Commercially made pendulums are readily available at bookstores and New Age shops. They are available in every conceivable shape and size. I have a huge collection of pendulums, as my family frequently buy me ornamental type pendulums for birthdays and Christmases. They all work well.

I must admit, though, that my favorite pendulum is a commercially made one known as a Mermet pendulum. Abbé Mermet was a French priest who performed miracles with his pendulum. From Geneva, he was able to locate water in South America, and find missing people and animals anywhere in the world. He even helped with archaeological researches in Rome. The Vatican ultimately recognized him for his remarkable ability with the pendulum.

Choosing a Pendulum

The right pendulum for you is anything that looks attractive and is comfortable to hold and use. Ideally, the pendulum should weigh approximately three ounces and be roundish in shape, preferably moving down to a point at the bottom. When you start looking for a pendulum, you will be amazed at the variety of items that could be used in this way. A plumb bob from a hardware store works well. A button attached to a piece of thread makes a good pendulum. So does a piece of crystal attached to a chain. Lead crystal works well, but many people prefer quartz crystal because of the natural energies they provide. A crystal pendant that you can wear as jewelry makes a good choice, as you have it available for use at any time. Crystal pendulums are particularly good for healing work.

Some of the commercially made pendulums have a hollow compartment inside them. They are called "sample pendulums." The idea of these is to place a small sample of whatever it is you are searching for inside the compartment before starting to dowse. If you are searching for water, you can insert a few drops of water into this compartment. Insert oil if looking for oil, and gold when searching for gold. The Mermet pendulum has one of these compartments. The hollow compartment is not essential, but can be useful at times (see examples, Figure 1A below).

Almost anything will serve as a pendulum, but it is a good idea to have a special instrument that you use only for dowsing or magical work. At different times I have used car keys, jewelry and anything that could be suspended from a chain or thread. However, whenever possible, I prefer to use one of my special pendulums, because they are familiar, comfortable and easy to use.

Whenever choosing a pendulum for myself, I hold it and ask: "Is this pendulum in harmony with me?" If I receive a positive response, I will buy it.

Making Your Own Pendulum

Many people prefer to work with a pendulum that they have made themselves. There is a lot to be said for this, as part of your energies naturally go into anything you design or make.

Take your time and choose the materials carefully. You might prefer a natural material, such as wood or crystal. One member of a dowsing society I belong to has a beautiful pendulum that she made out of a seashell. You might like to carve a pendulum out of lucite, or search for a small attractive object that is the right weight and shape for you. You might choose a fishing sinker or a cotton reel. Some people look for something strange and exotic; others simply want something functional that will do the job. Aesthetically, all that really matters is that the weight you choose is pleasing to look at, or has some personal meaning to you.

You need to be careful with metal weights. This is because metals usually act as conductors, and this can affect the readings you obtain when using them. Copper and aluminum do not make good pendulums. If possible, choose a material that is not a conductor, such as wood, glass or plastic.

The weight should ideally be symmetrical. This makes for good balance, which makes the pendulum more sensitive and easier to use. Round, spherical, and cylindrical shapes are the best.

Once you have chosen the weight, you need to choose something to suspend it from. Cotton or silk thread, string, cord, hair, and jewelry chains are the most commonly used items. I have also seen pendulums suspended from a leather thong, macramé, and braided plastic. Thread, string and cord have the advantage of being easily replaced when necessary. All that matters is that the weight hangs freely, and that the cord does not impede the movement of the pendulum. Attach the cord to your weight, and you are ready to start.

You might want to buy or make a small bag to keep your pendulum in. This makes it easier to carry around and there is less risk of the cord or chain becoming tangled. A pendulum that is protected in this way is also less likely to pick up negative energies. If you make your own pendulum, you might want to make a bag to carry it in as well. Alternatively, suitable bags are readily available at New Age stores in a variety of materials and colors.

How to Operate a Pendulum

It is usually best to start working with a pendulum on your own. Unless you have friends with similar aims and interests as you, you will find the presence of other people distracting when you first start. You will progress more quickly when you practice on your own. There will be plenty of time to demonstrate your new skill to others after you have used your pendulum for a few weeks, and become comfortable with it.

