Dowsing and Druidry - Where Paths Cross Seminar - Final Draft - April 1st 2010

8/4/2019 Dowsing and Druidry - Where Paths Cross Seminar - Final Draft - April 1st 2010

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Dowsing and Druidry: Where Paths Cross

IntroductionIn this seminar I want to discuss those areas of modern druidry that have

direct correlations with dowsing, to talk about the kinds of mental processesthey have in common, and most importantly to discuss the way in whichdowsing can enhance, enliven and affirm one’s approach to the lifestyle thatwe call druidry. If you have never thought to consider using dowsing toenhance your druidry activities then some of the ideas in this article maysurprise you; most I hope will encourage you to try them for yourself, if youhaven’t already; or perhaps you may see the activities in a new light.

Like the two strands of the double helix shape it is my contention that thedisciplines of dowsing and druidry have many points at which they meet asthey intertwine around each other. Dowsing is the left-brain discipline - a

study in extracting knowledge from some divine source through the power of the questioning intellect. Druidry is its right-brain counterpart - a discipline of gnostic inquiry(with a small ‘g’ indicating the method rather than thetheology), intuitively and creatively guided towards belief andunderstanding. Yet I suggest that students in either field would be equallyhappy with either of those definitions of the qualities of their chosendiscipline, for they have much in common. I choose both disciplines, becauseI feel that the best progress is made when both sides work together inharmony, and I believe the two disciplines have a great deal of synergy.

Dowsing is an ancient skill, and is an activity of which you are probably quite

aware. In that sense I’m not intending to go over old ground (no punintended). I will merely provide a cursory definition and we can move ahead.I hope you will not be too disappointed that I will not be covering thesubject’s history or its practicalities – all that material can easily be foundelsewhere, and there are some references to material at the end of theseminar that will provide you with a good background, should you wish tofollow it up.

Please bear in mind that the information contained in this article representsmy current best information and my most complete models of the paradigmsof the subtle energies and their manifestation. These cannot and should not

be taken as fact, but rather considered to be a working hypothesis, all of which is subject to change, as this is the nature of Nature and the Universewithin which we operate. I do not claim to have a holistic interpretation of allaspects of my work. Instead I hold dynamic models based upon my latestresearch. All information presented, however, is based upon my ownexperience, and has been derived from first principles whilst trying to build aframework with as few gaps as possible.



TerminologySome terms that I use throughout the article should be explained. When Italk of "earth energy" I am discussing the subtle energy that arises fromwithin the earth itself. I believe that this energy is a product of manyprocesses, including

• the action of water flowing over crystalline structures in rock

• some chemical processes within soil

• the earth's inner fusion processes

I am no scientist, and I have no inclination to test for this, other than todowse it. It is simply a belief based upon my own years of continuous research. These are the concepts I am talking about when Imention "earth energy" - a subtle energy form that is a natural product of The Earth's own processes, and those of the energy that touches this planet.

I also talk about "radiant energy", which is a similar form of 'subtle' energy. Isay 'subtle' because this indicates how science is currently unable andunwilling to test for and thus detect this energy form. Radiant energy is myclassification of the forms of energy produced from direct or reflectedsunlight or other solar emissions. This also includes the light energy fromother stars and the reflected light from planets too. It thus refers to theenergy emissions of all cosmic bodies whose energy reaches our planet.

Another term I refer to is the concept of the "aura". This is a field of energythat extends beyond the boundaries of the physical object that emits it. Theaura is composed of various layers of energy that have a light component,

and thus can be characterized by a scale of colours in the same way as arainbow emits a spectrum of colours. The size and strength of this subtleenergy field appears to be an indicator of the health of the living entity thatemits the aura, and that can encapsulate humans, animals, plants and evengeological features.When I refer to "magical processes", or "energy work" I try to differentiatebetween the term "magic" and "natural magick". I define magic as being aset of rituals, tools, visualisations and vocalisations which are intended tobring about change at the behest of, and for the sake of a human. I contrastthat with "natural magick", which is a term I use to stress the inter-relationship of Nature with the human being in order to co-operatively bring

about a change, and a change that flows with the natural order and directionof a divine process, whether one defines that as a telelogical, ontological oreschatological process.

Defining Energy The energy that I talk of through this article has many names, and has beenknown to all human civilisations at all times. Ironically, it is only in our owntime, when we have seemingly the most powerful tools of analysis and



enquiry, which we seem to be losing the ability to feel and work with thisenergy. Perhaps, one could say, at a time when we need it most? This energy is 'subtle'. It is not visible, although it can be made manifest. Ithas no form, although it can be contained and directed. It has no obviousimpact upon us, yet it influences us every day. It is chi, prana, mana, orgone,

od, vril.... and a host of other exotic names. It is all around us in Nature, andit is most definitely a natural energy - in other words, it does not exist inman-made materials such as plastic. Curiously, one of its unusual propertiesis that it is contained by iron!

Beyond this I cannot tell you what this energy is. There is no scientificequipment that can measure or detect it. Like The Tao, if you knew what itwas, you wouldn’t be dealing with The Tao. As Douglas Adams once wroteabout the Universe itself, if it were known it would undoubtedly change itsessence into something infinitely more complex. However, this subtle energycan be worked with. It forms the basis of all magic. It can be moulded and

directed by the human mind, although it will not bend to its will, I havefound. When this subtle energy is accumulated then feats of magic becomemore possible. When the energy is directed and infused into the land, thenthe land can be made fertile or barren. This energy has the power to givegradual life or leech it. It can affect the elements. It can balance where thereis imbalance. It is the force of natural magick, and thus should be of keeninterest to anyone professing to take on the mantle of being a druid in themodern era.

It is the Blood of Gaia pumping to the Pulse of the Universe.

Defining DowsingI’m sure that if you’ve visited any sacred sites that you’ve inevitably seenthose people walking around with little metal rods, and you’ve possibly evenchatted to them about what they’re doing and why. You will undoubtedlyhave come away with a variety of answers: looking for water, or finding anarchaeological structure (like Time Team without Tony Robinson), treasurehunting, perhaps. They may have told you they were tracing the paths of earth energies, or even findings the traces of ghosts of previous presences atthe site. Oh yes, dowsing goes from the mundane to the esoteric ends of life’s spectrum alright!

Dowsing is certainly a tool with a very ancient provenance. Despite whatsome sources may tell you, we don’t really know how far back it goes. Onething we can be assured of – the megalith builders, whoever they were,would undoubtedly have used a method such as dowsing to locate, orientand validate the structures they built, in addition to the techniques of surveying under the jurisdiction of the Dodman. So that’s pretty early then –before the farming communities developed, before it was consideredsomething unusual to do. Some think that the early proponents might not



even have needed tools such as dowsing rods to do this because they could just sense the earth energies. Nowadays that’s a skill that takes many yearsto develop, and a lifetime to explore.

Other Divination Tools

Other divination tools can also assist you in similar ways when working in thefield of subtle energies. For example, crystals provide focus and protectionwhen working with energy; tarot cards can reveal information in symbolicform that dowsing cannot (except through lots of questions which are quitehit and miss), but tarot cards are hard to use outside on windy, wet and colddays! Dowsing rods and crystals are much more practical. There is the senseof intuition, of course. Developing intuition should be the end goal, butdowsing can help whilst you do this to a level you feel confident with.Dowsing is not an end, it is a tool that you should aim to render unnecessaryeventually. Dowsing is definitely not the only tool that will help your druidry,but it is one of the easiest to learn, the least esoteric, and most practical to

employ regularly. In the next sections I will take you through how dowsingcan help in this way.

Defining DruidryDruidry is also the discovery of, and understanding of Nature. If it only hadthat element to it then this would make druids simply nature-lovers, orbiologists, but there is one additional dimension to the understanding of Nature, and that is an appreciation of its spiritual dimension. Druids have arelationship with Nature in which the divinity of Nature is acknowledged. As aphilosophy, a concept of the divinity within Nature has also been calledpantheism, but I consider pantheism to be different from druidry. Druids are

not seeing gods in every part of Nature: for Druids, Nature IS the divine. Thisis an important distinction, I feel.

