The Folklore of Dowsing, aka Water Witching

The Folklore of Dowsing, aka Water Witching

Dowsing is a fascinating form of divination since it is often used to find water, minerals, or even lost items. While other forms of divination like tarot or botanomancy seek to provide information, here the information is often of a tangible sort. Rather than telling a fortune, or providing a prophetic dream that must be interpreted, dowsing appears to relate information about the presence of something the dowser is looking for.

Given dowsing can be used to find a whole range of things, this article will focus on the use of dowsing to locate water. After all, this comprises much of the discussion about dowsing within folklore. This form of dowsing also enjoyed other names, including water witching, well witching, water divining, or rhabdomancy.

While dowsing can also be performed using a pendulum, sometimes held over a map when dowsing for water, this article will also focus on the use of rods, since this appears more frequently in folklore. Let's find out more about dowsing in this week’s episode of Fabulous Folklore!

Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/folklore-of-dowsing/

Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/

Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595

Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore

Enjoyed this episode and want to show your appreciation? Buy Icy a coffee to say 'thanks' at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick

Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop

Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7

Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social

Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick

Avsnitt(432)

Poplar Trees: Folk Belief, Remedies, and the Arbor Tree

Poplar Trees: Folk Belief, Remedies, and the Arbor Tree

Poplar trees are perhaps one of the lesser-known trees that I've featured on this blog. Many people can recognise an oak tree on sight, but how many could recognise the poplar?  Indeed, how many woul...

21 Mars 20min

Polish Folk Magic with Joanna Tarnawska

Polish Folk Magic with Joanna Tarnawska

Joanna Tarnawska is an animist, folkloric witch, and psychologist residing in the mountains of Lower Silesia, Poland. Her practice intertwines animism, bioregional traditions, and lore, drawing inspir...

20 Mars 1h 3min

Yew Trees: Death, Churchyards, and Helpful Tools

Yew Trees: Death, Churchyards, and Helpful Tools

Back in November 2020, I explored the folklore of the yew tree; specifically, the common yew, or English yew (Taxus baccata). Yes, it's a poisonous tree. Yes, it's linked with death. And yes, people ...

14 Mars 19min

The London Plane: A Tree Suited to City Life

The London Plane: A Tree Suited to City Life

Periodically, I choose a plant, tree or fungus to explore, only to find there is very little folklore about them. Invariably, there are two reasons for this. First, the plant, tree or fungus has littl...

7 Mars 18min

Childhood Games: Classics, Crazes and the Occult in the Playground

Childhood Games: Classics, Crazes and the Occult in the Playground

In January, I asked people if they wanted to share any children’s folklore as part of my February theme. As a branch of study, this largely refers to folklore created, shared, and maintained by childr...

28 Feb 30min

Dolls and Doll Magick with Najah Lightfoot

Dolls and Doll Magick with Najah Lightfoot

Najah Lightfoot is the multi award-winning author and regular contributor to the Llewellyn annuals. Najah’s magickal staff is on display and part of the permanent collection of the Buckland Museum of ...

25 Feb 57min

Children's Beliefs: Superstitions, Luck, and the Brenin Lwyd

Children's Beliefs: Superstitions, Luck, and the Brenin Lwyd

In January, I asked people if they wanted to share any children’s folklore as part of my February theme. As a branch of study, this largely refers to folklore created, shared, and maintained by childr...

21 Feb 29min

Urban Legends among Children: Clowns, Insects, and Ice Shards

Urban Legends among Children: Clowns, Insects, and Ice Shards

In January, I asked people if they wanted to share any children’s folklore as part of my February theme. As a branch of study, this largely refers to folklore created, shared, and maintained by childr...

14 Feb 22min

Populärt inom Samhälle & Kultur

en-mork-historia
podme-dokumentar
gynning-berg
svenska-fall
p3-dokumentar
mardromsgasten
aftonbladet-krim
skaringer-nessvold
spar
creepypodden-med-jack-werner
rattsfallen
killradet
hor-har
flashback-forever
p3-historia
historiska-brott
aterforeningen-en-podcast-med-thorsten-och-richard-flinck-av-sigge-eklund
vad-blir-det-for-mord
rss-mer-an-bara-morsa
rss-sanning-konsekvens