|
THOUGHTS ON DOWSING:
ETHICAL AND APPROPRIATE USES OF THE PENDULUM
By Lynne Ashdown
I am writing this in order to clarify the ethical and
appropriate uses of dowsing, using the pendulum in particular. Due to the
sensitivity of the pendulum and the skill with which it is used, the dowser
is able to access a wide realm of information not normally available to the
conscious mind.
Because of this, a protocol exists for dowsing. Before
dowsing on any subject, one must always ask the three permissions: Can I?
(am I able to do this), May I? (do I have permission), and Should I? (is it
appropriate for me to dowse about this at this time). This protocol must be
followed with absolute integrity. To further clarify the permissions, it is
always necessary to ask permission of the pendulum to dowse for information
on any subject. This is to help prevent the dowser from trespassing. These
matters are important for the dowser because it is possible to obtain
information about another through dowsing, especially with the pendulum.
It can be hard to achieve accuracy dowsing for the
outcome of a future event. First, you can only dowse a probable future
outcome at the exact moment you dowse. Since free will is active in the
system, an action can change the course of any future event. And if agents
of karma or pre-destination are part of the system, these could be affected
by knowing the outcome of future events, and this could be a wrong thing to
do. I rely on the permissions to guide me. These permissions come either
from my higher self or from an outside source. Certainly it would be wrong
to alter, by accident or design, the karma or destiny of another. One never
knows how far the ripples will go. On the other hand, for example, if
someone has a disease and asks a dowser for help, it is good to provide
information because that person, not the dowser, is directing his/her own
destiny. If a person needing healing is unconscious or unavailable, one can
ask permission from that person’s higher self. If the answer to - May I send
this person a clearing/healing is "No," this must be honored over the
opinion or desires of the dowser.
Also, just as I believe the practicing of witchcraft
magic is wrong because it can involve affecting the will of another without
that other’s knowledge and consent, I believe it is wrong to dowse (ask a
dowsing instrument) for information about another without that other’s
knowledge or consent, without a valid reason (yes, an ethically gray area).
Information about a person belongs to that person; it would be just as wrong
to ask for this information about another without their consent as it would
to go through their drawers without their consent. However, there are
exceptions. One would be: after receiving "yes" answers for the permissions,
I feel it is permissible to check on certain qualities a person has in
relation to their interactions with me, to be sure I trust the right people.
Also, with the dowser using his/her own discretion and after obtaining the
permissions, it is permissible to check on qualities a person has in
relation to others, at that other’s request, with the awareness that this
can lead into a an ethically gray area. When unsure, and even when the
dowser is sure, permissions must be asked first.
A friend argues that her prayer group sends healing
long distance all the time without asking permission of the person being
prayed for, but that is different. A prayer is the asking for something.
Dowsing, even to help or heal, first requires the obtaining of information
about a person that belongs only to that person; so permission must be
asked, in person or from that person’s higher self. Permission must be asked
as well even when the person his/herself has asked for dowsing help,
probably so as not to interfere inappropriately with that person’s karma or
destiny.
A legitimate and ethical use of dowsing is to provide
service. I had originally written, to "help." But to "help," implies to give
assistance to, to support, or to rescue. Clearly these are inappropriate
value judgments for the dowser to make, since "help" could mean interference
in another’s karma or destiny. Also, "help" is connected in some way to the
dowser’s ego, the opposite state of mind the dowser needs to cultivate. The
degree to which the dowser receives accurate information correlates to the
degree to which the dowser is able to clear away judgment, opinion and
desire, making him/herself a clear, unfiltered receiving channel. Service,
on the other hand, means to provide service at the request of another, i.e..
information from dowsing, and is unrelated to ego or value judgments of the
dowser. Because the dowser has the advantage of access to more information
than the non-dowser, the dowser must be ever-conscious of using his/her
gift/skill in pure integrity and with appropriate ethics.