The patterns we discover and appreciate in Nature are the same patternsthat we can discover when dowsing. Dowsers and druids alike venerate theenergies of Nature and both seek to understand these energies better,knowing that natural forces could offer us a safer and more harmoniousfuture than the forces that mankind alone had unleashed upon the planetrecently. Dowsing and druidry offer a path of integration, not disintegration -appreciation, not depreciation.

Druidry is a mental, emotional and spiritual relationship with an "Other" forceor consciousness - a sentient otherness, which we might call Nature.Whether you think that divinity is within you, outside of you, or that you areencompassed by it - it is an individual decision, but not one that preventsyou from participating. Either dowsing or druidry alone are powerful tools forpsychological and spiritual development, but taken together they re-enforceeach other in so many ways. In this section I will explain some of thepractical levels at which I believe the disciplines of dowsing and druidry



coincide.

The Path of Energy The flow of Nature, its divine imperative, proceeds unabated irrespective of whether our focus or intention is directed toward it. When we "go with the

flow" things become easier because we are working in harmony with thisintended flow. This is not a "laissez faire" attitude - this is not attitude of TheDude of The Big Lebowski. Becoming tuned to the direction and meanderingsof The Flow is not an easy process - it involves attention, a willingness toaccept constant change, and a belief that the outcome will serve a purpose.Both dowsing and druidry can assist with making choices that move us closerand maintain us in The Flow of the Nature's divine intention.

• The Paths of Learning

• Crossing paths

• The Fringe: Dowsing and druidry as fringe activities

• Spiritual purpose and direction

The Paths of LearningDowsing can quite literally find us paths through Nature, i.e. trails, tracks andlines of energy connecting sacred sites or centres where these energiesaccumulate. Druidry can be seen as one of humankind's methods of finding apath towards enlightenment, or a greater understanding and clarity of howto work with Nature, and a process of discovering (or acknowledging) andworking with the powers of Nature. In former times, so we are led to believe,Druid Colleges took children from a young age through up to twenty years of training in order to develop them as competent masters of the art of druidry

- a 'calling', and a life path indeed.

Crossing Paths The crossing of paths can also mean the positive response from two dowsingrods crossing when something is achieved. Nothing is more positive anexperience than seeing the look of shock and surprise when a new dowsertries dowsing for the first time and gets the rods to cross, knowing that theywere not the ones consciously responsible for making the metal move. Itbegins to call into question the whole edifice of their existing belief systems.Many of those who have been called to study the path of druidry willrecognise this feeling - at once something familiar, welcoming and re-

assuring, yet which causes great philosophical upheaval in our search foracceptance in a social structure.Where paths cross in dowsing terms is a special place where the flows of thetwo forces interact. They may combine harmoniously to amplify orcomplement each other, adding to the complexity. They may overlap eachother producing a new effect. They may disrupt each others' flow causing re-direction, or inharmonious conjunctions. Whatever happens, the conjunctionis different from the singular path.



The FringeDowsing is undeniably still a fringe 'pseudo-scientific', nay paranormalactivity, and is viewed with great suspicion by the dominant scientificcommunity at large. Similarly, I feel, druidry is regarded as a 'fringe religion'

by many of the spiritual or religious communities, who distrust the storiesthey hear of naked cavorting and quasi-satanic rituals. Yet people withindowsing and druidry know this to be at the very least a narrow-minded mis-representation, and at worst a slander.Both dowsing and druidry are paths for the brave - those people who dare togo their own way and to be a bit different - those who care little for theregard of most others, but who tend to have a high regard for Nature.

Spiritual purpose and directionConsider "purpose" and "direction". Both dowsing and druidry suit themetaphor of The Path - the journey towards something strived for, towards

enlightenment, with the travel more important than the destination. What islearned along the way determines the future direction. Dowsing follows the"life force" and Nature generates it, and frames it in a meaningful way,giving it direction and purpose. This may seem a little overblown, or maystrike you as hyperbole, but it is in the nature of the divine to bring aboutwholesale changes in one's life - it can be that intense and challenging. Ihave seen people try dowsing once and walk away stunned, their minds inturmoil, reeling at the implications of those rods turning without their directinput and against their expectations.

In my own spiritual path I am continually reminded of a phrase from Carlos

Castenada's series of books, in which the character Don Juan Matus, a YacquiIndian shaman, continually reminds Carlos that the only compass necessaryupon the journey through the hardships and delights of shamanistic trainingis to decide whether the path upon which one treads is "a path with a heart".A sound moral compass.

Sacred SpaceWe all demand a little space. We each preserve either a special place knownonly to ourselves as being special, or we preserve our own body space fromthe invasion of other people. From time to time we crave the opposite of thisspace, and we seek sacred union, but often we seek solitude and a space to

call our very own. The special space within which we can be free we mightcall our sacred space.

Some people are able to overcome their social inhibitions and congregate ina communal sacred space where they can feel free to show how much theyare in synchrony with Nature. Many of us reserve such behaviour for our ownsacred space.In this section I discuss how to define such a space, how to find a suitable



place energetically, and a simple druidic concept to make the space sacred. There are, of course, as many ways as there are people, and you must findyour own, but I present a common process.

• Auras and nemetons

•

How to find the most energetic place• Marking out the directions

• Protecting the space energetically

Auras and nemetonsOne of the first things I learned to look for when dowsing was something's'aura'. I must have read this somewhere - living things had auras. Idiscovered that people have auras and that some people can see them ascolour fields around people. As I began to dowse the extent of these fieldsaround people I came to understand that the aura is indeed a set of colouredfields that is closely associated with several key energy points of the human

body.

When I found that I was able to have some control over the size, strengthand quality of the aura that I had around me then I understood that itgoverned the area of 'influence' that a person controlled. I was able then toturn my investigations to other living species and find similar, if not thesame, living subtle energy fields surrounding those entities too: animals andtrees in particular. I practised dowsing for the edge of the aura of trees tosee how large they were, how strong, whether obstacles influenced theirshape, and what influenced their quality.After reading Emma Restall Orr's highly influential book "Living Druidry" I

became familiar with the concept of the "nemeton".

The nemeton is the equivalent of a sacred space:

"The nemeton may be a physical temple, stone circle or forest grove,but more often in this spiritual tradition where most people practisealone, it refers to a far more personal idea: it is the sacred haven of theindividual. It is the place where we go in order to let go of the world,where it is easier to feel safe and free, to breathe in the beauty of theearth." (p64, 'Living Druidry' by Emma Restall Orr - Piatkus Press)

Emma talks of being enfolded under the protective nemeton of friendly trees,cosseted in their cape of subtle energy that can only be felt by one preparedto spend the time attuning to such things. I learned to do the same, and aftersome initial feelings of reluctance (on both sides) I became friendly andattuned to many types of tree, and have felt the benefit of that ever since, interms of their protective qualities and their knowledge. If I can attune to thetree I will use its protective spread as a living nemeton, able to let go of mymind in order to fully engage with Nature.



ProtectionWorking at known sacred sites is, I believe, one of the most energeticexperiences available to the spiritual questor. However, you are not the onlyone who has ever worked at these sites, and not all experiences that havetaken place at sites have been beneficial and wonderful. Some sites havebecome imbued with negative, forceful or imposing energies that will not aidyou in your spiritual journeys, or help you to develop. You should thereforeconsider, when approaching a new site for the first time, how you feel about

the 'vibe' of the place. Do you feel aligned and in control?

When you begin to open up to a site you may discover it does not feel good,or that you may begin to feel not in control of the forces there. David Furlongissues this warning:

"When venturing into the exploration of subtle energies we need toappreciate that some of these energies can potentially be verydestructive....We need therefore to create a form of protection that allows usto adapt to different environmental circumstances." (p.35, "Working WithEarth Energies" by David Furlong -Piatkus Press)

He goes on to describe a few meditations designed to form a protectionaround the seeker for just these circumstances, and I recommend that youfind just such a method too before you begin to open up and attune yourself to ancient sacred sites. Most are highly beneficial, but all seekers comeacross something unexpected on their travels eventually, and none of us areimmune to this whatever level of awareness we may have developed.



