Some Random Thoughts On Pendulums

"I know very well that many scientists consider dowsing as a type of ancient superstition. According to my conviction this is, however, unjustified. The dowsing rod is a simple instrument which shows the reaction of the human nervous system to certain factors which are unknown to us at this time."

- Albert Einstein

For years, pendulums just told me what I wanted to hear. What finally solved that issue for me was getting a heavier one that I can't subconsciously "push."

While I do have a couple of pendulum charts, I seldom if ever use them. A pendulum is a very simple, direct instrument and I find it best not to impose unnecessary complications. I like to keep it to answers like "yes," "no," "maybe," and "rephrase."

I don't buy into new age/wellness schools of thought with "programming", Ascended Masters and their ilk, elaborate cleansings, or rituals. I just ask questions and wait for it to move. I do keep a camphor tablet in the box with it, it seems to keep it honest. Andy once said that impressions of past card readings seem to (at times) cast a shadow over a later reading. He called it "shades." I've noticed that I do have to swap decks out from time to time, as do most readers I've talked to, so it makes sense. He noticed the same thing with the crystal sphere. There's no reason that the pendulum would be an exception. The camphor tablet works, the pendulum works, and that's good enough.

Mine seems to work best for questions that directly affect me. I seldom use it for client readings.

The best bit of advice I've seen was posted by Cat Yronwode on her Lucky Mojo forum: "What a pendulum can do very well, and better than many other forms of divination, is to determine things in the present at a distance, to locate hidden or lost things and people, and to uncover hidden emotions."

It's good for cross-checking card readings. If the cards seem to be saying that grandma's ring is in a low, shadowy spot in a room on the east side of the house, and you think it may have fallen behind the dresser, the quickest, easiest way to verify that is to consult the pendulum. Much easier than moving furniture only to find out that the ring is somewhere else.

I got mine from Stan Slater in Austin, Texas. He does excellent work. He makes some lovely pens, too!

https://www.pendulumandpenink.com/shop2.htm

Miss Cat has compiled a list of publications on dowsing here. Enjoy!

https://yronwode.org/dowsing-divining-rod-water-witching-pendulum-divination-bibliography.html

 

A "To Go" Bag

 

I've been away for awhile. There's really not much to say here as far as explaining how to do things, since the content always gets stolen and I have better things to do than sending out takedown notices. But I guess it's fairly safe to share this idea. It's a to go bag.

The idea is to get one of those big Tarot bags and fill it with small things. This one has a mini Lenormand, Chronata's Hallowstones, a good pendulum that I can't subconsciously force to tell me what I want to hear, three bone dice, my casting stones, a scrap of shearling for casting, and some small runes. I might add the Mercury Chain and a small crystal ball at some point, but I need to make bags for those. Maybe I'll add some small Tarot Majors, too.

Everything is kept separately in smaller bags, not jumbled together.

The Lenormand is a Fromann & Bunte mini, available here: https://gameofhopelenormand.bigcartel.com/product/minis-are-here

I like mini Lenormands. They make laying a Grand Tableau much less problematic when you're short on space.

The pendulum was made by a guy named Stan who sells them at the link below. It's the first one I've owned that I couldn't force. Its snakewood and excellent quality, not like those cheaply made yet overpriced ones that are flooding the market.

http://www.pendulumandpenink.com/shop2.htm

 

The Hallowstones are similar to Crowstones. Like Crowstones, they have a deceptively naive, folk-arty look but they're actually very incisive. They're a Halloween-themed set that Robyn was offering a few years ago. They're not currently available, but she's always got something interesting there.
https://tarotgoodies.webs.com/apps/webstore/

The runes are a little opalite glass set I found on etsy.  (I found the dice there, too, as well as the red pouch.) They're small enough to fit easily into one of those little deerskin pouches.

And the rocks are just a personal collection. I'd recommend everyone to put something together. Rocks, coins, dice, bones, whatever. There's lots of ideas in this little book:

https://www.luckymojo.com/lithomancy.html

These random object casting oracles work best when you accumulate pieces naturally. The book suggests starting with just three pieces: something to represent yourself, a yes, and a no. Cast them and see what lands closest to your piece - that's your answer. As time goes on, you'll accumulate meaningful pieces without trying. They just show up. ;) I tend to take something out when I add a new piece, but you can accumulate pieces to your hearts content. They might not fit in a to go bag after awhile, though.

And it all fits in a Tarot bag. I can just grab it on my way out the door.
(From Baba, of course! https://baba-store.com/collections/drawstring-pouches )