Dowsing has been used by humankind for a very long time and at one time was the only way of 'seeing' into the ground in order to find water, mineral, oil and gas resources. It was also used to find graves, tunnels, lost animals and people and lost objects. Though it is not considered scientific dowsing and divining is today used all over the world by such respected professions as Geodiviners, many of whom consider it to still be the best way to locate groundwater sources.
Today many people use dowsing and divining rods for all the above reasons as well as determining locations of geopathic stress, map dowsing, general diagnosis. Dowsing pendulums are used in many types of divination and healing and also have their uses in meditation.