water well

[Penners]

If you say divining has a 50% success rate (i.e. it is chance)

No, sorry MdB. A 50% success rate would only be chance if 50% of the ground was covering water courses. Considering that the true figure is way, way below that, a 50% success rate would be tantamount to empirical proof that divining really works!

Of course I accept that it isn't the rods that do the divining - they are merely a visual indicator, subconciously controlled by the holder. Yes, we probably pick up minute clues of some kind that lead us subconciously to make the rods move.

But we're still finding the water!

 

[MdB]

No, sorry MdB. A 50% success rate would only be chance if 50% of the ground was covering water courses.

Correct

Considering that the true figure is way, way below that, a 50% success rate would be tantamount to empirical proof that divining really works!

That depends on which garden you choose. If you dug anywhere in my garden you are 100% likely to hit water as it is so boggy. But you are right, if the chance is only 10% then a couple of hits (without any misses) would start to show that divining actually works.

Deciding on what the likelihood of hitting water is, is of course part of the problem. If you think it is 10% chance but it is actually 30% then a hit will look better than it actually is. This is why I suggested the two bucket test as their will be exactly a 50% chance of getting it correct. If you manage to get it correct 80% of the time (over a significantly large number of tests) then you are onto something and I will be the first to congratulate you and admit I was wrong.

If you internet connection is up to it, you might want to watch this link which although rather old shows some dowsers being tested.

 

[elm]

Many houses in our area have a private water supply and boreholes are not uncommon. Invariably the exact spot in which to drill is found by a dowser; those doing the time consuming and expensive business of drilling the hole seem to have have 100% faith in the dowsers accuracy. In our case the dowser was right, and has been every time apparently.

 

[middi]

I am as sceptical as the next person about the reliability of the method, but, because it is not understood how it actually works it should not be knocked.

My grandfathers brother was notorious for pinpointing the location of at least 100 wells in the region of Italy where I was born, all dug by hand and some were more than 120 feet deep.

He never knew why or how it worked, exept that the wishbone style willow apparatus he used, at times would spin nearly clear off his hand when he located an underground water source
.

 

[NT]

My first experience with dowsing was with an object on a string. I must have been bored or something, as I didnt believe for a moment any result would come of it. Anyhow I asked it IIRC 12 questions, and got the right answer each time. Odds of that happening by chance alone are 0.5^12 = 0.000244140625 or 0.00000244140625%. Make of that what you will.

It is known that the object is set in motion by slight human movement, this is part of how it works. Illogically this is often presented as though it were evidence that it does not work.

Regarding dowsing finding well sites, its probbaly fair to say that you could dig just about anywhere and hit water. The only question is at what depth.


NT

 

[worms]

As an attempt at divining, I got my 10 year old son to try it. He found various points where the rods crossed but it never did it at the point where the well is supposed to be.

When I try it myself, the rods cross (about 80% of the time) where I think the well is. There is another spot where my rods nearly always cross - on top of a bank where I can think of no reason for there to be any water.

I'm not sure what all this proves...

 

[Lime]

I'm not sure what all this proves...

Neither am I.
I don't understand the basic idea of divining, that there should a place where water is found and not elsewhere nearby.
What is the structure of underground water that makes one part of a field able to support a well and not another?
I thought water found its' own level and would have a relatively "flat" contour within a similar rock/soil structure.

As has been said if you dig deep enough water can be found in most places so why just the one place where the divining rod/s twitch?
What makes the water there and not elsewhere?
Would a well dug anywhere in a field that had been dowsed favourably yield water?

 

[Nemesis]

Divining is about more than water.

 

[Penners]

Divining is about more than water.

Oooh - now we're getting mystical....

 

[Nemesis]

It's about asking questions...

http://www.holisticshop.co.uk/index_divi.html


http://www.mystical-www.co.uk/dowsing.htm

 

[Penners]

I suspect that MdB will regard the Holistic Shop as a load of crystal balls.

 

[Nemesis]

I make no comment. I simply draw to the attention of peeps that there is a whole wide universe out there of which we are but a tiny part...

 

[Penners]

And some of my parts are tinier than others.

 

[Nemesis]

I make no comment...

 

[middi]

I would like to think that it is fair to assume that this " devine " gift is better suited for some people whilst others dismisse it as a load of " bollockeros", there must have been some scientific research on the subject, surely.

There is no doubt that it works, " scientists" must have worked out how and why we interact with water 100 feet below our feet.

I don't know, may be they should worry less as to how many germs may be on planet Zonk, Zillion miles beyond quasar country and put earthlings like us out of our misery.

 

[NT]

When it comes to the science of humans I think there is still more not known than known.

NT

 

[Penners]

bollockeros

Scusi, no parlo italiano.

 

[L1zzy]

Blimey i wish I'd never started this - maybe some just have what it takes and some.............do NOT!!!

Honestly guys the amount of laughter you cause me!! People at work think I'm deranged because I'm always giggling at what you all write. If Middi's Italian brethren have used Dowsing successfuly for 100's of years thats good enough for me!

Just buy the rods and try what have ypu got to lose at teh very least it'll give the neghbours a giggle!!

 

[Penners]

Just buy the rods

Nah - make them! Cheaper.

Anyway, what are you doing reading this forum at the office? Get on with your work! :wink:

 

[plumbers mate]

I used to semi-mock dowsers till one day when we all had a go.
One of our 15 strong survey group swore by the technique and he took each one of us individually into a slate mill which he knew had a tunnel underneath but which we didn't know about.
He gave us divining rods, showed us how to hold them etc, then, blindfolded, we crossed the floor of this mill stopping when the rods crossed.
All except one stopped over the tunnel +/- 300mms. The one who "failed" was playing the fool a bit so obviously it wouldn't work for him.
In the evening we "surveyed" the drains in the courtyard of where we were staying. Our version tied up with the plans held in the building's files.
So I've been converted and scoff no more.
(My divining rods are metal coat hangers with the twisty hook bit cut off and the rest straightened out except for a 90deg bend about 200mms from one end.)