Finding the most energetic placeWhenever I visit a sacred ancient site one of the most important things I dois to find a place within the site that is suited to my own particular energeticqualities. You see, I found out (much to the disappointment of my macho

ego) that I am aligned to feminine energies by nature. Not exclusively (abalanced person doesn’t neglect any energy form) but by inclination I feltdrawn to and better when within a female energy formation or power centre.A power centre is a place where energy accumulates, whether naturally, orby the design of our ancient megalithic site builders who knew how to designstructures that could shape and form energy of all types and alignments tosuit whatever their requirements were.

When I visit a sacred site I am usually keen to discover the whereabouts of a"friendly" power centre, and use my dowsing rods to ask for the "best place"for me to be. One only has to stand at such a spot for a few moments, being

silent and tuning into the feelings of the body in order to feel the benefits of being on such a spot - you don't want to leave! It's like being empowered,showered, with a subtle energy - a bubbling stream infusing and energisingyou. If you feel the complete reverse of this effect - a draining, or weakeningforce, then you have stepped into a power centre that is opposite to youralignment - one that you are not attuned to naturally, and you may even geta headache if you stand there for too long.

People sleeping over energy centres to which they are not aligned can sufferlong-term illness and this concept is called "Geopathic Stress". There aremany theories as to its cause, but I have found many simple ways to

counteract such spots by neutralising, re-composing or diverting suchenergies. This is a large topic and not one that I can go too far into in thisarticle, but if healing is your thing, then I recommend you read Jane Thurnell-Read or Roy & Ann Procter's books on the subject. David Cowan also hassome information on his LeyMan web site (resources listed at the foot of thearticle).

Marking Out The DirectionsOnce positive, beneficial and empowering locations have been identifiedthen their interconnectivity and their sources can be discovered by followingthe dowsing rods along the lines of energy that go to form the power

centres. People like David Cowan have traced such lines for many milesacross the countryside. Hamish Miller and Paul Broadbent travelled thelength of the legendary Mary & Michael Lines that weave around the DragonLine found by John Michell. That line stretches from Norfolk, through placeslike Avebury, down to Land's End in Cornwall. Not all lines are so long,however, and for druidic purposes it is usually only localised energies thatyou would need to map out of attune yourself to.



One of the simplest things you can do in terms of marking out energies witha dowsing rod is to mark the four cardinal directions. Who needs a compasswhen you have dowsing rods? Try it for yourself and you will think you aresome kind of homing pigeon! The rods can easily find you the point where arising sun will appear, or where the moon will show itself over a particular

hillside, or where the stars are positioned relative to the earth. It beatscarrying around a large amount of reference material and charts!

Once you have established the directions you may wish to draw into yourspace whatever energies you feel may be appropriate to our needs. This iswhere you have to rely upon your own instinct and intuition to bring in thoseelements that define and support you in your aims and pathways. Dowsingrods will only help you determine which elements may not be suitable, and itis always worth checking your ideas before you embark on working withenergies if you are not sure.

Protecting The Space EnergeticallyWhen describing a circle to work within for a druidic ritual or simply as aprotective space within which to attempt to attune to Nature I have foundthat the dowsing rods can assist with that aspect of the work too. Have youever wondered whether the protective elements you have described aroundthe circle are actually protecting you as you expect? Yes, this may besubjective, and here the cries of "you're only finding what you want to find"are ringing in my ears, but as with determining the strength of a tree’s aura,for example, you can also determine the relative strength of your magiccircle in the same way. I use a portable scale of relative strength - in otherwords I ask the rods questions such as "Relative to other circles I have

drawn, and on a scale of 1-10, how secure is this circle I have just drawn?". The answers, of course are only useful to you, as with so much of this kind of work. Low scores may guide you to discover external factors affecting yourcircle.

I always feel more assured to know that I have described a circle at the mostenergetic place, that there is nothing "unexpected" within that circle, andthat it is properly protected just as I need it to be before I settle down with allof that out of my mind to attune with Nature and progress in magickal work.using the rods in a similar way I can also determine the relative strengths of the Sun and Moon energies that I may wish to work with at the site. All useful

stuff to know.

Mazes and LabyrinthsFor as long as art has been inscribed into rock there have been a depiction of concentric circles and pathways that define labyrinths and mazes. Whetherthese symbols are practical, symbolic, spiritual or artistic has never beenexplained, and probably should not be. Today the maze and labyrinth has



come to be seen as a depiction of a psychological or spiritual journeythrough to self-knowing. I believe there is a little bit more to it than that.

• Form of the spiral

• Labyrinth Design

• Sanctuary space• Sigils and manifestations

The Form of the Spiral The spiral is the inherent form within Nature that energy taken when it is inmotion - from the smallest of things to the largest, from the microcosm tothe macrocosm, from the movement of sub-atomic particles to the shape of galaxies. The spiral nature of water was discovered and utilised by a mannamed Viktor Schauberger, an Austrian scientist who studiedhydrodynamics. He was the inventor of the world's first log flume, of a flyingsaucer that flew, and a revolutionary turbine that used the concept of an

implosive vortex to effortlessly and efficiently power an engine with littlenoise or heat by-products.

It may come as no surprise then that when dowsing the overwhelmingterminal form of subtle energy is a spiral, whether clockwise (deosil) or anti-clockwise (widdershins). These forms are engraved onto hundreds of rockswhere they are called cup and ring marks, or more generally simply referredto as Neolithic art. Scotland in particular has many fine examples of theseshapes, as does Ireland's Boyne Valley. Are they art, a symbolic language, arepresentation of the earth energies, or perhaps a map of the stars?Currently there are only theories without coherence, but these artefacts

carved in the rock accompany many, many stone circles and other ancientsacred sites across our lands and into Europe.



Carved marks (highlighted with pencil) at Nine Ladies stone circle

Whatever their purpose, it seems as though ancient man was keen toaccurately and skilfully record these shapes for posterity and to relate themto the ancient megalithic monuments that were the sites of his reverence,his use and his toil. Superimposed we see that the spiral, the circle and theprogression of the wheel of the year are intrinsically bound together in theirexpression through the positioning, design and use of these ancient stone

sites.

Labyrinth design The form of labyrinths and mazes are all based upon the spiral path. Themathematics of the shapes comes from concepts of sacred geometry andnumber. Mazes and labyrinths appear throughout our collective worldmythologies and have been reproduced throughout the ages as they havefascinated one culture after another for generation after generation. In thiscountry some of the oldest designs have been built up of turf and despite theevil of the Enclosure Acts and disrespect through the ages, some still survive.Many more are being created or recreated today as the concept is being

revived by modern pagans and appreciators.

At a recent dowsing conference visitors were encouraged to trace the path of a labyrinth laid out in coloured ribbons with the aim of achieving the kind of meditative state required for dowsing by the time the journey in and out hadbeen walked. The journey was the therapy - the symbolic movement along along path, circumscribing the goal, yet assured of reaching the goal, wasdeemed to be sufficient a learning experience in itself. The movement



through the various rainbow colours of the ribbons symbolised themovement through the seven chakras from root to crown, each stagebringing its own degree to the enlightenment process.

Classic labyrinth design

In this way the labyrinth symbolises and encompasses the concepts of thespiritual journey - that path is winding, it sometimes leads away from thenearby goal, but eventually - with courage, confidence and conviction - thegoal is reached, only for the practitioner to have to unwind their steps inorder to be released again. Along the way the practitioner learns that the

goal was not what they were seeking - it was the state of mind engenderedby the journey.

As a personal journey I have found that the labyrinth's design varies for eachperson. One design does not suit every person who walks it. It is thereforebest for each person to create their own design specific to the purpose thatthey intend, and this is where dowsing can help with such a process. Using adowsing rod, keep in mind one of the rainbow colours and ask the rod toshow you the path that this colour would make in your own personallabyrinth. Trace this path, marking it as you go, and then proceed through allthe other colours. your design may be classical or unique - but it will be the

design most suitable for your own development.

