Most people prefer to use a pendulum with the same hand they write with. Personally, I don’t think it really matters which hand you use. I happen to be left-handed, but my own pendulum seems to work better when I use it with my right hand. You may wish to practice with both hands and see which works better for you. If you are sitting down, rest your elbow on a table and hold the chain of your pendulum between your thumb and first finger. The palm of your hand should be facing downward, and the pendulum should be hanging about a foot in front of you. If you are standing, the best position is to have an angle of 90 degrees at the elbow, so that your forearm is parallel to the ground.

Getting Started

Hold the pendulum in front of you and allow it to swing in a clockwise motion. Then swing the pendulum gently back and forth to become familiar with the movement. Allow the pendulum to swing in different directions. Deliberately swing the pendulum in gentle circles. When the pendulum is still, ask it which movement indicates a “Yes” or ‘positive’ response. It may take time for the pendulum to move. Be patient. Then ask it to indicate a “No” or ‘negative’ response. Many people use the pendulum to help locate lost objects, determine a best course of action or to answer “yes or no” questions. There are helpful pendulum charts, cloths and boards, but these are not necessary for the pendulum to work. Preferred pendulums are made of wood or from crystals and stones. Some believe pendulums made of conductor materials like silver, copper or brass should not be used. Those made of quartz crystal seem to be most effective, as this stone is easily “programmed” with intention and stores magical energy quite well. My own pendulum is made of a quartz that seems to glow in the light, and I am always astounded by it’s accuracy. When you find a pendulum you like, it is important that you do not treat it as a trivial object. Regard it as a sacred, divine tool. When not using it, keep it in a pouch made of natural fiber, and do not allow anyone else to touch or use it. Your pendulum will attune to your energy, so you must keep it safe and away from the hands of others.

How It Works

The unconscious, involuntary movements of the hand holding the pendulum cause it to move. The subconscious mind of the person holding the pendulum causes the muscles to react unconsciously. The pendulum amplifies responses that would otherwise be too small to notice. Consequently, the answers are coming from your connection to the Divine Mind. The pendulum gives us access to our subconscious minds. The subconscious mind accesses the Divine Mind that contains all knowledge. The pendulum accesses our subconscious minds, which in turn taps into the Divine Mind, and the pendulum gives us the answer we seek. When using the pendulum, it is best to be in a meditative Alpha state. This will make it easier to access the subconscious. Watch for the gentle “pull” of the pendulum guiding you to the answer you seek.

Practice

One of the best ways to develop your skills with the pendulum is with the use of tarot cards. Choose five random cards from any tarot deck. Look at them to see what they are and write them down. Turn all five cards face down, and then close your eyes and shuffle them so that you don’t know which card is which. Place them all face down in front of you. You will be asking the pendulum to locate each specific card, one at a time. Let’s say you know that one of the five cards is the Two of Wands. Hover the pendulum a few inches above each card and ask “Is this card the Two of Wands?”

This is where it gets tricky. It is important to take your time and not to rush this process. Patience is necessary here. It took me awhile to realize what was happening, and I was pleasantly shocked when I first saw it.

Hover your pendulum still (in other words, don’t move it in circles or anything like that), over each card for about 10 to 20 seconds. Keep your focus on the card you’re looking for, in this case, the Two of Wands. Watch the pendulum very closely for subtle movements. There will be no movement at all, or very little movement over the incorrect cards. As you approach the correct card, the pendulum may start to vibrate or move in small circles. It sometimes does this over the incorrect cards as well, but movements over the correct card will be more defined. Continue hovering the pendulum a few inches above each card while observing any movement. The pendulum needs to “read” each card before it can choose the one you’re looking for. Go from left to right, then right to left, and continue this until you begin to see a pattern. As you move from one card to the next, you will eventually begin to see the pendulum being pulled slightly to the left or the right. It will appear as if an invisible finger is gently directing it toward the correct card. This is exactly how it looks to me. The first time I did this experiment, the pendulum correctly identified all five cards. Since then, my pendulum has become one of my most powerful divinatory tools.

Healing with the Pendulum

Ask the person seeking healing to lie down, then hold the pendulum about 1 foot above the body, starting at the head. Scan the entire body from head to feet, while watching the movements of the pendulum for any irregularities. Ask the pendulum to indicate areas that need healing. There will be a slight pull of the pendulum toward unhealthy areas. Place the hand not holding the pendulum over these areas and visualize white light coming out of your hand and into the person’s body.

To send healing to someone who is not present, you will need a pendulum and two beeswax candles placed side by side about a foot apart. The candle on the left represents you, the candle on the right represents the person you wish to send healing to. Bring yourself into a meditative alpha state and visualize the other person as clearly as you can in your mind’s eye. Swing the pendulum back and forth slowly from one candle to the other in a continuous motion. Visualize healing being carried from the candle on the left (You) to the candle on the right (the other person). Do this until you intuitively feel the process is complete. Then, stop the swinging of the pendulum with the other hand. Blow out the left candle, then the right. Picture the other person fully restored to health.

Divination

The word ‘divination’ is derived from the word ‘divine’. This indicates that the practice of divination is empowered by a divine source. When we practice any form of divination, we are essentially calling on the divine to assist us through the chosen medium (such as a pendulum, crystal ball or tarot deck). In this light, it is not far-fetched that the pendulum is being guided by an unseen force.