Have you ever had that feeling in the pit of your stomach telling you if a decision you were making was the right one but you weren’t sure how to interpret it?
What if we could actually use a tool to help see our intuition unfolding before us?
There is such a tool that’s quite popular in the esoteric, self-help and healing community and it’s called a ‘Pendulum’.
NOTE: Keep an open mind as you read this article. It could seem a little ‘Woo Woo’ to some people, but I find it fascinating! I truly believe in energy and am always soaking up knowledge that helps us to understand our energy fields around us.
What Is A Pendulum?
Holistic Healers use pendulums to measure energy fields or as a dowsing tool for divination purposes.
The actual pendulum itself is a weight that hangs from a chain or string. Commonly, a pendulum is made from a crystal, but I’ve seen people use ones that are metal, wood, and even an old bullet!
I personally use a crystal pendulum – Lapis Lazuli to be exact. I recommend finding one that you’re drawn to – something that has meaning in your life. I’ve even used a necklace as a pendulum when I didn’t have access to mine straight away.
Think of a pendulum as an extension of your intuition. It’s used to gain access to information that exists at the subconscious level and your inner being. Consequently, it’s not the pendulum providing you with the information, but it’s actually information coming from your subconscious mind (or intuition). This is why it’s important to understand that it’s not necessarily an object that holds the power, but rather this is a way for our minds to comprehend this powerful energy that we hold within us.
How To Use One
There are a few things you need to prepare before beginning to use your pendulum:
- Get a notebook to write your responses
- Determine your “Yes”and “No” response
- Clear the pendulum and room of any negative energy
- Ask specific, clear and concise questions
You can also use a chart to check your responses. I use this one from Raymon Grace.
This is a numerical chart with numbers on it that you can use to determine the percentage of something. For example, you can determine the effect that any food has had on your body by finding out if it had a positive effect or negative effect and to what degree.
If you are really interested in learning how to read this chart, contact me.
Determining A Yes No Answer
One way to do this is to simply ask your pendulum “Show Me Yes” or “Show Me No”. Whichever way the pendulum moves is the correct answer for you.
Types of swings you may see as your response for “Yes” or “No”:
- Pendulum circles clockwise
- Pendulum circles counterclockwise
- Pendulum moves horizontally
- Pendulum moves vertically
- With a steady hand, hold the pendulum chain in between your thumb and forefinger and let the heavy part hang.
- Ask “Show Me Yes” either aloud or mentally
- Once you’ve determined the swing for “Yes” answer then ask “Show Me No”
Don’t be alarmed if the swing is modest at first or doesn’t seem to really be moving. It can take awhile before the pendulum to begin to vibrate with your same energy level.
It’s important to ask these questions of your pendulum periodically because it can change as you grow or it can also change if other people have handled your pendulum.
What Types Of Questions Should I Ask?
A question needs to be poised to be answered with a positive or negative response.
I like to have a series of questions that I ask in one session. They are all short and are definitive Yes / No questions.
Good Question – Is moving to Australia the best decision for me right now?
Bad Question – Should I move to Australia or California?
What Situations Can I Use My Pendulum In?
I think a pendulum could be used in almost any situation where you are looking for clarity or are making a choice.
Common themes:
- Relationships (“Should I marry X?”)
- Work and career (“Would taking this new position enhance my career?” “Is starting this new business the right choice for now?” “Will it be the right decision in 6 months?”)
- Making any kind of choice (“Should I go to Nicaragua for my holiday?”)
- Finding lost objects (“Is my phone in the kitchen?”)
- Determining which food or vitamins to take (“Should I up my Vitamin B Levels”)
- Figuring out what you really want in life (“Do I really want kids?”)
- Determining which essential oils are right for your body. (“Do I need lemongrass to help lower my cholesterol?”)
- Determining what is causing an allergic reaction (“Am I lactose intolerant?”)
Using A Pendulum to Read Energy
I personally love to use the pendulum to check my energy centers (chakras).
If I’m doing this for others, I have them lay down and I hold the pendulum over each chakra to check if it is open. If the pendulum moves in a clockwise circle, then the chakra is open and energy is flowing freely. If it is moving cross-wise then it is blocked and I know we need to do some energy work to help open it.
Other Tips For Using Your Pendulum
- Cleanse your pendulum periodically. Let it sit in salt water overnight during a full moon, cleanse it with a sage stick, or set a mental intention to free it of any negative energies.
- Set intentions before your session. I think it’s very important to precede your questions with a powerful intention – one that removes biases and requests only the truth.
- Example: “It is my intention that we remove all biases from this session and that I only receive truthful answers which will serve the good of all concerned.”
- Be clear and concise. The number one reason for why your pendulum may not be responding well is because of vague and faulty wording of your questions.
- Example: “Am I healthy?” vs “Is my diet causing my health problems?”
A pendulum is a tool that can help you immensely! Rather than always turning to your friends and family for answers, grab a pendulum, tune into your intuition and ask away.
If you have any questions about using a pendulum – picking the right one, where to buy one, or how to use one, then please leave a comment below. As I learn, you learn too!
Hi, Lindsey
Thanks for this helpful guidance. One question I have is, what is the difference between using pendulum to connect to your intuition and using muscle testing?
I’ve read that muscle testing can’t answer far-sighted question, like if a solution is going to work for a particular problem; rather, it only shows accurate answer to whether something is held true by our subconscious mind or not. For example, if a current psychological problem has a root in my problem with my dad in my childhood.
But from what I see, both pendulum and muscle testing work the same. Or do they not? I’d be thankful if you could shed some light on their differences and similarities, and if they can be used interchangeably.
One of the advantages of using a pendulum and dowsing is that you can actually use a chart to help you measure the % of something. So you place the pendulum in your hand, over a chart and ask ‘What is the percent benefit of x’ and then watch where the pendulum swings – so it seems a bit more measurable. You can find the chart on this website – https://www.raymongrace.us/about-dowsing.html#/. Hope that helps!