Most people prefer to use a pendulum using the same hand that they write with. Practice with both hands, but start your experiments with your right hand, if you are right-handed, and your left if you are left-handed.

If you are sitting down, rest your elbow on a table and hold the thread or chain of your pendulum between your thumb and first finger, using the least amount of pressure possible. Your elbow should be the only part of your body in direct contact with the table. Make sure that your stomach or other hand is not inadvertently touching the table. The palm of your hand should be facing downward, and the pendulum should be hanging about a foot in front of you. If you are standing, the best position is to have an angle of ninety degrees at the elbow, so that your forearm is parallel to the ground.

Make sure that your hands and legs are uncrossed. If you subconsciously protect yourself in thisway, you will effectively close off the pendulum, and it will not work in the way it should. You can prove this for yourself once you have become used to the pendulum. Hold the pendulum in front of you and allow it to swing in the positive movement. While it is swinging, cross your legs or bring your feet together. You will find that the pendulum will stop moving.

Swing the pendulum gently back and forth to become familiar with the movement. Allow the pendulum to swing in different directions. Deliberately swing the pendulum in gentle circles. You might like to experiment with this while holding the thread at different lengths to see if the pendulum moves more readily for you when held at a particular position. Most people find the best length of thread is between four and five inches. Experiment, though, as you may find a shorter or longer length works better for you. A friend of mine has to stand to use his pendulum, because the cord attached to his pendulum is four feet long. (It is a good idea to tie a knot, or otherwise mark, the chain or string at the length that feels best for you.)

Once you have become used to the feel of the pendulum, stop the movements of the weight with your free hand. When the pendulum is still, ask it which movement indicates a positive, or ¿yes¿ response. It makes no difference if you think the question in your mind or say it aloud. Many people find that the pendulum will immediately respond and provide the answer. However, if you have never used a pendulum before, it might take time before it moves. Be patient. It will probably move only slightly at first, but if you keep on thinking ¿yes,¿ it will start moving more and more strongly.

Ultimately, it makes no difference if your first experiment succeeds in five seconds, takes half an hour or even a week. Once you become used to using it, the answers will come almost as soon as you suspend your pendulum. Over the years, I have shown many people how to use a pendulum. When people have difficulty I find it helpful to have them stare at the weight and imagine it moving to and fro. For some reason, the pendulum almost always starts to move.

Another method that works well with people who find it hard to get started, is to have someone who is proficient with the pendulum gently rest a hand on the person¿s shoulder (the right shoulder when the person is holding the pendulum in his or her right hand). This simple action invariably causes the pendulum to start moving. If there is no one available to help you in this way put the pendulum down for a few minutes, and then try again.

In my experience, everyone is capable of using the pendulum. Consequently, there is no need to worry how much time it takes to get your pendulum moving. You do not need to be specially gifted or be the seventh son of a seventh son. The pendulum will start working more quickly in the hands of someone who is open, imaginative, and receptive to new ideas, than it will when held by someone who is logical, methodical, and precise. However, with practice, and a willingness to suspend disbelief, anyone can become proficient at using the pendulum.

Practice for five minutes at a time until the pendulum starts to respond. Once it has responded once, you will never have problems of that sort again.

Your pendulum will move in one of four ways: it may move backward and forward, from side to side, or swing in a circle, either clockwise or counterclockwise.

Make a note of the response that indicates a ¿yes¿ answer for you. Then ask what response indicates ¿no,¿ ¿I don¿t know¿ and ¿I don¿t want to answer.¿

These responses will probably remain the same for the rest of your life. However, it pays to check them every now and again. I have known several people who have experienced changes in the responses of their pendulums. The best time to check the responses is whenever you have not used the pendulum for a while. If you are using it almost every day, the responses will stay the same. However, if you put it away for a month or two, you should confirm that the responses are the same, just in case they have changed.

Now you are ready to ask your pendulum any questions that can be answered with the four possible responses.

Start by asking questions that you already know the answers for. You might ask: "Am I male?" If you are, the pendulum should answer "yes." Obviously, the answer would be ¿no¿ if you are female. You can ask similar questions about your name, age, marital status, number of children, and so on.

