Intuition can be described as a "feeling" that something is good (or bad) for us. Most of us have been guided by intuition many times and would like to get that help more often. While science tends to investigate all matters in depth, technology accepts that something works and looks at improving the methods used.

Healers and others have used kinesiological methods such as the resistance of muscles to bending and the "stickiness" between thumb and finger to get answers to questions about both sickness and cures. When doing this they are accessing the intuitive part of their minds to help others. The response they get can be redirected to other muscles and magnified by an instrument, giving greater precision and enabling more complicated questions to be answered. This use of an instrument is called "dowsing."

When many people think of dowsing they picture a man holding a forked branch to find water and locate a well, or a builder using bent wire rods to find pipes and cables. And a lot of ladies have "used a pendulum" such as a needle on a length of cotton to ask, "Is the baby a boy?" They are dowsing.

Being able to dowse is like learning to ride a bicycle, or to drive a car, or training a dog — most people can do it. But you have to put effort into learning if you want the best value. For dowsing you choose a tool to use, decide on the signals to be given, and follow the discipline needed to ask questions correctly.

A pendulum is probably the best tool to use for healing. Usually two sets of signals are needed. The first set includes: "yes," "no," "wait," and "not available" signals. The second set expands this to pointing to items on lists, on shelves, or on charts, such as when counting to find doses needed.

The most important step is training your body to give the signals that you have chosen. Do not expect that the responses are automatic! That belief has caused many people to think that they are not able to dowse. You must do training exercises.

When starting your training you may find it best to use a length of wire with a bend at the end as a handle (a straightened coat-hanger is ideal). This is called a "Bobber" and is a horizontal pendulum. Because it is long and springy it greatly amplifies all signals. Most dowsers find that a good set of signals is: a clock-wise circle means "yes," an anti-clockwise circle means "no," a side-to-side swing means "not available," and a "to-and-fro" (up-and-down) means "wait."

Asking questions needs care. If you ask, "Is the baby a boy or a girl?", you will usually get a "yes." You would be better to ask, "Is the baby a boy?", "Is the baby a girl?", and then, "Are these answers correct?" and "Did I understand the answers correctly?" (in case the case of twins).

A typical use of dowsing is for selecting vitamins and supplements, and deciding on the strength needed, and the dose to be taken. Ask, "Do I need any additional vitamins or supplements?" If so, make a chart or a list with different varieties listed and ask your pendulum to point to any that you need to take. It is best to check by asking, "Do I need to take more of this vitamin, etc.?"

Now you can make a counting chart to ask the strength to be used, the dosage needed, and the frequency that it should be taken. Again, check that the answers are correct and that you have understood them correctly. Next repeat the process in case you need more than one vitamin or supplement.

You can also ask your pendulum to point to the shelf having the vitamin and to the container having the best vitamin/brand for you.

Many qualified practitioners use their intuition to help give the best advice to their clients. Some dowse to check that they have correctly diagnosed illnesses and may use charts to discover if the cause is due to a spiritual, mental, or emotional problem, since it is more important to eradicate the cause than cure the symptoms.

One cause of illness that has been well researched in Central Europe is "geopathic stress"; this is due to people sleeping (and sitting for a long time) in places where the "Curry Grid" (named after Dr. Manfred Curry) crosses and is magnified if veins of noxious water flow in the ground beneath the building.

Over 3,000 of the resulting cases of cancer, heart problems, sleeplessness (leading to lack of attention and feelings of inadequacy), and malfunctioning organs have been documented by Kathe Bachler of Austria and presented in her book, Earth Radiation. She includes case histories mentioning babies huddled in the corner of their cot trying to avoid these energies.

These earth energies can be detected by dowsing and the noxious water veins can be overcome; the processes are easy to learn and, if used, the health of the family may be greatly improved. Even the simple movement of beds and chairs into a different position can help people be healthier.

Many claim that because dowsing cannot be proven scientifically it cannot be accepted as genuine. But that is like trying to prove scientifically that angels exist. Those who dowse accept it as a technology, a skill they use to gain help from the "Force for Good." Then they concentrate on learning to use their abilities more effectively. The intuition of humans may be the most powerful device in the universe and if we learn how to use it for good we can acheive wonders.

The 3rd Annual Dowsing Convention, Power of Thought, will be held July 26-30, 2002 at Olds College, Alberta. For contact and registration information see the paragraph below.