THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF DOWSERS

MARCH '26 NEWSLETTER FEATURED ARTICLE

MAP DOWSING – ARMCHAIR TREASURE HUNTING

BY BOB ATER

December, 1980

Map dowsing is quite simple if you know the proper techniques and practice doing it until it becomes a part of your mental habits. Readers of Lost Treasure have seen that the basic requirement for dowsing is to learn to relax and let your mind become calm. When you have accomplished this, you can think of only one thing - the object you are seeking.

For successful dowsing you need:

1) A calm mind

2) A picture thought of the thing you are seeking

3) A map of the area where you know or suspect the thing may be located

4) A dowsing device which can give you a "yes" or "no" answer when you ask your subconscious mind, "Where is it?"

It is also necessary to have a strong desire to locate the object – not a tense urgency but a relaxed, strong desire. This attitude triggers appropriate brain wave patterns in the alpha, delta and theta range of your subconscious which seems to be involved in most psychic activity. You don't have to understand any of this. You just do it and it works. 

In this issue of Lost Treasure I want to show you how to use a Y-rod, and L-rod and a bobber, or wand, to dowse a map. Always remember that any kind of dowsing, including map dowsing, is simply asking a pertinent question of your own subconscious mind which can be answered by a prearranged signal from a hand-held device. The subtle movement of the device indicates "yes" or "no." You believe the reaction and proceed accordinly. Experience promotes success. Success builds confidence.

Witnesses

Many successful map dowsers use witnesses such as a small piece of material similar to that being sought or a photograph or a name written on a piece of paper. These are all useful in aiding visualization. I personally doubt that they do anymore than that. Learning to visualize clearly will work just as well. In the long run it may work even better, but for the beginner, witnesses are helpful.

Y-rod Methods

1) Scan the map with a moderately small Y-rod operated in the usual searching position. Focus on the tip of the Y-rod while asking it to snap down over the object being sought.

2) Extend a wire from one hand as illustrated in the picture. Scan the map back and forth with the tip of the wire. Expect a reaction from the rod when the wire is pointing at the location of the object. 

L-rod Methods

1) Hold the L-rod upside down so the long part is close to the map. Hold it near the edge of the map. Ask for it to point to the exact location of the object being sought. Draw a line on the map under the long part of the rod. Do the same from another edge or part of the map. The object should be at the intersection of the two lines.

2) Using two L-rods ask for them to cross over the target as you move them over the map.

3) Extend tow L-rods in front of you with a pencil or pointer held in one hand. Scan with the pinter. When the rods react with an outward swing or cross, the pencil is on the target.

Wand Method

Make a flexible wand from a long spring or switch. Scan the map with a pencil. When the wand, held in the other hand, bobs up and down on its end you should be on the target. A Cameron Aura Metz can also be used. 

These are only a few of the possible variations that can be used. The "magic" of all this is in no way in the devices used. It is all in your mind. Some may disagree but I must stick to my statement. It is all in your mind. The device is simply an indicator which provides a visual response to a question. The actual locating is done in the range of your own mind's processes. We do not understand what makes it work, but it does work.

Do not make it complicated. Keep it simple and you will succeed. And practice! practice! practice!

Pendulum Method

Tune the Pendulum

Every successful dowser has learned to rely on the subtle reactions of his or her chosen dowsing device a reliable "yes" reaction is the key to correctly reading your subconscious mind by dowsing methods. TO establish a reliable pendulum response, you must adjust your pendulum string to the proper length so that it responds without any conscious effort on your part.

1) Hold the string as indicated in the drawing.

2) Let the weighted end of the string slip slowly through your gingers until it volunteers some movements by itself.

3) If the string is long enough there will be several points along it where this subtle movement will occur. To mark these for future reference you can tie knots in the string at those places. Another person using the same pendulum may find the movement occurs at a different spot.

Establish Your Yes and No

Now that you have a subtle subconscious response established, ask your subconscious mind to show you how it is going to tell you "yes" in response to your question. You may get a clockwise rotation of the pendulum or a counterclockwise rotation.

It could also simply swing back and forth like an affirmative nod. Learn to believe your reaction and become comfortable and confident with it. Above all, be very objective in not consciously influencing the movement of the pendulum in order to simply confirm your preconceived ideas. Let it tell you yes or no, not the other way around. 

A response for "no" can also be established in the same manner. Now you are ready to apply your dowsing skills to a map.

Triangulation

This is the simplest and probably the best method. Hold the pendulum over the map at the edge, at a corner at the center or over a major land mark such as a building, hilltop or the like.

Ask the pendulum to swing in the direction of the thing you are seeking. Draw a line on the map under the path of the swing. Do the same from another point on the map. If what you are seeking is located in the area depicted by the map, the two lines should cross. The thing you are seeking should be at that location.

Grid Method

Divide the map into two or more parts with lines or anything else. Number the parts. Ask, " Is the thing I am seeking in space Number One? Space Number Two? Number Three?" etc. If you get a positive reaction to your question when one particular space is mentioned, you can subdivide the the space and dowse again until you get a very precise area. You may also hold your pendulum or a pointer over each space, asking for a yes answer when the proper location is made. Two people may be employed with this method, one dowsing and the other pointing.

Line Method

The pendulum is operated with one hand. A pencil held in the other hand is moved slowly over the map or just above the map as illustrated. When the pencil is pointing at the correct location the pendulum reacts with a yes answer. Two people may also do this, one dowsing and one operating the pendulum.

There are other pendulum methods but these are the most basic. Experiment and practice, practice, practice. Be patient and persistent. You may end up rich. At least you will have a lot of fun trying.