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    • The Joy of Dowsing

      by Richard Webster

      (Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal.)

      Dowsing is the art of finding something that is hidden, usually something concealed underground. Dowsing is most commonly used for water divining, but there appear to be virtually no limits to the number of applications it can be used for. Over the years I have dowsed for water, minerals, arrow shards, oil, lost objects, and even a parking space in the central city.

      I learned how to dowse when I was ten or eleven-years-old. Every year, our family rented a holiday home at a beach resort. We were having lunch one day when a crowd of people gathered on our front lawn. We went outside to see what was going on. A man, holding a forked stick, had wandered onto our property, followed by a group of people who had no idea what he was doing. Our next-door-neighbor asked the man what he wanted. "Water," he replied. She fetched him a glass of water. This broke the man's spell. He was embarrassed, and quickly left without answering any questions. My father missed the excitement as he was out fishing. We spent all afternoon on the beach waiting for him to return home so we could tell him about the strange experience. Much to our surprise, he knew who the man was. He invited him back the next day and over the following few days the man taught almost everyone at the beach resort how to dowse.

      I, and my friends, found it easy to dowse, but our parents found it much harder to get started. Of course, they had no problems either, once they had experienced the dowsing response. I have noticed over the years that children are usually better than adults at picking up skills such as dowsing, as they have yet to gain the skeptical attitudes of adulthood.

      Some people are able to dowse with their hands, but most people find it easier to learn the art using angle rods, a forked stick or a pendulum. Angle rods are probably the most useful tool to start with, as the movements they create are easy to see and interpret. My first angle rods were made from two wire coat hangers, but any wire will do. You need two pieces of wire, eighteen to twenty-four inches long. Bend the wire into an L-shape. One side needs to be about six inches long, leaving twelve to eighteen inches for the longer side. The longer the long side is, the more noticeable the dowsing response will be. However, you will become tired more easily with longer rods.

      Hold the angle rods loosely in your fists with the longer section of the wire pointing straight ahead. Your arms should be relaxed, and your hands should be approximately your body width apart. The two rods should be parallel to each other. It is a good idea to practice walking with the rods, so that you get used to the feel of them, before starting to dowse. Keep your eyes focussed on the tips of the rods as you walk. The rods are likely to move slightly from side to side as you do this. The dowsing response, which starts shortly before you are directly over the item you are dowsing for, is a marked and distinct movement of the rods. Your rods will cross over each other, sometimes ending up parallel to each other in front of your body.

      Once you have become used to walking with the angle rods, it is time to start dowsing. A good first test is to go outdoors and use the angle rods to find the water pipe leading into your home. Think about locating the water pipe, but remain as relaxed as possible. Any tension will prevent the angle rods from moving. A few deep breaths before starting helps eliminate any tension. Start walking slowly across the front of your property. Feel confident that the angle rods will work for you, and will ultimately cross over each other, when you are directly over the pipe. If you feel skeptical about the whole process, try to suspend disbelief. The best results occur when you are quietly confident of success, and maintain a feeling of positive expectancy while you are dowsing.

      If the rods produce the dowsing response by crossing over each other, make a mental note of the spot where this occurred. Keep on walking across the property, and then turn around and walk back again, this time about a yard away from where you walked before. The rods should produce the same response again when you are over the water pipe.

      Many people are successful the first time they attempt this exercise. Others need to practice to achieve success. The most common problem I have found is that many people grip the wire too tightly, and this naturally prevents it from moving. If this appears to be the case, place the short sides of your angle rods inside short pieces of plastic tubing. The plastic casings from ball point pens work well for this. You can grip these as tightly as you wish, without affecting the free movement of the angle rods. Most dowsers find it hard to locate still water. Moving water is easier to detect. Consequently, if you find it hard to locate the water pipe, turn on a faucet for a couple of minutes to get the water moving.

      Your first dowsing session should be no longer than thirty minutes. Several brief sessions will produce much better results than one long session. Dowsing requires concentration, and it can be draining, both mentally and physically. Once this occurs, your results will become erratic, and you will start making mistakes. Even professional dowsers pause every now and again to avoid this.

      Children make excellent dowsers, but adults often make it more difficult than it should be. The best advice is to relax, and allow the dowsing response to occur. There is no need to fight, or help, the dowsing response. Relax, focus on your goal, remain slightly detached, and allow it to happen. Dowsing is a skill well worth mastering, and you will find many uses for it.

      Article originally published in The Llewellyn Journal. Copyright Llewellyn Worldwide, 2003. All rights reserved.

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    • Psychic Readings for Close Friends and Family?

