To use a pendulum, hold its chain between your thumb and finger so the weight hangs still, ask it to show you "yes" and then "no," and then ask clear questions that can be answered with one or the other. The swing changes direction, back and forth, side to side, or in a circle, and each direction becomes an answer. A pendulum is dowsing done sitting down, and if you'd like to try it on your feet, our guide to dowsing rods shows how.
A pendulum is any small weight hung from a chain or cord. Most are a crystal point, a metal drop, or a wooden bob, and you don't need any experience to start. The steps below take about ten minutes the first time.
How to Hold a Pendulum
Hold the end of the chain, or the bead at its top, between your thumb and index finger, and let the weight hang straight down about four to six inches below your hand. Many people use their dominant hand because it is steadier, though either hand works.
Rest your elbow on a table so your arm stays still. Let the pendulum settle until it stops moving before you ask anything. If it keeps swinging, shorten the chain a little by wrapping it once around your finger. A shorter chain swings faster and settles sooner; a longer one swings slowly and makes small movements easier to see.
How to Find Your Yes and No
Ask the pendulum to show you each answer before your first question. Say, "Show me yes," and watch how it moves. Let it settle, then say, "Show me no." Most pendulums answer with one of these movements:
- Swinging toward you and away from you
- Swinging side to side
- Circling clockwise
- Circling counterclockwise
Then test it with questions you already know the answers to, such as "Is my name [your name]?" or "Am I sitting down?" If the swings match, you have your signals. Many practitioners check their yes and no at the start of every session, because the signals can change from day to day.
Some pendulums also show a third answer, such as a wobble or no movement at all. Many people read that as "unclear" or "ask a different way."
How to Ask a Pendulum Questions
Ask one question at a time, and word it so that "yes" or "no" answers it completely. "Should I take the class on Tuesday?" works; "Which class should I take?" doesn't, because no single swing can name a class.
These habits keep answers clear:
- Ask about one thing. "Is this the right time to start a moon journal?" is easier to read than a question with two parts.
- Keep your mind neutral. If you badly want one answer, set the question aside for another day.
- Pause between questions. Let the pendulum settle completely before you ask the next one.
- Write it down. Keeping your questions and answers in a spell journal shows you over time how your pendulum speaks.
Here are questions to start with:
- Is this a good day to cleanse my space?
- Is this crystal right for my altar?
- Would a morning practice suit me better than an evening one?
- Is there a message for me today?
- Is this the right moon phase to begin this working?
- Am I ready to start learning tarot?
Pendulum answers are a tool for reflection. For health, legal, or money decisions, talk with a qualified professional.
How to Use a Pendulum Chart or Board
A pendulum chart, also called a pendulum board or mat, is a printed half circle or wheel of answers that the pendulum swings toward. It lets you ask questions with more than two answers, such as which day, which number, or which of several options.
To use one, hold the pendulum over the small circle at the center of the chart and let it settle. Ask your question, and watch which section it swings toward. Most boards include yes, no, and maybe, plus letters, numbers, or a fan of choices.
You can draw a chart for any question. Write your options around a half circle on a sheet of paper, mark a center point, and hold the pendulum over it. Our pendulum mats come printed with answers and designs on a soft cloth that rolls up with your pendulum, including the Tree of Life mat and the moon phase mat.
How to Cleanse a Pendulum
Cleanse a pendulum with smoke, sound, or moonlight; these three are safe for every material. Many practitioners cleanse a new pendulum before its first session and again whenever its answers start to feel muddled.
- Smoke. Pass the pendulum through incense, rosemary, or palo santo smoke.
- Sound. Ring a bell or a singing bowl over it.
- Moonlight. Leave it on a dry windowsill overnight at the full moon.
- Breath and intention. Hold it in your palm, breathe over it, and say what it's for.
