Hand Knotted Blue Lace Agate Mala featuring camphor wood, blue sea glass, and white tassel

A pendulum is a tool that is used to connect to your higher self and ‘source’ by asking questions to help guide, clarify, and raise your awareness. The pendulum itself is simply a small object attached to the end of a string and can be made out of wood, crystal, gemstone, glass, or metal. You can ask the pendulum questions about life, love, health, career, and money—whether simple or complex. The pendulum can only answer “yes” or “no” questions. So make sure to phrase questions in a way that can allow you to get a clear answer. Hold the pendulum and allow it to connect with and move with your energy. As you work with the tool, you’ll learn how it moves and how it responds to questions. After you’ve used your intuition to pick out the pendulum that’s perfect for you, you’re ready to consult the tool for guidance. As with crystals, pendulums need cleansing too. Cleanse the pendulum with sage, outside under a full moon, soaking it in sea salt if the material or crystal is water and salt friendly, or simply holding it under cold tap water. Next, prep your questions: I recommend having multiple questions to ask. When looking for clarity or guidance around a situation, have more than one question prepared about the topic to help you gain as much insight as possible and as much guidance. Something to remember? The pendulum might not always work. Sometimes a pendulum will not want to answer or not be open to answering a particular question at that time. This can be shown as a separate directional is ‘yes’ and what is ‘no. AKA—you have to figure out how it will swing or the pendulum might simply remain still. Before you ask a question, it’s key to learn how it will speak to you. Take a moment to find a comfortable seat and quiet your mind. Take a few deep cleansing breaths to open up and clear your mind, body, and spirit. Holding the pendulum in your dominant hand with the chain or top link between your thumb and index finger, ask ‘Show me yes’ and ‘Show me no,’ or ask ‘What does yes look like’ and ‘What does no look like.’ When you do this, the pendulum will either swing vertically, horizontally, or in circular motions. Take note as to what each answer looks like—for instance, if it went up and down vertically when you said ‘show me yes,’ that is how it will respond in an affirmative way to your question. You could also ask ‘show me neutral’ if you want that option too. To get the pendulum going, ask questions you already know the answer to. For example, ask if your name is what your name is, and ‘Do I live in [insert city]? This can help you connect with the pendulum and get to know its directional swings and how it will communicate with you. Using a pendulum is all about being at ease. Just like when you are going through meditation, try to simply allow the pendulum to communicate freely with you. The more open you are to receive, the easier you and the pendulum can communicate. And remember, like any practice, you can enjoy the experience and trust in your ability to connect because you already have your own answers. It’s just a tool, BTW, that’s merely there to help you get closer to your own intuition. You have your own inner truth, after all.