Fortune Telling – Part VII

The history of pendulum divination, or radiesthesia can be traced back over 5,000 years to the ancient Orient. The pendulum is the main instrument used for this area of divination, although wooden rods are also used (better known as dowsing). This practice became very popular in the Middle Ages and was a favored practice of divination through to the early nineteenth century. The practice lost favor after that but then there was a great renewal of interest in the twentieth century.

The pendulum is a simple tool. The basic design is a weight of some sort suspended on a fine chain or a thin silk thread.

To make your own pendulum, you'll need a crystal or other stone, jeweler’s wire, and a lightweight. Take the crystal and wrap it in a length of jeweler's wire. When you're done wrapping it, leave a loop at the top. Attach one end of the chain to the loop. The chain is usually between 10 and 14 inches long. (You can also use a ring suspended from a silk thread)

Next, you’ll want to charge your pendulum by placing it overnight in water or salt. Remember that some crystals will degrade in salt, so be sure to check before you do this. Another option is to leave the pendulum outside overnight in the moonlight.

After it’s charged, hold the chain between the thumb and forefinger and let the pendulum hang down about an inch above a flat surface. It should not touch anything; make sure your hand and arm are completely still.

Wait until the crystal or ring has stopped swinging at the end of the chain before you begin. Ask a question to which you know the answer is yes. The crystal should begin to move either side to side, back and forth or clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Whatever pattern the movement follows, make a note that this would always be your 'yes' answer. (You can verify by repeating the question, to make sure). Follow the same steps, this time asking a question to which you know the answer is NO. Again, note the movements and this should always be your own 'no' answer. Then you can start asking questions that you don't have an answer to.

If you are having any trouble discerning an answer, it may be that the question asked is too ambiguous and need rephrasing. It's also possible that the question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. Consider the wording of the questions carefully. You do not have to speak the question out loud, just focus on it as you begin.

After you have worked with your pendulum for awhile, you might want to determine more than yes and no answers. This is where things get really interesting. A variety of things can be used for pendulum divination: maps, a calendar, pictures . . .

You can put the letters of the alphabet in a semicircle on paper, and place it on the table to have the pendulum spell an answer out, much like a Ouiji board. A calendar can be used to find the accurate date for a birth by laying it on the table and suspending the pendulum in the center above it. Maps can be used in the same way for a number of questions – like finding something that has been lost.

Just remember, as with all forms of divination, to take the answers you receive with a grain of salt.