The purpose of this is to get used to the movements of the pendulum, and to demonstrate the validity of the answers it provides. You will find that it makes no difference if you think the questions in your head or ask them out loud. The only times I ask questions aloud are when I am with a client and want them to follow what is going on. A friend of mine was embarrassed one day in a bookstore when he held his pendulum over a book and asked out loud if he should buy it. He suddenly realized that several people were also watching his pendulum to see what the answer would be.

Once the pendulum has confirmed the questions that you know the answers to, you can start to ask it questions that you would like to know the answers to. The pendulum is able to answer these because it can tap your subconscious mind for the answers, and then bring them back to your conscious mind. Your conscious mind knows a reasonable amount, but your powerful subconscious mind contains much, much more information. You could compare your mind to an iceberg. The conscious mind is the small part above water, and your subconscious is the much larger portion that is hidden from view.

Be careful with your questions initially. This is because it is possible to override the movements of the pendulum with your will. Let us assume, for example, that you are asking about the sex of an unborn baby. If you secretly hope that it will be a girl, the pendulum will reflect your innermost desires and tell you that the baby will be a girl, even if that is not the case.

Another example I remember is an acquaintance who asked his pendulum who was going to win the presidential election in 1996. He had been a lifelong Republican, and the pendulum gave him an answer that pleased him at the time. However, it ultimately proved to be wrong, as Bill Clinton was re-elected. The pendulum was responding to his deep, strong desire for a Republican victory.

Consequently, if you have an emotional involvement in the outcome, it is better to ask someone who has no interest in the outcome to hold the pendulum for you.

It is a simple matter to demonstrate how you can influence the movements of your pendulum using the power of your mind. Suspend your pendulum and hold it still with your free hand. When it is motionless, remove your hand, and ask the pendulum to move in aparticular direction. You will find that after a few seconds the pendulum will move in the direction that you are thinking about. Now, think about a different direction, and you will find that the pendulum will follow your thoughts and move in the new direction.

Wishful thinking can also override the pendulum. If you ask: "Am I God¿s gift to women?" the pendulum may give an honest answer (which would be either "yes" or "no"). Alternatively, it might give you a mischievous answer ("I don¿t know" or "I don¿t want to answer"), or the answer that you secretly want it to give. Bear this in mind whenever you use the pendulum to answer questions.

The pendulum is not a plaything and should not be used to ask flippant questions. If you ask serious questions, you will invariably receive honest and correct answers. If you use it as a toy, you will receive the answers that you deserve.

The Coué Pendulum Test

Emile Coué was a French psychologist in the first part of the twentieth century. He became famous when he began encouraging people to use the affirmation: "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." These simple words helped many people, and when Coué visited New York thousands of people were waiting on the docks to welcome him.

He devised this simple test with the pendulum to demonstrate concentration.

You will need a circle, approximately six inches in diameter, divided into quarters by two lines that form a cross (see Figure 1B, following page).

Suspend the pendulum over the center of the cross and notice that the pendulum will move to follow one of the two lines. Watch it swing, and notice that the strength of the movement will increase.

Then, imagine the pendulum slowing down until it stops and then starting to move again, this time following the other straight line.

If you like, you can repeat this experiment with your eyes closed. You will find that this makes no difference to the result. When you open your eyes again, the pendulum will be moving in the direction you visualized. As well as being a test in concentration, this experiment also shows the power that you have over the pendulum. You can will it to move in any direction you wish. There is no need to help the movement with your hand. Your mind is perfectly capable of doing it on its own.

Another experiment that gives the same result is to close your eyes while holding the pendulum. Mentally tell it to move in a clockwise direction. Wait fifteen seconds and open your eyes. You will find that the pendulum is moving in a clockwise direction. Stop the movement and close your eyes again. This time ask it to move in another direction, perhaps counterclockwise or swinging from side to side. Again, when you open your eyes, you will see that the pendulum has followed your silent command, even though consciously you did nothing to make the pendulum move.

How to Ask Questions

Many people have a tendency to ask questions that are impossible for the pendulum to answer with its limited range of responses. For example, the pendulum would not be able to respond to: "Should I spend my summer vacation in New Orleans or San Francisco?" In this instance, you should ask the question twice, once for each city. In fact, you could enlarge on the question by asking, "Would I have an enjoyable time if I went to New Orleans for my summer vacation?" Naturally,you would then have to ask the same question about San Francisco.