Sigils and Manifestations Just like walking a labyrinth, dowsing earth energies and formations resultsin a meditative journey across the landscape, moving in sacred geometricalpatterns, tracing waves and spirals, and entering into a meditative state of mind in the process - in fact, this aspect is essential to the exercise of dowsing.



Sigil from the Genius Loci at Castell Bryngwyn

Where this process interlaces with druidry and other magickal practises isthat earth energy can take on symbolic forms, whether naturally-occurringor induced through manifestation. A sacred site or other natural space may

have a sigil drawn in subtle energy at the entrance to the site, or at a powercentre. Finding and re-tracing these sigils, I have found, will allow the druidto enter into a more permissive relationship with the energy forms thatguard and preserve ancient sites - the genius loci. The concept is akin tounlocking the site's potential, or having the "password" the permits entry tothe deeper realms. Here's David Furlong again:

"When you have satisfactorily connected with his presiding spiritual presenceyou will be given a pass code or a symbolic key, which you can then use totap into the energy...The energy in these centres is immensely powerful andcan be used for all sorts of healing and inner development work." (p.53,

"Working With Earth Energies" by David Furlong - Piatkus Press).

I recall one specific incident, for example, at Wayland's Smithy in Oxfordshirein Summer. I approached the site by the familiar tourist path, but as I tunedinto the feel of the site I became aware of the "real" entrance being betweentwo nearby trees. I used the dowsing rods to determine whether the site hada sigil formation that could act as an entry permit. I found such a symbol



hidden away at the rear of the site, outside of the energy aura of the barrow.I memorised its form, and returning to the 'entrance' trees I traced this sigilon the ground between them. Immediately I felt "pulled" into the site andspent the next few hours enthralled by the knowledge that I becameprivileged to, and the general feeling of joy that such an act had

engendered. I didn't want to leave!

The Meditative State The meditative state of mind is one in which the rhythms of the brain areconsciously changed by techniques such as relaxation, by quietening thesensory inputs such as external noise and light, and by trying to preventconscious thoughts from entering into the frontal mind space. This is merelya high level summary of such techniques, and there are many ways thatthese things can be achieved, however the goal is to allow the same brainpatterns to emerge as one would find when a person is just about to go tosleep. Just before the sleep state is entered the brain's rhythms are in a

particular state and this state is very conducive to successful dowsing,among other things. The state has been called by eastern philosophers"mind/no-mind' - a state in which thoughts can be allowed to occurseemingly of their own accord and without being 'conjured' by the subjectthemselves. A small gateway is open, a channel, across which images andfeelings can flow bi-directionally - in from the aether of "the outside" and outfrom the depths of one's own self. In a sense, a communication link isestablished in this state of mind between you and The Other, or Nature.

• Accessing The Other knowledge source

• Receptive Mind: the dowsing state of mind achieved through

meditation• Objectivity through disengagement

Accessing The Other knowledge sourceWhat is "The Other"? Oh, such a difficult question to answer! There is barelytime and space to go into it. Rather than answer that question, all I will say isthat The Other is whatever source of sentience, thoughts and knowledge canbe derived from outside of one's own conscious awareness. Some peoplemay be content to align themselves with a purely psychological model suchas Freud's, in which these connections with another sentience is consideredto be a connection with the deeper recesses of one's own mind space - the

unconscious ID, or Super Ego. Others have turned to Jung's explanations of aCollective Unconscious. Some have turned eastwards and talk of the AkashicRecords - a great storehouse of knowledge from which the human race canobtain information. These models are unimportant. However you wish todefine your connection with this sentient knowledge source - whether it beyou, or something else - the point is that whilst in a meditative state of mindit is possible to communicate with The Other, to obtain or be givenknowledge previously unknown to you, to converse with something that



seems to be more intelligent and aware than oneself.

In druidry we might consider The Other to be Nature or Gaia - "the force thatthrough the green fuse flows", as Dylan Thomas had expressed it. These arearchetypes that assist us with putting a "face to a name", so to speak. In

terms of dowsing, The Other is the source of the "answers" that we arereceiving through the dowsing rods, or intuitively if no rods are being used.

Receptive Mind: the dowsing state of mindBeta rhythms are our normal waking consciousness state and are veryactive, with tall spikes and narrow amplitudes. In contrast, Theta rhythms aremore relaxed, with shallower and wider peaks and troughs, looking a littlelike a heartbeat rhythm when graphed.

"Theta is one of the more elusive and extraordinary realms we can explore. Itis also known as the twilight state which we normally only experience

fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In theta, we are in a waking dream, and we are receptive toinformation beyond our normal conscious awareness. Some people believethat theta meditation awakens intuition and other extrasensory perceptionskills." [http://www.meditations-uk.com/index.html]

The state of mind required to dowse is similar to that required to performcommuning, or natural magick. The mind should be focused on a topic ordesire, yet unfocused in terms of leaving the "reducing valve" open to allowideas and images to enter. It is beneficial to prevent your own conscious

thoughts from dominating or interrupting the flow of the stream of information. This requires a stillness of mind to achieve - a certaindisengagement. I find it helps to un-focus the eyes. This is the same state of mind as when I meditate at sacred sites to encounter the wonder of Nature,thus the state of mind required for dowsing helps druid meditation and viceversa, because they are essentially the same. Sometimes this state may betermed "hypnogogic" or "hypnopompic", depending upon whether is occursgoing into or coming out of the sleep state. For the purposes of dowsing ordruidry I call it "receptive mind".

Objectivity through disengagement

Disengagement from trying to direct the outcome ensures a more objectiveand consistent, and ultimately believable experience - whether that be inrelation to dowsing or in one's dealings with The Other/Nature. The elementof surprise at the revelations of the dowsing rods and the intuitive druidicexperience of vision and gnosis (knowing information intuitively) is obtainedby remaining objective. When I speak of objectivity I mean it in these terms:firstly, not attempting to influence the outcome of the process. Secondly, Imean not allowing one's rational mind to re-route decisions, or close off

http://www.meditations-uk.com/index.html

http://www.meditations-uk.com/index.html



avenues of investigation or possibility. Thirdly, I mean trusting that theoutcome is true if the feeling that accompanies it is one of truth.

For example, I get a pang of guilt if I feel I have attempted to force thedowsing rods to elicit a specific response to a question - this makes me re-try

the question until I am sure that the response is consistent and I am nolonger envisioning the result before it happens. This takes a certain amountof rigour of mind - a discipline of intention not to get embroiled in trying toinfluence the outcome. Similarly, I sometimes attempt to interpret the resultsto fit the pattern of what has gone previously. Again, I often feel a little guiltywhen I am aware that I am doing this. Usually, I simply write down theresponses and try to make sense of them when I have exhausted the streamof questions about a specific subject, then interpret them later. At othertimes one response will naturally lead me to another question. I do not pre- judge a method, only a topic.

We know so little and have re-constructed so much of what we believedruidry is all about that we often fall into the trap (and it is a trap, a channelthat limits one's scope to work) when we attempt to make out naturalfeelings about a topic conform to the expectations of what we have read,heard and believe other people to be doing. Many followers of the druidicpath engage in other people's rituals, and follow other people's rules,methods and myths; they copy their movements and stances, chant theirwords, sing their songs. Tradition has a part to play in donating a symbolichistory, but in my view specific rituals and objects ought to be determined byeach person individually. This is especially true for a path that is largely re-constructed in the modern era.

Each person has a part to play in this rebuilding process. For example, it ismy contention that the Celtic festival days do not have any specific energeticvalue in themselves. In other words, they are a day like any other in terms of the energy levels in land or at sacred sites. Yet many people in our traditionmark these days specifically as though this day and only this day, on aspecific Gregorian date, is significant in some way. It is only a marker of amovement into another period of time - a post to pass indicating we aremoving into another part of the year. Yet some would insist that it hasspecial meaning in itself and celebrate this day and only this day at this timeof year. I was only able to come to this understanding through the

combination of dowsing and druidry.

Working With Trees The Druid has long been associated with the tree. One could almost say ithas been a long-standing companion, a dear friend, a wise tutor. One of thethings that can be learned about trees through the skill of dowsing concernsthe status of any particular tree: is it happy, healthy, well situated, affectedby its environment, or happy to assist you in your druidry work?



