Diane Stein is probably best known to many as the author of one of the first and most controversial books on Reiki - "Essential Reiki". However, her books on healing and women and the Feminine Divine are also very popular and very good books on the topics.

This latest presentation, Pendulums and the Light explores some history, some mystery and making of an often over looked but very powerful tool - the pendulum.

With her opening chapter entitled Why Pendulums? Ms. Stein gives us some background on the book and it's purpose, what pendulums are, how to use them, and some very good advice on the practical and expanded use of pendulums.

Each chapter of the book is a very in depth look at the topic covered. In the chapter entitled "How to Make or Buy a Pendulum" she explores how to choose a pendulum, what stones to look for, personal appeal, what tools would be needed to make one, hot to choose stones, crafting the pendulum and so much more.

In "Cleansing" she looks at taking either your finished product or the item you purchased and clearing it to make way for your own personal energies. In "Dedication to the Light" she speaks of how to dedicate your new took to it's ultimate purpose and to your own personal Deities or "Be-ings of the Highest Light". What is nice is that this book crosses all paths. Diane Stein, while known for her own choice of spirituality, has always left the choice of spirituality open to the reader. However, she does go into her own beliefs and this makes for some very interesting reading.

The "Meditative State" covers working in meditation with the pendulum. She gives instruction for achieving a meditative state, working with your "Be-ings of the Highest Light" to learn how to handle this new tool. She gives some practical advice for working in your own private environment, and gives some very lovely meditations to use.

"How to Use a Pendulum" is a very practical guide to working with your new tool and its applications. Ms. Stein explains throughout the whole book that this can be used as a very simple "yes or no" tool, and she shows (in diagrams) how to determine how your "Be-ings of the Highest Light" are speaking to you through this tool, how to ask questions (a whole chapter to itself), and what to do if you are having problems with the tool (again, a whole chapter called "Troubleshooting"). Directions are clear, she explains very patiently and works through the processes in easy to understand language.

There is a section called "Using Charts" which expands the use of the pendulum further than the "yes or no" basics. She presents idea, directions and charts to use your pendulum with diagrams (some provided) and she includes her own "Fan Charts" to give you ideas on expanding your own limits and the use of the pendulum.

There is also a chapter on "Healing with Pendulums" which explains using these pendulums with Reiki, psychic healing, and again includes one of her "Fan Charts" to expand on the subject.

A very valuable note here, the chapter on healing opens with some excellent discussion on "legalities and ethics". She discusses some very important issues regarding healing and not being a medical doctor, and she also discusses being a "spiritual counselor" and how to obtain proper credentials and suggests organizations who offer training. She also discusses ethics. This is a wonderful start to a chapter that, if you have some of her other books on healing, you know she is always considering the welfare of the client and our roll and responsibility to our clients.

There are charts for correlations of stones to Chakras, a short discussion on Chakras and a diagram of the Chakra points and their meanings. She includes a Chakra assessment exercise, and some other exercises in psychic healing and stones.

The final chapter "Pendulums and Karmic Release" deals with Ms. Stein's personal path and her ideas on Karma and it's involvement in our lives. She discusses her association with the Goddesses, the "Lords of Karma" and how this is all involved in the processes she has described in the book. Again, it may not be your personal path, and you can skip this if you wish, but it Is interesting reading and it does directly relate to how Ms. Stein works in her own healing and spiritual practices.

There is a "Suggested Reading" list at the end of the book, and the book is indexed for quick reference.

This is a lovely book on the pendulum and its use, for beginners as well as experienced practitioners. It contains a lot of information, is well put together, crosses the boundaries of spiritual belief and practices and would make a nice addition to any home library. boudica

According to author Diane Stein, pendulums can be used for just about anything: finding lost objects, energy diagnostics, job selection, locating a place to live, driving directions, healing, and even karma clearing.

