Welcome to my world and beyond...

A collection of snippets of the books I write and, occasionally, my life and the things that inspire my writing...

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

A to Z: "D" is for Divining--an inexplicable thing.

Here I go...not sure I will click "publish", because this post might make me look a nut.  But, have you ever witnessed something you could not explain--no matter how you tried?   And you know when you tell someone about it, they are going to nod and politely smile...while they think what a nutcase. Ha!

Divining.  Dowsing.  I was not a nutcase until I held that cherry branch in my hands.

                                                
I am Thomas.  No, that isn't my name. I mean, I am the doubter, wanting to stick my finger in the hole in Christ's side.

Working in a scientific field, I collect data, and as the evidence mounts, I can start to establish typical behaviors and then extrapolate expectations.  But, I work with living organisms.  As such, example after example has taught me that to deny a possibility, is malarkey and is downright foolish.

Yet...I am the one who wants to tear apart the baby's rattle...

I want to believe.  I want to be amazed and humbled by something that defies any rational explanation.  And, divining did that for me.

It has been a decade now.  The man came to drill our water well.  He looked over our property and broke a "Y" shaped branch, held the top of the "Y" in his two hands and began to walk around. The base of the Y, protruding in front, would dip down.  Then he would move around the area and check for other underground water.

We watched this with fascination.  "Here, ya got some here. Fifty feet down, just a little pisser vein. Not worth going after."  He moved to the western side of the property.  The stick began to dip down, low.  Then, as if possessed, the stick began to spin around between his hands, the base of the Y going round and round.  We realized that he was counting the spins.  "Here.  Ya got a good flow here. Fifteen spins--a hundred fifty feet down.  We drill here."

Well...this was too amazing to let go.  "How does that work?"

He smiled and said, "I can let you try it.  But, women are dead. They can't do it."  He then explained to all of us how you do it.

My daughter broke wild cherry branches off a young tree and made our "Y" shaped divining rods, and the proceeded to look for water.

We were shocked. I recall giggling, and feeling amazement that my stick dipped.  And I really didn't do it. I believe I could have been blindfolded and still told you where we planned to drill, because that is where the stick dipped.  My daughter's did as well.   So much for being "dead".

For the record, we hit a good well at one hundred sixty feet.  I guess the well-driller missed one spin of his dowsing stick.

Clarke's Third Law states that, "Any significantly advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."  Is divining possibly an example of  what Clarke referred to?

Where are you at on this?  Believe it or not?

17 comments:

  1. I think there are some things that just can't be explained. They just are. And I don't think we are meant to understand everything.

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    1. I so agree, Ruth. There is real magic out there...and if you keep investigating, there are always more questions than answers. "The more we know the less we know." :-) Thank you for visiting !

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  2. Such beautiful, detailed, well-written posts... everyday! How . How on earth!?

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    1. Hi effervescencia, gee willikers, you are too kind. I am blushing now. Thank you. Seriously, that was sweet of you to say. And thank you for visiting! :-)

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  3. Great and interesting to read this post.
    do check out my D at GAC a-z.

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    1. Thank you for visiting, PA UI. I took a look at the art. Lovely. And you do have quite a creative desk :-) Thank you for visiting. :-)

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  4. "Women are dead?!" I'm glad you could divine, too! I tried once, but it was in a class, and in a desert, so it didn't work too well...

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    1. Thanks, Brenda! Oh, I bet the desert would be challenging :-) A class, how fascinating! Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. :-)

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  5. Darling post about divining! It sounds magical and who doesn't like a little magic.

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Johanna! Oh my, I think we all like a little magic, indeed! :-)

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  6. I remember that day! Yep, "women are dead." I secretly gloated.

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    1. I am glad you got to be part of that day. Guess we showed him ;-) <3

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  7. Nutty? Not in the least! Fascinating is a much better word. I've heard so much about divining but have never tried it. Definitely want to some day. Thanks for the inspiration and, by the way, love the way you write. Very natural. Personable!

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    1. Thank you for visiting, Cathy, Nice to "meet" you! And thank you for your kind words. I am not sure if anything nicer could be said. "Personable" I like that :-)

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  8. Didn't that man know that you don't tell a woman they can't do something. I'm glad for you. Never say never right? Great post.

    Maribeth

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    1. Hi Maribeth, yes, indeed! lol...don't ever tell us we can't do something...that is just like saying . "I challenge you..." ;-)

      Thank you for visiting. :-)

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