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The Divine Pendulum Oracle, by Joan Rose Staffen

The Divine Pendulum Oracle: Play, Learn, Transform, and Live Authentically, by Joan Rose Staffen
Independently Published, 979-8307160886, 156 pages, 42 cards, July 2026

For those who have ever been intrigued by pendulum divination but felt uncertain about how to move beyond basic yes-or-no questions, Joan Rose Staffen’s The Divine Pendulum Oracle: Play, Learn, Transform, and Live Authentically offers a welcoming way to deepen the practice. Blending pendulum work, intuitive development, spirituality, creativity, and colorful artwork, Staffen creates a system designed not simply to provide answers, but to encourage readers to develop a more active relationship with their own inner guidance.

This oracle is composed of 42 Intuitive Charts cards created to be used alongside a pendulum. Rather than limiting pendulum work to binary yes-or-no responses, these charts allow practitioners to explore a broader range of possibilities and questions relating to healing, creativity, work, spiritual development, and everyday life. Staffen presents the pendulum as a tool for accessing intuition and higher consciousness, with the charts acting as a framework that helps give that intuitive exploration direction and structure.

The charts are very specific too, which is GREAT for uncovering insights. Staffen has really provided a variety of ways to enhance your divinations with the pendulum, which can feel surprisingly open-ended if you’re not sure how to guide it. Learning what to ask is often just as important as learning how to read the movement itself. Staffen’s chart-based approach helps bridge that gap. Instead of staring at a swinging pendulum and wondering where to go next, readers are given a method that encourages curiosity, experimentation, and increasingly nuanced questions.

Here’s a list of some of the pendulum charts she provides with a few items on the chart (there’s many more options for each one covered below):

∙ Support Team (Family, God, Goddess, Psychic, Sponsor, Teacher, Therapist)

∙ Self Care (Dance, Books, Be Still, Yoga, Support Group, Music, Personal Inventory)

∙ Enhancing Psychic Skills (Mentor, Journal, Gratitude List, Pray, Record Dreams & Analyze, Altar)

∙ Psychic Identity (Clairaudient, Diviner/Dowser, Mystic, Witch)

∙ Flower Essences (Borage, Circus, Tomato, Violet, Olive)

∙ Creative Blocks (Fear of Failure, Past Life Trauma, Lack of Time, Addiction)

∙ Vitamins and Minerals (Healthy Goods, Vitamin C, Calcicum, Iron)

There’s just SO MANY detailed charts that my readings have gotten incredibly accurate with the pendulum.

Another thing I absolutely love is the design of these cards. Staffen’s colorful paintings are integrated throughout the deck, featured on the back of each card, giving the system a lively, expressive energy that distinguishes it from more technical books on dowsing. She has described painting as deeply connected to her own spiritual and creative process, and that relationship between art and intuition becomes part of the philosophy behind the oracle itself. I love how you can flip the card and discover yet another way to connect with the card by gazing at her gorgeous abstract art and tuning into the energy it evokes.

Her accompanying guidebook introduces each card’s topic and painting. Staffen also shares some wisdom related to the topic, along with the opportunity and challenge present, action to take, and questions to ask, if you’re not sure how to approach the chart.

The guidebook also shares information about using the pendulum in general, such as where to purchase one or how to make it yourself, centering yourself, and spiritually preparing for the experience. If someone is not sure which chart to begin with, there’s even a list that one can use the pendulum on to decide. And the real bonus is that ALL the charts featured in the beautiful cards are also included in the book too!

While many of the charts cover deeply personal and spiritual topics, there’s a sense of play and creativity to the deck that makes it very inviting. Spiritual development can sometimes become overly serious, with practitioners worrying about whether they are receiving the “correct” message or interpreting a sign properly. Staffen instead encourages experimentation. Learning the pendulum becomes an ongoing conversation that can evolve as the practitioner becomes more comfortable with asking questions, recognizing patterns, and trusting their responses.

I also like how this method encourages strengthening your connection to inner guidance rather than simply predicting outcomes. There’s a lot of room for people to personalize the guidance they receive and take actionable steps in their life to make use of what comes through in the reading. Staffen encourages readers to use the practice for daily guidance, self-reflection, creativity, spiritual connection, and helping themselves recognize potential solutions to challenges instead of following it with deterministic information.

