Local Dowsing Group News :   No. 27
A Strategic Plan for the BSD

The Journey to the East
         
This fable by Hermann Hesse describes the quest for wisdom and spirit, undertaken by members of the League of Journeyers to the East. It begins…

“ As it has been my destiny to take part in a great experience, and having had the good fortune to belong to the League and allowed to share in that unique journey, the wonder of which blazed like a meteor and afterwards sank into oblivion - even falling into disrepute - I have now decided to attempt a short description of this incredible journey.” 

One group of Journeyers were subjected to a test - which, as many of us do - they failed.

Towards the end of his life Hesse wrote The Glass Bead Game, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

In that book the League had survived, but ossified into a structure which was no longer responsive to spirit.

As I say, a fable.







The Challenge

Finance

According to documents presented to the BSD’s recent AGM, during the 2018-19 financial year, total funds had fallen by around a quarter (£26,477) from £105,363 to £77,086 .

Net current assets at the end of 2018-19 amounted to £21,057 .

If the 2018-2019 rate of loss continues at anything like the same pace, the organisation could soon face closure.

People

Governance

There have been a number of resignations by Trustees from the BSD Council.

Membership

It is now thought that membership is around 666, perhaps half of what it had been assumed to be. How beastly.

Staff

The BSD’s staff is now reduced to one person

Media

In the last twelve months only two issues of Dowsing Today were produced 

The website attracts a huge amount of internal criticism, and as a member states… “in the modern world, a national organisation with no proper digital presence is all but dead in the water.”



Groupings

There are no longer Special Interest Groups functioning as part of the BSD

The Professional Water Dowsers Group functions outside of the BSD, as does the Dowsing Research Group

The situation with Trainers is unclear

So, what is wrong, and what is to be done ?
           
The following theses were recently found nailed to a church door in Wittenburg

The BSD’s organisational structure is that of a 19th century Voluntary Organisation

A representative democracy with annual elections to a governing body, from an electorate consisting of individual dowsers

But this does not recognise that the real life-blood of the organisation is made up of around 33 Local Dowsing Groups, who provide support and development on the ground, and draw people into the BSD. Yet the Local Dowsing Groups have no constitutional existence.

The BSD Special Interest Groups have all but disappeared. They are not represented on Council.

The interests of the large number of individual/lone dowsers outside the Local Dowsing Groups, are not catered for.

One bright spot amidst the encircling gloom has been the emergence of regional and sub-regional initiatives, such as D Fest in the South West. An initiative which – as far as I know – originated locally.


Dowsing - Dowsers - and Other Practitioners

The rudiments of dowsing are quickly acquired, but mastery and gaining real proficiency can take many years

We have separated out the skill, and created a professional group of ‘dowsers’. This is not a bad thing.

Yet there are other ways of thinking about this. For example, medical professionals might like to acquire the dowsing skill (and make it part of their tool kit), without wishing to become known as ‘dowsers’.

We may have missed a substantial trick by not encouraging the use of
what might be called ‘bite-sized’ dowsing, or dowsing modules, by those
whose primary interests and concerns are in fields like health, or bee-keeping,
and not in dowsing, as such.


Guardians of the Galaxy

It is interesting to note the wide-ranging approach of the American Society of Dowsers to the nature of dowsing. It could perhaps be summarised as refining and developing the nature of perception.

There is also the Scientific and Medical Network, and the American Institute of Noetic Studies. And we are blessed to have the Dowsing Research Group.

These are potential Ladders of Lights.


A letter to the Editor from ...
 
Trish Lawty

You left a leaflet on the table at the BSD Conference and I thought I would put my thoughts. I don't mind if they are not used.

I am a hobby dowser and still learning and am so pleased that there are experts willing to give their time. I just wanted to say the following -

When I go to my Local Dowsing Group which is Ridings Dowsers, or go to the BSD I usually go on my own. I have found my Local Dowsing Group and the BSD to be really friendly, helpful and interesting.. That friendly, helpful attitude is what brings like-minded people together. Both groups have given me a different way of looking at life.

I think both the BSD and Local Dowsing Groups …

o Believe in what they do.
o Give a lot of their time.
o Change people's lives
o Bring people together who have the same interest. 
o Both Local Dowsing Groups and the BSD are needed  

I was in my late 50's when I found out about dowsing - yet I felt it was something I had known about since I was a child. I was really surprised to know such groups existed and am so glad they do.
Trisha

Spirituality Special Interest Group
 
As dowsers we are familiar with extraordinary experiences that extend our perceptions of reality. Sometimes these lead us to a feeling of connectedness or exhibit as the most amazing synchronicites in our lives. Our sensitive ‘antenna’ pick up many vibrations or energies that some people perceive as spiritual and emanating from a divine source.
 
This special interest group is being set up to bring a small group of people together to explore our various spiritual experiences; share our own journeys and consider why we have been blessed with these gifts . If you are interested in joining please get in touch with Kate at

Water Special Interest Group
 
Steve Dawson from 'Dowsing Anglia' is hoping to rekindle the Water Dowsing SIG and would appreciate any help he can get. 

He hopes to regionalise the Group and he's willing to 'Look After' Suffolk & Norfolk and hope other Water Dowsers will step forward to assist and name a region they can help with. Initially Steve will be using a Facebook Page to build up the infrastructure and can be contacted by his e-mail  skad7@hotmail.com anytime.

He will be organising Events and hoping to join other Groups events to promote this subject. Security & Confidentiality plus working within the Protocols of the British Society of Dowsers will be paramount. Let's help Steve to bring back this amazing Group.


Dowsing by the Visually Impaired
Any dowsers with an interest in this subject are invited to contact Ced at


The Sound Dowsing Rod

This rod turns the usual movement of an L Rod into a rising pitch. Prototype under development. Expressions of interest to


A Sauce for Dowsers
 
The University of the Third Age is an excellent source of people who want to develop their dowsing. There are 1043 local U3As across the United Kingdom with over 425,000 members.


Dowsing in the UK

  Active organisations include...

        British Society of Dowsers :           www.britishdowsers.org
        Dowsing Research Group :           www.dowsingresearch.org
        Professional Dowsers Register :   www.professionaldowsersregister.co.uk
        International Association of Health Dowsers :       www.healthdowsers.org
        Local Dowsing Groups :                www.localdowsinggroups.UK