Chevreul's Pendulum

by Shirley Balfe MIAPH

Michel-Eugene Chevreul was a well known French natural scientist who in 1833 investigated the ‘occult’ pendulum phenomenon and gave it a plausible scientific explanation.

His investigations showed that the pendulum effect is due to a perfectly natural human reaction, but a reaction with such interesting effects that it almost borders on magic.

Chevreul found that if you imagine something intensely, then the human body behaves in a way as if the imagined situation has already come to pass.

In modern times Chevreul’s pendulum is used to demonstrate the astonishing and remarkably strong effects of autosuggestion.

The experiment which is very simple, a child could carry it out, and proves the following:

a. The subconscious can effect physical movements not under control of the conscious

b. That the actions will be sustained by the subconscious with, without or despite the
interference of the conscious will.

c. That the subconscious can be trained by repetition.

The Experiment

To carry out the experiment, take a piece of paper or card and draw a circle 40 cm diameter. Mark A at the top of the circle, C at the bottom. B to the right and D to the left of the circle. Join up each letter with a line, so that you have a cross inside a circle.
Take a piece of sewing thread (30-35 cm). Attach a small weight (about 1g or less) a paper clip or a small ring will be fine. Sit down at a table and put the paper/card in front of you. Rest your elbow on the tabletop. Hold the sewing thread between your thumb and forefinger so that the pendulum weight (pater clip or ring) hangs straight down, 1-2 cm above the centre of the cross pattern. Try to hold the pendulum as still and immovable as possible.

The Power of the Imagination

Now comes the interesting part. While holding the pendulum as still as possible, try to IMAGINE how it would feel if the pendulum started to swing vertically. Don’t do anything to make it swing, just IMAGINE as intensely as you can your feeling, if the pendulum were - against all expectations - to start swinging all by itself.

After some 30 seconds to 3 minutes of intense imagining the pendulum actually starts swinging, at first with small swings and then these soon grow to wide, bold swings in the vertical direction. When you have succeeded with the vertical swings, then you
can try to imagine what it would feel like if the pendulum instead started rotating clockwise. Once again the pendulum reads your mind and starts rotating in the way you imagined.

You do absolutely nothing, and still your thoughts made an inanimate object in your hand move in a mentally predetermined way.

When you are imagining the pendulum swinging, then subconsciously your body makes very small, almost imperceptible movements in the right direction. But a pendulum is an energy accumulating system, so the minute imperceptible swings add up, and after a while the pendulum swings with easily discemible movements.

The principle that Chevreul’s scientific pendulum investigation uncovered - that the human body reacts physically and chemically to imagined situations - is behind a host of important psychological reactions, e.g. the placebo effect.

So, why not give it a go and try for yourself.

Chevreul's pendulum is described in great detail as part of the 'successful hypnotherapy diploma course' - which is descibed elsehwere on this website.