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| Mom and Dad's cabin in South Park |
When I was a youngster and still at home, my parents built a cabin in the Colorado mountains—in South Park to be exact (yes, that South Park). When it came time to have the well drilled, the contractor asked if we had witched the well yet? What? What magic is this, I wondered. Then the driller provided us with dousing rods and gave us instructions.
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| Metal Dousing Rods |
The dousing rods were made of simple metal clothes hangers, straightened to form an “L” shape. I gripped the short end of the hangers, one hanger in each hand, with the long end pointing straight ahead. The driller told me to walk slowly down the hill…and holy-cow! In about ten paces, the metal rods turned in my hands and crossed each other. Then Mom had a try, then Dad. No matter what direction we started from, when we got to that sweet spot on the hill, the rods would cross. I tried to hold them so tight in my hands they wouldn't twist, but they always did.
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| Typical Pendulum |
The well-contractor took into account the terrain, but drilled the well very close to where we had “witched” the well. Oh, yeah... I was hooked on paranormal.
Dousing rods, divining rods, and pendulums, work on the same principle. Something, or someone, from somewhere is providing information through the medium of a rod or a pendulum. Another theory is that our own “higher self” is controlling the divining rod and providing the requested information from our subconscious higher knowledge. Either way, when dousing for water with rods, the question is already given: where is the underground water?
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| Pendulum Board |
A pendulum can be used, much like an Ouija board, to divine a number of different questions. To make a pendulum, all you need is a long string or chain, with a weight or bob on one end. A necklace and pendant would work just as well as the expensive, mystical pendulums you can purchase on-line. Rumor has it, a pendulum can be used to find missing objects, answer questions about the future, and predict the sex of your next child.
There are a hoard of websites that will teach you, convert you, and beguile you with information about divining, dousing and pendulums. As with everything, proceed with caution and with the understanding that they are all trying to sell you something. You don't need any of the fancy stuff to just have fun with a pendulum or dousing rods. And they aren't scary – unless you write it that way.
In Hunter's Gamble, included in the Cowboy Kisses anthology, Hunter uses a pendulum made from his father's pocket-watch chain, an arrowhead from his grandfather and a rose quartz from his grandmother. All the items have special meaning to Hunter, and give his pendulum special qualities. He uses his pendulum to help a young man, released from prison after the Civil war, find his missing family.
Hunter also uses his pendulum to help a young woman named Lily Graham find a kidnapped child in the story "Hunter and Lily Graham."
FREE BOOK GIVE AWAY - Comment on the blog and tell me if you've ever used a pendulum, divining rod or Ouija board, and if you ever would again. The winner will have their choice of e-books that include stories of Hunter and his pendulum; Hunter and Lily Graham in CCCv2, or Hunter's Gamble in Cowboy Kisses. Remember to leave your email so I can contact you!
Connie (C. Marie) Bowen is an award winning writer of paranormal adventures laced with suspense and romance. She grew up in Denver, Colorado and has a love of western history, science fiction, fantasy and ghost stories. Her life travels have taken her from Denver to Wichita, KS and eventually settling in North Texas to raise her two boys. A LEED accredited professional, she worked as an Architectural Project Manger for retail construction prior to deciding an empty nest gave her the opportunity to follow her writing muse. She is a PRO member of Romance Writers of America, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Sub-chapter of RWA, North Texas RWA, and Savvy Authors.
Learn more about her books and works in progress at her website: http://www.cmariebowen.com/
