after obtaining a <found> reaction the rods must always be reset to <search> mode (<ready>) for the next 'dowsing pass' as it is called.

Try, for practice, finding an invisible 'target' – water or gas pipes underground, even telephone or mains supply cabling as it comes into your house.  See if you can find which way it is running.

SINGLE L-ROD USE

A single L-rod is often used as a 'pointer' to locate a 'target', which may be anything desired to be found.  There are two approaches to doing this.  One, is that the dowser can command the L-rod to point to a named 'target', inanimate or animate. The other, is to hold the L-rod in one hand and with the free hand outstretched make a sweep through 360 degrees (or at least in a general area where you expect the 'target' to lie) using the thumb as a reference point.  When the thum aligns with the 'target' then the rod will swivel to its normal <found> position, which will be the same direction as if 2 L-rods were being employed, and all you have to do then is peg your present position and, noting where the thumb aligns to, walk in that direction.  You can even use the L-rod as you walk (a third function) to keep you on line with your target, by instructing it to do just that, which I call <follow> mode.  If you should walk 'off line' then the L-rod will veer at an angle and thus indicate the correction you should take to get back onto the invisible line towards your 'target', just like steering a car by following a pointer.  The L-rods (as with the Pendulum) can be programmed for whatever is required, and it only takes practice and thoughtfulness to accomplish any task in dowsing with accuracy.  Many dowser use the word 'command' which is perfectly fine, since a dowser always has respect in using his tools, but I prefer the word 'instruct' when it comes to such as programming the L-rods or Pendulum, especially for the beginner.  It is vital to have respect, and to use the word "please" in instructions to reinforce this in the mind, as well as giving respect to the 'source' that provides the information through those tools.  I also encourage the user to say "thank you" when the L-rod or Pendulum responds, whenever appropriate, or at least think with the right 'frame of mind' at all times, to ensure success.

To gain some initial practice with a single L-rod, you can practice in your own home.  Do this first with a few visible 'targets' to obtain skill and confidence.  Holding the L-rod in the correct manner, stand with a different orientation to where the desired 'target' is located.  In other words, select <search> mode with the rod facing forward.  Then instruct it to point to the desired target, which it will then do.  Try a few more in this manner – say a window, or door, or TV, or fireplace, whatever you like.  As a variation, ask it to point to the left-hand side of the 'target', and then to the right-hand side of the 'target'.  If you do this, you will see it move from pointing to the left of the window, or whatever, to then point to the right of it.  Then, try a 'target' that is not visible.  This may be an item in another room or even upstairs.  If the item is upstairs then the L-rod will point in the relative direction (in other words, where it would be if a line was projected vertically downwards from its location, and the L-rod will find that point).  If you try locating your pet, then be aware that he or she may well be on the move as you instruct the L-rod to point to it.  More than a few beginning dowsers have been surprised to see the L-rod point in a particular direction and then slowly shift laterally, effectively 'tracking' the animal as it moves!  If your pet is crossing the garden at the time, then by going to the window you can actually see it doing that.  If your pet has got out, and you wish to find it but haven't got a clue where it might have gone, then get out your L-rod and ask it to 'point' in the direction where the animal is (or, if it is a small child that has gone off somewhere and you are worried in case the child has wandered towards a busy main road then use your 'intuition' combined with the L-rod to quickly get a 'fix' on its whereabouts) and it will be found.  this technique does not work in tracking people if they have a right to privacy (the case of a small child is obviously of concern to the responsible parent, so is different – but a teenager has road sense and also has a right to privacy, so don't expect the L-rod to tell you where the missing teenager is hanging out, unless you clearly have a 'need to know', and the L-rod (or Pendulum, if you instruct it to 'point' in a similar manner) will decide that, not  you!

DOWSING SMALL 'TARGETS' with an L-rod

While the technique of using the thumb in directional dowsing with one L-rod (or Pendulum) is ideal for aligning, a different technique is required for small 'targets'.  You can use an L-rod to locate house wiring or water pipes  concealed in walls.  I have done this many times, with great accuracy.  And, on one occasion, when I was having my house rewired and the electrician could not locate the wires with his fancy electronic 'detector' I used dowsing technique to find and trace the wiring for him, to his amazement.  His time was, after all, costing me money - but more importantly it was a chance to show him what dowsing could really achieve, since we had been chatting about it in general.  His scepticism vanished never more to return when the circuit had been accurately traced by me holding a pencil in my free hand and drawing a line following the location of the concealed wiring beneath the plaster.  A finger can also be used to search for things concealed behind a surface to get a rough idea, but a pencil will give pin-point accuracy and is immediately handy to mark the spot or trace a line.  Visualise the 'target' (electric wiring, gas piping or water piping as the case may be) as you do this.  Where several wires or pipes run parallel there will be a leading and trailing edge as you cross them, so double-check your findings bearing this possibility in mind.

