MOST PEOPLE KNOW what a pendulum is - it's a weight, light or heavy, hanging at the bottom of a rope or chain, like the weights you can see hanging on the ends of the chains in genuine grandfather clocks - but fewer people know what is meant by using a pendulum for the purpose of "dowsing."

What Is "Dowsing?"
Dowsing is most commonly known as a tool for finding water. You may have seen it done on television, in movies, or if you live in the country, you may have seen a "dowser" plying her or his craft in person. A person known as "the dowser" stands holding the arms of a forked tree branch in each hand until the single section of the branch starts to point down to the ground, sometimes pulling the dowser down until the branch touches the ground. At this point, the dowser usually looks up and says "There's water below me - dig your well here!" Sometimes the dowser uses two thin pieces of wire bent at right angles so they can be held lightly and allowed to swing back and forth. When they cross, water is below.

You may think that dowsing is a quaint, superstitious practice from the past, but if you ask around, you will find that many communities have a water dowser or "diviner" who is called upon when a new well is being dug or drilled. Dowsing is also used in the search for oil, for minerals and ore deposits, and in the practice of holistic healing for guidance in diagnosis and treatment. There is a long tradition of dowsers helping to find missing objects such as pets and jewelry - something that we have done quite a few times for friends - and even missing people and lost archeologica sites. Many utility companies use dowsing when searching for buried pipes and cables, and military uses of dowsing include the search for booby traps, mines and unexploded bombs.

Dowsing is an intuitive discipline. It demands that one remain both alert rationally and open intuitively. In our years of research we have determined that this is the same state of relaxed awareness that enables psychics and practitioners of tarot, astrology and other divinatory arts to make accurate predictions. The brain wave activity of dowsers when measured shows a very high degree of left and right brain integration as well as simultaneous brain wave activity at all levels. Similar results are also seen in those practicing other intuitive disciplines like ESP, reading tarot cards, or doing other kinds of energy readings such as hands-on healing and aura work. This is the optimum state of mind in which to absorb knowledge and, if you are lucky, wisdom.

Dowsing thus empowers us all in the exploration of our own inner environment as well as in our outer environment. As within, so without - as above, so below. This is the first law of the "metaphysical" (beyond the physical) approach to living your life in harmony with Nature - the outer world - and with the inner world of your true spiritual nature.

Dowsing is a unique and important tool for spiritual growth and the development of our mind/body connection. It also accelerates and guides the practitioner along her spiritual path and helps to place the seeker outwardly at the optimum spot for her in life's progression.

After many years and thousands of readings, Amy and I have come to believe beyond doubt that dowsing with your pendulum can also help you contact your fairy godmothers, godfathers, angels and guides - we all have them - who keep an eye on you and have your best interests at heart.

FORM YOUR QUESTION: What do you want to know?
For thousands of years pendulum dowsing has enabled people to bridge the gap between the analytical and intuitive sides of their being, helping farmers to find water to nourish their crops and natural healers to know which medicines and techniques to use. Practicing divination is an ancient instinct within all humans. We all need to be able to predict our future somewhat in order to feel safe and secure.

PREPARE YOURSELF TO ASK YOUR QUESTION:
Calm down. Once you have decided what you want to ask, it is important that you become completely detached from any expectations you might have about what your pendulum might tell you. You have to calm yourself down to the point that all you want from your pendulum is the truth and not just the answer that you would like to hear.

• Calming Technique 1: The best way to calm yourself is to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths and think the word "out" as you breathe out and then "in" as you breathe in.
   
• Calming Technique 2: If Calming Technique 1 doesn't work for you and you find yourself very attached to your answer or you are upset for any reason, then try this ancient technique for getting in touch with your spiritual essence.
   

  1. As you breathe slowly and calmly, realize that you are not your name, you are a soul traveling onward, and say that to yourself three times.
      
  2. Then realize that you are not what you do for a living, you are a soul traveling onward, and say that to yourself three times.
      
  3. Then realize that you are not what your senses are telling you every second, and say that to yourself three times.

If you carry your pendulum wherever you go, either by wearing it around your neck or carrying it in your purse or pocket, you will always have your magic divination tool with you when you need it. Here is how you can use it wherever and whenever you want.

1. Hold the cord or chain attached to the pendulum comfortably in your writing hand with your first two fingers and your thumb. Have the pendulum hang over the palm of your other hand, about 2" above it. Relax and close your eyes.
    
2. In your mind, connect to the enchanted world as you imagine it. When you have put your energy into your pendulum, open your eyes.
    
3. Now focus, and ask the Universe to give you your "yes" position. This will establish your personal "direction" code. It may swing clockwise or counter-clockwise, going in a circular motion to indicate your "yes" answer. Or it may go from side to side or back and forth. It can be different types of movement on different days or at different times of the same day.
    
