Everyday Woo (Volume 2)
So you bought a bunch of crystals. Now what? Plus, what the heck a pendulum is used for and a look at the Fours in the minor arcana of the tarot.
Everyday Woo is a place for the woo curious to learn a little more about tarot and spirituality in a not-too-serious way. Here’s what I’m thinking about this week…
📿 Uhh…do I need a pendulum?
That was my exact thought as I wandered into Mystic Valley, my local metaphysical shop here in St. Louis. After reading this article, I was more than curious about how this tool could be incorporated into my practice.
So…what is it? In case you’re like me and are a little woo clueless (wooless?) at times, a pendulum is basically a crystal, gemstone or other elemental object that is suspended from a 6-8 inch chain. Most pendulums are shaped like an upside down pyramid, with the point hanging down. Based on their subtle movements when suspended, they’re used to answer yes/no questions. The pendulum is extremely direct, which makes it the ideal tool for asking for guidance in times where you need an obvious answer from the universe.
Okay, sounds cool…how do I choose one? You should pick one that you like, to put it simply. A lot of times, we hear the phrase “I was drawn to it” in the woo world, but honestly, that’s just a fancy way of saying that your lizard brain wanted it. And this is the time to listen to it! You can purchase pendulums at most metaphysical brick and mortars, or Etsy has a robust section of handmade pretties.
Once you’ve chosen your pendulum, you might decide to do an energetic cleansing. There are so many ways to do this, but my personal favorite is to keep it simple by putting the pendulum in sunlight, under the full moon, or to simply do a cleansing visualization, where you imagine bright white or golden light enveloping your new pendulum (more ideas here). Ultimately, cleansing is optional. It’s personal preference.
How to use it:
Hold your pendulum between the thumb and index finger of your dominant hand. Hover it over the palm of your other hand. You can lightly still the pendulum if it is swinging at this point; you’ll want it to be in a neutral position so that you can assess its movements for when the answer is ‘yes,’ and that for when it’s ‘no.’
Start by asking a question that has a clear, obvious yes, like “Is my name ______?” The pendulum should start to move. For me, my pendulum draws little counterclockwise circles when the energy is saying ‘yes.’
Still the pendulum again. Then, ask a question that has an obvious ‘no’ answer, like “Is my name ____?” while giving a fake name. The pendulum should respond differently. My pendulum swings side to side, like it’s shaking its head ‘no.’
Once you’ve established what movements indicate affirmation or negation, you’re ready to ask away.
You can purchase pendulum boards to give you more options, like “maybe” or “rephrase.” Instead of hovering the pendulum over your hand, it floats above the center of the board. As it moves, the pendulum will naturally point towards one section of the board, giving you your answer. You can even make your own pendulum board by grabbing a piece of paper and writing your options around the edges of it.
When to use it: In my own practice, I like to use the pendulum to check in with my chakras. Starting with my root chakra, I hover my pendulum over its location and ask whether this chakra is open. I move my way up the body and stop to assess each of the seven energetic centers. This can give me an idea of where I need to send my focus for the days ahead. If the pendulum tells me that my throat chakra is blocked, I can then work with my tarot deck to get more detailed information about where I might be encountering barriers in my communication.
Pendulums can also be great for setting the scene for a tarot reading. If you are reading about a decision, the pendulum can give you a direction for the reading, while the cards you draw will function as an explanation of the pendulum’s message. I personally don’t like using tarot for yes/no questions, so this is a nice way to be able to capitalize on the strengths of both practices.
My everyday take: I like pendulums as long as they don’t crowd out your intuition. Pendulums work with the energy you project, so as long as you are tuned in, the pendulum will just outwardly display what your intuition is telling you. Make sure to clear your mind, take a few deep breaths and call in your guides before beginning. Practice safe pendulum-ing.
Pendulums don’t have to be too precious. To me, they feel very Advanced Witch (TM), but you can have fun with them! Stuck between two outfits? Ask away and feel okay about it. There’s no required serious level when it comes to spirituality.
My biggest caution would be to avoid over-reliance on a pendulum. When we step into the very black-and-white mentality required for yes/no questions, we miss so many quieter, more nuanced messages from Spirit. But if we use it as it’s intended, as one tool of many in our spiritual belt, it can be extremely helpful. Also, a spiritual tool belt sounds cool. That might help me with my crystal problem…more on that in a sec.
Fun pendulums to try: A sweet lil bee. A gorgeous, hopeful opal. For the moon lover. A rose quartz stunner. I might need this green and yellow aventurine version.
🍀Focus on: The Fours of the Minor Arcana
When I first started learning to read tarot, the minor arcana cards intrigued me the most. The symbolism of Pamela Colman Smith’s art is so rich and deep—I am constantly in awe of how she took A.E. Waite’s concise meanings and interpreted them in such a detailed, nuanced manner. Did you know that the pip cards (the four suits from 1-10) she designed were completely original drawings? Though the major arcana cards of predecessor decks had illustrations, the pip cards only showed the symbols of the suit arranged in a pattern or motif, similar to those seen on modern playing cards. Smith turned these simplistic designs into rich, colorful tapestries packed with symbolic meaning.
Her interpretation of the Four of Cups, the Four of Wands, the Four of Swords and the Four of Pentacles particularly intrigued me. When laid out side by side, a clear theme is difficult to see.
