The Pendulum is a fascinating and playful tool of Divination. Should you choose to work with one, it brings to the table a potential to add a whole new level to any of your energetic, magick & metaphysical practices. But before we go any forward any further, let us first visit the Past of the Pendulum to better understand how it got to be such a traditional tool amongst the Divination Community.



Because Anthropologists, Archaeologists & Historians have long been able to identify the use of Pendulums throughout the thread of human existence on Earth, it is difficult to track down the exact place & time where they were first used. However, one of the earliest confirmed examples can be traced back to use by the Pythian Oracle of Delphi. This role of Oracle & provider of vision & prophecy was filled by many women throughout the societies timeline, traditionally being passed down to the next woman after the death of the previous Oracle occurred. Having a strong and true moral character was a huge factor in who was chosen although those who also held intellect & wisdom were also highly desired to fill the role. Whomever was chosen had to abandon all duties, familial obligations & personal concerns so that she was able to fully focus on the service of providing mystical insight for the society at large.



Some stories speak of the Oracles as though they were simply victims of influence by the hallucinogenic gases emitted from the deep chasms of the Castalian Spring, which sits just below the Sancturary where the Oracle would receive & recite her visions for others. Though using volcanic fumes for personal intoxication was a practice utilized by many of those within the Hellenic Society, there is no way to definitively state that the trance states of the Oracles were entirely due to exposure of the gases. There are many Historical stories about the Oracles that recount of them as being grounded, clear-worded individuals with acute messages and retellings of visions that held a great precision. No matter how they came to their conclusions about future happenings, the Oracles of Delphi may very well have been some of the first to use Pendulums in their myriad of foretelling practices and for that, we can thank them!



More recently in our human timeline, we can look back to the 14th & 15th Centuries when European Explorers, Mathematicians & yes, Scientists if you can believe it, used the Pendulum in their vastly different fields of study. This historical aspect of the Pendulum speaks volumes about how versatile, adaptive & helpful the use of these seemingly simple devices can be. There is truly no limit to where their revealing wisdom can be applied, so think big!



Unfortunately, the Pendulum hasn't always received positive attention and glory from the public. During the early 14th Century, Pope John XXII got wind of these tools of divination and declared that they were only being employed by 'Witches', thereby making them evil as they were then viewed to be some form of devil worship. Because the Church began pushing this narrative, Pendulums sat quietly, exiled to the back of societies Spiritual Closet for about 500 years.



After a long stint of being seen as an evil device of the devil, the reputation of the Pendulum was once again altered when a scientifically-minded man chose to study it and it's inner-workings, from an objective and calculating perspective. It was the early 1800's when French Chemist and Researcher Michel Eugène Chevreul, was studying a variety of subjects; among them was the Pendulum and how it operates. After his studies, Chevreul concluded that subconscious and involuntary muscular actions are to credit with the movements of the Pendulum.



While some may view his work as demystifying, understanding that the Pendulum only works because of how knowledgeable & powerful you already are, can be inspiring, supportive and confidence-boosting!



Pendulums today can range from a carved crystal on a chain, to a bone on a cord on, a coin on a string, a center-weighted pendant, a hanging talisman - even a pair of glasses can serve you successfully in the art of divination! There are an endless amount of designs, materials, aesthetics and vibes out there when it comes the world of Pendulums. People use them to make decisions, explore personal challenges and situations, reveal energetic disruptions, recognize Chakra imbalances, identify areas of an environment that may need cleansing, pointing out spiritual items and tools that may need grounding... the list goes on! Alternative Medicine & Metaphysical Practitioners from every field have been integrating this beautiful little tool into their own paths, both personally and professionally, with varying degrees of seriousness. There really is no limit to what the Pendulum might swing into your Life & Spiritual Practice!!