What Is Pendulum Dowsing?
Pendulum dowsing is the art of using a balanced, weighted object, usually with a pointed end, to divine the answers to questions. This is usually done in a 'yes' or 'no' format, or you can use a board or a mat. A board or a mat allows you to offer more answers for the pendulum to choose from; traditionally it would have 'yes', 'no', 'maybe' and 'ask again', but you can customise it however you fancy if you are making your own.
Pendulum dowsing can also be used to find things and lost objects; traditionally 'dowsing' has been associated with finding water underground, but pendulums can also be used to find lost objects, ley lines, and areas of abnormal energy.
What Sort Of Pendulum Should I Use?
Pendulums come in many materials. Generally, they should have a pointed end and be heavy enough to swing. You can find pendulums made from many different crystals, glass, wood, metal - anything really.
The most important thing is to find a pendulum you connect with. For this reason, it is best to shop for them in person so you can handle them and get a feel for their energy, but with the lack of physical metaphysical shops around, this can be difficult. There is no harm in buying one online, especially if you go for one made of something with a fairly neutral or 'soft' energy such as clear or rose quartz.
Pendulum dowsing is the art of using a balanced, weighted object, usually with a pointed end, to divine the answers to questions. This is usually done in a 'yes' or 'no' format, or you can use a board or a mat. A board or a mat allows you to offer more answers for the pendulum to choose from; traditionally it would have 'yes', 'no', 'maybe' and 'ask again', but you can customise it however you fancy if you are making your own.
Pendulum dowsing can also be used to find things and lost objects; traditionally 'dowsing' has been associated with finding water underground, but pendulums can also be used to find lost objects, ley lines, and areas of abnormal energy.
What Sort Of Pendulum Should I Use?
Pendulums come in many materials. Generally, they should have a pointed end and be heavy enough to swing. You can find pendulums made from many different crystals, glass, wood, metal - anything really.
The most important thing is to find a pendulum you connect with. For this reason, it is best to shop for them in person so you can handle them and get a feel for their energy, but with the lack of physical metaphysical shops around, this can be difficult. There is no harm in buying one online, especially if you go for one made of something with a fairly neutral or 'soft' energy such as clear or rose quartz.
How To Use Your Pendulum:
Take your pendulum, suspended on a piece of string or a chain, and hold the string/chain between your thumb and forefinger, several inches up from the pendulum. Close your eyes and centre, and ask your pendulum which way it will swing for a yes answer. When you feel it swinging, open your eyes to see which way. When you have established this, do the same but for the answer 'no'. Ideally, it should be swinging in an opposite way. If you are having issues with this, you can try telling your pendulum which was to swing for which answer. If you want, you can also ask it or give it guidance as to a way it will swing if the answer is unknown; for example, it could swing in a circular, clockwise direction for yes, a circular, anti-clockwise for no, and back and forth in a straight line for maybe.
You can start off by asking your pendulum some basic questions with answers to which you definitely know the answers. For example, 'do I have blue eyes', or 'is today Friday?' This will help you get an idea as to whether or not it is swinging 'true.
Now you can go ahead and ask whatever questions you wish. Remember, a yes or no format is best, so try and ask closed ended questions as opposed to open ended ones - for example, 'will I be offered the job after this interview' as opposed to 'how will I do in this interview'. Think about your wording carefully; for example, in this instance, if you wanted to know if you will get a job after an interview, asking 'will my interview be successful' could be misleading. You could still have a successful interview, without getting the job. Close your eyes, focus on your questions, and once you feel your pendulum beginning to swing, open your eyes and see which way it is swinging.
If you are using a pendulum board/cloth, you start off by holding your crystal in the centre and repeating the above. Once you have asked your question, wait until you feel the pendulum swinging. Slowly. lower your pendulum down, until you feel the point touch the surface of your board/cloth, open your eyes, and see the answer your pendulum landed on.
Many find using a board/cloth to be much easier, especially to begin with, as it doesn't matter which way the pendulum swings. As such, it is a great way to start off practicing with your pendulum and getting used to it. I'll talk more about boards/cloths and creating your own a bit later in this article.
Using Your Pendulum To Find Lost Items/etc.:
As mentioned, the pendulum can also be used to find lost items. This can be done in a couple of ways.
If you are unsure as to where you lost the object, you can draw a map of the area you think you may have lost the object in, and use your pendulum in the same way as you would a board/cloth. Simply hold the pendulum up above the centre of the map and focus on the object. When you feel your pendulum swinging, lower the pendulum down slowly. When you feel the tip of the pendulum brushing the surface of the map, open your eyes and see where it has landed. This place (for example, the room of a house if you believe you have misplaced the object and drawn a map of the house) will be your best bet to start in locating the object.
Once you have narrowed it down, there are several methods you can use to help find the end location of your object. For example:
To find 'other' things, such as abnormal energies, ley lines, etc., you can also use the above.
