A pendulum is a weighted symmetrical pendant made of either wood, crystal or metal, terminating in a point and suspended by a string or chain, used as a divination tool in Wicca, Witchcraft, Reiki & Tarot.
Pendulums are used as a divination tool to gain insight into questions and are used in dowsing to help locate desired objects. They are a powerful tool to have in your magickal toolkit!
Using a pendulum can be a great way to gain answers to everyday problems. Whether your belief is that the pendulum is tapping into your subconscious mind, or is being guided by spirit, they are a fantastic decision making tool and can help you gain access to answers that you may not have had access to previously.
How To Use A Pendulum
1. Prior to performing any type of divination, centre your energy and cleanse your space. Take a few deep breaths and bring your awareness back to yourself. It helps if you are in a quiet environment, free from distractions.
2. Holding your pendulum in your palm, concentrate on the desired question.
3. Set your elbow (of the hand you will be using) on a solid surface such as a table (for stability and to limit movement of your arm).
4. Take the top of the pendulum (usually a ball at the top of the chain) and pinch it between your index finger and thumb so that the pendant is hovering above the table (you can also hold the chain this way if you prefer a shorter pendulum). Some sources say that the hand holding the pendulum should be your non-dominant hand, however do which ever feels right (you will know after practicing for a while which hand is more accurate).
6. Now that you know the directions of yes and no, ask your desired question. You can ask the question out loud or in your mind. Just be specific and make sure that it is a "yes" or "no" type question.
As with all forms of divination, the pendulum takes some getting used to. The more you practice, the more attuned it will become to your own individual energy and the better you will become at communing with it.
There are instances where the pendulum will swing in between the two answers- i.e. it may normally swing clockwise for yes, counterclockwise for no, but sometimes it may swing straight - this usually means "unsure". When this happens, you are best to ask a different question or rephrase the question so that you get a clearer answer.
Different people get different directions for yes and no from their pendulums which is why at the start of using a pendulum you ask it to verify "yes" and "no". Personally my pendulums have always favoured clockwise and anticlockwise rotations for yes and no, but some people's move in straight lines (what can I say, I like round things:)) It is up to you to work out your directions, and see what works best for you!
Let us know what your experiences are with pendulum dowsing in the comments section.
If you are looking for pendulums, check out our pendulum collection here.