• Dowsing a tree's aura

• Establishing a connection• The Druidic Stages: Birch, Yew and Oak

Dowsing a tree's auraLike all living things a tree has an aura - the extent to which the bio-chemicalsubtle energy fields can be extended. The extent of the aura is both areflection of an intention on the part of the living organism to declare itspresence, and a reflection of the organism's "inner strength". It could also betaken to be a reflection of the organism's vitality, as poor condition andhealth will diminish the aura's extent and strength.

To dowse a tree one only has to approach it with dowsing rods from arespectable distance, or to work outwards from the trunk, using the rods todetermine the extent of the energy field of the tree. Over time you will buildup a library of suitable questions, and a knowledge of how aura sizes andstrengths relate to types and sizes of trees. You will undoubtedly besurprised that small trees often emit large and strong fields, possibly afunction of their youthful life force, whilst some elder trees may have



faltering or weak fields, particularly if they are sited close to electricity linesor sites of man-made degradation such as quarries or rubbish tips. In searchof a reason you may begin to ask interesting questions about how suchfactors affect trees once you come across a few surprising results foryourself.

Establishing a connection The aura of a tree can be a nourishing and protective environment for adruid. In the following quote from Emma Restall-Orr's book "Living Druidry"she recounts how she approaches a beech tree in early Spring:

"Not yet under the reach of the branches, my weight upon but the furthest of her roots stretching out beneath the ground, the change in the air before meis distinct. 'Sacred spirit' I whisper, almost aloud, 'you know who I am.. onceagain I come here in peace, with the gentleness of my soul, my intention tohonour the waking day, seeking inspiration..' ...Offering my own truth, my

trust I ask, 'may I enter your temple?' ... The acceptance is palpable. As Iwalk forwards in the clearing beneath her bare canopy I am washed throughwith her song, like the certainty of real laughter and the scent of mist-wetwood. And with my body aching in the cold, for a long while I simply sit onthe mud in the darkness, breathing." (p.68. 'Living Druidry', Emma RestallOrr, Piatkus Press)

Emma is finding the information she needs about the tree from communingwith it. For her this is a process of attuning to the tree and becomingconfident with it. This works the other way around too, as the tree needs to

become equally familiar and comfortable with the person who is communingwith it. However, dowsing can facilitate this process by determining asuitable tree very quickly through a directive such as "Take me to a tree thatis suitable for working with to do <x>!"

The important elements here are trust, honesty and integrity. You aredealing with a living entity that has more wisdom and experience that youdo, and which has much to offer in terms of protection, nourishment andknowledge. It pays to be respectful and sincere in your dealings with trees.

The Druidic Stages: Birch, Yew and Oak

One druidic viewpoint that I can relate to particularly is that of the threestages of druidic development as represented by the birch, yew and oaktrees. These trees (and others) are both symbols and sources of gnosticlearning. They can be communed with, as can other types of trees, of course,however, these trees offer specific knowledge relating to their species.Here dowsing can assist with the druidic learning process by acting as averification tool.



Communing is a difficult and sometimes unclear activity: when is the voice of a tree talking to you and when is the voice your own? Which information iscoming from some other source, and when is it simply emerging from yourown consciousness? These things may not be important for you todifferentiate - however, I find dowsing can often resolve some of these

dilemmas and others that emerge from interacting with trees. For example, Ihave found that the oak tree is particularly fond of giving information in theformat of a cryptic phrase or using symbolic language. I was once informed"The Sun is the Key, The Moon is the Door." Dowsing was able to help menarrow down the possibilities as to what this information referred to, so that Icould concentrate on topics that would bear fruit.

More mundanely, dowsing has been able to identify specific places to visitthat would allow me to make progress in my studies. I simply have to drawup a list of possibilities - this place known to have birch trees, or that place -and then dowse as to which one would be the most productive for me at this

time. This has been particularly useful for me as I have moved to the Yewstage in identifying old yew trees that are retainers for lots of ancientknowledge, and which have a temperament suitable to be worked with.

It has been said that trees are all linked together, and that one example of aspecies is representative of the whole, or that they are all in connection witheach other and so the choice of individual tree is not important. I have notfound this to be the case. For me, the dowsing rods are able to clearlydifferentiate between several yew trees within an area and specificallychoose one tree that is the most suitable. They have never let me down yet.Whenever I have tested this by trying to connect to a different tree other

than the one suggested, whether before or after checking with the rods, theconnection has been difficult or unproductive. Something somewhere knowsthe score!

Of course, I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't work through any difficultieswith communing, or that there is no benefit to doing so. What I amsuggesting is that dowsing makes the process of progress much moreefficient. Time is saved. Information is quickly sorted through. Suitable timesand locations are easily determined. The best work is done in conjunctionwith the dowsing rods as a guide or check on proceedings.

Energy Work with CrystalsIn the not too distant past I was unable to comprehend of how crystals couldin any way affect the way I lived my life, but that was before I knew aboutsubtle energies. Now that I do know something about them they havebecome a valuable resource - not essential - but valuable. I have found thatcrystals can act as either magnifiers, absorbers, attractors or reflectors of subtle energy. They can bring the energy into a focused beam, or disperse itinto a wide area.



Crystals can retain energy within a structure, or they can prevent energyfrom passing through. This was clearly something known to the MegalithBuilders too, for they carefully designed quartz-rich rock into their structures,especially those which were constructed for transformation (or some similar

shamanic principle – astral projection, deep meditation, shamanic flying,vision-questing, for example).

Crystals have a multitude of uses, many of which I am still discovering.Experimentation is the key. I have found through experimentation that it iswise to ignore anyone else's crystal layouts (the positions of crystals relativeto each other). As with labyrinths the only layout that is important is yourown. I am aware that this may deeply offend current crystal users, and forthat I apologise, but I base my work on personal experience not the work of others, so I can't speak from any other perspective.

When I discuss "crystals" in this section I am referring to any crystallinerocks, particularly igneous or metamorphic rocks that have large crystallinecontent. Many ancient sacred sites have been constructed not out of crystal,but out of rocks that contain a high quartz content or have large crystallinestructures to them.

• Choosing crystals: How dowsing can help you pick out whichcrystals to use

• Crystals layouts: How dowsing can help you to place crystals inthe most helpful configuration/layout

• Determining success: How dowsing can help you know the status

of the energy work

Choosing crystals The qualities of various crystals is a field through which I am still working. There are many reference books out there that can assist you with this, but Iwould not recommend using any of them if you are a dowser. Instead I wouldrecommend you buy a varied collection of crystals and stones and then usethe rods to determine what you need whenever the need arises. Essentially Ilet the rods decide which stones are required for specific purposes. In thisway I retain a degree of flexibility, and do not begin to impose my or anyoneelse's "knowledge" of the properties of crystals. Frankly, the sources for such

information all refer to each other or differ vastly anyway. Begin to build upyour own vocabulary of what crystals mean for you, and what uses you canput them to, is my suggestion.

Crystal layouts The placement of crystals and stones determines the efficacy of their effects.Crystals can be used to gather subtle energy into a specific place, toenhance its effects, and to focus that energy to be directed towards a



specific place. This kind of activity is only possible if the crystals are placedin a particular formation to achieve such aims.

There are two main forms that can be used to do this - the circle and theparabola. The circle is used for working with earth energy, and the parabola

is for radiant energy. For example, if you were working at an ancient stonecircle, looking to accumulate as much subtle energy as possible, you couldform a circle of crystals or stones around yourself and then those energiesthat passed through that circle would be focused upon you. If you wereworking at Neolithic dolmen structure at the Summer Solstice and wanted tore-direct the energies of the Sun to a particular place you might form aparabolic crescent shape with several crystals, then use a single crystalplaced at the parabola's focal point to direct the energy to a specific place.