What about dowsing for treasure? People do it all the
time. Certainly one should not dowse for any treasure that should rightfully
belong to another, such on another’s land without permission. How about
looking for gold in the hills? I don’t know. The dowser should ask
permission first in all instances, and be guided by the pendulum’s answer.
If the answer is no, perhaps further and more focused questions to the
pendulum will uncover why not. A ‘no’ must be respected.
About providing these services - If I am asked
sincerely to dowse for something to help someone, I will. It seems better
not to offer without being asked most of the time, since people may not
value your service, even if you know they need your dowsing help, leaving
you feeling used and de-valued. You don’t need or deserve this aggravation.
One of my teachers told me never to offer these services for free. He was
right in the professional arena, but I will always do some pro bono work to
give thanks to the universe for my gift/skill, and whenever it feels right
to me. Providing service to people who sincerely ask for it, are not users
or dilettantes, or are paying you to some ethical end should be your guiding
hand.
On the subject of gratitude, always thank the
spirits/guardians who are guiding you to provide service to people. Thank
whoever you want to thank. But express gratitude for the information
obtained.
It may be better not to let anyone use your dowsing
instrument, since you may not know what kind of energies they are carrying.
If someone says, "teach me," consult the pendulum to see if it is
appropriate, and if so, direct them to further information. If they are
serious enough to follow up, they will.
If you’ve dowsed to help someone and your advice is
not taken, stop dowsing for that person. All you can ever do is obtain
helpful information for a person; you have no control over whether they will
use that information. Do not get angry; just move on. Your dowsing will be
the most accurate when you don’t care, can separate yourself from any
emotion connected with the outcome of your dowsing. You should avoid dowsing
when you are tired, emotional, or have an investment in the answer sought.
Sometimes the answer comes to me the second I ask the question, but I wait
for the pendulum’s response. Does this affect the pendulum? Possibly.
Sometimes the darn thing answers as I am trying to frame the question in my
mind. Maybe I "dowsed" the answer before the pendulum had a chance to react,
which is just as valid. The highest skill level in dowsing is when one no
longer needs an instrument aside from one’s body.
There are higher uses of dowsing in the spiritual
realm, edges and glimmers of which have begun to open to me. As I become
able to articulate these, I will make further note here.
Regarding the relationship of Feng Shui to dowsing: I
use dowsing in a consultation to detect and to clear energies, to measure
energies in a space, and to confirm remedies. Dowsing is not a part of Feng
Shui, but is a skill adjunct to it.
Always remember that the dowsing instrument,
especially the sensitive pendulum, is your tool, not your master, or the
master of your agenda. Avoid falling into the trap of asking, should I do
this, or should I do that. The pendulum is a tool, not the director of your
agenda. Your free will should prevail. Probably there are exceptions to this
- i.e.. if you have a bad feeling about an upcoming event, it’s probably
appropriate to check it out. It would not be inappropriate, if you are in
question about a future event, to check out circumstances and qualities of
people associated with that event. This is another gray area, each instance
being left to the wisdom and discretion of the dowser, and the permissions
reflected by the dowsing instrument.
I have noticed that not only does the pendulum reflect
existing consciously unknown information about the environment and people,
but that it possibly reflects a certain wisdom (whose?) as well. I wonder
how this squares with some opinion that the pendulum allegedly reflects
knowledge that is already within me. For example, upon contemplating the
recent death of a cyclist the other day while on a ride, I later asked the
pendulum, "May I ask about the nature of accidents?" The pendulum indicated
"No." This answer could only imply a wisdom, or a value judgment from
outside, that this information is not appropriate for me at this time. Who
says so? I don’t know. But this wisdom apparently from "outside" has
occurred often enough to make me believe that this outside source exists and
is active in the system.
Be guided by the fact that the karma and destiny of
the person you are dowsing for belongs only to them, and it is not yours to
affect unless they freely choose it. You are a channel for information. But
not merely. Your spirit cares about the earth, living beings and things, and
the cosmos, and that is a really good thing.
Resources: See "Booklist" from the main menu for books
& resources on dowsing |
