So in case you’re one of the six people on Earth who don’t know, a Ouija Board, also known as a spirit board or talking board, is a flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words "yes", "no", "hello" (occasionally), and "goodbye", along with various symbols and graphics.
It’s used with a small heart-shaped piece of wood or plastic called a planchette. Participants place their fingers on the planchette, and it is moved around the board to spell out words. An interesting piece of trivia is that while "Ouija" is used generically to refer to any talking board, the word is actually a trademark of Hasbro, Inc.
To find out why the Ouija board endures as a pop-culture trope, I sifted through the toy's long and surprisingly rich history, beginning with its arrival in the mid-19th century. Ouija's true origins, it turns out, have less to do with the devil and more to do with the intersection of women, the afterlife, and (surprise!, surprise!) money.
The evolution of the Ouija Board is a digression. But it's an interesting digression and to follow it you can click here…
The Ouija Board (Oui/ja by the way is yes in French and German respectively) has always been a hotly debated subject in the paranormal field, and while the reasoning may be somewhat complex, the views are pretty easily summarized:
1. The Ouija Board is not a game. It is evil and should not be used under any circumstances.
The first thing I would say is this, the first sentence is a true statement and I can’t imagine anyone with any experience in this field saying otherwise. Nothing that we do is a game nor should it be treated lightly. As a believer in the paranormal you have to face the reality that the potential exists for both good and evil, and that opening a doorway can be a dangerous act under the best of circumstances.
As for whether or not the Ouija Board is evil, there are many schools of thought on that subject.
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to read that those with those whose background and/or experience is rooted in religion strongly advise against the use of Ouija Boards, however I find it interesting that so many well-known investigators and researchers agree.
Most however don’t say that using a Ouija Board produces negative consequences each and every time, but that the possibility always exists.
The man who (without knowing it) introduced me to the paranormal along with Harry Price, was Dr. Hans Holzer. His feeling was that the danger was greatest when someone present among the users was an unknowing medium. Holzer felt if that were to happen the board would become an easy entrance and the spirit could take over the personality of the medium and hence be beyond control.
Several of those I spoke to perceived the danger as stemming from the fact that most of those who use the boards are novices who are completely unaware of the potential consequences of their actions.
A theory I found particularly interesting was the idea that most of the spirits contacted by Ouija Boards existed on what’s termed the “Lower Plain”, or “Lower Astral Plain”. These entities are said to be confused about their status, theoretically because their deaths were sudden and/or violent. As a result when the inexperienced user inadvertently opens a door, perhaps via an invitation to turn on a light, knock on a table or anything else in the physical realm, many things can happen with negative results.
2. Use of an Ouija Board is a matter of intent. It is only dangerous when used with evil intentions.
Eugene E. Olson, using the name Brad Steiger, was one of the earliest and most prolific American writers about spiritualism and the paranormal. While openly acknowledging the dangers of the Ouija Board, his article “Mothers Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Play With Ouija Boards” discussed several cases where the boards were used with negative results. But in those cases he states that the user “Had neglected to assume a prayerful attitude to guard against malignant influences”.
With all due respect to Mr. Olson and my other colleagues who agree with Bullet 2 above; How does this differentiate the Ouija Board from a K2 Meter? Haven’t we all pretty much come to agree that when attempting communication it’s best to take a respectful approach? I don’t think I know anyone personally who still uses a combative style.
Furthermore I don’t think there’s any point in issuing warnings to those with evil intent…
3. The Ouija Board is a tool like any other instrument used by investigators and researchers. While not
inherently dangerous, caution must be used at all times.
I have to say that at the end of the day this is my belief.
Pretty much everyone knows someone who has used a Ouija Board at one time or another. I believe that just like any other occasion when you venture into the paranormal you need to be cautious. You need to treat entities (whether you know they’re present or not) with politeness and respect and if you do so the results, if any, will likely be positive.
It’s used with a small heart-shaped piece of wood or plastic called a planchette. Participants place their fingers on the planchette, and it is moved around the board to spell out words. An interesting piece of trivia is that while "Ouija" is used generically to refer to any talking board, the word is actually a trademark of Hasbro, Inc.
To find out why the Ouija board endures as a pop-culture trope, I sifted through the toy's long and surprisingly rich history, beginning with its arrival in the mid-19th century. Ouija's true origins, it turns out, have less to do with the devil and more to do with the intersection of women, the afterlife, and (surprise!, surprise!) money.
The evolution of the Ouija Board is a digression. But it's an interesting digression and to follow it you can click here…
The Ouija Board (Oui/ja by the way is yes in French and German respectively) has always been a hotly debated subject in the paranormal field, and while the reasoning may be somewhat complex, the views are pretty easily summarized:
1. The Ouija Board is not a game. It is evil and should not be used under any circumstances.
The first thing I would say is this, the first sentence is a true statement and I can’t imagine anyone with any experience in this field saying otherwise. Nothing that we do is a game nor should it be treated lightly. As a believer in the paranormal you have to face the reality that the potential exists for both good and evil, and that opening a doorway can be a dangerous act under the best of circumstances.
As for whether or not the Ouija Board is evil, there are many schools of thought on that subject.
I’m sure you won’t be surprised to read that those with those whose background and/or experience is rooted in religion strongly advise against the use of Ouija Boards, however I find it interesting that so many well-known investigators and researchers agree.
Most however don’t say that using a Ouija Board produces negative consequences each and every time, but that the possibility always exists.
The man who (without knowing it) introduced me to the paranormal along with Harry Price, was Dr. Hans Holzer. His feeling was that the danger was greatest when someone present among the users was an unknowing medium. Holzer felt if that were to happen the board would become an easy entrance and the spirit could take over the personality of the medium and hence be beyond control.
Several of those I spoke to perceived the danger as stemming from the fact that most of those who use the boards are novices who are completely unaware of the potential consequences of their actions.
A theory I found particularly interesting was the idea that most of the spirits contacted by Ouija Boards existed on what’s termed the “Lower Plain”, or “Lower Astral Plain”. These entities are said to be confused about their status, theoretically because their deaths were sudden and/or violent. As a result when the inexperienced user inadvertently opens a door, perhaps via an invitation to turn on a light, knock on a table or anything else in the physical realm, many things can happen with negative results.
2. Use of an Ouija Board is a matter of intent. It is only dangerous when used with evil intentions.
Eugene E. Olson, using the name Brad Steiger, was one of the earliest and most prolific American writers about spiritualism and the paranormal. While openly acknowledging the dangers of the Ouija Board, his article “Mothers Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Play With Ouija Boards” discussed several cases where the boards were used with negative results. But in those cases he states that the user “Had neglected to assume a prayerful attitude to guard against malignant influences”.
With all due respect to Mr. Olson and my other colleagues who agree with Bullet 2 above; How does this differentiate the Ouija Board from a K2 Meter? Haven’t we all pretty much come to agree that when attempting communication it’s best to take a respectful approach? I don’t think I know anyone personally who still uses a combative style.
Furthermore I don’t think there’s any point in issuing warnings to those with evil intent…
3. The Ouija Board is a tool like any other instrument used by investigators and researchers. While not
inherently dangerous, caution must be used at all times.
I have to say that at the end of the day this is my belief.
Pretty much everyone knows someone who has used a Ouija Board at one time or another. I believe that just like any other occasion when you venture into the paranormal you need to be cautious. You need to treat entities (whether you know they’re present or not) with politeness and respect and if you do so the results, if any, will likely be positive.