      14-iq

      I have been reading professionally for about 22 years, and there is still one little wrinkle I’ve yet to iron out. I learned a long time ago not to read for close friends and family, for a variety of reasons. It seems as if I always end up feeling under-appreciated when I do. They seem to feel more like I’m giving them my personal advice instead of channeling spirit. These also tend to be free readings, and I don’t get back from them what I put into this work. It’s also harder to separate what I am getting from spirit from my own opinions sometimes, and it can be harder to communicate the truth if I know they may not be open enough to hear it. So I’m wondering if you will read for close friends and family members. If not, why?

      Thank you! Cassandra

      Dreamchaser:

      What a very common quandary you find yourself in with this question. I absolutely refuse to read for my daughter because she argues with me, insists that I am wrong (for the record: I am never wrong about her life), and then gets mad and storms out of the room – every single time. On the other hand, I will read for my birth mother, as she is very open to whatever spirit has to say to her. She also understands that I do not make up the news, I just deliver it. Those are the two extremes I personally have to deal with in my life, and everyone else falls somewhere in between.

      Of course readings for family or close friends are free. I would not know how to go about asking someone I love for money. If you feel that you are being taken advantage of in any way (such as very frequent free readings), then put your foot down and say something. As far as acquaintances go, or friends of friends, I give them a friend rate. I charge enough to make it worth my time, but that’s usually less than what I really need to charge to do this for a living.

      You were given this gift to help people, Cassandra. The fact that you make money at it is just a bonus. When you read for people you know, you will never be appreciated like the public appreciates you. I hear it all the time from famous athletes or actors. They say something like, “Everyone in the world adores me and screams my name but my mama just tells me to clean my kitchen.” Those who are close and used to us never really show their appreciation. I do know one thing; your family really does appreciate you. Your wisdom is invaluable to them. We should use this as an example to thank those around us who do for us. Let’s make sure we are not doing the same thing to them that they are doing to us.

      If you feel that you cannot separate your personal opinion from the reading, do not read for that person. You know that we cannot use our gifts manipulatively. If you want someone to do something, you cannot tell them that spirit said to do it, unless of course spirit really did say so. Unless you are clear to read someone, do not do it! The reading process should be the same no matter who you are reading for. You tune in, get the messages and start speaking them. If spirit disagrees with your opinion, check your opinion. In my experience, spirit knows best.

      The bottom line is that you should not read for anyone you don’t feel right about. Definitely do not read someone if you cannot distinguish spirit from your own wishes. You are free to choose who you will read for.

      I wish you clear channels.

      *****

      Astrea:

      I would never read for anyone in my immediate family, and I would never ask them to read for me. What a shocking suggestion! I am neither that arrogant nor foolhardy! Some things are too personal, even for family.

      There are several people I actually enjoy doing readings for. These people care about me, and they don’t bug me incessantly. I know and love them. Some other people are just plain fun to read. I’ve been known to give unsolicited readings to hapless friends too! People who know me know how difficult it is to do readings at all. They know it’s not a hobby. If one of those people asks and I don’t feel like it, I say no. If, for some reason I know wonderful psychic friends who won’t feel bad or uncomfortable laying out their fees for readings.

      People who are barely acquaintances who ask for freebies fall into the psychic freeloader category to me. I don’t put up with that, and I’m not gentle about vocalizing it either. I open my email daily to many emails from my so-called friends who really just want free readings. They usually say, “How are you, that’s good, now I need to ask you…” They don’t fool me.

      Another group I eliminated from my life was comprised of people who pay once or twice for a reading, then think you are a close friend. They expect you to issue a daily report for the rest of their lives. Sometimes they are tricky and will send in little daubs here and there, so that you feel guilty about not staying in touch with them. Those are the psychic “grifters.” I don’t play with those people, either.

      There is one other group that I positively will not read. That’s the group of people who want your advice for free, but then tell you what the other psychics they paid say about the subject.

      I have clients who are close friends —  ex-clients, too! Those people paid for my work, just like I would pay for their work. For them to expect it for nothing devalues everybody.

      Sometimes I’m sarcastic; sometimes I try to be cute. The last time one of my friends’ friends (an attorney) said, “Hey, I have a great idea! Why don’t you get out your cards and do a reading for me? Wouldn’t that be fun?” I answered, “Yes…then when we’re done, we can go to your office and go through all the research you need to do for your next six cases. Won’t that be fun?” Something like that usually works, and you avoid all kinds of long explanations.

      Most of the time I will answer one or two questions from friends. Then I gently suggest if they want a reading, they schedule one with me or someone else at Kajama.com.

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