So in short, it doesn't matter if you purchase or make your pendulum, as long as feels good in your hands, and will swing well, it will work as a pendulum.

I personally feel that my Spirit Guide(s) control the movement of my pendulum. To me, they are highly intelligent, spiritual beings that know me on a very personal level and want to guide me in the right direction when I cannot see it. And one of the easiest ways for them to reach me is through my pendulum.

Before we get into the how-to's of divining with a pendulum, I will first explain the basic rules. There are many different techniques for using a pendulum, such as using a board, using a candle flame, and even using the pendulum alone, but no matter what technique you use, the basic rules will apply. And they are as follows:

Make sure there is not a breeze or a wind blowing:

Before you begin, make sure that all windows and doors are closed, and you are not sitting in the direct current of a fan or air conditioner. This is so that nothing will interfere with the movement of your pendulum. It is also so there as no question such as, "Hmmmm...I wonder if that was a correct answer, or was it just the wind?"


Form a psychic protection shield or circle around you:

No matter what sort of magickal working or divination you perform it's always an excellent idea to form a protection circle or shield around you and pendulum working is no different. Of course the reason for this is so you will be protected from outside energies and beings that wish to trick you or cause harm. (For full explanations about why we cast circles, see: Ritual Outline.)

The circle you cast does not have to be a full blown out ritual circle like you would cast at a Sabbat..just a simple visualization, a ring of salt, and/or a prayer to the Divine or higher beings. And, if someone else is in the room with you, be sure to include them in your protection visualization or prayer. (Circle casting can be done at a drop of a hat if you can visualize well.)


Keep your hand as steady as possible:

The reason for this is the same for rule #1..you don't want an un-steady hand to interfere with your pendulum's movement. To keep your hand steady you can rest your elbow on the table, or support it with the other hand.


Keep your questions simple, to the point, and ask only one at a time:

Most times your pendulum will only answer yes or no questions, (unless you're using a more complex board, which I will discuss later) so you need to keep them as simple as possible. You also shouldn't ask two questions at once such as, "Will I marry soon? Will he be handsome?" The reason is that it will confuse your pendulum if one answer is "yes" and the other is "no". Your pendulum will need time to stop between questions to answer the next.


If divining for another person, you should speak for them:

Since the pendulum will be yours, and you are the one who will be channeling energy, then you need to be the one to ask the questions. Let the questioner (the other person) ask you the question, then you repeat the question out loud.

For example, say you are divining for your best friend Sara. She wants to know if she will be pregnant anytime soon so she asks, "Will I get pregnant in the near future?" You need to repeat the question by asking, "Sara is curious if she will have a baby. Will Sara be pregnant soon?"


Always thank the "Powers That Be" when the session has ended:

The reasoning behind this rule is a simple one...you need to be grateful to the Higher Powers for attending you, answering questions for you, and protecting you. If you don't seem grateful, then they may not help you out next time.

Well, I guess that's about all the basics for divining with a pendulum. If you stick to these "rules of thumb", no matter which technique you use, you will have success. :)

You can buy ready-made pendulum boards, or make your own out of paper, wood, or cardboard. If you wish to make one, I have a couple of examples listed below. Feel free to copy the examples to make your own board, or just use them as guidelines for your own creation. (The boards below are not actual size, so when making your own they should be much larger.)

A Simple Board Click thumbnail to enlarge

A Complex Board Click thumbnail to enlarge

Once you decide which kind of board you would like to use, now it's time to start divining! Just simply lay your board out on a table, follow the basic rules listed in the previous "chapter", and start asking your questions. If you are using a more complex board, your pendulum will spell out things, so it's always handy to have another person write out each letter while the pendulum does it's thing. If a second person is not available, then try to tape record your session.

To use a pendulum without a board, you need to program it so you will know which movement is "YES" and which is "NO". Programing a pendulum is very easy if you follow these steps:

1. As always, follow the basic steps described earlier, such as making sure there is no wind blowing, etc...

2. Take out your pendulum and say, "Show me what yes looks like." Then the pendulum will either rotate in a circle, or swing back and forth.

3. Wait for the pendulum to stop, then say, "Show me what no looks likes." The pendulum should now move in a different way or direction then it indicated for "yes".

4. Now that you have established what movement is "yes" and which is "no", you now need to determine which is "maybe". Like before, you just have to say, "Show me what maybe looks like." , and the pendulum will indicate which movement means maybe. For me, this is usually a diagonal direction.

5.The next step is start divining because you're finished programing your pendulum!

You may also wish the incorporate one of the four elements when you divine without a board because it will give your pendulum a bit more stamina, and help you focus better. For example, I always hold my pendulum over a votive candle because I like the energy that fire lends, and it also create a nice ambience. But you may wish to use a bowl of water, a bowl of salt, or an incense. Just experiment with different elements until you find the right one.

To describe this technique, I'm going to use a pretend scenario because it will be easier for both me and you. In this scenario, we are going say that I lost my favorite ring and that I have no clue where I lost it because I have been to the park, the store, and at home, so I will have to narrow it down. Ok..here we go!

1. I take out my pendulum, and decide to use it without a board. I say, "Dear Spirit Guides, I have lost my favorite ring somewhere. Will you please lend your wisdom to help me find it?" The pendulum swings to "YES".

2. I say, "Thank you! Did I loose my favorite ring at the park I was at today?" The pendulum swings to "NO".

3. Now I ask, "Ok, then did I loose it at the grocery store I was at today?" The pendulum again swings to "NO".

4. I ask, "Then did I lose my ring here at home?" The pendulum swings to "YES".

A little tip: Once you draw out a map to your house, you should keep it for future use because you will use it again someday!

Sample Floor Plan Click thumbnail to enlarge

5. Ok, now I have made my map, I will hold my pendulum over it and ask, "Which room did I loose my ring in?" The pendulum swings to the bathroom.

6. Following my pendulum's advice, I go to the bathroom, and there on the back of the toilet is my ring! I thank my Spirit Guides for their help, and slip on my ring. Yippie..I found my ring!

In conclusion....I hope this article opened up some doors to what a pendulum can actually do for you. There are many great books out there that can show you different, more advanced techniques for pendulum working, should you want to pursue your studies. Thanks and Blessed Be!