Pendulum Dowsing

Divination is one of the traditional arts of a witch, and one of the simplest forms of divination is dowsing through the use of a pendulum.  Pendulums can be purchased, or easily made.  Any weight suspended from a chain or string can work as a pendulum in a pinch. Pendant style necklaces work well.  I've also had success with a key suspended from a rubber band at the office!  Of course, using a tool that you love and that speaks to your unconscious mind will improve your overall results.  Any vehicle may get you to your destination, but many people still prefer luxury automobiles.

After you have selected your pendulum you will want to perform a simple exercise to attune your mind to the pendulum.  Keep in mind that it is not any special metaphysical force that moves the pendulum, rather it is the small unconscious muscle movements of your hand.  The "magic" behind the pendulum is that your unconscious mind is already attuned to the true outcome or answer to your questions.

To use the pendulum let the weight swing freely from your fingers as shown in the photo.  Concentrate on the pendulum being very still.  Then ask the pendulum to "Show me YES".  Focus the thought of YES at the weight of the pendulum.  The pendulum will begin to swing.  Wait until the swinging takes on a regular pattern, such as side-to-side, forward-and-back, clockwise, or counterclockwise.  This is your signal for yes.  Now still the pendulum.  Ask the pendulum to "Show me NO".  Again, send the thought of NO strongly to the weight of the pendulum.  Wait for the pendulum to swing in a regular pattern, this time different from the pattern shown as "yes".  You now have charged your pendulum and your mind to receive yes and no answers through the pendulum.

For more detailed questions you may want to make use of a dowsing board, such as the one shown below.  To dowse, suspend the pendulum over the point of the chart where the rays meet at the bottom.  Ask the pendulum to be still.  Then concentrate on your question, stating it aloud.  Follow the movements of the pendulum to receive your message.  It may be helpful to have someone record the results of the dowsing while another person uses the pendulum and asks the questions.  If you have poor results with the board initially, do not be discouraged.  With time and practice your skills using the board will improve.

You can also use pendulums to dowse for water or lost objects through the use of a map as the dowsing board.  To find a lost object draw a rough map of your home, or the location where you think you lost the item. Divide the map into sections like a tic-tac-toe board. Focus on the item while moving the pendulum from one area to another.  The pendulum will react strongly in the location of the lost item.

Pendulums are sometimes used to dowse in people's energy fields for blockages.  Pendulums can be charged to react strongly (a YES response) to open chakras and other energy centers, and to produce a NO response when encountering a blockage or negative energy.  This can be helpful when doing group healing work, as everyone present can "see" the areas affected, rather than relying on touch.

These are only a few common techniques for pendulum dowsing.  The uses for a pendulum are limited only by your imagination.  Pendulums are not only one of the easiest forms of divination to learn, they can be improvised in many situations with common objects.  Thus, using a pendulum can be a basic and essential practice for your bag of tricks.

If you want to buy a pendulum, we have several handmade varieties available in our online Botanica.  Also, most occult retailers offer pendulums at reasonable prices.

Samhain

Samhain is the point in the Wheel that is directly opposite to Beltane, and the intents behind the holiday and the season are, subsequently, directly opposite to those of the fertility and mirth of Beltane. However, they are connected along the road that leads through the center of the compass, and they are both presided over by Tubal Cain, denoting their inherent connection and potency. In the case of Samhain, Tubal Cain guards the Western Gate of the compass, the gate that leads to the western sea and the immortal lands -- the Lands of the Dead. This is his quench tank, an alchemical mate to the forge fire of Beltane's East Gate.


Samhain is one of the portal times during the year, and it is one that many Pagans credit as the strongest portal time. It is a time when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is the thinnest, and communication and passage between the worlds is easiest. It is a time to commune with deceased ancestors and loved ones. Though we should honor and rever our ancestors throughout the year, this is the perfect time of year to set aside sacred time to honor those who have passed.

Of course, since the veil is so thin, it is also expected that some rather nasty spirits might enter through the veil at this time, which can cause folks to be wary. Guardians of various types have been placed at doors and windows and hearth (all the entry ways into the home) to keep unwanted and unwelcome spirits out. The custom of dressing in costume comes from the idea of disguising oneself so as not to be recognized by unfriendly spirits.

Furthermore, it has long been a time of remembrance. The ancients had a deep respect for their ancestors, and this was a time to remember the deeds of forefathers and foremothers. They would recall the names of the people in their lineage and honor them with feasts and gifts. The ancestors would have a special place in the home during this time.

Samhain is contemporarily considered to be the last festival of the harvest, and we have encountered two schools of thought as two how this plays out. One says that Samhain is the final grain harvest and that it was imperative that farmers have all of their crops harvested before sundown on Samhain night. If not, tradition held that whatever was left in the fields belonged to the Sidhe. (We've also seen this said about Fall Equinox, but that simply couldn't apply to American crops.) The other indicates that, in Britain, Samhain would have been past the final grain harvest and would have been into a time that we might consider a "blood harvest" -- the time for slaughtering livestock before the winter comes. Technically speaking, we like the mytho-poetry of both schools of thought. However, we are trying to be practical about the Craft that we practice and the area where we live. In Indiana (where we literally live surrounded by fertile farmland), the harvest cycle has looked like this:

* Lammas -- call it "loaf mass" if you like, but it's not grain we're pulling in; it's tomatoes and squash -- the first ... veggies!
* Fall Equinox -- apples, more veggies, early corn, early wheat, early soy -- It'll be another week or two before the grains are really ready.
* Samhain -- the rest of the grains have been or are being harvested now. It's a race. November really is too late. As for the "blood harvest?" Maybe so.




