Pendulum Divination

Pendulum Divination, also known as radiesthesia, dowsing, rhabdomancy, or water witching, is divination by utilizing human sensitivity to the subtle energies emitted by any source living or inert. Some folks believe that their spirit guides act as the source of energy in revealing secret information. The history of this pendulum divination can be traced back over 5,000 years to the ancient Orient. The pendulum is the main instrument used for this area of divination, although wooden rods are also used. This practice became very popular in the Middle Ages and was a favored practice of divination through to the early nineteenth century. The practice lost favor after that but then there was a great renewal of interest in the twentieth century. In 1933, the British Society of Dowsers was formed.

The pendulum is a simple tool. The basic design is a weight of some sort suspended on a fine chain or a length of chain. A dowser is a person who is sensitive to hidden information and uses an indicator, like a pendulum or a rod, to intensify that sensitivity. There are a few different ways to hold your pendulum while working with it. Most dowser's will hold the end of the chain directly between their fingers.

Just about any small weight can be used for your pendulum. Some people use a pendant necklace, or a ring on the end of a length of string. Coins, crystals, roots, or keys can also be used, as long as it is heavy enough to act as a pendulum. Quartz crystal is said to make a powerfully accurate pendulum. Some commercially produced pendulums are hollow and unscrew to give access to an inside cavity. You can place in here what is known as a "witness"- this would be a sample of what is being sought. For instance, if you were looking for water, you would put a couple of drops of water inside it. The recommended length of chain or string is approximately 20 to 30 cm.

It has been said that consistent use of your pendulum helps to forge a connection to your personal energy. It does take a bit of practice.

How to Use:

First, your pendulum should be cleansed from previous influences. This can be accomplished by either submersion into salt water, or by permeating it with the smoke of a cleansing botanical such as sage, hyssop, or sweetgrass. If you can't find a ready to use incense, use loose incense on charcoal and smoke it well. If you use salt water, leave it submerged for 2 to 3 hours and wipe dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Hold the pendulum between both  of your hands until it is warm, to charge it with your energy.

Next, seat yourself comfortably at a table and start out with simple yes/ no questions. Fix in your mind the direction of "yes", and the direction of "no". Most people consider it yes when for vertical movement, and no for horizontal movement, but do what feels right to you.

Hold the end of your chain between the thumb and first finger- right hand if right handed; left hand if left handed- allowing the pendulum weight to be suspended about an inch above the surface of the table. Resting your elbow on the table, let the weight of your pendulum hang comfortably and ask a "yes" or "no" question. Although you attempt to keep the pendulum still, it will start to swing either vertically or horizontally. Dowsers will add other movement interpretations as they become more comfortable and use their pendulum more, such as swinging in a clockwise circle= yes, and swinging counterclockwise (or widdershins) as "no".

Some Dowsers suggest not having your elbow on the table. I don't recommend this as fatigue and unsteadiness may unduly influence the motion of your pendulum. It is crucial that you do not consciously try to make the pendulum swing. It should swing of it's own accord like the planchette of a Ouija board (Talking Board) moves without being manipulated.

If you are having any trouble discerning an answer, it may be that the question asked is too ambiguous and need rephrasing. It's also possible that the question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Consider the wording of the questions carefully. You do not have to speak the question out loud, just focus on it as you begin.

After you have worked with your pendulum for awhile, you might want to determine more than yes and no answers. This is where things get really interesting. A variety of things can be used in dowsing: maps, a calendar, pictures, there are even Talking Boards to use specifically in pendulum work. You can buy a Talking Board, or make one of your own by putting the letters of the alphabet in a semicircle on paper, and placing it on the table. I used a calendar to find the accurate date that my grandson would be born by laying a calendar on the table and suspending the pendulum in the center above it.  Maps can be used in the same way for a number of questions- like finding something that has been lost.

Some Suggested Uses:

Finding out the sex of a baby before it is born

Determining the date of a future event

Locating lost objects

Finding the presence of ghosts/ spirits

Confirming a change in environmental energy

Can be used as a complement aid to help in diagnosing health problems (always consult a health professional first)

Water Witching (locating under ground water for wells, etc.)