5 ways to divine with a pendulum

A pendulum, usually a crystal or metal weight attached to a length of chain or string, can give you direct access to your extra-sensory perception, or spirit — the part of you that already knows the answers to all your life’s questions — and can locate missing or hidden physical objects simply by picking up their vibrations. These subtler levels of human awareness are normally inaccessible, except to those who have a highly developed psychic ability, sometimes called “sensitives”. In fact, we all have this ability but simply may not be able to access it to the same degree.

With the help of a pendulum, the signals emitted from your body and from objects in the material world can be picked up in the same way that a radio antenna picks up a broadcast signal, even if the signal is transmitted from many miles away. The pendulum registers and magnifies the signal by spinning in a circle, or rocking backwards and forwards, allowing you to read and interpret what your body is already reacting to on a subtle energetic level.

How to use it

One of the easiest tools to operate, a pendulum is held between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand. You may choose to sit at a table, preferably wooden, and rest your elbow on the tabletop, dangling the pendulum over its surface. Make sure you are sitting comfortably and squarely with your feet planted firmly on the floor and your legs uncrossed.

If this is your first time with a pendulum, you will need to establish which of its four movements — clockwise, counter-clockwise, front to back and side to side — correspond with each of the pendulum’s four possible answers: “yes”, “no”, “I don’t know” and “I’d rather not answer”. Say the word “yes” out loud, or concentrate on hearing it clearly in your mind. Repeat the word until the pendulum starts to move. This movement is most likely your “yes”, or positive response. Now you can figure out which movements correspond to the other three.

Once this is achieved you can test your pendulum with questions to which you already know the answer: “Is the sky blue?”, “Am I human?”, “Do I have three children?” Following this, you can begin to ask questions of a deeper nature, bearing in mind that the questioning process is not to be taken lightly. For best results, you must possess a whole-hearted belief and desire to know the answers, otherwise you run the risk of receiving flippant or invalid ones. Look deeply within yourself for your life’s questions before proceeding. Used with wisdom, a pendulum has infinite applications and can help guide you on your journey to personal mastery and inner fulfilment.

What force actually moves the pendulum?

At the beginning of the 19th century, this question captured the imagination of German scientist Johann Wilhelm Ritter, who is today recognised as the father of “electrochemistry” and was the first to discover the existence of ultraviolet light. On hearing astounding reports of an Italian dowser, Francesco Campetti, who was reputed to have the ability to locate water and minerals under the earth’s surface using only a pendulum, Ritter travelled to northern Italy in 1806 to study his technique.

With Campetti’s help, Ritter conducted a series of experiments with the pendulum and was able to study its movements. Among his discoveries, he found that the pendulum made particular movements, rotations or “nutations” when held over various materials, such as water or metals such as zinc or tin and that each type of matter emitted a particular “energy” that the pendulum was able to pick up.

Ritter also observed the pendulum moving clockwise over the north pole of a magnet and counter-clockwise over the south pole. The same phenomenon also occurred when the pendulum was held over the opposing “poles” of an egg and a piece of fruit, and over opposing sides of the human body, such as the front and back of the hand. This led Ritter to conclude that a basic polarity in the universe must exist, as well as a singular force that drove all of its processes.

1. Locate missing objects

The energetic “force” emitted by an object is precisely what can help you locate it. If you happen to lose something valuable in a large area, such as a park or shopping centre, it’s best to obtain a map or draw by hand a simple map representative of the area.

Sit at a table with the map laid out before you. Hold the pendulum between your thumb and forefinger in the usual way, suspended over the map. Breathe deeply into every cell of your body and picture the object you’ve lost. Think of nothing else but the object. You must believe in your ability to rediscover it. Focus your intent and at the same time relax your mind, moving the pendulum slowly and methodically over the map.

At some point you may feel a subtle “catch” as though the pendulum has been halted by an invisible force. When this happens, pause and wait to see if the pendulum starts to move. It should start rotating or moving in the “yes” direction over the spot where the object is located. When it starts to swing wildly, try not to become agitated or excited; remain at ease and continue to move the pendulum over the map, bringing it back to the same spot a few times to make sure this is the location of the missing object. Once you have established the location, simply go back to the spot and retrieve your possession.

If, on the other hand, you happen to misplace an object within the confines of a relatively small space, such as your home or Garden, you can use a different technique to find it. Simply stand with your pendulum in one hand and your opposite arm outstretched to act as a navigational rod. Turn slowly in a circle and, when the pendulum starts to swing, begin moving in the direction your arm is pointing. Keep this up every few paces until you have successfully recovered the object.

