I first met Bob Sephton in the early 1990’s after I joined Wessex Dowsers when he was their chairman. At the time Bob was a retired Superintendent from Poole Power Station, which generated electricity for the UK national grid. He told me that he helped his engineers by successfully using his dowsing techniques  to locate lost water pipes and find electrical faults in the electrical transmission system. At Wessex Dowsers, Bob became my dowsing mentor and a good friend. Bob was a very popular friendly person always willing to share his knowledge with others. He was an expert dowser who introduced me to the British Society of Dowsers and coached me into becoming the then, next chairman of Wessex Dowsers. Sadly, Bob is no longer with us. However, I am privileged to be able to present the article below he wrote some time ago. He coached me in all the techniques you’ll read about below….  Enjoy!

Paul Craddock, February 2026

How I Dowse by Bob Sephton

Everyone has their own beliefs and their own method of dowsing. What works for you is probably correct and a most important aspect is that you should feel comfortable with it.

Over the years, I have picked up tips and ideas from others as well as developing some of my own. This has enabled me to sharpen up my dowsing methods. So, here are some of those tips and ideas. It is then up to you whether you accept or reject them.

SO WHAT ARE THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE?
Such items as angle rods, pendulums, forked hazel twigs, etc. are all familiar tools.

I frequently use finger dowsing, hand feeling, audio perception, visual perception, and just getting a kick.

FINGER DOWSING
With finger dowsing, rub your first finger and thumb together. Most times for me, I get a sticking resistance for yes and a slipping for no.

It can take some time to acquire this skill, but once one has it, I have found it exceptionally useful.

With hands behind one's back, whilst being shown something, enables one to dowse unnoticed.

One word of caution here: Do be aware that at any time your “yes” and “no” dowsing signal can reverse, especially when carrying out adjustments.

This applies to all dowsing methods.

HANDS
Another method is feeling with one's hands. Starting from about two feet apart with open hands facing each other, slowly bring them together and see if you can feel a sort of energy between them.

The feeling may be a sort of tingling, heat, cold, or some other reaction.

Having done that, practice feeling for energies around an object. Practice makes perfect.

AUDIO KNOWING
When I dowse, after a moment, I frequently get an audio result or knowing, like someone talking to me.

I can then discard my dowsing instrument and record what I am being told.

Frequently, if I am not quite sure, I then check that what I received was correct by means of my dowsing instrument.

WHEN CAN YOU DOWSE?
I believe that one can dowse with permission at any time.

However, this was not always the case, as I have been told such things as:
• You cannot dowse at night 
• You cannot dowse during an eclipse 
etc., etc.

Rubbish. Many of us have very effectively dowsed on those occasions.

However, be aware that some energy lines do change their direction of flow at dawn and dusk. So, dowsing on those items at those times can lead to errors.

UNIVERSAL HELP
In my earlier years of dowsing, I believed that I was doing it all. But I didn't always get the correct results.

Now, I have adopted a different method.

I ask permission to contact the universal consciousness — the management upstairs — or whatever is your belief system.

They do the work and give me the answer through whatever equipment I am using for dowsing.

You may think that this is cheeky, but those in contact with the spiritual world will tell you that they love to be involved.

I believe that I get better answers this way.

However, each person must find their own way. What is right for one may not be right for another.

PERMISSION
I always ask for permission.

I check my yes/no signals, then ask:
Can I?
Do I have the ability?
Am I ready?
May I have permission to enter in, or dowse?

This is something I feel strongly about.

It may be for your protection if you get a no, or for some other reason.

One example of an incident which happened to me was at Knowton Church Rings in mid-September 2002.

I arrived and asked for permission to dowse there before entering.

Can I? Yes.
May I? No.

That latter answer surprised me.

Is there a reason? Yes.

Then I looked up and saw hundreds of migratory birds circling around above the rings.

I then established that they were building up their energy reserves before flying off to warmer locations many miles distant.

