Divination 101: Pendulums
Pendulums, pendulums, pendulums! They come in so many different styles, shapes, and personalities. From the simple necklace charms to the fancy gem-encrusted points, there’s a lot to be said for this casual divination tool.
A while back, we had received a notice regarding our Infinite Threads Pendulum Board that some of you didn’t know how to use a pendulum yet- so I took it upon myself to write up this post for your knowledge and leisure!
So, without any further ado, let’s get started!
By definition, pendulums are “a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely.” [x] In many cases concerning the use of divination, witchcraft, and spirit work, this tool is more famously known for being comprised of a tapered crystal and/or metal pendant and chain, such as as these:
Image Description: Nine hanging crystal pendulums of varying colors and sizes, all suspended from a metal chain and tapering to a point.
Image Source: [x]
…But the truth of the matter is that there are many varying types and styles of pendulums that can be used for communication and divination! Some can be a bit unorthodox, some can be incredibly fancy, and some can be forged from materials that you may have laying around your room. In many cases, people (such as myself) also use the charms or pendants that they wear as necklaces, as well.
Additionally, there is also a superstition that if one ties their wedding ring to a string, they can discover the gender of the baby that they are carrying!
I have personally tried the string-and-ring method with my own hematite band to much success, but it will also work with any kind ring that you own, regardless of material (though I find metals and minerals do work best).
I encourage those, especially those who might have little to no budget to spare for a crystal pendulum, to experiment and find one that works for them! You may be surprised by what you find. ;>
Pendulums can be used for a variety of things, including divination and spirit communication. Here are just a few ways to use your pendulum:
Finding Energy Points on the Body
Experimenting with Energy in Your Hand(s) to Make It Move
Communicating with Spirits and The Unseen
Simple Answers to Questions
I have even done things just for fun, such as using my pendulum to play games with my spirit fam to let them influence choices such as what Pokemon starter we play with, or dialogue choices in RPGs. There’s a lot you can do with it, so try out different things to see what is good for you!
The question of how exactly pendulums work has been up for debate among those that use this tool for some time now, with postulations such as moving the arm or the flow of energy; however, through personal experience, I believe that there is a mixture of occurrences that allow a pendulum to move.
Rather than “energy vs physical movement,” I believe that it is an amalgam of the two.
Of course, it is very pivotal that one keeps their hand as still as possible while using the pendulum, that doesn’t change- but much like the movement of hands when using a Ouija Board or Psychic Circle, I do think that microscopic and subconscious movements play a part in how they perform. Not a huge part, but a part- especially when dealing with spirits and other entities.
Image Description: A gif of a Hypno from Pokemon swinging its trademark circular pendulum back and forth.
Image Source: [x]
From what I have gathered from my past experiences as well as others’, this is especially applicable in the cases of any bias (conscious or subconscious) from the reader. Pendulums are one of the most easily influenced forms of divination due to this (especially when first learning to use it, or in the case of needing important information), and should be partnered with both journaling to keep track of its accuracy, and other accompanying forms of divination like tarot.
Other than subconscious movement, I remain in the mindset that energy is what will move the pendulum the most, especially after much practice and development. Psychic energy is like a muscle- you gotta work it out to get stronger!
Notably, Mod Tara and I agree that in a lot of cases, the pendulum has a better response rate if one holds their opposite hand under the end of the pendulum as they use it (if possible), compared to not having it there at all. In a very loose form, it can be akin to completing a circuit for energy to flow through more easily.
Of course, there are exceptions such as differences in diviners and pendulums being used, but it will most likely work regardless.
⭐ How To Use the Pendulum ⭐
The pendulum is a simple tool in its make and execution, but there are a few things to know before proceeding in using one.
As mentioned above, bias can become present during pendulum readings, so one of the best ways to counteract this is to release the ego during the duration of the reading. To do this, I recommend settling in a room with little to no distractions, and doing a short meditation to center yourself, quiet down any brain weasels that happen to be chattering away up there, and inviting the forces that you may be working with to provide you with genuine and accurate information. It may take a while to learn how to do this properly, especially if you are new to meditation, but you will achieve this state in time with practice.
The second thing that you should do before using a pendulum, preferably before every session, is to calibrate it. What this means is taking time to see how it responds to questions and taking note of the responses.
This is also very good to do when communicating with entities, as their method of communicating might be different from your personal associations or others’.
Here are two tried-and-true methods for calibrating your pendulum:
Asking Yes or No Questions You Know the Answer To
Asking simple yes or no questions to which you know the answer is a quick and easy way to learn how your pendulum will respond. For example, you can ask things such as “do I have blonde hair” or “am I wearing a red shirt”, and observe how the pendulum moves to see its manner of responding.
Remember to ask at least one question that will be “yes”, and one that will be “no”.
“Show Me X”
Otherwise, you can simply ask your pendulum (or potential spirit) “Show me yes/no/maybe/etc.” In this way, they can just provide in what ways to respond to your questions.
With this method, I would also recommend backing these responses up by using the previously listed method, to assure accuracy- and as before, mentally log the ways the pendulum moves for certain answers!
Now that you know how to calibrate your pendulum, you need to know all the different ways that a pendulum can move in order to provide an answer. There is a variety of ways that a pendulum can give different responses other than “yes” or “no”.
Here are all the ways that pendulums can move:
Horizontally (Left and Right)
Rotations (Left or Right)
Shaking or Vibrating (Though this is more associated with needing to cleanse this tool, but it may differ for you!)
As stated previously, you may find that what you associate with a certain answer may differ from pendulum to pendulum or session to session- so be sure to become familiar with these movements to best understand the message being communicated to you!
Steps to Using the Pendulum:
Okay. Now that you have become familiar with your pendulum and how it will respond to your inquiries, it’s time to get to asking some questions! For ease of understanding, I have compiled- in short- all the steps that you need to know in order to divine with this tool:
Quiet your thoughts, and release the ego.
Rest the arm that will hold the pendulum on a steady, preferably flat and even, surface.
Hold your pendulum outward and let it settle until it is motionless.
Invite any spirits or forces that you would like to aid you in your divination session.
Write down your responses.
It seems pretty simple now, doesn’t it? To be honest, it is- you just need a little context and knowledge on how to understand it. Otherwise, pendulums are fairly easy to become accustomed to using!
In the cases of using additional tools such as pendulum boards, there is only a slight difference in how you would proceed in the reading. It is fairly self-explanatory, but the only difference is that you would still your pendulum over the center to get the responses listed on the board itself.
Calibration is still recommended through the “Yes or No” method to ensure that communication isn’t skewed (not all spirits can read, or read in our language, for example!), but otherwise, will have the potential to give a wider breadth of responses, and can be a great resource to take advantage of!
…And that’s it! You’re on your way to becoming a surefire pendulum expert!
As you have learned, pendulums can be a quick (and fun) way to do divination for a myriad of reasons. It’s one of the more basic and easily accessible tools for divination, and one I’d recommend everyone to learn!
Image Description: Two girls from the anime Love Lab doing a double high-five, with a small pink heart coming from their hands when they clap together.
Image Source: [x]
Be sure to remember to journal and log the answers that you receive to track your accuracy, and don’t forget that which you’ve learned! ♥
Remember- you’ve got this! Have fun, and happy divining!
About The Infinite Threads | Before You Ask | FAQ
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
jbbartram-illu
kaledo-art
izzy806
tangentwithtanner