These are just general techniques - it is best to allow the dowsing rods todirect the exact placement, spacing, selection and direction of any crystal or

stone layout providing you have stated clearly what your purpose for thelayout is. Sites, weather conditions, astronomical alignments, energy formsand so many other factors are difficult to mentally appreciate or calculate, soI always allow the rods to direct such operations for me. Of course, if I werevery skilled I may allow intuition to do the same work, but I trust the rodsmore!

Determining success You are really only limited in the application of forming, storing and directingsubtle energy by your own imagination and intention. Of course, those of uswho follow the druidic ways of life may feel bound also by moral limitations

to such work as well. Personally, I will only experiment with a new way of applying energies if I feel it is justifiable, and that it will not adversely impactsomeone else. In a connected Earth view this could be a difficult judgementto make, but we have to be reasonable about this - some experimentation isnecessary because we have so little knowledge to guide us from ourancestors - only what we can glean by our own re-fashioning of theirknowledge.

Whenever I perform a new work with energy I dowse to determine its effectsupon me, on the locality and wider if the work had obvious connections toother sites or people. I use the rods to gauge the degree of change, the

strengths of the energies before and after the work, and any time framesurrounding the energy work - for example, will the outcome be immediate,or will the change only become evident at some future date?

When the results of experiments in dowsing, druidry and energy are checkedyou may be surprised by the outcome. External elements such as forcesfrom other sacred sites, the energies of trees and other nearby plants, or theinflux of energies from distant stars may be drawn into the work you are



doing. Because such things are seemingly far beyond the wit of a normalhuman being to calculate I always try to keep the intentions of the work asclose to Nature as possible, i.e. as natural a process as can be done, and onewith the least personal gratification involved. I consider myself to be aworker, a servant to these forces, not their master, and this humility has

always served me well. Luckily nothing too adverse has happened to me yet,and so it is with confidence that I espouse this guidance.

Chakra Fields and Healing The concept of the chakra points within the human body is an ancient onepre-dating any written knowledge we may currently have concerning them,for sure. The earliest records are the ones from the Chinese culture, but I amconvinced that they were known about long before this, as evidenced by themystical practises and the nature of the energy effects of particular sacredsites that have construction dates going back to 6000 B.C.E and beyond.However, I am not trying to convince anyone of the history for the concept -

what I want to draw your attention to is the spiritual and therapeutic aspectsof the chakra points, and how they correspond at time to concentrations of energy in and around sacred sites. I also want to demonstrate that New Agetherapeutic practises such as crystal healing, Reiki healing or other forms of subtle energy manipulation have a basis in the concepts that are a crossoverbetween dowsing and druidry.

• Dowsing an aura: determining the state of someone's health

• Healing with crystals: using energy to change a person's energyfields

• Gathering energy from nearby sources - how dowsing can find

them for you• Finding power centres in Nature that can heal you

Dowsing an auraDowsing using a pendulum or rods, or for skilled practitioners, by the useof energy sensitivity alone (e.g. Reiki) can determine the status of theenergy field of a human being, animal or plant. Each living being has anenergy field that is composed of bands of colour that appear to be similar tothe colours in the light spectrum (i.e. red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigoand violet). These colours appear at various distances from the subject, suchthat the red frequency range is furthest away, and the indigo range is close

to the subject. Some practitioners suggest this is also a verticalcorrespondence aligning to the chakra points of the human body, going fromthe red 'root' chakra at the base of the groin, up to the indigo 'crown' chakraat the top of the head.



source: http://www.natmedtalk.com

Each of these colour ranges have a particular meaning and correspondenceto a particular part of the body, or they govern a specific human system,according to different medical theories. This is not something I want to gointo great detail about, because it is not an area that I have any knowledgeof, nor do I use it often. Instead, I simply wanted to say that through dowsingit is possible to identify any parts of the colour spectrum that appear to be

too strong, too wide, too weak or too narrow. Of course, one needs to have abaseline to work from in such things, and I do not. Instead, I use to dowsingrods to ask specific questions such as, "Cross when I am within a colour bandthat is not naturally balanced." and then work from there as to whether itneed calming or boosting in order to bring it back into equilibrium.

The method then employed to re-balance anything uncovered during theexamination is also highly variable, and again is not something that I amparticularly skilled in or knowledgeable about. I do, however, know peoplewho are, and they tell me these methods can be highly effective even if themechanics of it are not understood. They don't need to be - they just need to

work in restoring health to the person, animal or plant. That is the ultimatetest of their efficacy, regardless of whether you or the subject perceives thisto be a placebo effect, a natural process, or an assisted process. I simplywant to point out that there is a cross-over between dowsing as theinvestigative tool, and the druidic practice of energy or crystal healing.

Healing with crystalsIn a similar way to the method used to heal a negative energy pool, or to

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divert or deflect a "black" stream of energy, crystals can be used tocongregate energy, focus it, and re-direct it towards a beneficial aim. Inaddition they can be placed in formation to create a barrier againstunwanted energies in order to protect an individual from unwanted energyflows.

My method of healing is to have no method. Instead of following any specificrecipe for a cure, or a standard practise, I use the dowsing rods to determinethe number of crystals required for the individual being treated, what type of crystal these should be, and where they should be placed. It's a case of eachperson being individual and too many factors to calculate for any standardpractise to work as effectively as one that is designed specifically for theindividual.

Harmonic and dissonant fieldsHarmonic fields are fields of energy that your body is naturally sympatheticwith - with which it resonates in tune. Standing within such fields you will feel

enlivened, uplifted, happier and empowered. Dissonant fields are theopposite - they feel draining to you, leeching, they make you feel weaker,more lethargic. Such fields have obvious potential health applications, if onlythat if you feel weak, you could find an harmonic field and within minutesyour body will begin to re-balance itself to a beneficial energetic state.

What is interesting is that what may be harmonic for one person may beentirely neutral (i.e. has no effect) or dissonant for another person; each of us it tuned differently at different times, although we seem to have a generaltuning which is our preferential state. Myself, I am roughly categorised as a"moon-aligned" person, and thus I resonate well with female earth energy

and radiant moon and planet energy fields such as Venus. Others maybe Sun aligned, in which they resonate with male earth energy and radiantsolar and, to a lesser extent, star energy.

This all sounds rather wacky, but it is not too important to know whether youare solar, stellar or lunar aligned. If you are a dowser you can use this skill todetermine nearby sources of harmonic or dissonant energies, and these canbe found irrespective of whether you are aware of which energies youresonate with. The instructions can be given to the rods to take you to asympathetic energy field and they will do so.

The druidic connectivity and intention techniques (some call this 'magic' - Iprefer the term 'natural magick' to differentiate it from anthropocentricenergy processes) can be used to draw harmonic or dissonant energies toyou. Of course, crystals or other tools could be used to manipulate theenergy to move, but this is not entirely necessary. Visualisation, intention,focus and 'right mind' can achieve the same ends without any paraphernalia.



Working in harmony with the flow of the universe is the goal of naturalmagick; understanding the strength, location and direction of flow of theearth's energy systems can help to bring this harmonisation about muchmore easily, although it is not essential to understand these things, onlybeneficial. It makes for greater efficacy in magickal work, and can provide a

level of reassurance that work has been done to the level required forchange to arise from the work.

Finding power centresOnce you become attuned to the feel of good and bad energy points you can just stay there until you feel better. If you happen to stand in a place thatfeels bad ('bad vibes') then you'll soon move as long as you are being awareand 'switched on' to the possibility.

Dowsing for a power centre is easy. The simple instruction should be termedto suit whatever you need at the time, but an instruction to the rods such as

"Please find a power centre to which I am attuned" will allow you to followthe direction of the rods until they cross over such a location. Similarly, youcan simply adjust this to find a power centre that may have inharmoniousenergies, and then perhaps you may test whether these are specific to youor more general.

Once you have stood on power centres that are both harmonious (i.e. towhich you are attuned) and their opposites, then you will begin to noticecertain effects. 'Positive' centres will feel like there is an up-draught of bubbling air through your feet. You may smile whilst stood there. You willwant to remain there, and will enjoy the experience. You may tingle slightly.

You may feel warmer than your surroundings (a good way of staying warm inWinter!).'Negative' power centres, i.e. those that are not in tune with your ownnatural frequencies, are going to feel draining. When you stand in such aplace you will feel disturbed, not quite right, uneasy.

