Many dowsers ask permission to engage in dowsing. In the BSD, you will find this referred to by them asking the questions: \u201cCan I? May I? Should I?\u201d. The format is <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It seems that in the history of dowsing, that this is\na relatively modern phenomenon. The first printed reference to it appears in\n1986, in the book \u201cSpiritual Dowsing\u201d by a renowned American dowser named Sig\nLonegren. Here he recommends using the questions as a focussing exercise prior to\nactual dowsing. Note that he uses \u201cAm I ready to do it?\u201d, rather than \u201cShould I?\u201d,\nthe lack of should appears not to appear to imply the same ethical question. Sig\nLonegren\u2019s ideas appeared to have been influenced by another eminent dowser\nnamed Terry Ross. In BSD journal no239, 1992, Terry Ross quotes \u201cCan I? May I? Should\nI?\u201d, the form quoted today (within the BSD). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sig Lonegren says that failure to get a yes to the questions means that the dowsing results will be unreliable. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
http:\/\/www.dowsing-research.net\/blog_extracts\/spiritual_dowsing_lonegren_p9.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the late 1990s, a member of the BSD, named Dudley Wheeler,\nsurveyed members of the society on their views about asking permission. He suggested\nthat requesting permission did not much predate 1970. He was surprised to find\nthat many were hostile to the idea, or did not do it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first results of his investigations are recorded in a newsletter of special interest group, part of the BSD, <\/p>\n\n\n\n