How to Use a Pendulum for Beginners

What is a Pendulum?

As a general definition, a pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot point, used for measuring time or determining if something is plumb or vertical. They are often used in clocks and other timekeeping devices, but in this article, we will be looking into how pendulums can be used for spiritual purposes such as divination and energy healing.

Pendulums are believed to be able to tap into the subconscious mind and connect with the spiritual realm. This is done by using the pendulum’s natural oscillations and rotations in connection with your body and surrounding energies to ask questions and receive answers from the subconscious, spirits, and guides.

Article Contents

Why use a pendulum?
How to pick a pendulum
How to store your pendulum
Other tools to use with a pendulum?
Basics of how to use a pendulum
Book Recommendations

Why use a pendulum?

Pendulums can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:

Divination: Asking the pendulum questions to receive guidance and answers from the subconscious mind, deities, angels, guides, and spirits. I find the most sought-after reason to use a pendulum is for divination. Divining the future, like tarot or runes, is something that is fluid; not set in stone. Keep your question specific and try to check back to confirm accuracy. This is also the hardest aspect of using pendulums. There are many things that can influence the outcome of the pendulum. The main ways of divining with a pendulum come as Yes-or-No questions or using a pendulum board. Pendulum boards are like a Ouija board, but for pendulums. You hold the pendulum over a board with letters or symbols on it and allow it to swing. The pendulum will swing to indicate the letters or symbols that form a message from the spirit.

Energy Healing: Some energy healing practices, like Reiki, call upon a pendulum to help locate, clear, and balance the energy and chakras in the body. Throughout the body there are energy centers. One set of energy centers are known as chakras. To help visualize the state of these energy centers, you hold the pendulum over each of the seven chakras in your body and allow it to swing. The pendulum will swing in a certain way to indicate which chakra is out of balance. Pendulums can be used in conjunction with energy healing, meditation, mental health therapy, and standard medicine to help view the progress of the energetic healings of the body as a whole. Remember to always consult your doctor when it comes to your own personal health plan and decisions. Energy healing is supplemental and not meant to replace any other forms of medicine.

Meditation & Relaxation: Focusing on a swinging pendulum can aid in reaching deeper states of meditation and relaxation. Just like the stage magician uses a pocket watch to hypnotize, you can use a pendulum to focus your mind. To do this, you hold the pendulum in front of you and allow it to swing. Focus on the natural rhythm of the swinging and let your mind wander. Use this during your normal meditation or when you need to take a second to center and ground.

Dowsing: Beyond using two metal rods, pendulums can also be used to find water, lost objects, etc. Channel your inner Charmed one and hold the pendulum over a map of the area you wish to search and allow it to swing. The pendulum should swing in the direction of what you are looking for. Following this step, you will want to visit the site that the pendulum has led you to and confirm with the pendulum if the object you seek is around. Keep in mind that if you plan on digging, get permission from the landowner, and check your local laws.

Decision Making: Expanding on the divination aspects of pendulums, you can ask Yes-or-No questions to help make decisions. Having trouble picking a new crystal, book or even car? Ask the pendulum what your best option is. Take it one step further by asking about pros and cons of each decision.

There are as many ways to use a pendulum as there are users of pendulums. Don’t be afraid to try out many different methods to find one, or more than one, that works for you.

How to pick a pendulum?

Pendulums can be a great tool for divination, energy healing, and communication with spirits. But how do you pick the right pendulum, and how do you use it?

There are several things to keep in mind when choosing a pendulum.

There are many different pendulums made from various materials, including crystal, metal, wood, glass, and even bone. The type of pendulum you choose is not as important as your intent to use it. The material the pendulum is made of will affect how it swings and what kind of energies it can pick up. For example, a metal pendulum will be more responsive to energetic changes than a stone.

The weight of the pendulum also affects how it swings. A heavier pendulum will swing more slowly and be more accurate for dowsing, while a lighter pendulum will swing more quickly and be more suitable for divination.

The size of the pendulum is also important. A larger pendulum will be more responsive to subtle changes in energy, while a smaller pendulum will be better suited for more precise work.

The shape of the pendulum also affects its properties. For example, a sphere pendulum is better for dowsing, while a cone pendulum is better for divination.

The color of the pendulum can also be significant. Each color has its vibrational frequency and properties that affect the pendulum’s swing. For example, a blue pendulum is calming and soothing, while a red pendulum is said to be energizing and exciting.

When picking a pendulum, there are different ways to go about it. You can purchase a pendulum, make your own, or have one given to you. We have some nice crystal pendulums on our Etsy!

When choosing a pendulum, hold it in your hand and see if it feels right. You can also try holding it over different parts of your body to see if it reacts. Some people say that their pendulum will swing differently depending on whether they hold it over their head, heart, or gut.

If you purchase a pendulum, you can find them made from different materials such as crystals, metals, wood, etc. Choose a pendulum that you are drawn to. It is important that it feels good in your hand. If it is a pendulum made of stone or crystal, what meaning does it have? If you are looking for a pendulum to connect with spirits, try a spirit activation stone like prehnite. Searching for water or gold, get a container pendulum that has a space to hold a little of the item you are looking for.