You may receive a positive response to both locations. If this happens, you could then ask,"¿Would I have a better time in New Orleans than I would have in San Francisco?" No matter what the answer was, it would be a good idea to confirm the answer by asking the same question with the cities reversed to see what the response is.

Focus on your question while holding the pendulum. Repeat it over and over again in your mind. If any other thoughts come into your mind, dismiss them and return to your question. This is because the pendulum may answer one of your passing thoughts, rather than the important matter you are concentrating on.

Questions about work and career are common, and the pendulum can be extremely useful in determining the best path to follow. You can save time here by asking questions that include the words "instead of," "in preference to" or "¿rather than." Here is an example: "Should I return to college and complete my degree rather than carrying on with my current employment?" If the answer is positive, you will know what to do. If the answer is negative, you can reverse the question and ask it again: "Should I stay working at XYZ Corporation in preference to returning to college to complete my degree?"

Usually, it is best to ask a series of simple questions, rather than trying to formulate one complicated question that will answer everything with a single movement of the pendulum. In practice, you will receive a clearer answer this way, and the time difference involved will be negligible.

Sometimes you will receive the "I don¿t want to answer" message. When this happens, look at the way in which you asked the question. See if you can ask it again in a different form. You may find that you receive an answer by turning the original question into two or three simpler questions that ultimately answer your original question.

More Questions

You can use the pendulum in a number of different ways. Something I find fascinating is to ask the pendulum questions about my earliest childhood. My pendulum is able to tell me all sorts of things that I had long forgotten. By doing this I was able to discover what my first words were, how old I was when I took my first steps, and a variety of other information. If your parents are still alive you can ask them to confirm the pendulum¿s answers. It is fun to ask the pendulum questions of this sort, and your faith in the power of the pendulum will increase as soon as the answers you receive have been verified by others.

You can also ask your pendulum personal questions about yourself. "Am I afraid to reveal my innermost feelings?" "Am I a good person?" Naturally, you need to evaluate any answers that your pendulum gives to personal questions. As you know, your own needs and desires can overrule the movements of the pendulum. Consequently, you may get the answer you want to receive, rather than an honest response.

It can be interesting to ask the pendulum questions about other people in your life. Not long ago, distant relatives of mine had a vacation in our city. Before they came to visit, I asked the pendulum several questions about them, including their likes and dislikes. They were impressed when I was able to hand round cups of tea, already knowing who liked black tea and who preferred white.

Several months ago, a friendofmine was recuperating from an illness. He and I went away for a few days to give his family a break. Before leaving on the trip, I used my pendulum to discover what movie he would like to see while we were away, and what particular tourist attractions would most interest him.

If my wife and I want to go to a movie and have no idea which one we should see, I ask my pendulum. I usually suspend it over the advertisements in the daily paper, although I sometimes simply ask it questions about each film.

Experiments like these are not earth shattering, but they help to make life smoother and more interesting. The more you use the pendulum, the more uses you will find for it.

Asking Questions about the Future

There is no reason why you should not ask your pendulum questions about the future. However, if you ask questions about yourself, the pendulum is likely to give you the answers that you desire. These may, or may not, be correct.

For instance, you may want to know what the weather will be like on Thursday. Ask your pendulum if the day will be fine. Once you have determined this, you can ask further questions about the temperature, how cloudy or sunny the day will be, and so on.

Once you start using the pendulum, friends will want you to use it to predict the outcome of certain events, such as gambling. In my experience, the pendulum does not like to be asked questions of this nature, and will either decline to answer or else give you misleading or incorrect information.

Someone I know used the pendulum to try to pick the winners of horse races. It worked well initially, and he began placing larger and larger bets. Unfortunately for him, the pendulum began giving incorrect information and he lost the money that he had made. He finally realized what was going on, and stopped betting on horse races. In the end, he found himself in the exact same situation he had been in before starting to gamble.

When Should I Use the Pendulum?

There is no right or wrong time in which to use the pendulum. It is a tool that is ready for you to use whenever the need or desire arises. I usually carry a pendulum with me everywhere I go, but may not use it for weeks on end. Then I may consult it three times in a single day.