PENDULUM DOWSING OF SMALL 'TARGET'

With some 'targets' it is more practical to use a Pendulum, especially if you have to stoop down to either mark (if you are using a stick to point with in your free hand) or if you are using a finger or pencil as a pointer.  Locating joists under floorboards (or in a ceiling) is such a case.  Visualise what a joist looks like and with the intent in your mind of locating that, instruct the Pendulum to give you a 'yes' when your finger or pencil or whatever is on 'target'.  In this way 'look' for the edges of the joist and mark the positions found.  With joists under floorboards this is easy to do, since joists run at right-angles to the run of the floorboards, and are invariably equally spaced apart.  So, as a practice you can check the joist positions in your house.  Using the Pendulum in this way, it is important to ensure that the Pendulum is more or less in front of you, otherwise readings can be confusing (see section one for more details about this, and the 'relative position' exercises in that section should be done before trying to work in an unusual position – if you cannot hold the Pendulum in front of you, then you should check carefully with "Give me a 'Yes', please..."Give me a 'No', please", at whatever position you find you need to hold the Pendulum in to ensure you will recognise it's response accurately).  Working 'close to the ground'  here refers to 'virtual' ground - i.e. floorboards above the absolute ground level).  If you are dowsing with a Pendulum (or even L-rods) close to earth itself then be aware that close proximity to soil or terra-firma has an earthing-effect and will cause the tool to malfunction so in such a a case (normally outside, but will apply to solid floors laid on an earth base also, more than floorboards may do) a stick should be used to enable the dowsing operator to be in a normal dowsing position, and it is a good idea if the tip has a spike to mark the ground at a spot when found, or a chalk or thick felt-tipped pen attached to it for the purpose of marking the spot if dowsing alone, otherwise a companion can do the marking.

Where a spot can not easily be marked in the manner just described then once again the Pendulum proves its versatility, especially in confined spaces.  Remember though, that if you should let go of the Pendulum at any time, then, when you hold it again, the Pendulum will invariably need a couple of seconds to 'settle' again and log-on to the user before proceeding with the next dowsing operation as you continue to trace whatever it is you seek in this way.   This type of operation often requires you to proceed slowly and carefully – especially since you need to maintain the right 'frame of mind' and a few seconds recomposure to focus your visualisation again may be required until you become adept.  But attention to these details will ensure accuracy - and that is what matters.

LONG-DISTANCE DOWSING

The L-rod can locate an object at any distance, no matter how far.  It can be used to 'target' (don't forget to visualise it!) and point to such as a school, a public house, the local library etc – all from whatever your present location may be.  It can be instructed to point to a city or town many miles away, however great the distance may be it will find that  location relative to your position.  Be aware, in this, that some towns have the same name so be sure to specify the state or county (as you would also need to do if seeking a town using an internet search engine).  Similarly, by instructing the L-rod accordingly and visualising the 'target' all the while, the leading and trailing edges or banks of a river, relative to your position, can be 'point fixed' just as if you were drawing a line on a map.   This latter technique is employed when dowsing for ley-lines.  It is easy to visualise something such as water, but invisible 'energy rivers' (which is what aerial ley-lines are) are not so easy to visualise for some.  So, a good technique in this case, is to visualise the ley-line as a river of energy, but coloured in order to make a clear visualisation 'picture' in your mind.  Generally, the 'Michael' and 'Mary' ley-lines that run from Land's End to Norfolk and which come together in places are often visualised by dowsers as two distinct rivers of 'colour'. The Michael (yang) ley-line can be visualised as a scintillating river of silver, and the Mary (yin) ley-line as a scintillating river of blue.  When attempting to track these ley-lines of earth energies it has been found that these rivers of energy can be up to 22 paces wide, so that should be born in mind, and the exact 'width' can be ascertained by dowsing for leading and trailing edges as you cross the lines in succesive dowsing passes from time to time, and in between such passes you can follow the course of the 'river' by using <pointer> mode with one L-rod and follow the track of the ley-line (see elsewhere in this section for details of how to follow a 'route').

Much information is available now, thanks to dowsers over the years, regarding ley-lines, the most famous of which is the Michael and Mary ley-lines to Hopton on the Norfolk coast and many dowsers track those lines from their start at Land's End, proving the consistent accuracy of L-rods and Pendulums.  It has to be stressed to the beginner, that dowsers do not check the accuracy of the L-rod or Pendulum as such, but instead are constantly reassured that it is accurate as they follow what others have done.  So when they come to discover new things, they can proceed with confidence, and note their careful findings for other dowsers to then explore themselves.  In this way, it has been discovered that there are over 300 Sacred Sites and Medieval churches exactly aligned along the undulating and intertwining route of those rivers of energy – so the people of ancient times obviously knew the exact location of these ley-lines in order to build precisely on them, and must have used the very same dowsing tools in order to locate those invisible energies.  There is much further evidence that dowsers worked with great accuracy in those ancient times, in the way that Sacred sites were actually built, the formations and alignment not only of them but of certain features in Medieval churches with respect to those lines of energy and which have been found to be consistent at every site.  These things and more will be explored in later sections for the reader to learn about and investigate for themselves.