One way to forge a strong connection to your pendulum is to make it yourself. You get to control the process. If you are making your pendulum, you can use any material, such as a piece of string with a weight attached to the end. Try using your necklace or put your ring on a string. The goal is to have something with weight hanging from a string or a chain that can freely swing. Again, it is important to choose a material you are drawn to which feels good in your hand.

The materials you use can be anything. There are some things that you should keep in mind when making your Pendulum:

– The material you use should be something that you are drawn to and feels good in your hand.

– The weight should not be too heavy or too light.

– The length should be comfortable for you to hold in your hand.

Sometimes it will take a few tries to get something that really resonates with you and your goal.

How to store your Pendulum?

When you are not using your pendulum, it is important to store it safely. You can keep it in a pouch or box. I find cute pendulum holder that show them off and keep them organized. You can search Etsy for some or even make it yourself! If you are not using it for a while, you can cleanse and charge it before storing it.

*Pendulum display I made for Hearthside*

Before using your pendulum, it could be a good idea to cleanse it of any negative or stagnant energy it may have picked up. This can be done by passing the pendulum through smoke from sage, palo santo, or other cleansing herbs, holding it under running water if it is safe to do so, or wrapping it in a cloth or small plastic baggie so it doesn’t get damaged and placing it in a bowl of salt.

Other tools to use with a pendulum?

Now that you have a pendulum and have taken some time to get used to it, you can expand your practices with some extra tools. The pendulum can be the main tool, or it can supplement other tools and modalities you are using. Some other tools that you may want to use with your Pendulum are:

Pendulum Boards: These come in many shapes and sizes. Like a Ouija board, pendulum boards usually contain letters, short phrases, simple words, or images. Ranging from custom made to scribbled on a napkin, the styles and costs are endless. You can use a pendulum board to help you focus on your question and to receive more detailed answers.

Scrying & Crystal Balls: If you are trying to scry or use a crystal ball, it can be hard sometimes to fully identify or understand what you are seeing. By using your pendulum in conjunction with scrying, messages can be confirmed more easily, especially with Yes-or-No questions.

Tarot & Oracle Decks: Need help choosing your cards for a reading, use the pendulum. Unsure of the meaning or idea of your reading, use the pendulum. Narrow down your questions and focus of a reading with a pendulum. They make great companions to your decks.

Runes: There are many ways to draw and use runes. If you want to add your pendulum to the mix, try laying all your runes out face down and allow your pendulum to connect and chose the runes for your reading or spell work. When casting runes it can be hard to identify the connections between the individual runes. Use the pendulum to identify the paths of energy the runes are showing you. Just like with all the other divination tools, feel free to confirm your interpretations with a simple Yes-or-No question.

Stones & Crystals: Amplify your connection with the pendulum by incorporating stones and crystals into your practice. Store your pendulum with some citrine to keep it cleanse and energized. Use a pendulum to help identify the best stone to work with. Take the time to feel the differences in energies between the stones and the pendulum.

Basics of how to use a pendulum

Once you have chosen your Pendulum, it’s time to start using it. It is usually a good idea to program your pendulum with your intention. This can be done by holding the pendulum in your hand and stating your intention aloud. For example, you might say, “I intend for this pendulum to help me make beneficial decisions.”

*Hold the pendulum by pinching the end of the chain with two fingers. Allow to hang over your other hand and feel the energy connection.*

First, let’s get an idea of how the pendulum responds to your energy. To do this, hold the pendulum from the string or chain above the center of your palm. It can be loosely draped over your fingers or pinched between two fingers. Find what is most comfortable for you that reduces the likelihood of accidental movements. Relax your hand and arm and allow the Pendulum to swing freely. Ask it “Show me ‘Yes.’” Watch to see how it swings. Up and down? Side to side? Around in a circle? Keep this in mind and ask the pendulum to “Stop.” Next, lets identify the “No.” After the pendulum has stopped swinging and has returned to the center of you palm, ask “Show me ‘No.’” Again, take note of how it swings. Ask it to stop again. This is going to be the basis for your pendulum’s answers. If when you ask a question and you don’t get one of these movements, it could be a “maybe” or “unsure.” Just keep practicing and check in occasionally with these simple questions.

After identifying the “yes” and “no” of the pendulum swing, it is best to start by doing a simple Yes-or-No reading. When starting out with a pendulum, complicated questions can lead to misinterpretations and confusion. It is best practice to ask a question that can be answered with a yes or no. Next, you will need to choose a question to ask. This can be anything from “Is my name so-and-so?” to “Should I move to a new city?”

Once you are ready, ask your question out loud. Be sure to focus your attention on the pendulum and be open to receiving an answer. Use the directions you previously identified for answering your questions. It can take some time to connect and get accurate answers. Keep at it. Try rephrasing questions. Ask questions you know the answer too. This is a learning experience.

Final Thoughts

Pendulums can be a great tool for divination, dowsing, and energy healing. However, it is important to choose the right pendulum for your needs and cleanse and program it before use. When using the pendulum, be sure to ask clear questions and be open to receiving an answer. This is both a tool and a sense. It takes time to learn like any skill. It can be a great tool for self-exploration and understanding. Use them in whatever way feels right for you and trust your intuition.

Book Recommendations

Here are some recommended books to further your journey with learning the pendulum. We do carry these in store, but to make it easier for you we have linked to them on Amazon. We get commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you.