My dowsing on that site at that time would have affected their abilities to reach their distant destination the following day.

No problem.

DOWSING EXAMPLES
Always keep an open mind and be prepared to meet the unexpected.

When dowsing at an ancient site, etc., I always keep notes which include:
• The date 
• Time 
• BST or GMT 
• Often the moon phase 

This last item can alter some site energies.

In some cases, I record general atmospheric conditions.

When one arrives at a site which has had many changes over the years, how can one easily separate the various stages?

Firstly, I dowse on how many stages or dates I should examine.

Then I dowse those actual dates, asking to be shown when a stage was at its peak.

Having established the actual dates, in order to keep my mind centered on a particular date, I attach a card on which the date is marked to a wooden stick and push it into the ground at the site.

I usually start with the earlier dates and progress through to the later ones.

This enables me to build up the history of that site and understand how it has developed over the years.

DRIVING
Before driving in my car to a distant destination, I dowse the best route to take.

Also, from time to time, I finger dowse as to any problems ahead.

If you are caught in a traffic jam, probably there is nothing you can do about it.

So don't get worked up and frustrated.

Just dowse how long you will be held up and relax.

I sit back and listen to a relaxing or favorite tape. But do not go to sleep — keep aware.

Even whilst driving, I have had a kick to slow down to 60 mph when on the M25.

This I did, and arrived opposite an earlier convenient exit than intended, just at the rear of a 16-mile traffic jam.

So keep alert.

WESTMINSTER DOWSING
Before the last election, I was holding my angle rods when on the TV came a party political broadcast.

I was not paying attention when suddenly I noticed my rods moving.

It didn't take me long to establish that I had a truth detector.

Truth equals inwards and lie equals outwards.

The relative rod angles graded the results as well.

I came to the conclusion that if the speaker thought they were telling the truth, then that result would be indicated.

I hate to tell you how often the rods were partially outward.

Try it at the next election.

COOKING
When my wife was away, I dowsed cooking times, oven temperatures, gas mark numbers, etc., with wonderful results.

RESTAURANT MENUS
I finger dowse down the menu to find what is suitable for me.

This also seems to monitor food quality, freshness, suitable preparation, etc.

Very quickly, the list is reduced to a few items and the choice made easier.

I also ask for my food to be blessed when it comes.

Finger dowsing is a useful asset when buying food.

For instance: Is it suitable?

FINDING FAULTS
I have used dowsing to find:
• Electrical cable locations and faults 
• Gas and water pipe leaks 
• Sewer blockages 

The list continues to grow.

During my time as a superintendent at Poole power station in one area, Electrical Board had an engineer who didn't have to go to the cable fault site.

He said, “fetch me a plan”.

He then dowsed: the fault is three feet to the left-hand side of the left gate post of node 26.

It was there.

It does help to know something about its mode of operation to fully comprehend the dowsing signals received.

SPIRITUAL GUARDIANS
Do make contact with the spiritual site guardian at ancient sites.

They have shown me so much.

Use the rods for guidance.

Torhouse stone circle, in Scotland is such an example.

I was shown how the full moon appeared cradled by three center stones.

It wasn't until fifteen years later that I learned that it was a moon site whose layout is derived from the Vesica Pisces.

Do not make adjustments to a site or anywhere else unless specifically asked to do so.

If house adjusting, it must be at the request of that resident.

If in doubt, ask upstairs.

I know of one case where, without permission, someone said: “I have put your area right.”

It took two weeks to get it back to normal and calmness.

So please do not interfere unless asked.

VERIFICATION
When dowsing, look for some way to verify your results.

For example, map dowse in imperial units and then site dowse in metric units.

Go back to your car, get out the calculator, and see how the results compare.

FINALLY
Keep notes, keep an open mind, and be prepared to meet the unexpected.

Dowsing can be fun — so keep it that way and enjoy it.