Pendulum use is a form of dowsing that has been used for thousands of years for purposes such as divination, water and mine location, and even for war strategy. In her newest book Pendulums And The Light - Communication With The Goddess, the author explains how to attain a high rate of accuracy in using pendulums. If pendulums have proved frustrating to you, a wealth of remedies are provided for optimizing your dowsing experience. Maintaining that pendulums work via a fragile system of thought, neuromusculature, and partnership with a Light Being, Stein stressed the importance of a still and focused mind--which is greatly enhanced by meditation.

Keeping the pendulum energetically cleared (and making sure it's cleared), dedicating it to a Light Being, practicing mental focus, learning how to discern "yes" and "no" responses, and dowsing in quietude are some of the ways to get the most out of your pendulum experience. Stein gives detailed information on each of these recommendations and also provides a thorough troubleshooting section--addressing 25 different reasons why a pendulum may not work. In fact, she believes observing and applying the information in Pendulums And The Light will result in 95% accuracy with your pendulum for most types of requests, even psychic readings. When asking about the future--something quite tricky with pendulums--she estimates 75% accuracy after employing her suggestions.

Pendulums can be as simple as a button on a string, and Stein dedicates an entire chapter on making and buying pendulums--including what materials make the best conductors of energy. There are also chapters on cleansing your pendulum, dedication to the Light, how to ask questions, using charts, healing, and more.

This book provides practical guidance on getting the most out of your pendulum. Stein's sage advice has helped me figure out some of my own difficulties with pendulum use (including trying to dowse with a 6 year old running around!). There is extensive, immediately useful information in this book.

However, there are a few minor irritations that I have with this book.

The full title of this book is Pendulums And The Light - Communication With The Goddess. Stein does mention working with the goddess that has "joined" with her--Brede--but there is little explanation for some of her statements. For example, according to Stein, goddesses are just now arriving on Earth (?!), and if you connect with 38 or more DNA strands, a god or goddess will join with you as Brede has done with her. She also describes how Brede loves chocolate and loves to shop. One time, Stein walked out of a store with over $40 worth of candles--all because Brede requested them.

Now, I don't actively work with particular goddesses, and I don't mean to offend anyone who does, but the whole idea seemed bizarre to me...especially as Stein goes on and on about Brede. Rather than a goddess, she appears (in print) as a parasite or even a dependent child. I'd much rather have heard about the different goddess energies out there, why Stein believes many aren't here now, and what exactly she believes that goddesses are, how to find one that best matches your personality and purposes, etc. Stein mentions, quite a few times, that further information can be found in her other books, but it seems to me that this book would just have been better off without the extra information about Brede.

Also--and this criticism isn't just about Stein's book--I get the impression that many pendulists use a pendulum for everything. Want to know which book to buy at the store? Use a pendulum. Want to determine which cucumber to buy at the store? (one of the examples used in the book!)...use a pendulum. Want to determine what time the plumber is coming? Use a pendulum. I can't help but have thoughts like "Good grief, why can't you people just use your brain and realize some things don't have to be known...that there are more important things in life than which tangerine to pick in the produce aisle!" I also can't figure out why someone would go to such great lengths to use a tempermental tool when they could just develop their 6th sense (like clairvoyance, for example).

Also, Stein speaks of the "Lords of Karma", Mother Nada, the Divine Director, and a whole host of players in a spiritual hierarchy. I couldn't help but think "OK, so why is this information in this book?" (especially if it's in her other books). I also couldn't help but be confused by the sci-fi-like creatures, the mention of different levels like solar system, galactic, and cosmic--and how to clear karma from these levels. For those who haven't read any of Stein's previous books, this information seems confusing and unnecessary to the subject matter.

Those familiar with Stein's work--and those who have an interest in her Essential Energy Balance techniques--will no doubt love this book. And besides those few niggling irritations I mentioned, I have to say that this is the best book I've come across so far for teaching an individual how to select and use a pendulum. The troubleshooting guide is unsurpassed, and will likely empower and encouraged those who have previously been frustrated with pendulum use.