Use a Pendulum To Develop Your Intuition

We’re all inherently intuitive,

but have varied ways of trusting and acting upon our intuition. I get it. There was a lengthy period in my own life when I {subconsciously} refused to honor my intuition. Because if I consciously validated what I knew on this deeper level, I would have had to ask myself a series of questions that I wasn’t ready to hear the answers to and definitely didn’t want to have to act upon. I still had intuition, I just preferred to ignore or override it. I was subconsciously choosing to stay stuck.

Eventually, I got to the point of knowing that in order to be a whole, healthy, integrated human being I needed to reestablish connection and trust with my inner knowing. Learning to use a pendulum helped me get my intuitive access back on track.

A pendulum provides clear access to your intuition

but because it’s “outside” of you, it can seem safer to trust it than your own inner knowing when you’re first reestablishing self-connection. I often teach my clients to use one at the end of their first session, when they ask, “So, should I come back? When?”

Sometimes, it often feels difficult to make even the smallest of decisions, to trust the small voice inside that knows exactly what you should do next. This is where the pendulum can facilitate a return to trust with self. Because the answer to deciding what’s best for you always lies within you.

A tool like a pendulum can be a great first step in unlocking deeper clarity and confidence with your internal guidance system. But first, you need to know how and why it really works.

There’s no “power” or intuition in the pendulum

itself; it’s your energy that powers the pendulum’s movement- specifically the vibration of “yes” or “no" gets the pendulum to move and reflect the answer to your question. It’s you who already knows the answer on a deep level, not the pendulum.

The pendulum is just a prop that reflects clearly what your higher self knows is in alignment with your greater purpose {spoiler: it knows alllllll the things}. You can use a pendulum to assess your energy flow, determine simple next steps or decisions, identify imbalances, sensitivities, and allergies, and tailor energy techniques and other wellness protocols.

Even pendulums made of the fanciest of crystals and gemstones won’t really make you more intuitive {unless you believe without a shadow of a doubt that it will}. They honestly work no better than one you can make by tying a string around a rock or bead. The pendulum is an extension of your intuition, not a replacement.

Here’s how to get started.

Beginner’s mind is essential

to approaching any question you ask, because your bias will be reflected by the pendulum. If you can’t ask a question from a neutral, curious, and open place, it’s not the right question to ask at that moment. Re-test from time-to-time, since energy is dynamic and always in flux. You may have different results on different days. Answers reflect only what’s true in the moment you’ve asked.

Also, be sure you’re well-hydrated when using your pendulum. Water conducts electricity/energy, so dehydration will negatively affect pendulum use. Ensure that you are grounded and present when you begin.

You may be seated or standing, but ground your feet to the floor or earth. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and focus your intention. Hold your pendulum in your dominant hand, so that the weight stone is hovering an inch or two above the center of the palm of the non-dominant hand. You’ll hold as steady as possible so that neither hand causes the pendulum to sway or move. A little mild shaking is not usually a problem.

Check out Deepak Chopra showing Oprah Winfrey how to hold and use a pendulum made from string and a washer.

establish your “yes/no” response

by asking {out loud is great!} “Show me a yes.” Your pendulum will begin to move in a predictable pattern. Once you feel the pattern is clearly established you can then ask, “Show me a no,” and observe as the pendulum’s movement reverses. For me, a yes is reflected by a counter clock-wise circular swing and a no is communicated by a clock-wise swing. Your signal may be different- you may observe more of a side-to-side or front-to-back swing than the circular movement I see.

You can then test the response by making a simple yes/no statement, such as, “My name is ___(insert your name)___.” Your pendulum will swing in your established “yes” pattern. Then test the negative pattern by saying “My name is ___(insert NOT your name)___.”

At first, your pendulum’s movement will seem tentative. With practice, movement will be more pronounced and clear. Later, when you’re more confident using a pendulum, you may notice occasionally that a swing goes back to looking almost timid, with an unclear answer. That’s a “yo” response {not quite a yes or a no} and may be interpreted as “I don’t know,” “I can’t say,” or “This question is not appropriate or clear enough.” Try re-stating your question for a clearer response.

You won’t need to establish your response pattern each time you use your pendulum. Once you’re confident of the yes/no signals, your speed and accuracy will improve dramatically. Expect to practice in 10-15 minute segments several times before you reach this state.

As you become more and more familiar with the process, you can expand your questions. Questions must be very simple and specific in phrasing. Concentrate on your question, ensuring that you are detached about the answer without thinking about what you’d prefer the answer to be. If “yo” responses continue, it’s likely some work in clearing biases and limiting beliefs is needed.

Examples of useful questions:

• Is this food a healthy choice for me at this time?

• Is it in my best interest to register for this course today?

• Is now a good time to make this important phone call?

• Is the energy in my liver meridian blocked right now?

Once you’ve mastered using a pendulum you might want to try one of the many forms of muscle testing, or applied kinesiology, to step yourself closer to building intuitive trust internally instead of externally- in other words, to ensure you’re trusting yourself and not the pendulum. Once your trust muscle is strong, you’ll find you eventually won’t need props at all and your intuition is easily accessed and trusted.

No one is truly more or less intuitive than you are. But they just might be more practiced at using their intuition and trusting it. Establish an intuitive practice like using a pendulum regularly and you’ll be well on your way to creating a new relationship with your inner knowing.