Choosing a Crystal for your Pendulum

A pendulum is a spiritual tool that helps you make difficult decisions and receive insight into tricky or confusing situations by allowing you to connect to your higher self and a higher level of consciousness. A pendulum is essentially an object that hangs at the end of a chain to swing in different directions, revealing different answers. It can be made of wood, glass, metal, stone, but the preferred and most common type is a pointed triangular crystal or gemstone. The way it works is simply intuition based and each person will have a different experience, so it’s important to form a bond with your pendulum to better understand how it works and what it’s trying to tell you. 

Choosing a crystal for your pendulum is a pretty simple process if you go by what speaks to you the most. You shouldn’t stress too much about which crystal is right for you, but there are a few ways to narrow it down if you’re unsure of which to get. You can even get multiple pendulums with a different crystal for a different type of energy you wish to draw into your practice. For example, if you’re looking for answers regarding your love life, you can choose a crystal that speaks to the heart, like rose quartz, pink opal, or rhodonite. If you want more protective energy in your practice, choose a darker crystal like obsidian, onyx, tourmaline, or even turquoise. To tap into your intuitive powers and psychic abilities, choose a crystal that resonates with the upper chakras like amethyst, lapis lazuli, clear quartz, or selenite.

For a more personalized experience, you can choose something based on your zodiac sign:

Aries: Red Jasper, Rose Quartz, Carnelian, Apache Tear

Taurus: Lapis Lazuli, Blue Kyanite, Rutilated Quartz, Blue Lace Agate

Gemini: Tiger’s Eye, Moonstone, Blue Apatite, Rose Quartz

Cancer: Chrysoprase, Amber, Rhodonite, Moonstone 

Leo: Peridot, Larimar, Pyrite, Sunstone 

Virgo: Green Jade, Amazonite, Citrine, Red Jasper

Libra: Pink Opal, Smoky Quartz, Fire Agate, Amethyst

Scorpio: Obsidian, Sodalite, Topaz, Amethyst 

Sagittarius: Turquoise, Golden Obsidian, Lepidolite, Amethyst 

Capricorn: Howlite, Garnet, Carnelian, Moonstone

Aquarius: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Hematite, Rhodonite

Pisces: Blue Lace Agate, Smoky Quartz, Ametrine, Tiger’s Eye 

After you’ve chosen your pendulum, the first thing you should do is cleanse it of any energy it may have picked up before it touched your hands. Do this by bathing it in moon water, passing it through sage smoke or by using a salt water bath if the crystal is both water and salt safe. 

Find a flat surface and hold the pendulum by the chain in your right hand, between the index finger and thumb. Steady your arm as well as the pendulum and let it swing by your energy. Start by learning how your pendulum will respond to you, like “show me yes”, “show me no”, and “show me neutral”. Ask a few base questions like “is my name blank?” and “Am I blank years old?” to get a better feel for how it will communicate with you. Some people prefer to use a pendulum board with designated answers, but this can be a little tricky since each person will connect differently with their crystal. 

Pendulums give yes or no answers, so it’s important to word your questions in such a  way that it will give you accurate responses. It’s also advisable to have a list of follow up questions based on the first to make your reading flow more easily and so as to not break the flow of energy from your subconscious to the crystal.