What does a pendulum mean, and how do you use a pendulum?

A pendulum is a small weight, often a crystal, hung on a chain or cord. Pendulum dowsing means holding it still, asking a yes-or-no question and watching how it swings. It is a divination practice, used by tradition as a tool for reflection, not a way to predict events.

Browse our pendulums and dowsing range for crystal pendulums, boards, cloths and kits, each with its size and stone on the page.

Divination is the practice of seeking insight through a tool, such as tarot cards, runes or a pendulum. Dowsing is the older word for searching with a hand-held tool. In the past people dowsed for water with forked sticks or rods. Today most pendulum users dowse at a table.

Why does it move? The usual scientific explanation is the ideomotor effect: tiny movements your hand makes without you noticing. William Carpenter named it in 1852. Many practitioners see the pendulum as a way to reflect on what they already feel about a question.

To start, pick a pendulum that feels good in your hand. Our Rock Quartz Crystal Pendulum (£4.49) is handmade on a chain about 170 mm long, with a gemstone bead at the end. The Amethyst Crystal Pendulum for Dowsing (£4.49) is 4 x 2 x 2 cm on a silver-plated chain of the same length. Both are natural stone, so sizes vary a little. Add one to your basket and try your first session tonight.

To use a pendulum, hold it still, set its yes and no swings, then ask clear yes-or-no questions and watch the movement. It takes no special skill.

1. Sit at a table in a quiet spot. Rest your elbow on it and hold the chain between thumb and first finger.
2. Let the pendulum hang until it is still.
3. Ask it to show you yes. Watch the swing: often a line forward and back, or a circle. Then ask it to show no. This is called calibration, and the swings can differ from person to person.
4. Test it with questions you know the answer to, such as 'Is my name Sam?'
5. Now ask your own question, one at a time, in simple words. Keep your mind open and your hand relaxed.
6. Note what you see in a journal, then reflect on it.

A light, even weight is easiest for a first try. Our Rock Quartz Sphere Dowsing Pendulum (£6.99) has a round 2 x 1 cm sphere on a silver-plated chain about 170 mm long.

Want printed answers? A pendulum board is a base printed with yes, no, maybe, letters or numbers. The Opalite Pendulum Divination Kit (£13.99) pairs an opalite pendulum with a ceramic base marked Yes, No, Maybe and Unsure. The base shows a Flower of Life design, a pattern of overlapping circles. It leaves the same working day if you order by noon, Monday to Friday.

Choose a pendulum by material, weight and shape. There is no wrong pick: the best pendulum is the one you enjoy holding and will use often.

• Crystal pendulums are cut from natural stone. Many people choose a stone for its meaning in crystal lore: amethyst is traditionally associated with calm and intuition. The Faceted Amethyst Pendulum (£13.49) is 23 x 2 cm with silver-tone fittings and a fine chain. Read more in our amethyst meaning guide.
• Copper pendulums have a warm metal finish. The Merkaba Pendulum, Amethyst and Labradorite (£17.99) is a two-piece, copper-finish design, 25 x 3 cm, with a spinning amethyst Merkaba star and a labradorite point. A Merkaba is a star shape made of two interlocking pyramids, a symbol from sacred geometry.
• Chamber pendulums have a hidden cavity inside. Some people place a tiny slip of paper with a written intention, a pinch of herb or a crystal chip in it. The Secret Cavity Clear Quartz Pendulum (£14.99) is clear quartz with a silver-plated finish, 25 x 3 cm.
• Layered pendulums stack several stones in one piece, much like chakra pendulums, which use one stone for each chakra. In yoga tradition, chakras are seven centres in a line from root to crown. See our chakra meaning guide.

A longer chain gives a slower swing, and a shorter one a quicker swing. Pick the feel you like, then add it to your basket.

Cleanse a pendulum with moonlight, sound, smoke or a quick wipe, then store it in a pouch or on a cloth. In crystal practice, cleansing is a simple ritual many people do when a pendulum first arrives and again from time to time.

• Moonlight: lay it on a windowsill overnight, often at full moon, and move it before the morning sun reaches it.
• Sound: ring a bell or singing bowl close to it for a minute.
• Smoke: pass it through the smoke of incense or a white sage bundle for a few seconds. Use a heatproof dish, open a window, keep flames away from cloth and never leave burning herbs unattended.
• Wipe: clean the stone and chain with a soft, dry cloth. Skip soaking, as water can tarnish metal fittings.

Care is simple. Store each pendulum on its own so chains don't tangle and stones don't chip. Keep coloured stones such as amethyst out of strong sun, as some fade. Keep pendulums away from young children, since the small stone and chain are not toys.

A raw stone needs only a dry brush. Our Raw Black Agate Pendulum (£7.99) has a rough-cut finish in a silver-tone spiral, 23 x 2 cm. For a soft place to rest and read, the Mystic Moth Pendulum Divination Cloth (from £2.99) is 30 x 46.5 cm cotton with fringe edges, in gold or natural. Pick yours and give your pendulum a proper home.

Pair a pendulum with a board, a cloth or a ready-made kit. Each gives the swing something to point at, so you can read more than a simple yes or no.

• Boards: hold the pendulum over the centre and note the word, letter or number it swings towards. The Astrology Wheel Pendulum Divination Kit (£13.99) has a ceramic dish with a gold-effect astrology wheel and a crystal pendant, in a gift box. An astrology wheel shows the twelve zodiac signs in a circle.
• Cloths: a printed cotton cloth folds flat and travels well. It marks out your reading space on a table or altar. An altar is a shelf or table set aside for ritual items. Ours are 30 x 46.5 cm cotton with fringe edges, in gold or natural.
• Decision makers: a metal decision maker with a spherical pendulum and six responses. Many people keep one on a desk for fun and for thinking through everyday choices. Ours leave the same working day when ordered by noon, Monday to Friday.

Many readers also use a pendulum next to tarot cards, to reflect on a card or choose between two. New to cards? Start with our tarot cards for beginners guide, and see more tools in divination.

Every order goes by tracked UK delivery with 14-day returns, and on orders over £60 we pay the first £6 of delivery. Ready to start? Browse our full pendulums and dowsing range and pick your pendulum, board or cloth today.