Pendulums can also be used to locate areas of illness on the body. It is easier to perform on other people (much more difficult on yourself as you can imagine), by swinging the pendulum over the body. Focus on the pendulum swinging in one direction; if the pendulum switches direction at any point, it is often seem as a sign that that particular area of the body could do with some healing.
Using A Pendulum Cloth/Board:
If you would prefer to use a cloth or board, you can buy one, or make your own. There are some great ones available online, but making your own is cheaper, and you have the added bonus of connecting with it during its making.
Traditionally, it will contain equal numbers of 'yes', 'no', and 'maybe, one after the other in a circular direction. However, there is no reason why you can't get a bit creative! For example, you could create one which is designed to help you determine what in your life you need to focus on, and put 'health', 'finances', 'self-care', 'relationships', 'career', etc., down on your cloth or board. Then you could ask you pendulum exactly what it is that you should focus on, and see where your pendulum lands! Sure, it isn't the traditional way of doing it, but just because it isn't traditional, doesn't mean it's wrong.
Take your pendulum, suspended on a piece of string or a chain, and hold the string/chain between your thumb and forefinger, several inches up from the pendulum. Close your eyes and centre, and ask your pendulum which way it will swing for a yes answer. When you feel it swinging, open your eyes to see which way. When you have established this, do the same but for the answer 'no'. Ideally, it should be swinging in an opposite way. If you are having issues with this, you can try telling your pendulum which was to swing for which answer. If you want, you can also ask it or give it guidance as to a way it will swing if the answer is unknown; for example, it could swing in a circular, clockwise direction for yes, a circular, anti-clockwise for no, and back and forth in a straight line for maybe.
You can start off by asking your pendulum some basic questions with answers to which you definitely know the answers. For example, 'do I have blue eyes', or 'is today Friday?' This will help you get an idea as to whether or not it is swinging 'true.
Now you can go ahead and ask whatever questions you wish. Remember, a yes or no format is best, so try and ask closed ended questions as opposed to open ended ones - for example, 'will I be offered the job after this interview' as opposed to 'how will I do in this interview'. Think about your wording carefully; for example, in this instance, if you wanted to know if you will get a job after an interview, asking 'will my interview be successful' could be misleading. You could still have a successful interview, without getting the job. Close your eyes, focus on your questions, and once you feel your pendulum beginning to swing, open your eyes and see which way it is swinging.
If you are using a pendulum board/cloth, you start off by holding your crystal in the centre and repeating the above. Once you have asked your question, wait until you feel the pendulum swinging. Slowly. lower your pendulum down, until you feel the point touch the surface of your board/cloth, open your eyes, and see the answer your pendulum landed on.
Many find using a board/cloth to be much easier, especially to begin with, as it doesn't matter which way the pendulum swings. As such, it is a great way to start off practicing with your pendulum and getting used to it. I'll talk more about boards/cloths and creating your own a bit later in this article.
Using Your Pendulum To Find Lost Items/etc.:
As mentioned, the pendulum can also be used to find lost items. This can be done in a couple of ways.
If you are unsure as to where you lost the object, you can draw a map of the area you think you may have lost the object in, and use your pendulum in the same way as you would a board/cloth. Simply hold the pendulum up above the centre of the map and focus on the object. When you feel your pendulum swinging, lower the pendulum down slowly. When you feel the tip of the pendulum brushing the surface of the map, open your eyes and see where it has landed. This place (for example, the room of a house if you believe you have misplaced the object and drawn a map of the house) will be your best bet to start in locating the object.
Once you have narrowed it down, there are several methods you can use to help find the end location of your object. For example:
- You can then take your pendulum to that area and continue asking yes or no questions to discover exactly where it is. For example, 'are my car keys in this box' or 'am I close to my car keys?'
- You can use directional swinging, asking the pendulum to show you the direction you should look, and then following the direction of the swing
- You can walk around the room with the pendulum and see if there are any discrepancies in the swinging (i.e., it swings one way primarily, but then changes direction when you are over a certain area)
- You could repeat the map exercise again, this time by sketching out the room or area the original map led you to
To find 'other' things, such as abnormal energies, ley lines, etc., you can also use the above.
Pendulums can also be used to locate areas of illness on the body. It is easier to perform on other people (much more difficult on yourself as you can imagine), by swinging the pendulum over the body. Focus on the pendulum swinging in one direction; if the pendulum switches direction at any point, it is often seem as a sign that that particular area of the body could do with some healing.
Using A Pendulum Cloth/Board:
If you would prefer to use a cloth or board, you can buy one, or make your own. There are some great ones available online, but making your own is cheaper, and you have the added bonus of connecting with it during its making.
Traditionally, it will contain equal numbers of 'yes', 'no', and 'maybe, one after the other in a circular direction. However, there is no reason why you can't get a bit creative! For example, you could create one which is designed to help you determine what in your life you need to focus on, and put 'health', 'finances', 'self-care', 'relationships', 'career', etc., down on your cloth or board. Then you could ask you pendulum exactly what it is that you should focus on, and see where your pendulum lands! Sure, it isn't the traditional way of doing it, but just because it isn't traditional, doesn't mean it's wrong.
