Divination Techniques
Dowsing

Developed and evolved over millions of years, our body is a most sophisticated and sensitive instrument. It has an innate intelligence that sidesteps the distorted filters of the rational mind, directly connected to the primitive, energetic, instinctual, subconscious self. One way to access and communicate with this innate wisdom is to "Dowse" for it.

"Dowsing" is an ancient divination technique (see the history of dowsing). Records going as far back as the middle ages show dowsers using a "Y" shaped cut stick called a "witching rod" (hence the origin of the term "Witch" = one who uses a witching rod). It is a technique still in use today to find water, coal, oil and precious metals (among other things). "Dowsers" have traditionally used "witching" or "dowsing rods", but in the hands of an adept practitioner, other tools and methods can work just as effectively.

Programming In
The first thing one must do to effectively dowse is to "program" or "command" your body-mind computer to give you a "yes" and "no" response/signal. There are some parts of your body that may be more receptive to this programming than others, but you will have to test this out for yourself. Let me suggest you start by using your head... you already do this to some extent, but program it in consciously. Say to yourself (out loud, with conviction and intention)...
"I command my body-mind to indicate"
“Yes” is when my head moves up and down...
“No” is when my head moves side to side.

Ask yourself a question you clearly know the answer is a "Yes", and respond by moving your head up and down. Given a question where the answer is "No", do this same thing except move your head from side to side. Do this enough times and the body-mind computer will get the idea and do it automatically (like driving a car or walking). However you do this, be consistent. Once you program yourself in one way, don't change it - if you program in to many conflicting commands you will get conflicting readings. If you do not feel the signals using your head, try using your arm, hand or finger. Some people may even receive the signals better in their solar plexus or heart, with particular sensations or feelings indicating an answer (for ex, feelings of relaxation as a yes and tension as a no).

Negative Programing - Habits
If you want the ringing of a bell to mean "time to eat", and you program that in, every time you hear a bell ring your subconscious is going to tell you it's "time to eat" (and like "Pavlov's dog", you may find yourself salivating). And if when you do hear a bell and do start eating, the more you repeat that behavior, the more that signal is going to get reinforced with more and more of your mind power and life energy. This is how habits are formed (so be very careful what you program in to your body-mind computer).

An example of programing in a habit is smoking. Besides being full of addictive drugs, smoking is an even more powerful habit due to the added reinforcements of seeing it linked to so many sexy, glamorous, powerful and successful people on the silver screen... and then we see those very same people use smoking as a coping mechanism (they really have you poor smokers coming and going - getting you to smoke when you are feeling good and smoke when you are feeling bad !). The subconscious is a powerful part of us that can be easily programed in these and so many other ways, not just by us but also by a variety of outside influences (can you say "conspiracy"?). Breaking the links one has to such counterproductive self destructive programing is very difficult, but it can be done.

Any time a behavior does not come from the "inner self" but from a programed or conditioned mind, it perpetuates self limiting habits that keeps one in bondage, stuck in a box or rut. Spirits goal is that we live in and exercise freedom of choice in the eternal spontaneous NOW, free of any past mental programing, conditioning or baggage... that we act in the moment as if it was the first day, even the very first moment of our lives. In the context of dowsing, Spirit allows us this tool to access a deeper level of knowledge so that we may find guidance and direction on our spiritual path. But if we do not use these tools wisely, or we corrupt them with our ego-mind, they may become harmful and generate even more negative programing with each use. If this happens, Spirit may from time to time shut off your ability to receive in this way, or give you conflicting answers that just don't make any sense. Don't worry.... if this happens it's all part of the higher plan to free you. Such tools are helpful, but if they stand in the way of us going deeper, they become an impediment or bondage rather than an aid to our liberation. In this case, I would suggest a course of healings to help clear and move you beyond this stage.

The Pendulum

With all that said, one of the best dowsing tools to start off with is called a "Pendulum". A pendulum can be any small balanced object that can be tied to the end of a string - preferably about 6 inches long (more or less). Holding the end of the string with your fingers, proceed to program in to your body-mind computer...
"Yes" spins clockwise (or moves up and down)
"No" spins counter-clockwise (or moves side to side).
It's that simple.

pendulum dowsing

Muscle Testing

A more recently devised technique (used by some Chiropractors and herbal practitioners) is called "kinesiology" or "muscle testing". While a clients arm is held out, the practitioner applies a light pressure, and in this case a “strong” resistant unmovable arm indicates a “yes” answer, and a “weak” arm indicates a "no”.

If you don't have someone to do this with you, the following technique can be used on oneself using the strength or weakness of your index and thumb fingers.
Connect the tips of your index and thumb fingers of both hands so you get 2 “Okay's”. Now interlock these 2 "Okay's" together as in a chain link fence. Program into your body-mind computer that a “Yes” answer is when your fingers stay strong and hold together when you try to pull the rings apart, and a “No” answer is when the rings get weak and release.

