Dowsing with a Pendulum

There are many ways you can use a pendulum and for many purposes and you will find with practice that you develop your own feel and direction with how you dowse. This is intended as beginners guide to dowsing with tried and tested methods, but there are many other ways to dowse, so once you are familiar with the basics and can feel the energies, we encourage you to research and try other ways to see what works best for you and your chosen line of work.

What is dowsing

Dowsing is a type of divination which has been used for centuries to answers questions and aid the seeker in making decisions, it is also widely used to locate ground water, buried metals, gemstones, oil, grave sites, and many other objects and more recently it has been used in healing as a way of drawing off stagnant energy from a person or place. Dowsing helps us to tap into our intuition, our inner knowing and find the answers we already know deep inside but can’t always consciously see.

Getting started

It is a good idea when you have a new pendulum to see how it fits with your energy and how it will answer your questions. Once you have become familiar with dowsing and linked to your pendulum it will generally swing or move the same way every time for your yes and no direction, but it’s always worth double checking each time you dowse as your energy can change.

Find a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed, take a few slow breaths so you are comfortable and relaxed. We always suggest practising a method called ‘tapping in’ before you start. This is a method linked to Traditional Chinese Medicine which helps to align your meridians and energise you.

Tapping In

Your thymus gland is located behind your breastbone, to activate it you simply need to tap firmly on this area, around 20 times in a circular motion and this will stimulate your meridian system. Think of how Tarzan used to beat his chest to get himself ready and you have the idea!

Start by holding your pendulum in your right hand, even if you are left handed it is thought that we receive energy with our right hand and leaves from our left. Do feel free to try both hands though, as there really is no wrong or right way, only the way which works for you. Hold either the bead at the end of the chain or just a little way down the chain, wherever feels comfortable for you and simply ask your pendulum to show you ‘Yes’. Be patient and just keep focusing on being shown yes. To begin with you may feel a very slight movement or wobble, it can take a while for you to get the hang of dowsing, so don’t worry if it isn’t swinging wildly straight away. After a few minutes stop any movement which may have occurred and ask your pendulum to show you ‘No’. Make a note of the directions, some people get clockwise and anti-clockwise circles, some get back and forth, side to side, some get stillness, wobbling or light jumping, everyone is different.

Keep practising with your pendulum until you feel confident that you can read the results.

Asking a specific question

To begin with start with questions that have a yes or no answer, and as a test start with a couple you already know the answer to, such as confirming your name, age, eye colour etc. When you are happy with this, think of a question, be very specific with your wording, focus on just this question and ask your pendulum. It is good practise to use terms such as ‘is this appropriate for me right now’ or ‘is this the right direction for me at this time’ as simply asking ‘should I do’ can bring in other factors such as third parties, or commitments you may have to others and can confuse your intention when asking.

Make a note of your answer and see how this feels for you.

Multiple choice questions and blind testing

So you may have a question which has a number of choices of answer, this could be something as simple as what to have for dinner. Using this as an example, you can either go through the whole list individually asking your pendulum which is appropriate, you can list them on a one piece of paper and point to each one at a time simply asking ‘this one’ put each on a separate piece of paper, face down and dowse over each one, or use an arc like this one where you put all your options on and see which way your pendulum swings.

Using a pendulum for healing or grounding energy

There are a number of techniques for using pendulums as a healing or grounding tool. The simplest one is called 3 Line Clearing which I learnt on a Sue & Simon Lilly ICGT course and this is a wonderful way to experience other peoples energy field. This is a very refreshing technique for clearing the body of not just stagnant energy but also electromagnetic smog which builds up on us from being around computers, mobile phones, appliances etc..You will need a willing volunteer and a space to lie down comfortably. Begin by both tapping in, then ask your pendulum to draw off any negative or stagnant energy that is no longer appropriate for your friend. Starting just past their feet on the centre line of the body, give your pendulum a gently swing away from you so that is begins with momentum then gradually start to move up the body, this should be a slow and steady movement, ideally around 20cms above them as you are now working on their auric field. Notice as you move along how your pendulum will start to circle at certain points along the body and how you can feel this and how your friend is feeling. When you hit an area where the pendulum starts to circle stop there and allow it to do its work, it is literally drawing off unwanted energy from that area. This can sometimes take a few moments and the pendulum can get faster and stronger. Keep checking on your friend, this can be a very strange sensation for some and if at any point they feel overwhelmed you may need to stop. If you have any grounding crystals you can also put these by busy areas to help ground the energy. Continue up the body, when you get the face, discourage your friend from staring the pendulum swinging as you don’t want to make them lightheaded. Keep going until you get to just past the crown of their head. This is one line cleared. Repeat this starting again at the feet on the left side level with the edge of the body and then again on the right side. When you are finished see how your friend feels and offer them water. Then swap around and it’s your turn to experience 3 Line Clearing.

Other uses for your pendulum

You can also use your pendulum to check foods for intolerances, help locate lost objects, tune into earth energies, clear a room for meditation or ceremony and lots more. Practise and play with your pendulum and trust it to help you live a more intuitive life.

We stock a large selection of pendulums including ones made from fallen trees from our own ancient Devon woodland, please visit our shop www.shambhaladesigns.co,uk