How to use a Pendulum or Dowser

A Pendulum, often known as a Dowser, is usually a pointed or shaped crystal on the end of a length of chain. It can also be a piece of metal or wood and, in fact, we could even take a pendant off if we were wearing one and use that on its chain. Some pendulums have circles of metal, others have little crystal balls at one end with the larger piece of crystal/wood/metal at the other end of the chain. There are 100s of different designs and styles, you will be drawn to the one that will work best for you. To begin with, a crystal or metal Pendulum conducts a lot more energy and works easiest, so I would start there first.

The accurate way to use a Pendulum is place the chain between the thumb and forefinger and hold somewhere along its length, where ever it feels most comfortable. The crucial part of using a Pendulum is to then take the chain, which is being held between the thumb and forefinger and drop it OVER the forefinger itself so the crystal then dangles below (see pic below). DO NOT just hold the chain and dangle the crystal in mid-air without it being supported by the forefinger or you will not get an accurate reading. It will be you controlling the motion of the pendulum rather than Universal energy or Spirit.  Please try it at home and experiment.

We are all different, so some will want to dangle their pendulum in mid-air ~ but I would encourage you to try both methods if you are just starting out working with a Pendulum. You will notice that if dangled in mid-air with no support, the Pendulum will wobble and is easily moved with even the slightest movement of the hand. If our hand is held still and the pendulum supported by our forefinger, it is stable and not influenced by any movement from us. Therefore answers we gain from the Pendulum will be accurate and not influenced by our own desires.

After two decades of working with students and Pendulums, I can’t express how important it is to get a true reading ~ otherwise, the Pendulum is useless. Once you have found a suitable Pendulum and can gain accurate readings from it, feel free to dangle it in mid-air or work with it in whatever way suits you best 🙂

 Incorrectly Held

The crystal is then held by the chain over the palm and spins in certain directions when questions are asked of it. It is best to hold the Pendulum over our palm to begin with as it can really connect to our energy that way. For those who use Reiki, Universal Healing Energy flows from the palm and we all have the natural ability to channel it so all of us have a strong energy point in centre of our palm. A Pendulum can connect to and work with that energy really well, although once you have found your Pendulum and worked with it awhile, you won’t need to hold it over anything unless that is part of the question (ie. holding it over a crystal and asking ‘is this the right crystal for me’).

The best questions to ask of a Pendulum are those which can be answered with a clear ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Some Pendulums move back and forth, others left to right, others still in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. The first thing we need to do when choosing a Pendulum to see if it will work with us (as many won’t, some are quite fussy ;-)) is to ask it a question we know the answer to, such as ‘Is my name [insert your name]’. If the Pendulum is happy to work with you, it will move in a certain direction and will do so quite quickly. You then know what direction the Pendulum will move if the answer is YES.

Similarly, ask the Pendulum a question that you know the answer to is ‘No’ such as ‘Am I a frog’ 😉 You will then see what direction means ‘no’ to the Pendulum. Some Pendulums are a little sluggish to get moving if they haven’t been cleansed and charged properly. If it seems frustrating or won’t really move in a particular direction, move on to another Pendulum. When a Pendulum wants to work with you, it does so quickly and effectively. 

Clear quartz, Amethyst and Aura Quartz are great to use for spiritual questions. Hematite, Tiger’s Eye or Lapis Lazuli stones are good for asking material type questions. Rose Quartz is great for children or those in the field of care or counselling. Children in particular LOVE Pendulums and can work with them easily so its a handy tool to learn how to use, then teach children how to use as it fascinates them and often gets them to open up and talk if something is on their mind.

Pendulums can also also be used to locate or direct energy, so are useful for cleansing the aura and areas in the home. Crystal therapists will hold a Pendulum over the client’s body and ask questions and see if there are any energy blockages that need clearing. They will then use the appropriate crystals and often swing the Pendulum back and forth over the body to move and dispel any negative energy.

If we want to know whether we should buy a crystal, move to a certain place or make a certain decision, we can hold the Pendulum over the object or place on the map and easily obtain our answer.

All in all, a Pendulum is a fabulous tool to have, especially if you’re not entirely confident yet with your own intuition. Ask the question of yourself and get a gut feeling or intuition, then use your Pendulum to clarify or confirm what you’re intuiting. Once you’ve done this over a period of time, eventually, you’ll trust your own intuition enough and probably won’t need to use the Pendulum any more.

Pendulums, unless used by a crystal practitioner or energy worker, are simple tools to help us develop and strengthen our own intuition. As much as I loved working with mine, it was an awesome day when I realised I didn’t need it any more ~ I’d just ask the question in my head and get an immediate, accurate answer. It blew my mind and I couldn’t stop smiling!

I hope this blog has been informative and thanks for popping by 🙂

Much love and gratitude

Krissy XXX