Email received from…
Peter Taylor and Global Dowsers North Wales
Dear Ced
Many thanks for your email, it is always good to see what other groups are doing which are affiliated to the BSD. As you know my group is not affiliated to the BSD, it was but after several years decided they were not getting anything from it and decided to leave. Our membership is about 46, out of that we have got about 6 members of the BSD. We have workshops and talks and lectures the first Saturday of every month which I teach on all subjects of dowsing. My aim is to improve the group's skills so that they will be able to take over from me and carry on the art of dowsing, especially the water side as over recent years it has been the Cinderella of the BSD. Sometimes the group for our monthly meetings go out on trips such as recently visiting Parry's Mountain in Anglesey, and whilst we were over in Anglesey we went to see Clive Thompson who is now 94 years of age and who was President of the BSD for many years. He also invented the Double V Dowsing Rod.
When I joined the BSD about 33 years ago I started on water learning how to find the water, I also ran projects for 3 years as well as working full time to improve my skills on the water divining. I found it progressively interesting learning all the different subjects over many years, also including oil and gas exploration and discovery dowsing for oil, plus using techniques to find gold deposits in Clogau Gold Mine. I always made it my main intention to back-up my research with references from my clients confirming my ability, as you will see on my main website
I have seen Presidents come and go. I have to say that the BSD now is not the same as it was when I first joined. I think the situation declined when decisions were taken by Council without consulting the membership of the BSD. Starting with the changing of the logo, from something that was recognised from 1933 in industry as well as the general public who recognised that logo, to something which very few people could recognise, or understand that it would have anything to do with dowsing. Needless to say I was chairman of the water SIG when this took place. I had a committee of 8 members of the BSD. None of us agreed with the change but was overruled by the Council. I was not the only one who objected to the change of logo, there were others who objected but were also ignored.
On issues like this which affects the Society, I believe should have been brought to the memberships’ attention to ballot on, or to be ironed out in Congress by the members. Needless to say the BSD lost members after this fiasco. Then the SIG's had to fold up because of the poor finances of the BSD, and we were asked to volunteer and allow the BSD to take the funds to survive, and so the SIGs were folded up. These SIGs were very good in allowing the different skills to be perfected by the members who wished to improve their skills, and it also brought in an income for the Society.
This year further stress has been put on the BSD Society, as all the tutors were removed from the register of tutors for the BSD - which was over 20 members - which used to bring the funds in for the BSD Society. Again no decision was made by the membership, just solely the Council, I am assuming. So the BSD are not getting any income from that side of it either. Of course the next decision made was to improve the website, but I cannot see any improvement in it, only a deterioration at the moment, for if I wanted to join the Professional Register, I cannot see where there is a link so that I can re-join the BSD. Again the BSD are losing funds from this. So if I cannot see it then the general public cannot see it, so another loss of funds there again.
I also don't see any workshops coming up from the BSD recently, which would bring income in as well. So whoever is going to take over has a heck of a job to put things right. It can be done but it will take quite some time and changes will have to take place where the membership is more involved in decisions, and not just ignored as what has happened in the past. This will mean a complete restructure as to how the BSD is run.
Can I suggest some options as to how to secure the Society's future :
- We have to try and restore confidence within the BSD and its members, and give the members a bigger say in the key running of the Society, such as any big decisions which affect the Society as a whole. The membership needs to have a vote on such things, it should not be left to Council to make such decisions which can affect the Society and how it is run, on their own, such as changing the logo.
- It could be that decisions be made at Congress by the membership, by which every member who cannot attend Congress is sent by email a voting slip, to make their mark "yes" or "no" on the particular subject and then these would be counted towards the vote at Congress.
- If it comes as an urgent change within the Society during the year before Congress, such as the website has to be changed for some reason or another, then it would be put to the membership via email the suggestions of these or any changes, and then ask members to return via email their response to these changes.
- A third party to oversee the voting on any subject, and let the membership know who this third party is going to be and have the membership’s approval of this third party.
- Professional Register. This should be brought back as it was before, as the membership could see their abilities in black and white, and so would the general public which they cannot see at the moment. This would also bring funding into the Society.
- Again to improve our recognition around the world we need to bring back the Professional Tutors to do teaching courses on all four subjects : Water, Archaeology, Earth energies and Well-being/health, this should generate funds for the BSD.
- Also try and create new forms of SIG again, with the trained skills being utilised by the existing members who want to advance their skills in any of the four subjects mentioned above. This too will bring funds back into the BSD.
- The BSD needs to promote and train people, and raise funds for the BSD to help pay for the BSD’s costs. This will include workshops, theory and practical dowsing on all four subjects to benefit the BSD.
If all these points could be carried out to the letter I believe we could turn the BSD round into the right way again.
I say to you all happy dowsing.
I will of course support and help anyone who takes up the Presidency and give them any advice if they wish.
The above is my and my local group, Global Dowsers North Wales, opinion.
Kind regards