Water and sun need more care, because they depend on what your pendulum is made of:
| Material | Water | Sun |
|---|---|---|
| Clear quartz, carnelian, tiger's eye, bloodstone | A quick rinse is fine; dry it right away | Fine |
| Amethyst | A quick rinse is fine | Keep it out of strong sun, which can fade the purple |
| Selenite | Never; water dissolves it | Fine |
| Malachite | Avoid; it is soft and scratches easily | Fine |
| Copper and brass | Avoid; water speeds tarnish | Fine |
| Wood and seed (such as rudraksha) | Never soak; wipe with a dry cloth | Avoid long sun, which dries and cracks wood |
| Chambered pendulums | Keep water out of the chamber | Fine |
Amethyst's color can fade with too much light, and selenite is a form of gypsum, which dissolves in water. Our guides to amethyst and selenite cover care for each stone. Keep the chain dry too, since most chains are plated metal.
Some practitioners like to say a few words as they cleanse, such as:
Swing for truth and swing for clear,
show me only what is here.
How to Choose a Pendulum
Choose a pendulum by its weight and how it feels in your hand. A balanced, slightly heavy pendulum swings steadily, while a very light one moves with every breath, which some people like and others find hard to read.
- Crystal pendulums are the most common. Many practitioners choose the stone by what they plan to ask about, such as clear quartz for general questions or amethyst for intuition and dreams.
- Metal pendulums, such as our copper-plated brass pendulum, are heavy for their size and swing steadily.
- Wood and seed pendulums are light and warm in the hand. Our rudraksha seed pendulum uses the seed Hindus and Buddhists string as prayer beads.
- Chambered pendulums have a hollow tip with a screw-on cap. You can fill it with a pinch of herbs, a strand of hair, or a tiny rolled petition. Our chambered clear quartz, lapis lazuli, and wooden pendulums all open.
You can also use a necklace with a pendant, a ring on a thread, or a key on a string. You can browse every style in our pendulums collection.
Why Does a Pendulum Move?
A pendulum moves because your hand moves it, and the question is where that movement comes from. Practitioners and scientists answer that question differently.
Many practitioners say the pendulum picks up answers from the deeper mind, from intuition, or from spirit guides, and turns them into a swing you can see. In the early 1900s the French priest and dowser Alexis Bouly called this sense radiesthesia and said he could find unexploded shells from the First World War with a pendulum.
Scientists call the movement the ideomotor effect, a term the physiologist William Carpenter coined in 1852 for small muscle movements a person makes without meaning to. In an 1833 letter, the chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul explained the swing as small muscle reactions the holder doesn't notice, and he found that the movement stopped once the holder became aware of them. A 2019 motion-capture study found that tiny finger movements matched to the pendulum's natural rhythm are enough to make it swing widely.
The two views agree on one point: the answer reaches the pendulum through you. That is why a calm mind and a neutral question matter so much.
How to Use a Pendulum FAQ
Do I need to be psychic to use a pendulum?
No. Anyone can use a pendulum. You need a steady hand, a clear question, and a few minutes to find your yes and no.
Can I use any object as a pendulum?
Yes. Any small weight on a chain or thread works, including a necklace with a pendant, a ring on a string, or a key. Crystal pendulums are the most common because they are balanced and easy to hold.
How often should I cleanse my pendulum?
Cleanse it when it's new, after a long or emotional session, and whenever its answers start to feel muddled. Smoke, sound, and moonlight are safe for every material.
Which hand should I hold a pendulum with?
Most people use their dominant hand because it is steadier, but either hand works. Rest your elbow on a table to keep your arm still.
Why does my pendulum not move?
Shorten the chain, rest your elbow, and ask it to show you yes again. Some days a pendulum barely moves; many practitioners put it away and try again later.
How do I use a pendulum board?
Hold the pendulum over the center of the board, ask your question, and read the section it swings toward. Find your yes and no first, just as you would without a board.
Can a pendulum find lost objects?
Many people use one that way. Hold the pendulum over a sketch of your home and ask, room by room, "Is it here?" Then search the rooms it answers yes to.
Should I let other people use my pendulum?
That's up to you. Many practitioners keep a pendulum for their own use and cleanse it after anyone else handles it.
