Want to learn how to use a pendulum for guidance? This article will cover all the basics to get you connected with your pendulum and get started with obtaining guidance from the way its vibration reacts to yours. So grab your pendulum (or go buy one if you don’t already have one) and let’s begin.
Cleansing Your Pendulum
When you get a new pendulum, your first instinct may be to use it immediately. Before using, you will want to cleanse the energy attached to it. Keep in mind that it will have remnants of energy from everyone that has handled it. Cleansing it of this remnant energy is will allow you to connect your own energy more easily.
Here are a few easy methods of cleaning and resetting the pendulum’s energy.
Place in the moonlight overnight (best in a full moon)
Place in the Sunlight for several hours
Put in Salt (sea salt is best) for a few hours
Say a prayer. Set the intention to remove the energy and simply ask it to be cleansed.
Wash with Soap and water
Center Your Energy
Once the energy of your pendulum has been cleared, it is time for you to center your own energy. Clear your thoughts and set the intention to connect with this divination tool. Sit quietly with your spirit for a few minutes. This will get you centered and ready to connect.

Connect to the Energy of the Pendulum
Now that you and your swinging divination tool are energetically reset, you are ready to connect. Hold it close to your heart. Set your intention to connect with its energy and then recite a prayer, such as this one.
“May this pendulum and I be as one. Connected with light, love, and clarity to reveal truth and guidance. With gratitude, I invite my guides, angels, and ancestors to bless this connection.”
Learn What “YES” and “NO” are

Once cleared and connected, you can ask your pendulum how it indicates “yes” and “no”. To do this, hold the end of the chain and allow it to hang. Hold your free hand (palm up) just under the tip of the pendulum. Once it has become still, ask it to show you it’s “yes”. Within a few seconds, you will notice the pendulum beginning to swing. Note the swinging motion as the indication of “yes”.
Bring it back to stillness and repeat this process to learn what “no” is. You should notice a different swinging motion to indicate a “no” response. Take note of both responses and use them as answers to your questions.
Ask the Pendulum Questions
It’s time to get some answers! You can begin posing questions to your pendulum. As you ask the questions, the energy of your higher self will guide it to provide you with the right answers.
The query should always answerable with a “yes or no.” Start by asking a question that you know the answer to, such as, “is my name _______?” Another example would be, “do I like dogs?” Getting accurate responses to these types of questions will allow you to start building confidence in the accuracy of the pendulum.
As you need clarity on a day to day basis, pose your yes/no questions to the pendulum for guidance. I recommend only using the pendulum to answer questions that you are really struggling with. Be careful not to become dependent on it to guide too often. This divination tool is not meant to substitute your own judgement and intuition.
Keep an Open Mind
At the end of the day, this swinging divination tool is just an extension of your own spiritual energy. If you keep your energy open and willing to accept any answer that comes forward, your pendulum will provide accurate answers to help guide you. Trust the connection and open yourself to the clarity within.