We have seen, how a single L-rod can do many things in locating objects of any size or at any distance (even an aeroplane's position can be plotted by this means if the flight plan is known and the aircraft ID etc - but the location of the "nearest aeroplane", for example, can be located by simply asking the L-rod or Pendulum to 'point' in that direction).  And, as I have mentioned earlier, animals can be located even if they are in another town, and the direction given.  But, again remember, that it will not locate a person or track them unless there is a specific 'need to know'.  This is a rule that the L-rods and Pendulum follow strictly, and will refuse to release that information unless it is your business to know, and especially it must not restrict the Free Will of the person being sought.  So, whatever you may think is the 'source' that gives information to cause the L-rods or Pendulum to move, one thing is certain – they work for the good of Humanity, not for any selfish, or self-seeking or controlling aim of an individual.  Neither, incidentally, can they be used for gambling, or to obtain Lottery winnings or any such aim.  

The L-rod or Pendulum will however sometimes work to find missing people in the hands of a professional dowser (who naturally observes those rules) or one working purely for the good of Humanity in providing a service and who does this in a very responsible manner; the 'source' would know whether the dowser could be entrusted with the information if the person being sought was not in great danger and therefore had a right to their Free Will not to be found, and so the dowser would either not release the information or only give the general area.  A top dowser is likely to have at least a degreee of telepathic communication with the 'source' and would be told anyway whether the information should be released or not.  But, a responsible dowser would ask questions with the L-rod or Pendulum to ascertain this anyway.

Although I have said that the 'source' does not permit the use of the L-rod or Pendulum for selfish gain, this does not include the providing of a service, whether it be finding a missing person, water, oil, minerals or whatever.  So, if the dowser is skilled then a fee can be charged for that valuable service, and is not considered as selfish monetary gain but rather payment for the person's dowsing skills. In fact, most dowswers don't even think about the money in doing their work.  What they receive in payment is due to the excellence of the service they provide and the gratitude of the client who has often been saved much expense as a result.

The beginner has to gain not only proficiency but also exhibit proven responsibility in the way they use their dowsing skills before the L-rods or Pendulum will work in very Advanced ways, but the basic dowsing techniques will work for all who are diligent and keen to learn, since the 'source' recognises this and will oblige by being accurate for the dowser who will have the right 'frame of mind', positive attitude, and above all respect for his dowsing tools and the 'source' that provides the information, whatever that information may be.  The bottom line in dowsing is that it is an Art/Science for learning and with that approach the dowser will progress well in developing and using his or her skills in those endeavours.

As final examples, in this section, of what the single L-rod can do in direction finding... it can be used as a Compass or to show the way home if you are lost in a strange area.  So, you will never be lost again.  To use it as a compass, simply instruct it to point to the North (magnetic or true) or to the Great Bear Constellation and the North Star, whichever you prefer in the circumstances for navigation.  To find your way home, instruct it to do just that, saying "Give me the direction of my route home as we go, please" and then just follow where it points.  It will know the best route for you, whether it be over hill and dale, or along various roads that will lead most quickly and easily to your desired destination (home or a town, or a place of inhabitation where you can obtain food and rest, as you choose).  As you walk simply follow the pointing rod, and when you come to where you will need to change direction (maybe along a different road or path) then the pointer will turn to indicate the new direction you should take.  If you should, for some reason, miss your turning and be continuing in what is now the wrong direction, then the L-rod will spin back in order to show you that you have passed the turning point.  So, turn around, and follow where it points and note more carefully when it changes to point in a different direction and follow that course.  If you should repeatedly cross and re-cross where you are supposed to have turned then the L-rod will assume you are belittling its intelligence, and you may end up not getting a reaction until you think better of your actions and attitude.  Only when the L-rod (and this applies to the Pendulum also) is satisfied that you have respect for its help will it comply, so a sincere apology would be a good first step in the right direction.  Even better, don't try it on it in the first place if you want to be a dowser – it's definitely not the right way to go!

In Section 4 we shall be following on to look at Information (and Spiritual) Dowsing – to see how L-rod and Pendulum users can do this, and what the essentials are.

-- End of Section 3 –

With Pleiadian Love and Light,
MAYATNIK.