If one of these techniques does not work for you, don't give up - try another. Sometimes the inner self will only speak to you through a certain medium or channel... but you will only find this out if you experiment. Once you discover which body part or tool your inner self likes (be it a dowsing rod, pendulum, muscle testing, or some other technique) you may begin to make your inquiries. Only ask questions framed so that you get “yes” and “no” answers. Communicating with the subconscious in this way is a very simple affair (which adds to the effectiveness and beauty of the thing). The language you are using here is similar to Morris Code where you only communicate with a dot and a dash, or in this case, with a yes or a no. With this in mind, start your inquiry with very basic simple questions like: Is __ my name? Do I live at __ ? Am I __ years old? and so on.

Degrees - Levels
In life, there are many degrees of truth or "gray areas" that lie between the absolute and mundane. Don't be shocked if your simple questions turn up some unexpected answers, for there are many kinds of answers and/or levels of truth - one truth in the physical universe may be very different than that found in the mental or spiritual universe. This complicates things a bit, but then it makes your inquiry all the more interesting and fun. From your experiments with Dowsing, you may find that your body-mind does not always answer questions in a straight yes or no, right or wrong, black or white way. Many questions - and their answers - dwell in the "in-between" places. To account for this, you may want to couch your questions in terms of percentages, as in “is this answer (approximately) 25%, 50% or is it 100% true?” (that sort of thing). You may find that some answers are not the complete truth but a portion of the truth... so you could ask “is this answer (approximately) 25%, 50% or 100% complete?” (or something like that). This may be easier to do if you draw the percentages (from 0 to 100%) as a scale on a chart, and then use a pendulum. First communicate to your subconscious your intention to use this chart, then dowse. You may also find that many of your answers depend on the preciseness of your question - and this too is something to consider.

No matter what you think is good or bad in life, don't judge what comes through while you are dowsing - simply be open to any response the universe happens to send you. In other words, do not be attached to what you think is right or wrong here - you are simply experimenting with or testing your subconscious interpretation of reality. And like any scientist, it may be a good idea to write your questions and answers down in a journal to analyze later.

Perspectives
The symbolism (either in images or words) your subconscious mind sends in response to any question you ask, is open to broad interpretations, as varied as there are peoples in the world. This is so because everyone has a slightly different perspective determined by ones unique subjective experience and interpretation of life (for a demonstration of this phenomena, just visit your local museum and ask different people what they see in any one painting and you will get a wide range of differing responses).

You would think that if everyone spoke the same language (like English), everyone would perfectly understand each other in a conversation, but this is not entirely so. Because each person has a unique history with images and words (having linked or imbued them in their mind with different meanings) this can easily be the source of some terrible misunderstandings. By analyzing ones own unique interpretations of symbols, this will help you not only better understand yourself, but also (at the very least) make you less quick to pre-judge what others say.

By asking questions in the dowsing process, this will challenge and stretch your logical minds assumptions about the meanings of things, which will in turn help expand your minds limitations so you may begin to think (more and more) outside its boxes.

Reading the Signals
The basic foundation of dowsing is to either program in a signal, or be able to read a signal that your subconscious is already telegraphing out to you... which if you are paying attention you will discover it is doing most all the time anyways. When our bodies are stiff and sore from sitting in front of the computer for too long, our subconscious is screaming "Get Up - move this body around!". But do we listen? Sometimes, but we often ignore. And if something is ignored or suppressed long enough, it gets further suppressed into the subconscious till it gets so full, it starts to flash through our bodies as a red "Warning Overload" message usually of pain. What started out as a minor irritation (that we easily and readily discount and ignore) becomes a serious illness later on. That headache, stomach ache, fatigue, irritation, anger, sadness, depression... these all are signals our inner self is sending to try and get our attention, to say "something is wrong". In my bio I mentioned that during my second semester at Chiropractic school I was not feeling excited about getting out of bed and going to school - this was a message from my subconscious telling me that there was no energy in doing this thing, and for me this feeling of low energy and motivation was a "No" response. On the other hand, when we feel happy, energized, uplifted... these are "Yes" responses from our subconscious as in "you are doing something good - keep it up". In life, we not only have to be sensitive to the signals other people are sending, but we also have to be equally if not more sensitive to the signals our subconscious is trying to convey... and when you get it, follow through on that message - don't ignore.

Automatic Writing

Automatic writing isn't exactly considered "Dowsing" but it is a similarly effective tool.

