Divining-rod, science or superstition?

On our lodge here in the African bush we have our own borehole from which we pump our water. We are lucky to have a strong borehole, since water is important and not always naturally in this dry area. Last winter we had problems with the water, we could only pump for a short while at a time. Since it was at the end of the dry season we were a little scared that the water level maybe dropped too much, but luckily that was not the problem. The handyman, André who helped us to take the pump out of the borehole, noticed that

the water level was still alright but that the pump was blocked with mud which caused it to stop every time.

André has a lot of experience in the bush, amongst other things with boreholes like ours, and he told us that he can find water with a divining-rod. I have always been a bit sceptical about this but Corné was very interested and he offered to show us. He cut a suitable branch from a bush and started to walk through the camp with Corné. In the meanwhile he explained how trees can be an indication of good underground water. After a while they came back and a little curious now, I went to have a look. Corné was very enthusiastic and told me that he felt it too. Corné insisted that André gave me the stick so he did and told me how to hold it. I walked around a bit and to my surprise I felt the branch pulling towards the ground when I came close to our borehole. André told me that not everybody was sensitive for it but I apparently was. Even now I felt it myself I still found it strange and was not quite convinced yet.

Until we had a guest at our lodge a couple of weeks later that explained to me how it works. The underground flowing water has an electrical charge. People have a certain electrical charge as well, think about the times when you touch something metal and you get a shock! When you are sensitive to it, the stick in your hands reacts to the interaction of the electrical charge of the water and your body.

Now I finally understand why I sometimes have such a strange feeling in my legs when I’m in bed. Several times I accused Corné of moving too much in bed but it turns out that I just felt the underground water that runs under our bedroom. When you are sensitive enough for the electrical field you can feel this without the diving-rod as well, especially when you are very relaxed like in bed. Now I pay more attention to it, it is obvious that it happens more often and the feeling is stronger when it has rained a lot in the mountains and there is more water running under our house.

Any way, I believe now, a divining-rod works!
Not only have I felt it myself, but I have heard a scientific explanation as well. A person is never too old to learn.

Regards from the bush
Miriam