But after reading an explanation of the Fours by Lindsay Mack of Tarot for the Wild Soul, I began to see the message of necessary rebalancing that she so eloquently explains:
So with every Four we want to literally think of a table with four legs and think about crawling under that table and having a kind of beautiful, gauzy, sweet curtain, or sweet tablecloth…you're basically making a little fort with every Four. And what do we do? What do children do? What do animals do? What do we do, when we kind of children or animals want to, like, crawl under a table? They're regulating.
That got me thinking about this idea of cocooning. As we move into fall and head towards winter, I know that I naturally want to slip under the table at times. I love thinking about the Fours this way: a cozy ducking into yourself to prepare for the next phase. Here’s how this energy applies to each suit:
With the suit of Cups, this might look like sitting under a tree on your ass and saying no to emotional offerings.
The Swords invite us to quite literally rest, both physically and in the mind.
The Pentacles show us what physical boundaries look like. They function as shields, protecting the heart and crown chakras, and stabilizing points to remind us to root down and to protect our bodies and what we give of them.
The Wands create a canopy or a fort that houses childlike joy and celebration. A beautiful reminder to do what your inner child thrills in and to play.
To put these ideas into practice in everyday life, here’s my lil fall-themed Fours bucket list:
🏆 Cups: take a trip alone to a local park or nature reserve (just make sure you tell someone where you’re going and when to expect you back). Turn your phone on Do Not Disturb. Sit on a stump and just watch the leaves fall as you check in with your emotional needs. Fill the cups up that you have instead of accepting new commitments.
🗡️ Swords: a luxurious fall sleep set-up is necessary. Spritz this clearing aura spray, grab some freshly-washed sheets, and, if you’re feelin’ frisky, add a weighted blanket (I like mine across the bottom part of my legs only). Smooth on some of this lotion. Burn some incense like this delicious Japanese variety that I can’t stop lighting before bed. A few cycles of this deep breathing exercise, and you’ll be mentally refreshed for when you’ve gotta get up and take on the world again.
🌕 Pentacles: set some time aside to do some chakra balancing practices to help protect your energetic centers. You’ve probably heard a lot about opening up the heart chakra and sending love to others, but protecting it, or strengthening it, is equally as important. Make a list of fall activities you can do that will delight your heart, like jumping in a pile of leaves, taking the time to make a fancy warm drink, or buying a mum for your porch (even if you’re basically a mum serial killer like me).
✨ Wands: little you calls the shots with this suit. Check out an outdoor celebration or festival in your city and buy something frivolous but fun from a local vendor. Bonus points if you dance at some point. Or keep it simple and find outdoor ways to play: go geocaching, play a game of soccer, or just speed walk through a farmer’s market. Hey, people dodging is kind of a game! Whatever you do, protect your joy.
Go four-th (sorry) this fall and take care of yourself.
💎 How do everyday people use crystals?
I’ve gotta be real with y’all because this is a safe space: sometimes (okay, most of the time), my crystals are all over the place. I’ve discovered crystals in my pockets. In purses that I haven’t used in awhile. On the floorboard of my car. Under my sofa because my cats rolled them there.
An ideal version of me would have a cute little altar for my preciouses. But the real me is a tad messier than that.
I know some people who rotate their crystals daily. They use tiny pouches for transportation, or some even put crystals in their pockets or bras (not for me, as I already hate wearing a bra enough as it is. But you do you. After all, Crystal Boobs sounds like a cool superpower to have).
Crystals for everyday use: Because I’m so prone to losing my crystals, I’ve learned to take a slightly different approach. I employ a CrockPot policy: set it and forget it.
I have a line of four or five on my desk at school (lapis lazuli, turquoise, and moss agate). I tied a little pouch of protective stones on my scooter’s grocery bag hook because I need all the help I can get with the way people drive in St. Louis. Most of my 30+ plants have a crystal nestled into the soil to promote growth and vitality. And I always keep a hunk o’ selenite on my tarot decks when I’m cleansing and resetting the cards.
If I want to keep a crystal on my person, I tend to stick to jewelry just because, as mentioned above, I lose a lot of shit. I love my amazonite bracelet that I purchased from a local vendor, and my pen pal sent me the most lovely vintage green aventurine pendant that I wear often. Right now, I’ve got a tiger’s eye ring on for self-confidence.
Where to buy: When I purchase pieces that incorporate crystals or gemstones, I prefer to go directly to a local metaphysical shop or rock store. That way, you know that what you’re paying for is authentic. And, btw, it’s okay to buy something just because it’s pretty and learn the meaning later. Or never. We don’t have to understand crystals to reap their benefits…we just have to believe they work.
My one possibly controversial opinion about crystals? I think the water bottles with the big hunks in the center are bullshit, but this article both made me laugh and served as a reminder that, at the end of the day, sometimes, you just want a hefty piece of rose quartz in your water because you like how it looks, not because you’re expecting some big spiritual awakening.
One thing I won’t waver on: don’t put crystals up your vag. I don’t care what you saw on TikTok.
Crystals I’m salivating over: The sweetest fluorite ring. Gorgeous labradorite for enhancing psychic gifts. A big ass malachite egg for clearing out stale energy. And a $2,100 sphere that weighs over 40 pounds.
Mostly kidding about that last one, but can you say Big Witch Energy?
Mantra for the week: I set boundaries that serve me, not others.
Go find all of your missing crystals, and I’ll see you here next week to chat about my first acupuncture treatment, if tarot cards had Hinge profiles, and manifesting responsibly. 🌻
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