Swinging Pendulum

A pendulum is a swinging device often used in religious ceremonies and for divination. Pendulums are made from a weight that hangs from a rod, chain or string.  A handle or free standing support may also be attached to the upper end of the chain. This allows the pendulum to swing freely without any influence from a person holding it. This is particularly important if the pendulum is being used for purposes of divination. It is important that the swing of the pendulum is not influenced either intentionally or sub consciously.  In some cases holding the pendulum is an advantage as it is believed that a trusted diviner may use their subconscious to provide accurate answers. As with any tool used for divination, the answers given by a pendulum need to be interpreted by a skilled and trusted reader.

A pendulum is often blessed before a session in order to protect it from the influence of lower spirits. There are many ways of carrying out this blessing; the use of burning incense is common. The blessing process will often be repeated at the end of a session as well. This is to remove any influence left by spirits that may have been contacted using the pendulum.

In order for the reading to be successful the diviner must set the pendulum before the session begins. This involves a series of test questions to identify which way it is going to swing for various responses. If a reading chart is being used it can then be positioned correctly beneath the swing of the pendulum.  Once these conditions are set the diviner will usually open the session with a set of opening questions. Like the questions in the main body of the session these questions should be very clear and specific. The idea of the test questions is to see if a connection has been made. If the pendulum swings in a seemingly random fashion giving meaningless answers the reader will often choose to end the session and try again at a later time.

In the divination process a reading chart is often placed on the ground or table. The weight of the pendulum should be allowed to hang about an inch above the reading chart. The chart usually has a circle drawn on it representing the reach of the swing of the pendulum. Around the chart are written various answers to questions, including, “yes” and “no”. The chart may be more symbolic or use letters of the alphabet. If the pendulum is being held during the divination session it should be held by the handle very lightly. This is to ensure that it has total freedom of movement and is not restricted or consciously manipulated by the person holding it.