If you are sensitive to energy flows you will feel the life force being drawnout of you through your feet, as though your life is draining away down theplug hole of a sink. You may feel slightly dizzy, or nauseous, and you maybegin to feel a tightening around the temples of your head as though you areabout to get a headache. You may only be able to stand in such a place for a

short time before feeling the urge to move away.

Some places are naturally draining, but this should not necessarily be seenas a 'bad' thing. Sometimes it is good to have negative or unhelpful energiesdrawn out of you like the leeching of a poison. At other times it is unhelpfulto be infused with more energy. Either way - as druids we should be seekingto be using energy centres to achieve a balanced state of being, as this isthe most healthy state - an un-stressed state of being - neither wanting



energy nor leaking it. Of course, for specific purposes we may seek toenergise ourselves with sympathetic power centres, or to cleanse ourselvesof useless energies by having them drawn out of us.

Power centres can occur at the most unlikely places, and often the places

you find seem totally innocuous. Of course, they may not always have beenso innocuous, and once upon a time they may have been places wherepeople invested energy, such as an altar, or love nest! There is a lay-bydown the road from where I live that is full of positive energies created bythe investment of loving energy from young courting couples who stop off regularly. Equally, some places may have been invested with the energy of amurder, or the dying pains of a wronged person, and these places also leavea strong impression energetically.

I have found some typical sites for power centres include:

• at the base of trees

• next to streams where water is aerated• small bare patches of earth

• faerie rings of grass

• where ley lines cross

• where earth energies pool and spiral together

There are many other places, and a good place to start is at ay obviouslyspiritual or religious place, or a beauty spot. This list is only intended as astarting point for you to find one for yourself. Houses have them, as dogardens. Perhaps take a look at your favourite place in the garden, yourfavourite room or chair, or anywhere you perform devotions. Did you findsomething there?

Sacred SitesAlmost all of the work I do whether in terms of druidry or of dowsing is doneat some kind of sacred site. There are many reasons for this, not least beingthat I am fortunate enough to have so many sites available to me within easytravelling distance. My other reasons for visiting them, however, are that Ibelieve they offer the most energetic potential to assist me with gettingenergy experiments done, for communing with trees and guardian spirits of such places, for working with elementals in their wild state, and for utilisingthe inherent energy of the places where such sites were located.

• The benefit of presence

• The energies of the Eight-Fold Year

• Gnostic versus divined information

• Building an energy map

• The ritual entrance and exit

• Finding purpose at sacred sites



The benefit of presenceAlthough dowsing can be done anywhere, even remotely against a far objector out of time, it is particularly relevant when performed at sacred siteswhere the energies of Nature flow freely. Many sites these days have been

constrained or destroyed, so finding a fully-working free site is difficult. Yet itis always worth the effort. Map dowsing may seem like the sensible ideawhen the rain clouds gather, but there is no way to bring all of theinteractivity of the energy fields that you have into contact with all theenergies of the site.

Consider too, there are many factors that affect the state of the subtleenergies: the weather, the proximity of celestial bodies, the time of year, of time of day, the living energies of plants and animals, the reaction of theguardian of the site to your presence. None of these things can be workedwith in the same way back in the comfort of your house, or done from a

representation of a sacred site (e.g. map dowsing). You simply have to bethere to get the full experience.

Beyond the energetic field connections that you will miss, there are thesynchronicities and additional sense information that you come across whilstvisiting ancient sacred sites. The black dog that sits in your path, the crowsthat begin to make a racket when you move a stone, the sudden smell of aflower even when you're in a moorland setting, the wind rising up out of nowhere when you call it - these are not sense experiences that you canreplicate from afar.

There are many times I have felt a call to visit a sacred site at times that areless than convenient. Wherever humanly possible I heed the call. No-onesaid this journey was going to be easy, or would not demand sacrifices of time and commitment. It is always a choice, but in the end Natural magickrequires a natural setting.



The energies of the Eight-Fold YearDruidic magick gains particular power if it is employed at specific times of the eight-fold year, when energies from the celestial conjunctions andpositions add their energy into the mix. Recently I have found that only theSolstice and Equinox times actually have any energetic significance as daysin themselves.

During the wheel of the year's round the male energy (which is Sun-based)rises and falls with the position of the Sun during the day, and over thecourse of the year. This means that the male energy is at its absolute

strongest when the sun is shining at noon on the Summer Solstice. From thatpoint it begins to fade away slowly, daily waning and waxing through nightand day phases. At the Winter Solstice the male energy is at its weakest. This is a simple fact of the relative position of The Sun to The Earth - there'snothing too mystical about it, although it is difficult to track! Luckily theMegalith Builders have done most of this work for us at sacred sites likestone circles, which track and mark the positions of noteworthy celestialevents.



Female energy is dependent upon the Moon for its condition, and so isstrongest whenever the Moon is full. Of course, the Moon is always cyclingaround the Earth too, moving away and back towards the Earth over thecourse of a year. The female energy is thus strongest when the Moon is full

on a clear night, and when it is at its apogee. I usually consult a MoonCalendar to anticipate such times.

Using these concepts it is rather easy to predict the likely relative strengthsof the male and female energies on any given day or time of year, takinginto account the weather conditions too. So much so, that I judge the times Ishould be doing my most important energy work to be either a Full Moonnight, or one of the four Sun days of Spring and Autumn Equinoxor Summer and Winter Solstice.

The four festival days of Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas and Samhain I have found

are markers denoting the points from which it becomes more efficacious towork with energy in particular ways. In themselves they have no energeticcharacteristics, but instead distinguish the starting point for a phase of energy characteristics that lend themselves to particular tasks. For example,between Imbolc in February and Spring Equinox in March is a very suitabletime to awaken the energies of the land by visiting sacred sites andinteracting with them. This time period in particular suits re-awakening work,and one doesn't have to look too hard to take the cue from Nature that thisis exactly what is going on all around you at this time in the land itself.

Gnostic versus divined information

There are many ways of appreciating places and times of power, but druidicmethods of "being and seeing", i.e. opening up to all of thesensory information available, will bring great rewards. Dowsing has a role toplay here too. Sometimes, when you are in the midst of a communion withNature she can throw up a puzzling image, statement, or feeling that needssome assistance to decode. Dowsing can help here. It is possible (with greatcare always to check how much you are affecting the outcome) to askquestions about such interactions.

Dowsing does not respond well to questions that are not simple "yes" or "no"answers (ok - "maybe" is a valid response too sometimes), but you need to

consider very carefully how to phrase your enquiries with dowsing rods toelicit anything more than more questions! However, with care and thoughtdowsing can take you further in your studies than leaving the riddling tochance, and can speed up your progress enormously, I have found.

Building an energy mapDowsing offers the druid an insight into the fields and forces, and theirrelative strengths, in order to be able to gauge whether connection and thus



gnosis is going to be more successful. Of course, your own personal stateand power are also part of the equation.

Dowsing allows you to discover the lines and extent of the fields of energythat are normally closed to the senses, and which many druids simply rely

upon intuition to determine for them. If you are not yet at the stage whereyou can sense energy and know its qualities, then dowsing offers the abilityto not only delineate their direction, strength and quality, but also allows fora certain amount of confirmation that again reduces doubt, leading to astronger druidic connection with Nature. One less thing to consider whilstmeditating perhaps?

Having a concept of the layout of a sacred site or a sacred space can helpyou to identify potential problems with 'invasive' energies from elsewhere, toquickly tune into the state of a place, to know the best place to make contactwith Nature, or to simply know which paths to walk around a site, or where to

stand for a particular effect. For example, I visited Glastonbury at SummerSolstice last year with only a starting point in mind. When I got there I let therods guide me to the right place to meditate. At those spots I visualised thenext place to visit. Each place had a part to play in unlocking a chakra pointin my body until I arrived at Glastonbury Tor on the second day and achievedwhat can only be described as a spiritual enlightenment. I was guided alongthis path by the dowsing rods and the druidic meditation process. Powerfulstuff!

