Pendulum

The divination pendulum is a small weight, made of wood, metal or stone, hanging from a thread or a fine chain, which the dowser holds above a hand, a chart or an object. Its swings or rotations are read as answers, often yes or no according to a convention set in advance. Psychologists explain its movements by the ideomotor effect, tiny involuntary muscle movements. Practitioners see it as an amplifier of intuition. It cannot serve as the basis for a medical decision.