Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.
View your shopping cart Shopping Cart | My Account | Help | Become a Fan on Facebook Become a Fan | Follow Us on Twitter Follow Us | Watch Us on YouTube Watch Us | Subscribe to our RSS Feeds Subscribe
Browse ProductsAuthorsArticlesBlogsEncyclopediaNewslettersAffiliate ProgramContact UsBooksellers
Advanced Search
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Glossary
What's New
Most Popular
List of Articles

Email Exclusives
Sign up to receive special offers and promotions from Llewellyn.

Get the Latest Issue of New Worlds

New Worlds April/May/June 2012 Issue

New Worlds Catalog

Download the PDF File version of the latest issue of Llewellyn's New Worlds Catalog


The Llewellyn Encyclopedia
Print this Term Print this Article

How to Use a Pendulum

This article was written by Donald Michael Kraig on June 03, 2005
posted under Pendulum

Learning to use a pendulum is both surprisingly easy and remarkably effective. However, there are a few steps needed to be successful

Obtaining a pendulum: You can purchase a pendulum for a minimum price to one that costs hundreds of dollars or more. Some pendulum weights have a hollow area for you to place a substance being sought. Others are expensive gems. However, even a simple, decorative pendant on a necklace will work fine, especially for your beginning experiments with the pendulum.

The pendulum itself has two parts, the weight or "bob" and a string, chain, or other connector that links the weight to a "fixed point" which, for the purposes of this article, consists of the fingers of either hand. We'll assume that you are using one of your favorite necklaces with a simple chain and pendant.

Sizing the chain: The weight needs to be able to swing freely. Hold the chain between the thumb and fingers at a point in the chain that will allow it to swing. Many people prefer to rest their elbow on a table. Some people, rather than simply holding the chain between their fingers, hold the chain between their thumb and first finger, and then rest it over their second finger. This is a bit more complicated, but some people think this helps prevent unconscious movement of the pendulum.

Obtaining your directions: There are only a few ways the pendulum can move: forward and back (vertically), left and right (horizontally), diagonally, and in a circle (clockwise and counterclockwise). Some authorities give predetermined directions (i.e., horizontal means "yes," vertical means "no"), however they do not necessarily agree. Further, trying to "force" your pendulum into someone else's pattern may not work for you. Therefore, the easiest thing to do to obtain your directions is to ask your pendulum to reveal them to you.

Rest your elbow on a table and hold your pendulum so that it can swing freely. Hold the pendulum as still as possible. Say (aloud or to yourself) "Show me yes." In a few moments your pendulum will begin to swing in one of the directions described above. After you have obtained the direction for yes, use your other hand to stop the pendulum's movement. Then say (again, aloud or to yourself) "Show me no." Soon, the pendulum will show you the direction indicating the direction for a "no" answer.

Try it out: Begin by asking a simple question of your pendulum. Hold your pendulum still. Then ask, "Is my name (say your name)?" Very quickly the pendulum will start moving in the "yes" direction determined moments ago. Still the pendulum and try it again, only this time give the wrong name. Your pendulum will indicate the "no" direction.

Have someone hide something of value in a room. Enter the room with your pendulum. Ask the pendulum, "Is the object to my right?" Repeat until you get a direction. Then ask, "Is it two steps to the (direction)?"Repeat with a different number until you determine how many steps it is to the object. Keep asking simple questions and move accordingly until you find the object.

Remember that when you first started driving a car or bicycle you weren't very good, but soon it became second nature to you. The same is true with using a pendulum. Practice will improve your ability. You should eventually be able to come up with variations. For example, put letters of the alphabet around a disk and ask the pendulum to spell out answers for you by the way it is swinging.

In this article we’d like to discuss the teaching and learning of Tarot. We’ll start with a few questions: if you only had ten minutes with a stranger straight off the street, who had no experience of Tarot other than perhaps having seen a few cards on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, how much do you think you could teach them? How much do you think you... read this article
Steampunk and Tarot Are a Perfect Match
Table Tipping: More Than Just Spirit Communication
Astrology and Intuition: A Dynamic Duo
Psychic Development: Bare the Soles to Bare the Soul
Sources of Magick

Most recent posts:
Lenormand
There is a lot of buzz in the tarot community now about reading with Lenormand cards. Lenormand cards are a deck of 36 cards with simple images...

Beware the Grand Poobahs!
The term "Grand Poobah" is derived from the brilliant comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, The Mikado. In it, there's a character named "Poo-Bah."...

My Interview Tomorrow: Did Tantra Influence the West?
Tomorrow, Saturday, May 12, I'll be on the Forbidden America Internet Radio Show With host Steve McManus It begins at 11:00 p.m. Eastern (8:00...


We're doing it again! Llewellyn is giving away signed, uncut press sheets from one of our breathtaking tarot decks! That's right! We're giving...



Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Datebook Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Datebook
By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $2.75 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Astrological Calendar Llewellyn's 2012 Astrological Calendar
Horoscopes for You Plus an Introduction to Astrology

By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $3.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Calendar Llewellyn's 2012 Witches' Calendar
By: Llewellyn
Price: $13.99 $3.50 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Moon Sign Book Llewellyn's 2012 Moon Sign Book
Conscious Living by the Cycles of the Moon

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $2.75 On Sale!
Llewellyn's 2012 Magical Almanac Llewellyn's 2012 Magical Almanac
Practical Magic for Everyday Living

By: Llewellyn
Price: $10.99 $2.75 On Sale!