Staffen’s focus on higher consciousness, placing the practice within a spiritual worldview rather than presenting the pendulum merely as a decision-making device, also brings a special energy during the readings. This emphasis reflects her larger body of work. An author, artist, psychic healer, and intuitive coach, she has spent decades exploring practices that include pendulum divination, meditation, energy work, and other spiritual healing modalities. The Divine Pendulum Oracle feels like a culmination of those interests, bringing together divination and creativity in a particularly visual form.

For those who often turn to tarot or oracle cards, this method of hands-on divination is a great way to switch up your style. The targeted answers in the chart are A TON of fun to do with a friend or partner. My husband and I have enjoyed using the charts when we need clarity, guidance, or to just open up conversation. We loved discovering our psychic identities! And we also enjoy the Love and Romance Chart, which has things like Bonding, Trust, Tantric Practice, Let Go, Risk, and Open Your Heart on it to provide some insight on what we might want to explore next in our relationship. The charts are definitely a wonderful conversation starter! I could see them also being amazing for group bonding exercises too.

One of my favorite charts in the deck is Prosperity Problem Solving. The top of this chart lists obstacles (Anger, Unworthiness, Inertia, Lack of Passion about Life), while the bottom lists solutions (Positive Attitude, Meditation, Books, Forgiveness, Affirmations). I think this dual-sided chart is  a great way to hone in on what the true issue is when it comes to our abundance.

Overall, The Divine Pendulum Oracle aids readers in cultivating an ongoing practice of asking, listening, experimenting, and discovering. The pendulum becomes a focal point for a larger process of self-inquiry that invites the practitioner to consider what their intuition may already be trying to communicate. Staffen reminds us of the value in approaching divination with openness and curiosity, noting it’s not only about seeking answers about what happens next but also a way to learn about ourselves.

Experienced diviners may find themselves particularly interested in the chart system as another method to incorporate into an existing practice, while newcomers benefit from having a concrete structure with which to begin. There is also plenty here for readers interested in oracle cards, intuitive coaching, creativity, or energetic practices who may not previously have thought of the pendulum as their preferred divination tool to explore.

Staffen has created a truly wonderful deck filled with thoughtful consideration of the charts and imbued with a vibrant spirit through her artwork. This is hands-down the best pendulum deck I’ve ever worked with!

The Creative Pendulum, by Joan Rose Staffen

The Creative Pendulum: Keys to Unlock Your Innovative Spirit, by Joan Rose Staffen
Red Wheel Weiser, 9781578637515, 288 pages, June 2022

The Creative Pendulum: Keys to Unlock Your Innovative Spirit by Joan Rose Staffen got me out of a creative rut in the most fun way. It had been a while since I’d used my pendulum, but after a quick dust-off, I remembered how much insight I used to get from this method of divination. It seems I had forgotten the myriad of possibilities that came from tuning into my higher consciousness in order to figure out what was needed in my life.

Until reading this book though, I had never thought to practically weave together my creativity and work life by dowsing with my pendulum. But Staffen provided me with a marvelous gift of ingenuity in this book that inspired a renewed interest in the pendulum as a divination tool while also relighting my spiritual spark.

I will say right off the bat what I liked most about this book is Staffen’s openness, humor, and willingness to think outside the box that pours through every page. This pendulum technique is so unique and quickly ignites new insights. And I feel this technique works because Staffen has pulled from her life experience to create a method that is practical, creative, and spiritual all in one.

Anecdote after anecdote showcases how Staffen deepned her creative practice and expanded her wisdom through trusting the process. For instance, how she once “spent a year asking God/Goddess for my right, perfect place, opportunity, and company”1 before launching her business venture. Reading her stories is not only amusing, but also reaffirms that we always have the opportunity to try new things, learn, and grow; this has helped her navigate through plenty of career changes and shifts in life circumstances. Through the ups and downs in life, Staffen reminds us that the Muse is always present – all we need to do is tune into the energy at hand.

But even though this book is wonderfully infused with Staffen’s spirit, the focus remains centered on readers expanding their life, overcoming roadblocks, and connecting with their own creativity. Staffen has created Intuitive Creativity Charts that the reader can use their pendulum to gain a deeper understanding of what is being called for in their life right now. The technique she teaches in this book involves dowsing with the pendulum over the Intuitive Creativity Charts for guidance that goes beyond simply “yes/no” answers, the more simple and commonly used method of working with a pendulum.

