How to Use a Pendulum When You Can’t Make a Decision

You're standing in your kitchen at midnight, the refrigerator door open, staring at a jar of almond butter and a pack of cheese and thinking, Why is this so hard? You can’t pick a show to watch on the weekend. You haven’t decided which job offer to take. You’re still wondering if that text should be sent. The thing is, sometimes it's hard to make a decision, especially when you feel broken.

The pendulum is an option. This is a simple tool to help you bypass mental static. This weighted object swinging on a string is a way to tune into your intuition. Of course, the best way to use this tool is to contact an experienced psychic who has done it a million times and has positive reviews. Although if you are not ready yet, you can try to do it yourself. Here’s how to use a pendulum when you can’t make a decision and surprise yourself by taking charge of your clarity.

Make Or Buy Your Pendulum

A dangling earring on a thread or a spoon on a string works. The point is to hold something that can swing.

If you're buying one, start small: find a crystal pendulum that fits your hand rather than a full-sized metal one that feels like it’s steering you. If it feels awkward, you’ll tense up, and the experiment of how to use a crystal pendulum ends before it begins. So, choose a light and comfortable pendulum, one that feels like yours.

Meditate and Center Yourself

Now you’re holding this little weight. Before you know how to use a pendulum for the first time, do something else: take three deliberate breaths. Inhale like you're gathering whatever calm you can muster. Exhale like you're releasing every stray thought or unreturned texts.

What you're aiming for is presence. This step is mindfulness. You're letting your nervous system drop out of overthinking mode.

Define “Yes,” “No,” and “Maybe”

Hold the pendulum steady in front of you. Ask it, “Show me yes.” The thing will probably rotate or swing. Notice the direction. Now ask it, “Show me no.” See how that swing changes. Then try “maybe” or “I don’t know.”

These movements are micro-responses from your body—tremors so subtle you won’t notice them unless you're paying attention. But your subconscious is already nudging. If you skip this step, you run the risk of imagining the swings instead of noticing them.

Ask Very Simple Questions

Please, don’t ask, “Should I marry him?” You ask, “Is marrying John something I want?” Instead of “Will I be successful if I change careers?” ask “Is choosing this career more aligned with how I feel right now?”

Choose short, direct, and emotionally neutral questions. Don't do rambling monologues.

Don’t Try to Manipulate It

Once you ask your question, steady the pendulum and wait. It might swing immediately. Or it might take 30 seconds. Or it might go “I don’t know.” That’s okay. Silence doesn’t mean wrong.

Resist the urge to influence it with your thoughts. Don’t say, Come on, please say yes. Instead, say, Thank you for showing me what I need.

Interpret Answers

“Oh god, it said no. Now what?”

If the pendulum denies your question, don't panic. You just got feedback, and this feedback is information, not a final verdict.

Starting with the general, then narrow in. For example, you ask, “Should I sign up for that class today?” and it swings “no.” Great. Ask: “Is now too soon?” Maybe it says yes, so try noon. Or ask: “Should I stick with this intention?” If yes, it wasn’t the class that was wrong: it was the timing.

Use These Bonus Tips

You need practice. Notice when the answer surprises you, and whether it aligns with what makes you feel lighter or heavier inside. Also, use these tips:

• Journal your sessions. Write the question, the answer, and how your body felt before and after. With time, patterns emerge.
• Check repeat questions. Ask again tomorrow. If the answer changes, note what changed inside you.
• Use it as a guide. Only you can decide what to do with what this tool reflects.
• Don’t do it drunk or hangry. If your baseline is all over the place, your “yes” might just be a flailing limb.
• Cleanse your pendulum. Hold it under running water and thank it for its help.

Conclusion

The pendulum is just a tool. Its value lies in reminding you that somewhere inside you, buried beneath anxiety and indecision, is a thread of knowing. It helps you find it. Accepting what you find (whether it’s yes, no, or sit with it) reconnects you with your capacity to decide.

So tonight, next time you can’t choose between two options, grab something on a string. Meditate, ask a question, notice the response, and remember: decisions are often answered by listening.