Pendulum dowsing is an ancient practice that was used by many countries and cultures, including China and the Middle East. In Greece, the Pytheon Oracle of Delphi used a pendulum to answer the questions posed by her clients, including kings and queens. Pendulum dowsing offered insight, knowledge and direction to those that sought answers.
In a nutshell, a dowsing pendulum is a form of divination and is used as a way of gaining insight. The pendulum will pick up on and absorb energies that surround you and accesses the collective consciousness of the Universe. Your pendulum is simply a tool used to amplify answers so that you may see your true path more easily by connecting yourself to the unconscious mind. When we ask a question, our unconscious mind and the energies around us respond by influencing the nerve endings in our fingers causing the pendulum to swing in response. In other words, our body outwardly expresses our inner and universal knowing. Therefore, by responding to spiritual energies, vibrations in the air and ground, and tapping into our inner selves, our pendulums can point us in the right direction when seeking guidance and truth.
Step One: Clear Your Pendulum
Crystals and metals tend to ‘accumulate' energies, and they need regular cleansing. Cleansing will remove any unwanted energies that may be present in the pendulum. You can do this in a few ways:
- By placing your pendulum in a potted plant overnight. Make sure it is covered with soil. If you do not have a potted plant, you can also put the pendulum outside in soil, just make sure to leave a marker so you can find it the next day!
- Smoke cleansing your mat and pendulum. I prefer to use Palo Santo for this as it carries a more feminine, grounded and clear energy over sage which is more masculine. I also find the scent of Palo Santo helps me focus, however you can go with whatever works best for you.
- Harness the moonlight. Simply place your pendulum in moonlight overnight. For extra power, conduct your cleanse when there is a full moon.
Step Two: Fill Your Witness Chamber.
Your Green Moon pendulum has a witness chamber filled with rose quartz. Leave the rose quartz in if you are considering questions related to the heart, love or relationships. However, you can remove these crystals and put a sample of the material you are seeking in the chamber before you dowse. If you want to incorporate cannabis at this stage, a piece of bud wrapped in a willow leaf and bound together with a purple thread can improve one’s sensitivity to energetic vibrations. Keep in mind the attributes of your selected bud as they could have an effect of the energies in your pendulum chamber.
Step Three: Lay Out Your Dowsing Mat & Ground Yourself
Lay out your Green Moon Apothecary dowsing pentacle mat and clear your mind. This is the perfect time to add cannabis into your dowsing practice. I like to fill one of my watercolour dynasty rolling cones with an Indica strain like Granddaddy Purple to assist myself in getting into a relaxed state of mind.
If you are using any kind of dowsing mat, make sure to use a pendulum with a pointed end as it will indicate answers better. You must clear your mind as the practice of dowsing is to find answers to questions and you cannot have other thoughts clouding your energies or concentration. Ensure you are looking for answers. If you are looking for healing or to transforming energies, that is not dowsing. That is using intention to make changes energetically.
Take your pendulum and hold the string or chain between your thumb and first finger, about 2 ½ to 3 inches from the weight at the end. As you hold your dowsing tool, sit quietly for a few moments to centre and ground yourself. If you find that you are out-of-sorts in some way wait until another time. You should be in a state of relaxed alertness.
Step Four: Asking Questions
For beginners, dowsing can be accomplished using three movements: one for a YES/POSITIVE answer, another for NO/NEGATIVE, and a third for MAYBE/NEUTRAL (or a Rephrase the Question) response. Dowsing over a mat involves swinging the pendulum in a neutral swing (meaning no answer is indicated) and allowing it to eventually move until it is swinging over the answer in the mat.
To start, hold the ball attached to your chain between your finger and thumb with your dominant hand. While slowly swinging the pendulum vertically back and forth, mentally (or out loud) ask the pendulum to show you your YES movement by swinging in a circular direction. This will be clockwise or counter-clockwise. Repeat the question “Please show me what my YES response is.”
- Repeat for a NO response (over the left knee if necessary).
- Ask for your MAYBE response. Oftentimes it will be a back-and-forth swing at a 45-degree angle. It should be something quite different from the circular motions.
- Start with basic questions at first. Ex. “My name is….”
Once you are comfortable with seeking answers through dowsing and have practiced with questions you already know the answer to, begin to ask the pendulum questions and divine the answers through the movement of the pendulum. Keep working with your pendulum as the more you use it, the greater the bond and easier it will be to seek answers with your new divination tool.