2. Make easeful decisions

Life flows easefully when you allow your intuition, spirit or gut instinct to guide you in the right direction. Difficulty only arises when you allow other people’s agendas or your own rational mind to get in the way. With your spirit telling you one thing and the voices in your head another, decision-making can become confusing and difficult.

In cases like these, a pendulum becomes an indispensable tool, as it allows you to receive answers directly from your higher self. Think of your pendulum as your own personal truth-detector.

Let’s say you have trouble knowing when to say no to social engagements. You might like to ask your pendulum something like, “Should I go to Rachel’s party tonight?” The pendulum will give you a positive or negative response, depending on whether or not the course of action serves your higher self and also the greater good of those around you.

Learning to say no may be awkward at first, but the end result is that you gain mastery over your own time, energy and resources and start to become aware of the people you are attracting into your life. As you gain confidence, making the right decisions and expressing yourself truthfully will begin to come naturally to you.

And by consulting with your pendulum before making big decisions, you can save yourself the heartache that comes from following the wrong path, getting lost and having to make unnecessary U-turns.

3. Gaze into the future

According to some schools of thought, the past, present and future dimensions are all simultaneously occurring in the now, a theory that goes a long way towards explaining why fortune-tellers are able to see and hear into the future and accurately describe events that have yet to occur.

While you may not currently have this ability, your body can respond to future events energetically and, by asking your pendulum questions and monitoring its movements, you can find out what’s going to happen by a process of “divination”. Just be aware that in some cases your pendulum may choose not to answer, especially if you ask questions to do with ill-health or death, as knowing these maladies are on the way achieves nothing but to fill you with despair and foreboding.

If your pendulum responds with an “I don’t know” or “I’d rather not answer”, consider it a sign that you are delving a little too deeply into this particular area of your life. Instead, try asking questions about future romances, travel or career opportunities. If the matter is likely to become a source of joy and happiness, the pendulum will be more than willing to provide answers and probably perform some wild acts of spinning to prove it.

One disclaimer, though: if you are emotionally attached to the outcome of any specific question, say a question like “Will my book ever get published?”, the movements of the pendulum may be influenced by your innermost desires. In such cases, it’s better to ask an impartial friend to hold the pendulum in your place for the purpose of receiving accurate answers.

4. Ask the big questions

We are all born with a set of questions to which we seek answers. “Why am I here?”, “What’s my purpose?”, “What’s the guiding principle of the Universe?” Some of us spend our lives trying to answer them. Life is a mystery and we can’t always rely on our parents, teachers and fellow mortals to help us discover its secrets.

What you can do is go directly to the Source, the Creator or God — whatever you choose to call the boundless energy that governs the universe and to which we are all connected — and direct your questions there.

You may want to ask about what happens after death, about the spirit world or about a loved one who’s passed on. You may want to receive guidance for living your greatest life or for parenting your children. Whatever your question is, the important thing is that your intent is strong. You will need to feel your question in every cell of your body and genuinely desire to know the answer. Such big questions are not for the frivolous-hearted.

With the pendulum held motionless and at the ready in one hand, pose your question with sincerity and with every fibre of your being. Stay relaxed and alert in body and mind. You will know you have asked the right question when the pendulum begins to spin or swing wildly, as though a powerful divine force were indeed causing it to move.

5. Find buried treasure

You may think treasure hunting is a pursuit better left to pirates and vagabonds, but think again. In previous generations, before there were op shops and eBay, people used to bury their unwanted possessions in the backyard. What they considered to be throwaways in those days are today considered to be collectibles and antiques, such as china plates, glassware, vases and figurines — all waiting to be unearthed from the family vegie patch.

To begin your search, start by walking slowly and steadily in a criss-cross pattern over your land, holding your pendulum suspended in one hand with the intention of locating anything of value. If there is a foreign object buried beneath the earth’s surface, the pendulum will start to spin in a circle or swing backwards and forwards with significant force, indicating it has picked up on a new frequency. When this happens, simply grab a shovel or trowel and start digging.

Another way to prospect for treasure, if you happen to gain residency of an old house, is to s­can the floorboards and walls for potential hiding spots. You never know, you may find long-forgotten letters, keepsakes or other valuables concealed within.

One stipulation, though: if you happen to find something really old or really valuable that could be considered of heritage value, you may be required to hand it over to the government, depending on the current laws in your country. That goes for all buried treasure, including the under-the-sea variety. This may sound like a bit of a spoiler but in no way does it diminish the thrill of the treasure hunt.

Angeline Meloche is an advocate of holistic health and spirituality and the founding author of naturalbornhealers.org. E: angelinemeloche@yahoo.com