Mysterious. Terrifying. Powerful. Thrilling. These are some of the words that could be associated with the Ouija Board, or spirit board.
The word “Ouija” essentially means ‘Yes”. It is a blending of the German and French words of “Yes” or “Okay”. It’s initial conception was created by Adolphus Theodore Wagner as a psychograph. Its original intention was for medical purposes to attempt to discern the thoughts of those afflicted with nervous disorders. The Ouija Board first appeared in stores at the beginning of the nineteenth century during the height of America’s obsession with Spiritism. As the Spiritualist movements popularity waned the Ouija Board began to emerge as a popular parlor game. It was only in the 20th Century that the Catholic Church and the horror movie industry rebranded the game as a doorway to the demonic.
The Ouija Board’s popularity peaked mainly due to the game company Parkers Brothers and the counterculture and fascination with the occult in the 1960’s. But it was William Peter Blatty’s 1971 novel “The Exorcist” together with its 1973 film adaptation that cemented the Ouija Boar’s sinister reputation in the popular imagination. Blatty based his story on and actual case of an allegedly possessed boy that occurred in Maryland in 1949. According to a “diary” seen by Jesuit priests Blatty met with at Georgetown University the boy had been introduced to the Ouija Board by an aunt who practiced the Spiritualism. According to accounts the first signs of the boys possession began after his aunt had died. He would later go on to have a series of church-sanctioned exorcisms before he was freed of demonic grip.
The board is simply designed and is rectangular in shape and covered with woodcut-style alphabet. The words yes, no, and good-bye, and the numbers 0-9 appear on its facade. Also included with the “game” is a heart-shaped plastic planchette. The planchette is the ‘pointer’ that is supposed to glide over the board under the direction of supernatural forces and form comments and questions by pointing out questions and comments. Theorists speculate that the micro-muscle movements from the subconscious to the hand are what cause the planchette to seemingly move on its own. It as also been suggested that the Ouija is actually powered by psychic portions of the human mind, spelling out answers to questions either by precognition, telepathy or unknowing communication with spirits. By the latter, the board would be a mystical tool that is guided by the sitter’s unconscious movements, which are in turn manipulated by the spirits. On the other side of the same coin many researchers use the Ouija to experiment with the effects of psychokinesis, noting the movement of the planchette is in fact propelled by the human mind. Others believe that the planchette is actually moved by the direct force of spirits that guide the hands of the sitters. The Spiritualists believe this as do some ghost hunters today feeling that the Ouija is an important tool in spirit contact, both good and bad.
The Talking Board or Ouija is perhaps the most controversial method of spirit communication primarily because it can be used by anyone and requires no special powers to navigate. This may be why most psychics and mediums discourage the use of the board . It enables the average person to produce “medium-like” effects without a psychic or medium actually being present. Regardless the boards have been both condemned and praised in equal amounts as a way to communicate with a direct link to the darker side or the supernatural.
For the boards disciples however there are a few and hard and fast rules for using the board:
- Place a silver coin on the board to block spirits at the gateway.
- Never use the board in a cemetery.
- Never use a the board where an unnatural death has taken place.
- Never use it when you are physically, mentally or emotionally ill.
- Never play alone.
- Never let the planchette fall.
- Do not let the planchette roam the alphabet in direct order.
- Making a figure eight several times indicates an evil spirit.
- If you contact an evil spirit turn the board over.
The Catholic Church has an official position about the Ouija board. They feel it is far from harmless, as it is a form of divination (seeking information from supernatural sources).It is their position that the Ouija board really does work, and the only “spirits” that will be contacted through it are evil ones. It’s true that many people view the Ouija board as harmless. They often claim, “Oh, I don’t believe in it,” or something to this effect. However, a disbelief in something does not necessarily mean that something isn’t real. The Ouija board has an objective reality that exists apart from a person’s perception of it. In other words, it’s real even if you don’t believe in it.
Additionally those in the investigatory and paranormal communities state that on the experiential side of the issue, we have the testimony of the Church’s exorcists. Their experience shows that Ouija boards are far from harmless. Some investigating supernatural phenomena from a Catholic perspective have gone so far as to say that 90 percent of their very worst cases involving demonic activity have been linked to the use of the Ouija board. They even go on to advise that if you currently are using a board or even have one presently in your home to bring it to your local parish and leave it with a priest for disposal. Never break the board or burn it. Throwing the board away can be considered dangerous as it is considered a contact agent and an active portal.
I would be in the above group. Almost all residential hauntings that I have investigated over the last 25 years involve some sort of invocation or attempts to communicate with the other side through an exterior object. At least half involve this simple wooden board called Ouija. Darker energies are looking for a door and this intention and practice can sometimes provide that door for entry. It is considered by many parapsychologists and paranormal experts to be a contact point for the Demonic. Without the Gifts of Discernment, which is what a medium would normally hold to communicate with the other side, there would be no way to truly know what energies or spirits you are speaking with.
My final thoughts on the Ouija-Be safe-don’t play.
