The HeatherMyst

A Step-By-Step Reading

Here's a step-by-step process for conducting a session of divination with a pendulum. From lighting the candle to closing the circle.

Set-up your ritual space. Select an area where you'll be left alone for about 30 minutes to an hour. Clean the space, dust, vacuum, whatever is needed. Make a small ritual table or alter. Something for you to place your tools and your focus during the ceremony. It can be a box covered with a lace cloth, a small table, TV tray, or even the floor. What ever feels right for you. Place it in the north section of the circle.
Select a white candle, a crystal, a sage and lavender smudge stick or a special incense you like. Don't forget the matches or a lighter. Prepare a tape or CD with some soft spiritual music you like to drown out any background noises in or around your spiritual space. Lay out your pendulum, pendulum board, a notebook and something to write with. Find a pillow or something that you can use to support your arm while you hold the pendulum. You want to make your hand as steady as possible. If you have to build a little platform for your hand and wrist out of boxes, an upside down glass or cup, figure it out now. Don't wait until you're in the middle of your reading when your arm gets tired.
Once you have all your tools and preparations in place, you'll be ready to begin. Turn on you music and step into your ritual space.
Light the smudge stick, or incense you've chosen. Stand facing North holding it up in both hands about shoulder level and say a prayer. Something like:
1. Great Spirits, Creators of All That Is, I ask for your protection, your wisdom and your blessings as I open this spiritual circle today. Blow out the flames, if they haven't gone out themselves.
Lower the incense, turn to the right and face East. Hold up the smoldering incense and call upon your spiritual guide or guidance. Say something like:
1. (State their name if you know it, otherwise call them your guide) I call upon the wisdom and energy of my guide, and ask for your assistance here within this circle as I seek for answers and guidance.
Lower the incense, turn to the right and face South. Here you need to state your purpose for opening this circle. You can use as much or little detail as you like. But the intent must be clearly defined. Don't just say something like, I'm going to use my pendulum. Hold up the incense and try something like this:
1. I call upon the Great Spirits, my spiritual guides, and the higher divinity within myself for the purpose of divination by pendulum. This tool is new to me and I ask for your guidance and protection as I search for answers regarding - my job, relationship, whatever. For this I give my thanks and gratitude.
Lower the incense, turn to the right and face West. Now that you've called in all this energy, you can use it to clear and protect your circle. Hold up the incense and say something like this:
1. I set this circle in divine light and protection. I bind any negative or earth bound energies from entering this ritual space. I empower myself, my tools, my mind and spirit with positive and balanced energies to perform this task of divination.
Lower the incense, turn to the right and face North once more. Some people like to close of the top and bottom of the circle once it has been drawn. If you'd like to do that too, raise the incense in the air over your head, make a large circle (clockwise) so the smoke makes a bit of a trail, then do the same thing near the floor. As you do this say something like this:
1. To the Father Sky, To the Mother Earth, I protect this space and ask for your balancing energies to keep me focused and clear.
Now sit down in front of your alter and place your incense in a holder on the table. Let it continue to smolder while you're conducting the reading. Don't light it again, if it goes out on it's own that's fine.
The next thing to do is to prepare yourself for divination. After all you'll be holding the pendulum and therefore you will be part of the tool. With your left hand, light the white candle you've selected. As you light the wick, imagine the flame being part of your inner being. A symbol of the divine light within you. As you imagine this, say something like:
1. I call upon the Great Spirits, my guide (say their name if you know it), and the positive forces around me this day/night to help me find the answers I seek at this time.
2. Pick up your pendulum and pendulum board and say:
  Protect and use these tools to guide me in my search for spiritual growth, awareness and clarity. In return I give my thanks and gratitude, my love and light.
Place the pendulum board on the table. As your holding your pendulum, use your free hand to log this session in your notebook.
1. Note the time, the date, who you called upon to help guide you and it might be interesting to note the weather and the phase of the moon. You'll notice patterns after a time, for which conditions seem to work best for you.
2. Compose your first question. Remember to write it in a format that can be returned in a yes or no answer.
Hold your pendulum at the top. Most often there will be a holder for you to grasp comfortably, much like the one in the picture above. Make your arm comfortable as possible as you hang the pendulum over the board. When you're ready, you can make your agreement with your spiritual guides that have come concerning the movement of the tool.
1. Holding the pendulum over the board, gently move the weighted end so it swings from top to bottom and say: "This will be Yes."
2. Stop the movement and let it hang in the center of the board. It doesn't have to be perfectly still, but it shouldn't be moving very much at all. Gently move the weighted end so it swings from left to right and say: "This will be No."
3. Stop the movement and let the pendulum hang in the center again. Gently move the weighted end so it swings diagonally from the bottom right to the upper left and say: "This will be a Don't Want To Answer."
4. Stop the movement and let the pendulum hang in the center. Gently move the weighted end so it swings in a clockwise circle and say: "This will be Probably Yes."
5. Stop the movement and let the pendulum hang in the center. Gently move the weighted end so it swings in a counter-clockwise circle and say: "This will be Probably No."
Ok, take a deep breath and focus on your pendulum. Imagine it being engulfed in white and purple light. Holding it as still as possible in the middle of the board, ask your question. The pendulum will move on it's own, do your very best not to influence it's motion. Otherwise you'll have a false reading and this will be pointless. Just trust in yourself and your abilities. You can do this!
If you still don't receive an answer, calm yourself a little bit. Have faith that this type of divination is possible if you believe in yourself and the forces around you. Position your arm again, try to restate your question just a little bit and wait for an answer. Once you receive one, record the answer in your notebook and compose your next question.
Reposition the pendulum over the circle and ask another question. Keep doing this until all your questions have been answered.
Close The Circle
It is just as important to spend time on closing you circle as it is for opening one. You want to thank your guides and close the energy within the space. You want to balance your own energies and get grounded again. And you want to clean and clear up your alter so it's ready to go for the next spiritual event.
- No matter what your ceremony is for, you should add a moment of meditation to the event. In this altered state, you can contact your guides and review the answers you received. Ask for clarification or further insight into how the events might unfold. You can use this time to thank the forces that have helped you this evening. Or you might ask for clarity of vision or a better understanding in the situation at hand.
- Before you conclude your ritual, you should formally thank the spirits, deities, guides and anyone else in spirit you called upon, for their assistance. Typically this is done through an offering of some type. Bread and wine is a common offering, you might offer seeds for planting, or a seedling tree that will be planted in the honor of the spirits. There are as many different types of offerings as there are practioners around the world. Be true to your heart and your emotion, and select an offering that will have the most meaning to you.
- Conclude your ritual by closing your chakra centers. When you have completed this step, stand inside your circle. Face north and give thanks once more for this sacred space and close the circle by saying something like this:
  - Great Spirits, Guides, and all the unseen forces who helped me this day/night. I send you my heart felt thanks and gratitude for your presence, for the guidance you have given me and the answers you have helped to uncover. I ask you now to close the energy within this circle, returning it to it's original state. I ask that this sacred space, my home and my physical body continue to be protected in the loving glow of the Divine. I ask that my feet, my body and my mind become firmly planted and grounded as the energy of this circle subsides. For this assistance, protection and graceful company, I once again give my thanks.
- Clean up your space, starting with the extinguishing the candle. Place your pendulum back in its protective pouch and return it and any other tools to their rightful place within your home.
That's all there is to it.

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