For those of you who might not know how pendulums work through the process of dowsing, Staffen provides a great description:

“Dowsing has both scientific and mystical elements that help us tap into both our subconscious and super-conscious minds. Using the pendulum can help us to center emotionally and spiritually, and we can more easily open to a meditative state, where we become calm, relaxed, and receptive to the suggestions presented by the pendulum and charts.”2

Chapter two, “Learn to Dowse with the Pendulum,” provides all the information needed to get started, even if you’re completely new to this method of divination. Staffen provides details such as where and when to use one’s pendulum, how to center yourself for accurate results, and what to do if your dowsing isn’t working. She also shares with readers step-by-step instructions for how to dowse, which is very easy to follow along with. As with anything, practice is important, so even if at first you’re a bit skeptical or unsure, I recommend keep going!

Now, while the main premise of the book is teaching readers how to use the Intuitive Creativity Charts, it includes a heap of creative life-coaching. Staffen goes chapter by chapter explaining the significance of each chart, illuminating how it can be used for insight, as well as explaining all of the potential chart pendulum answers to clarify the messages that might come through. But these aren’t static explanations, such as “If your pendulum lands on this then it means xyz..” Rather, it’s almost like Staffen is coaching you through understanding the answers revealed. 

Oftentimes there are exercises to do, like meditations and journal prompts, to ground the insight and find out what it means for you personally. And it’s this delivery from Staffen, focused on process more than result, that makes the book so creatively stimulating. Dowsing with the Intuitive Creative Charts is not meant to be a one-size fits all approach! And I was amazed at all the guidance available using the charts. Staffen has done a great job of charting questions you might not even have ever thought to ask.

There’s a chart for answering questions about one’s creative process (“What literary/performing/visual art should I pursue?” and “What artistic needs do I have?”), timing (“When’s the best time to take action?”), energy work (“How can I clear my chakras?” and “How can I overcome negative beliefs?”), business strategy (“How can I market my art?” and “What is the best income stream for me?”), plus so much more! I honestly have spent hours trying out different charts and am always so surprised by the accuracy of the pendulum responses.

And this guidance is tailored to recognize a multitude of paths, rather than a prescriptive “it has to be this way to work” model, that opens new doorways, especially when one starts to layer and sift through all the insight they’re getting from the perspective of each chart.

Once you’re comfortable with the technique, I’ve found it’s useful to use charts in combination. For instance, I use my pendulum to dowse for questions related to my creative identity and how to improve my income stream. (I try not to ask too many questions at once, even though I want to!) Quickly, I saw how the answers were interrelated and urging me in a new direction.

One really neat thing about The Creative Pendulum is how Staffen shared two chapters on using the pendulum and Intuitive Creativity Charts to coach yourself and others. She offers tips for coaching oneself with a reading and includes two personal assessments worksheets that help you to clarify the issue you’re working on and hone in solutions.

Then there’s also an entire chapter on coaching others by discovering their talents and motivating them to take action. Staffen offers guidance about preparing for a session with clients, along with client assessment forms that can be used when working with them. I so deeply respect Staffen’s choice to so transparently share her Intuitive Creativity Charts method with others and teach them how they can use it to coach others. 

And it gets better – Staffen saved some of the best material for last, such as the chapter “Paint on Your Hands: Art Prompts” that are “fun exercises…to help beginners spark their own brave, intuitive creative within.”3 As a creative at heart that often needs a nudge to indulge, I loved the prompts to draw, create collages, play with finger paints, and more! It got me motivated to actually take out my art supplies and enjoy/explore myself.

In the final chapter, Staffen suggests starting a “creativity cluster” of “like-minded people who want to learn to dowse, journal, and play together!”4 Now I’m certainly wanting to do this, and I’m thinking about starting a Meet-Up group once I relocate next month. 

Overall, The Creative Pendulum has been such a breath of fresh air! I highly recommend this book for those seeking to expand their horizons. When read with curiosity and an open-mind, the possibilities of what you might discover about yourself through the process of dowsing with Staffen’s Intuitive Creativity Charts are endless.

From discovering your creative identity to figuring out what business steps you should take next, this book is useful on so many levels, which opens doors for readers to make their dreams a reality through the aid of their pendulum. It’s certainly a book one can come back to time and time again, whenever you are feeling called to use the guidance of the charts for both yourself and teaching others.