4. When you have established a "yes" movement, still the pendulum by saying "stop" and ask for your "no." It will soon swing in its proper direction. Once again, your "no" answer can be different types of movement on different days or at different times of the same day.
    
5. Practice your pendulum technique by asking "yes" / "no" questions that you know the answer to. Experience will help you phrase your questions and fine-tune your accuracy.
    
6. Sometimes, with a very strong "yes" or "no," the pendulum will swing stronger or faster, and a weaker answer will be telling you that the answer is more "iffy." Then you can phrase your questions to get the closest answers. Practice will make this easier and easier.

Remember, always try to detach from your questions and keep a clear mind, as worry can interfere with the results.

Example:
Let's say you can't find your keys. You can consult the pendulum by asking a series of questions that will reveal your answer by the process of elimination:

• Are they in the bedroom? (yes)
• Are they in the pocket of my jacket? (no)
• Are they in my handbag? (no)
• Are they next to the bed? (yes)
• Are they under something? (yes)
• Are they under the bed? (yes)

Once you have established your "yes" and "no" directions, you can ask any sort of "yes" or "no" question you can think of.

Examples of yes and no questions:

1. Is ________ good for me?
2. Did I leave my bag in the car?
3. Is this vitamin good for me?
4. Shall I look for a new place to live?
5. Will I have a good time if I go out with Joe?
6. Is my friend trustworthy?
7. Is this fruit or vegetable ripe? (suspend your pendulum over the fruit or vegetable in question)
8. Should I hire this person? (Would I enjoy this _______? (suspend your pendulum over the object in question)

If possible, write down the answers you receive. If you are alone, either write them down yourself or, if you don't want to break the flow of your pendulum session, try your best to remember them.

Where Do the Answers Come From?
Amy and I believe that we all possess a truth deep within us that can perceive energy and communicate with our higher mind - it is called our intuition. The pendulum is a tool that helps to access the intuitive ability that everyone has. Everyday we all have to make inquiries about the subject of our decisions. Using a divination tool such as a pendulum can help our Higher Self communicate with the benevolent spirits around us to provide information that will enable us to know the true nature of our situation.

When you use your pendulum, you are taking part in an ancient ritual that is said to be a communication between many levels - our conscious awareness, our subconscious, our dream selves, fairy guides, people and spirit guides from other times and places, and other levels of reality.

If you have a problem obtaining an answer:
You may occasionally be disappointed in your ability to use your pendulum - it happens to the best dowsers - and this could be due to a number of factors. Take your time and relax - the Fairies don't want to be rushed and neither should you. If you are under pressure, your tenseness may interfere with your pendulum results. It is very important that you remain calm, unattached to the answer you are going to get, and in a relaxed but aware mental state to attain the best results.

Also, fatigue will create false movements, so try to do your pendulum work at a time when you are not hurried, nervous, inebriated or distracted. Practice when you are fresh and alert, not too tired, as this will also affect the outcome of your answers.

Your hopes and expectations may be reflected in the pendulum movements, as well as your beliefs about the world and universe. This is fine as long as you are unattached to the answer that you are going to receive. If you are not, you may find yourself forcing your pendulum to go a particular way.

The pendulum can also bring up many things from your subconscious, which helps us to consider our choices and issues. However, if you are afraid of the dowsing process, perhaps because you think it is similar to the silly, made-up horror movies and television shows that have, unfortunately, become poor substitutes for fairy tales and their life lessons, then you may find yourself receiving answers that cause you to feel afraid.

If you find that the pendulum does not move well for you, be patient with yourself and your guides, and have faith. It takes most people a little while before they get the hang of it. I must confess that I was one of those people, but now it is second nature to me.

There are no rules as to exactly how and why dowsing and pendulums work, but they do, and dowsing with your pendulum is a very rewarding and positive skill to use and refine. Practice makes perfect, so practice whenever you want to make contact with the spiritual energies who guide you on your life path.

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Amy Zerner and Monte Farber are the world's foremost designers of interactive personal guidance systems with over two million copies of their tarot, astrology, alchemy, Goddess, love, psychic, and shamanism divination systems in print in twelve languages.

For nearly 30 years, internationally known self-help author Monte Farber and artist Amy Zerner have combined their deep love for one another with the work of inner-exploration and self-discovery. Their bestselling titles include: The Chakra Meditation Kit, The Tarot Discovery Kit, Astrology Gems, The Animal Powers Meditation Kit, True Love Tarot, Wish Upon a Star, The Enchanted Tarot, The Instant Tarot Reader, The Psychic Circle, Karma Cards, Secrets of the Fortune Bell, The Enchanted Spellboard, Little Reminders: The Law Of Attraction, The Breathe Easy Deck, The Healing Deck, and Goddess, Guide Me.

Visit their award-winning Website: www.TheEnchantedWorld.com.