You’ll likely remember the infamous Ouija Board from sleepovers in high school and iconic horror movies. But aside from being a toy aimed at invoking both fright and laughter, I’ve recently found that there’s way more to the board than that.
The Ouija Board has a rich history in mysticism and has been celebrated for thousands of years as a tool to help people contact the other side.
What is a Ouija Board?
Put simply: it’s a large, flat board that’s marked with words, letters, numbers and symbols that are used to communicate with the dead. Talking boards have been around since the 1800s, but the term ‘Ouija’ didn’t come about until 1980. According to legend, Charles Kennard and Elijah Bond, the men who created the Ouija Board, were giving it a test drive one night and during the session, a spirit spelled out the word “Ouija.” When the men asked what the word means, the spirit spelled out “Good luck”, then disappeared. *cue spooky music*
Over the years, Ouija Boards became popularised in television and film as well as through board game companies such as Parker Brothers (yep, the same company that made Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit and Cluedo).
Like with any form of mysticism, there are a lot of sceptics who think the whole thing is BS, while scores of people say they have had all sorts of spooky experiences when operating the board. Ask around, you’ll be surprised how many people you know have a story involving a Ouija Board.
How do Ouija Boards work?
Each board features the letters A-Z, numbers 0-9, and the words “Yes”, “No”, “Hello” and “Goodbye,” along with a planchette (otherwise known as a pointer), which is that triangle-shaped object that slides around the board and spells out messages.
It’s believed that the board opens a portal to the other side in which a spirit can reach through and communicate with the people using the board by moving the planchette around.
Are Ouija Boards dangerous?
Most mystics and mediums would advise against using a Ouija Board, especially if you’re a novice because you never quite know what you’ll bring forth: could be a friendly or an unfriendly spirit.
However, if you follow the proper guidelines and go into it with a positive attitude, (read: intention to have peaceful communication, rather than a silly prank night with your mates), it can be a very rewarding experience.
Okay, cool. So how do I use a Ouija Board?
Now that you’ve decided that you’re ready to connect, here’s a step-by-step guide to using a Ouija Board.
Step 1: Wait ‘til the time is right.
Timing is everything when it comes to operating a Ouija Board. Believe it or not, spirits have a bedtime, if you will, and you’re less likely to get in touch with one during the day. Not to say it’s impossible, but it’s certainly more difficult as there’s more interference in the atmosphere during daylight hours and they like to play at night.
Step 2: Find a friend.
It takes two to tango, so be sure to hit up a mate before embarking on this spiritual journey. Apparently, multiple people have a better chance of forming a connection so aim for at least two, but more are welcome.
Step 3: Set the mood.
Hit the lights, get some candles going, even light some incense. Not only do you want to form a ~spooky~ atmosphere for yourself to enjoy the experience, but you also want to create an inviting space for the spirit(s). Make sure there are little to no distractions, turn your phone off, mute the telly, keep the music down and tell unruly guests to kindly leave as you’re about to have one more (potentially) unruly guest at your witchy party.
Step 4: Form a circle.
Have all those participating sit in a circle around the board, with your knees touching. If it’s just two of you, sit opposite each other. It’s up to you if you want to place the board on a table in front of you or on your lap, but they say that your lap is the optimum position.
Step 5: Place your fingers on the planchette.
Each participant should place their fingers very lightly on the planchette. If it’s just two or three of you, I’d recommend placing all fingers on the planchette, but if it’s more, just stick to about two fingers each. Start by moving the planchette around the board in a circular motion to get it warmed up. This is the only time you should intentionally move it until closing the board at the end. From here on out, your fingers should just be lightly touching the board, but do not move it yourselves.
Step 6: Allocate a speaker.
It’s usually best to have one person as the medium who communes with the spirit and asks them questions to start with. Once you get it going, more people can chime in (one at a time, ploise!), but at the beginning, it’s best not to frighten them with too many voices.
Step 7: Start talking.
The speaker should start by announcing that the session will be a positive one and that you wish to only commune with light, friendly spirits. Also stipulate that negative entities are not welcome. Once you’ve done this, you may ask questions like, “Are there any spirits here?” “Who is in our presence?” “Do you have a message for any of us?” Ideally stick to yes or no questions to start with. Then, once you’ve connected with a spirit, you can ask what their name is and they may spell it out for you.
When you know you’ve reached a spirit, thank them for joining you in your circle. Avoid asking silly questions, treat them with respect and reverence.
I’ve seen experiences where people have gotten in touch with relatives or people who lived in the home before them, but it’s also possible that a trickster spirit has come through, so don’t believe everything they tell you and whatever you do, if they ask to be released, flick the pointer to “no” and close the session immediately.
Step 8: Close the board.
The final step is perhaps the most important of all: most people make the mistake of just putting the board away when they’re done without a proper goodbye. Even if you failed to make contact, it’s imperative that you close the board properly so that you seal the portal between the living and the dead. There’s every possibility that you might have reached the other side, even though the pointer didn’t move. So end the session by saying “thank you” to the spirits, then move to planchette to “goodbye” and let go of the board.
What do I do if I feel unsafe after the session?
If you feel unsettled or concerned in any way after using a Ouija Board, as in you’re worried that a spirit came through and hasn’t left yet, I’d recommend lighting some sage and / or palo santo afterwards to ensure that both you and your space have been properly cleansed.
;)
;)
;)
