When checking chakras with a pendulum....

[Stranger]

The more effective approach, in my humble opinion, is to focus your awareness on the area of the chakra and to notice what emotions, thoughts or images spontaneously arise.  Don't try to do anything or figure anything out - simply watch and notice what comes up by itself.

Can you give me an example of what might happen when you do that?  Basically, you are using your intuition to understand?

Sure.  Blockages.  Your chakras will contain the blockages which most directly impact your functioning.   The blockages are of two types: emotional and mental.  Emotional blockages will contain unresolved traumatic experiences, or characteristic patterns of reacting to yourself and your external reality (e.g., guilt, fear, inadequacy, anger, etc.).  Mental blockages will contain characteristic beliefs and thought patterns - the automatic thoughts that come up in response to whatever is occurring. 

Without these blockages, your chakras will function with perfect clarity.  With them, the energy flow through you is distorted and limited.  Focusing on each chakra and asking: what feelings are there? will help you to identify the unhealed issues you are carrying.