How To Use A Pendulum: A Beginner's Guide
This guide is a part of our Healing Tools series, where we guide you through the best, most fantastical things that have helped me along my way.
Pendulums. What are they? An ancient tool for dowsing.
Okay, but what actually is it, physically? A crystal at the end of a string, chain, or rope.
How do you use it? There are a multitude of methods to dowsing, but most include connection to your pendulum and asking it questions. It is said that when working with a pendulum, you are really just asking questions of your higher self. (!)
It can be done simply or with great ritual, but I employ the following (and super simple) method. It’s helped me to find objects, make decisions, and, once in a while, to help settle an argument. ; ) So herewith, a simple guide:
A Beginner's Guide To Using A Pendulum
A simple practice for beginners
Step one: Center yourself. You can do this by simply breathing with the intention of letting the stress out, or make it more of a ritual by lighting candles, putting on some zen music, or diffusing essential oils. Relax — the point here is to quiet your mind so you'll be able to connect with your higher self more easily.
Step two: Connect to the pendulum. Sit with your pendulum. Find a comfortable place for you to sit and begin to relax as much and you can. Hold the pendulum in your hand. Take a look at it. Respect it. To connect even further I like to do this by holding the pendulum in a fist by my heart for just a few seconds or breaths.
Step three: Establish a connection and identify your "Yes" and "No." You need to learn what your body's "yes" and "no" responses are. To establish this quickly, hold the pendulum 6 - 8 inches above the palm of your hand. Begin to ask simple yes/no questions that you know the answers to and see what the responses are. I like to say "My name is..." Take note of what happens for each response.
Step four: Ask your questions. This is the easy part, but you must keep in mind that the pendulum can only answer simple yes/no questions. If you ask something that isn't directly a yes or no, your answer won't be clear.
And that's it!
So, how do I use it? Whenever I'm really struggling with a decision and it's not become clear to me in my everyday meditations I like to use a pendulum. I don't make it a really ornate or fancy process, though you absolutely can make it that kind of practice. For me, I take a moment to check in with myself through a series of deep breaths while holding my hand on my heart. Often times I'll hold the pendulum in my hand an then put it onto my heart to help it "reconnect" to my vibe or whatever you'd call it. After I'm clear-headed and ready to check-in with myself I hold the pendulum in my hand and start with some basic yes/no questions to make sure I'm in tune with it. Once it's proven to be giving me correct answers I then ask a question aloud and wait to see the response.
via Amazon
How do I go about finding and purchasing them? Regardless of whether you're shopping online or in an actual store, you should choose a pendulum based upon what speaks to you and incorporate your favorite crystals. What sparks your interest the most? Which glimmers and first catches your eye? Whichever it was, trust that you are being called to work with that stone.
I love a clear quartz pendulum because it's known as "the master healer" and can work in pretty much any situation you'd like. My favorite and most sacred pendulum is clear quartz and black tourmaline to help ground and protect. You might want to incorporate every color of the rainbow in the chain to "cover all of your bases" or if you wish to balance a certain chakra, you could use a pendulum with the corresponding color or crystal. But most importantly, follow your heart and don't overthink it. I’ve used many in my day, actually, and I’ve never noticed a difference in how well they work, so don’t fret too much over the selection process, either. If find that you love dowsing, you may end up with a collection of a few pendulums (like me!).
Where can I find one? I recommend Etsy, especially these guys. You can find a lot of great ones on Amazon, too:
Anything else I should know? Like with any other crystal you decide to buy, cleanse it ASAP after bringing it into your home. You can do this with sage, salt, and a variety of other smudging methods. Good luck!