Dowsing in the Middle Ages

Re written exerpts from the Book " De Re Metallica" Originally written in Latin in 1556, found important and valued enough to be translated into English for our growing needs as a nation in 1912, by Herbert Hoover, who compiled the information with the aide of his wife. In total 614 pages.

There are many great contentions between miners concerning the forked twig, for some say that it is of the greatest use in discovering veins, and others deny it. Some of those who manipulate and use the twig, first by cutting a fork from a hazel bush with a knife, this bush they consider more efficacious than any other for revealing the veins, especially if the hazel bush grows above a vein.
Others used a different kind of twig for each metal when they where seeking to discover various veins, hazel twigs for veins of silver, ash twigs for copper, pitch pine for lead and tin, and rods made of iron or steel for gold. All my grasping with the hands wether twigs or rods by clenching, it being necessary that the clenched fingers be held upwards in order the twig should be slightly raised at the end of the fork or rods. Then they needed the ability to wander hither and thither as needed at the different locations, it is said at the moment they placed themselves over a vein the twig immediately turns and twists downward, and by its action would disclose the veins location, and when they moved there feet again and go away from the spot the twig became once more free in there grasping. The truth was asserted to be the power of the underground veins caused the movement of the twigs, and it was noted that sometimes the branches of a tree growing near the vein deflected toward it also.

We know today this is all done by intent, the branch by the way this is written must of aided them further. Why some couldn't do it was probably negativity plain and simple they had no intention to, or faith it was possible, Being taught it was evil wrongly drilled in there heads by that culture.

Continuing...

On the other hand those who say the twig is no use to serious men deny the motion is due to the power of the veins, because the twigs will not move for everybody, but for only those who employ the incantations of the craft.

This means mental intent and then action of the stick or rod, relaxed this word craft is simply use of that skill.

Moreover they deny the power of a vein to draw the branched of the tree's. They say warm and dry exhalations cause these contortions in the tree. (dry weather conditions making it bend lower at times.) Those who advocate the twig ( dowsing ) make this reply to those objections; it is de to some peculiarity of the individual, which changes or impedes the power of the vein, pondering that the power in the vein and the turning and twisting action of the twig, may be similar to a magnetic attraction ( field ) and like iron drawing unto itself. This hidden ( electro magnetic field ) in a man then weakens ( more like joins ) and breaks into that force ( field ) *** Just like garlic Juice they presumed does when coated on a magnet rendering it ineffective, unable to attract clean or rusty iron particles.

Hand and gripping pressure is mentioned next not to hold the sticks to tightly or they will be ineffective, and too loosely no ( electro magnetic ) contact would be asserted, felt or conducted thru the hands to the sticks basically having no response signal also. In others words this is a skill requiring a delicate feel and awareness of subtle nerve response and sensation, you must be sensitive.

*** Extra food for thought here; In the middle ages they knew the garlic smeared on a magnet kept electro magnetic fields from interacting with particles that usually were attracted to one another and globbed together, garlic today is considered a heart health circulatory product cheaply bought anyplace. Our bodys do conduct + / - fields in the bloodstream and even within each individual cell, can you now see how garlic would greatly help keep your cholesterol levels down, and stressed blood platelets from sticking and finding places to glob up in your own circulatory system and keep you healthier ?

Tell an older friend or relative about the power of Garlic !