Back to @LadiesOfStrange and pendulum divination!
I practice as I was taught by my mom. No charts to read or anything, simply how the pendulum reads my energy.
The baseline I establish is:
Positive (yes)
Negative (no)
Neutral (neither yes nor no)
I don't know, speaks for itself

For me positive is vertical, negative is horizontal, neutral is a circle and "I don't know" is a full stop.
I understand the belief that there's subconscious bias and you almost imperceptibly cause the pendulum to move in your direction of choice, but that full stop gets me.

I've asked everything from what drink I should get at the bar to why is this person or place giving me a weird vibe. You can ask verbally, but focusing on what you wish to know is most important.

It's saved me from bad dates, helped me to know when a friend needed someone to reach out, and led me on some wild rides with some really cool people. It's even how I met one of my current best friends (and roommate!)

Remember, the pendulum is a conduit for your energy and the energy around you. If your stuff is a bit haunted, that ghost might have things to say. But you never know, they could be pretty chill.
Keep it strange!