Before you begin, sit quietly for a moment... perhaps close your eyes... tune in and ask your inner self to work through your hands. Request that what messages come through is of "the highest truth"... and you will likely receive "the highest truth" back - at least the highest truth you can currently access (you may also want to add this qualifier "the highest truth" when you do other forms of dowsing as well).

With a blank piece of paper and writing implements (you may even use colors), place pen to paper and see what happens. Write anything that comes into your head or to tip of pen, be it letters, words, sentences, nonsensical doodling, or even images... it's all messages from the inner self. If there is no response you may need to begin by asking a question and then see if something comes forth. If still no response, you may have to "prime the pump" (so to speak) and do the "programming" thing: for example, say a "yes" answer is an upswing mark, and a "no" answer is a downward mark.

Actually, any form of self expression (not just writing) can be used as a sort of Dowsing tool, even such forms of expressions as finger painting with various colors, dance, music, singing... they can all convey some inner message from and about your inner truths, if you can read them that is.

If you do not feel that any of these tools work for you, your subconscious mind may not feel free to express itself, and like an overcautious child, may need to be given permission and encouragement by the adult conscious ego mind self to do so.

Speaking of which, these tools might not work for you if your adult conscious ego-mind is over-riding or suppressing the subconscious mind. It does this for a number of reasons, the two biggest is judgment and fear... especially the fear of losing control. The ego-mind does not want you to let go of or do anything that may loosen its hold, control, power or dominance of your life. When you begin to dowse, do automatic writing or other such things, you are attempting to access another part of your being that doesn't go through the clearing house (judgments) of the ego-mind. Whenever you do this, the ego-mind will feel threatened and do whatever it can to sabotage your attempts. In this case, the best alternative is to seek outside healing help that is powerful enough to release this death grip your ego-mind has over you.

Tarot Cards

This is a tool also not considered Dowsing, but can be used as such, as a way for your inner being (or subconscious) to communicate with your conscious mind. The Tarot uses archetypal images or symbols which happen to be the common language our subconscious uses to expresses itself, especially in our dreams. Some books on the subject say that any one particular card (or symbol) represents one thing and one thing only, but you can program into your subconscious any meaning for anything you want - it's really up to you. If you see an image on a card and you tell yourself "every time that image comes up its going to be a yes" (for ex), well then your subconscious - with the assistance of your spirit guides - are actually going to try and manipulate those cards to give you a "yes image" when a "yes" answer is called for. Of course, there are some universal images that carry an established meaning to them (a stop sign for example). If you already have a meaning for an image (which you probably do for everything by now) it's best not to program some other image over it that is contradictory.

Reading the Signs
Speaking of images and universal messages, you will find that your outer universe - the world outside your door - is also trying to tell you things. Many years ago while living in Los Angeles, I asked myself if I should move to Sedona, Arizona. That next day when I was hiking around in the hills in the middle of nowhere, on a dirt road I had never been on before... at the end of the trail was a big brand new sign that said, in big bold letters "Sedona" (I kid you not). That was too much of coincidence to be anything but a sign from the universe answering my question. Needless to say, I jumped in my car and drove to Sedona the very next day.

Following the Signs
It is so important to follow up on such messages, even if you, or rather your ego mind - doesn't particularly like what answers you get (acting contrary to what your ego-mind thinks or wants is thee best way to break its stranglehold on you). Many years ago I received some healing work from a healer in Portland, Oregon. She was giving me a pretty good deal at the time (only charging me $50 per session). Later, when I was working in Saudi Arabia as an Acupuncturist (being paid quite well for the very short time I was there), while dowsing I received that I should send this healer $500. That was a lot of money for me at the time (and still is) but I knew that if I was serious about being in integrity and following my inner truth, I had to act on what I was getting and sent her the money. She was very thankful (and very surprised) and as it turned out, desperately needed it to pay her rent for that next month (funny how things work out when you do the right thing). As I looked upon this and other things I did (contrary to my selfish wants) I realized that Spirit was trying to teach me how to develop a neutral mind - a mind that is not attached to outcome. Spirit wanted me to do things from the inside out, not what the world thinks or judges it to be. And by doing this over and over again, I came to strengthen my connection to this inner knowing, and began to weaken my attachments to the ego-mind more and more (the ego-mind runs our lives way to much as it is). When Spirit sees that we are listening and following the biggest and smallest of messages, Spirit will not need to hit us over the head to get our attentions anymore.

Limitations
No matter what tool you use to access "Truth" - be it truths from your Inner Self or the Greater Universe - you will only receive those answers you have access to. If some doors are clouded over or outright closed, you can ask all you want but you are not going to get a straight or true answer. In other words, the answers you receive are limited by the degree to which your mental, emotional, energetic and intuitive abilities are open and clear. As you receive more healing work, these limitations will be released and you will receive clearer and more direct answers through these methods and in your life.

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