Samhain Traditions

We celebrate Samhain as season, a "month" unto itself --  a two week period extending from October 15th until Octiber 31. This is a time for us to honor our genealogical and spiritual ancestors. We seek guidance from them, insight about the lessons from the pervious year and advice for work to be done in the coming year. We are making provisions within ourselves for the winter months ahead.  This is a time of reflection on death and rebirth -- contemplating beginnings and endings. As such, it is a time of introspection, reflection, communication with the Otherworld and Underworld. It is a time of profound spiritual growth. (It can be quite intense.)


We begin the cycle by Welcoming the Ancestors. In this ritual, we bring our skulls in token of all our ancestors – biological, spiritual, and otherwise. We then empower these skulls to be a vessel in which our ancestors can be manifest during the 13th month. Part of this ritual always includes a “genealogy chant” said by each person in attendance. (Women may name their mothers’ mothers, for instance as far back as they have knowledge of. Men may do likewise with their fathers’ fathers. Or, there could be a blending.) We work with skulls as a means of "tapping the bone" -- tapping into the knowledge, wisdom (hence, the skulls) and power of our Mighty Dead.  (As a note, human skulls, though *somewhat* available as curios, are extraordinarily expensive and are NOT necessary for this work. What you want is something realist -- either in look or material. Go for a realist replica from a science shop, a crafty skull of some sort, a Halloween prop that won't make you laugh, or an animal skull -- real bone, just not human.)

In the same general time-frame as the Welcoming the Ancestors ritual, we also empower our pumpkin guardians. Sometimes this is done as a group, and sometimes we do it individually. Whatever the case, one pumpkin is chosen for each member of the household, carved and empowered to protect that person and the home from harmful spirits during the 13th month. Some of the families choose an extra pumpkin to protect the family as a whole, as well. These are place outside the door and lit each night at dark during the duration of the 13th month.

The Dumb Feast is a ritual feast held to honor the ancestors. The entire ritual (from the point of laying the compass to eating the feast to finishing the ritual) is carried out in silence. A portion of the food from each person’s plate should be reserved for their ancestors. Their skull is placed in honor next to or in front of each person.

Individual dark mirror, cauldron, and skull trances -- We strive to do a great deal of individual meditation and trance-work with our cauldrons, dark mirrors and skulls, since they are among the key symbolic tools we associate with this Sabbat.

Scrying

A crystal ball used for scrying

Scrying is the technique of gazing into an object such as a crystal ball or mirror for the purposes of divination. Anyone can learn to scry, but, like most things, it takes a little practice at first. The amount of time you use for scrying can vary from a few minutes to half hour.   

Scrying is comparable to meditation, and is most easily performed by individuals familiar with meditation techniques and working with their intuition.

Dim the lights of the room and set the scrying object in front of you. Relax your eyes and gaze steadily into the surface of the tool. Do not worry about if you are staring "correctly", rather, if you need to blink, blink! If you feel your gaze shifting, allow it to happen. Stay relaxed, and stay focused on your question.

Typically a mist will seem to form on the surface of the object, almost as if a veil is being lifted before your eyes. It is important to not become too excited at this occurrence, rather you should strive to remain calm and focused. Eventually, the mists will clear, and you should be able to pick out shapes or images in the scrying surface. These images may appear as crude symbols, or occasionally with the clarity of a photograph.

Although you will actually see these images with your eyes, what has happened is that the images themselves begin to form in your mind via your intuition. As this stage progresses, you will no longer see the images projected onto the scrying surface. Rather, you should allow your attention to focus on these mental images.

As the images become clearer, you will find that you know things about what you are seeing. Background information will come to the surface of your mind. Pay attention to what you know about the images you are seeing. This stage is marked by astral impressions, which is evident by the dreamlike quality of the state.

Tools used for Scrying

Although the crystal ball is the immediate tool that comes to mind when visualizing a scrying witch, it is far from the only one available. Other methods of scrying include:

A scrying mirror is a concave glass painted black on the reverse side.

•  Water in a black bowl or cauldron
• Scrying Mirrors
• Crystal Balls and/or scrying stone jewelry (also known as a keek stone)
• Fire/flames
• Incense smoke

Beginners to scrying may find it easiest to scry from fire or smoke, or to add a silver coin to a the back bowl of water. These methods allow a point of focus, depth, and in many cases movement which lulls the intuitive mind into a working state.

Scrying Tips

Following the candle scrying ceremony outlined here, relax your eyes and stare at your face in the mirror. Your face will darken, as with shadows, and will shift shape. This is extremely useful for past life work.

When scrying with a crystal ball, it is useful to hold the ball in one or both hands with a piece of black velvet behind it. It may also be helpful to turn the ball occasionally.