The ritual entrance and exitA casual approach to a sacred site is fine, but it will bring about a casual

response (or none at all) from the site itself. Finding an appropriate entrance,a sigil, a ritual path and an exit to a site will allow you to enter into adifferent relationship with the site. Finding an entrance brings about theopportunity to ask the guardian of the site (if there is one) for permission toenter via tracing a sigil's shape. Once such permission is obtained (and Ileave that up to you to determine what such permission may be) then youare in a different relationship with the site from the outset.

Being invited into a site through an entrance suitable to you (one might evensay, designed for you) moves you into a magical sphere of operation.Communion is easier, meaning is stronger, intent is rapidly communicated

and understood, the atmosphere is more favourable generally. These are myfindings by performing such entries. Similarly, if one exits by an appropriatepoint too then the connections are severed properly, and little work isrequired to "clean up" energetically afterwards. You are only left with thetask of giving thanks at that stage.Enter and exit appropriately and the forces within the site are all themore appreciative of your attention to detail.



Finding purpose at sacred sitesI have left the toughest topic for last. If you have followed me this far thenyou have doubtless been given several things to think about, some of whichwill have struck a chord with you, some will have annoyed you, others youwill have dismissed, one or two you may have wondered what I am talking

about. I understand, truly I do. You see, what is all this about, after all?"Energy work", "Natural Magick" and "Site guardians"? "Sigils"? "Sun andMoon alignments", "Power Centres" and "Gnosticism"?

This is only the start of it. What I have been discussing is how to open up thefloodgates of a mystical and divine life path, along which you will find muchmore challenging things that simply dowsing with copper rods, or visitingsacred sites on a full moon to trouble your sleep patterns! It is only when youare some way down this path that you begin to define a form to thequestions that relate to its purpose. For a long while you will be able tododge this through sheer curiosity and wonder, but eventually the two

worlds of dowsing and druidry are going to combine in such a way as to sendyou headlong into the philosophical questions that I hinted at right at thestart: those tricky ontological, teleological and eschatological questions thatwe spend so much time working around, but not working on. "Why am Ihere?", "Who is answering me when I dowse?", "Is there anything elsesentient out there?", "What is divinity and do I need to bother with it?","Should I be the master of these energies or their servant?"

In the course of my studies on these subjects I have spent many hourscontemplating just those questions, and the answers were forthcoming -then they stopped. Nature herself stopped doling out the ready-made

answers. I realised that the only way I could continue to get a response fromNature was to stop asking for guidance, and to begin to define a purpose tothis aimless wandering through her bountiful gardens. Through meditation,rational enquiry from the basics upwards, and through a desire to find myown path, I have finally found the crossing of the two streams: I have apurpose to this work, and the work serves my purpose. Good luck to you onyour own path - I hope you find your purpose too.

ConclusionI have discussed some of the possibilities of combining the arts of dowsingand natural magick, and I hope that you can see the benefits of doing so.

Dowsing is a wonderful tool for discovery, for reassurance, for qualificationand for opening up unconsidered possibilities. There are many things you willhave read that you will have disagreed with, I am sure. I hope some thingsmade you think about experimenting to validate their veracity. Please, takethe information and take it further for yourself. That is why it is here. I havepresented my latest current thinking, but this is not the only opinion, nor is itthe correct opinion. It is my internally consistent opinion that I hold for now.



The results obtained from dowsing are entirely tailored to the individual.Correspondences can be found with other dowsers findings, of course, asthere are many elements that are universal, but the aim should be to findout everything for yourself, rather than take anyone else's experiences orfindings as definitive. We are engaged in a dynamic system (Nature) that is

in constant flux, and unlike science we may not be dealing with absolutereproducible truths - rather relative and time-bound truths. Your relationshipwith Nature is, after all, YOUR relationship with Nature and no-one else's.

Dowsing, like all forms of divination, are filtered through a human mind andare therefore subject to the vagaries and distortions of your own experiencesand knowledge to date. As a skill it is subject to the same imperfections andany other human activity, and is not subject to scientific scrutiny as it doesnot conform to its rigorous straight-jacket. Nevertheless, its ancient anduniversal adoption and application ought to tell you that there is a core of truth at its heart, even if that truth an never be revealed to everyone

because their own mental constructs have limited the possibility of it. Youare ultimately limited only by your ability to imagine the possibilities thatdowsing can offer, just as you are in druidry.

It is much more important to understand the working of your own mind thanto understand the workings of dowsing. No book can tell you thisinformation. No book can teach you magic. No book can explain druidry.Books and web sites can only suggest possibilities to you. What is importantwith both druidry and dowsing is a willingness to explore the possibilitieswith an open inquisitive mind in search of understanding that is useful to youalone. To paraphrase Wittgenstein, "There is no objective truth. There is only

that which is true enough for you."Supplemented by constant learning and practice dowsing is a powerful,portable and reliable means of travelling further along the spiritual pathtowards your goals. How far you go with it is down to your own ability toimagine the possibilities, and in your commitment to furthering therelationship with The Other, and to developing yourself to align with Nature'sflow.

ReferencesRecommended ReadingMy blog site - The Hedge Druid (see signature below) - contains a list of

sacred sites visited (some with earth energy diagrams), an extensivebibliography, plus hundreds of posts discussing ancient site visits, dowsing ingeneral, and druidic natural magick. A comprehensive list of reading materialconcerning the topics of dowsing, druidry and related areas of study can befound on the Bibliography page. Here is a shorter list of some recommendedbooks on the subjects discussed in the seminar.

Dowsing resources



Working With Earth Energies – David Furlong (Piatkus) - The bestparadigm for the cross-over between the world of energy working and theconcepts of dowsing as a tool to assist that work.Earth Energies– Serge Kahili King (Quest Books) - Tries to explain whatthe subtle energies might be by recounting the historical studies undertaken

by various scientists. Nothing about the information is convincing, however,other than that something exists.Spiritual Dowsing – Sig Lonegren (Gothic Image) - The beginner's guideto going beyond the obvious practicalities of dowsing and into the realms of human energy work.Sacred Geography– Marko Pogacnik (Lindisfarne Press) - Pogacnik adds athird dimension to dowsing, making the forces of nature come alive in theworld around us, even if his concepts are difficult to grasp or believe at first.Patterns of the Past – Guy Underwood (Abacus) – one of the first tomake the bridge between a scholarly approach and a common touch in hisexplanations of the phenomenon.

The View over Atlantis – John Mitchell (Abacus)- a classic of the genre. The book which linked sacred geometry, ley lines, earth energies and historytogether.Geopathic Stress & Subtle Energy – Jane Thurnell-Read (Life WorkPotential) – a good introduction to the concepts of how the earth'selectromagnetic fields can interact with the human body, sometimes todetrimental effect.

Druidry ResourcesThe Book Of English Magic– Philip Carr-Gomm & Richard Heygate(John Murray Publishing) - happily they did not leave one single element out

of this study, and consequently dowsing takes its rightful place as a validmeans of magical enquiry beyond being a simple divination tool.Living Druidry– Emma Restall-Orr (Piatkus) - for her ability to vividlydescribe the concept of the nemeton field or aura that surround each livingthing.The Healing Energies of Trees– Patrice Bouchardon (Journey Editions) -puts into pictures what many people have struggled to express in words. Asimple, clear book with stunning visual impact.Walkers Between The Worlds – Caitlin and John Matthews (Inner Traditions) - learned, erudite, yet practical information on some basicconcepts of getting in tune with the magical Natural world that druidry

extols.

Useful Web Pageshttp://www.leyman.demo.co.uk - David R.Cowan's site which goes into somedetail about ley lines, geopathic stress and death energies. His books areeven more interesting.http://www.megalithic.co.uk - details of the location and status of sacredsites and very comprehensive

http://www.leyman.demo.co.uk/

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/

http://www.leyman.demo.co.uk/

http://www.megalithic.co.uk/

Dowsing and Druidry - Where Paths Cross Seminar - Final Draft - April 1st 2010

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Transcript of Dowsing and Druidry - Where Paths Cross Seminar - Final Draft - April 1st 2010