I know people who ask their pendulums questions about absolutely everything that is going on in their lives. These people must use their pendulums several times each day. I also know people who set aside time every week to ask their pendulums questions about the next seven days. I prefer to use my pendulum only when I feel the need.

Consequently, you can use your pendulum whenever you wish. Many people use their pendulums a great deal when they first become interested in the subject, and gradually use them less and less, until they are consulting them only on important matters that are going on in their lives. Others consult them all the time. It makes no difference how often you use your pendulum. It is a tool to be used, and you should use it whenever it feels right for you.

How Does It Work?

For at least two hundred years people have known that unconscious, involuntary movements of the hand holding the pendulum cause the pendulum to move. The subconscious mind of the person holding the pendulum causes the muscles to react unconsciously. This is known as an ideomotor response (ideomeans "ideal" and motor means "movement"). The pendulum amplifies responses that would otherwise be too small to be noticed. Consequently, the answers are coming from inside you.

Michel-Eugène Chevreul spent twenty years studying the pendulum, and one of his experiments proved this. He supported the arm on a block of wood at different places between the shoulder and the hand. He found that the movements of the pendulum decreased as the block of wood came closer to the hand. The movements of the pendulum stopped completely when the fingers that were holding the pendulum rested on the piece of wood.

However, Chevreul also noticed that he entered a different state of awareness while using the pendulum and came to the conclusion that there was a definite relationship between his thoughts and the movements of the pendulum. Chevreul¿s influence on the subject was such, that even today, some people call the pendulum "Chevreul¿s pendulum."

The pendulum gives us access to our subconscious minds. It could be said that it is an extension of our central nervous system. Consequently, it is not the pendulum that is providing you with information. The information is coming from your subconscious mind, and is being communicated through your nervous system. The pendulum is amplifying the messages from your nervous system.

A criticism that is sometimes made is that if we can influence the movements of the pendulum by using our minds, surely any information provided must be suspect. In fact, the opposite is the case. The pendulum enables us to tap into our subconscious minds whenever we wish. The subconscious mind can access the universal mind that knows the answers to everything. This is why we sometimes go to bed at night with a problem and wake up in the morning with the answer. While we were asleep, our subconscious mind asked the universal mind for the answer, and faithfully passed it on to us when we woke up. We do much the same thing when we are using a pendulum. The pendulum accesses our subconscious minds, which in turn taps into the universal mind, and the pendulum gives us the answer.

Consequently, we can ask the pendulum any question at all, and receive an answer from the universal mind. The best results occur when there is a genuine need for the answer. Your questions need not concern matters of life and death, but they should relate to matters that are important to you.

You can develop your skills with the pendulum by practicing experiments that may sometimes appear flippant or lighthearted. However, in practice, you are more likely to be successful in finding your lost car keys than in determining which of seven coins a friend touched. The pendulum will provide the answers to both questions, but will invariably perform better in answering serious, important questions.

Mastering the Pendulum

The pendulum is deceptively easy to use. However, you will need to practice with it as much as you can to become an expert. As with anything else, the more you practice, the more proficient you will get. You are bound to make mistakes when you first start using the pendulum, but these will become fewer as you progress.

You will move ahead more quickly if you follow a few rules:

Never use the pendulum frivolously. If you can make the decision yourself, without using your pendulum, leave it in its bag.

Do not ask the same question twice at the samesession. This implies doubt. You must trust the answers your pendulum gives you.

Never ¿show off¿ your abilities with the pendulum.

Ask someone else to work the pendulum if you are emotionally involved in the outcome.

Use the pendulum for good purposes only.

As well as this, do not let other people use your pendulum. Your pendulum becomes attuned to you, and you do not want other people¿s energies interfering with this. I have a selection of pendulums that I let other people use, but I also have several that I do not allow anyone else to touch. Keep your pendulum in its pouch or bag when you are not using it, and keep it close to you. This protects it and keeps it away from potentially harmful energies.

If you do this, you will progress quickly and smoothly. You will find that using the pendulum will make you more sensitive, aware, and intuitive in every area of your life. As this occurs, your skill with the pendulum will multiply.