THE INFAMOUS OUIJA BOARD
Written by Psychic Jill    Write Jill with possible topic idea's

The topic of the Ouija Board comes up on the Ghoststudy Message board about once a month, with new members asking the pros and cons of using the board.  We always have posts asking is it ok to use the board, and we also get posts from those that have used the Ouija Board with horrifying results and tales of the supernatural.  I will present the facts and let you decide for yourself if using the Ouija Board is right for you. 

The basic concept of the Ouija Board dates back to Pythagoras in 540 B.C.  He would interpret messages from the spirit world with his student Phlolaus.  The concept of the refined Ouija Board was invented in 1853 by French spiritualist, M. Planchette.  It was originally a large piece of paper and the wedge that was heart shaped with two wheels on each end.  The third end had a pencil attached.  Then one or more people would place their fingers on it and the wedge would move and draw pictures or form words.

The modern Ouija Board was first introduced to the American public in 1890 as a parlor game and was sold in novelty shops.  E.C. Reiche, Elijah Bond, and Charles Kennard created the alphanumeric design.  Below  the letters were the numbers 1-10, and in the corners the words "YES" and "NO".

Kennard called the new board Ouija (pronounced wE-ja) after the Egyptian word for good luck.  The word Ouija is not really the Egyptian word for luck, but since the board reported told him during a session the name stuck.  Kennard lost his company and it was taken over by his foreman, William Fuld in 1892.

To boost new business, Fuld reinvented the Ouija Board.  He claimed  the name Ouija came from the French term "oui" and the German word "ja" for YES.

All rights to the Ouija Board were purchased by Parker Brother in 1966.  The sale of the Ouija Board is second only to Monopoly.

The Ouija Board is used in divination and spiritualism.  The  board uses letters, numbers and the words YES and NO.  A planchette, a slidable 3-legged device, slides across the board and spells out words.  It is manipulated by people using the board placing their fingertips on it.  A question is asked and then the planchette will move across the board spelling out the answer.

Most people think that paranormal or supernatural forces are at work with spirit/s spelling out the answers.  Skeptics believe that those using the board either consciously or unconsciously move the planchette.  They claim the movement is not due to paranormal forces but by ideomotor effect, which is unnoticeable movements by those using the planchette.

So let's get down to business.  Is the Ouija Board just a harmless parlor game?  My personal opinion is no, it is not.  Spirit will work with us by whatever means they can to communicate with us.  There is a thin veil between this world and the Other Side.

The most common question asked is is it safe to use a Ouija Board.  My answer would be yes and no.  I would not recommend a novice person to just go out and buy a Ouija Board and play with it.  There is the proper use and respect for the board which should be observed at all times. 

I always like to say this when somebody asked me about using the board.  Let's say you have to have surgery.  In whose hands would you want to place a scalpel: a trained physician or a bum off the street?  When placed in the right hands, the scalpel is a very useful instrument, but in the hands of an unskilled person it could spell disaster.

When using the board one should always open with a prayer of protection to whatever higher power they believe in.  The situation should be treated with respect and not just a bunch of thrill seekers thinking it would be fun to "play" with the board.  A serious, respectful atmosphere should be observed.  Once the prayer of protection is offered it is best to ask that only the highest guide of the White Light be allowed to do spirit communication.

This is the biggest mistake that people make.  They sit down and say is there anybody out there that wants to communicate.  Only God knows what spirit they may attract.  Think of it this way.  Let's say there is one public phone at Grand Central Station.  One dials that number.  Now, any one of hundreds of people could answer that phone.  It could be a priest, a nurse, a real estate agent, a blue collar worker or a murderer or a serial killer.  One just doesn't know.  If one just dials up that number at random they are taking a chance on who may answer that phone.  The Ouija Board works on the same principle.  If you do not specifically ask for a particular guide or spirit to work with you then chances are you may bring in some lower spirit energy or negative energy.  One may also open up a temporary portal to the Other Side while using the Ouija Board.  This is a doorway in which spirits may easily step into this realm.  That is why one should always say the prayer of protection so that a "gatekeeper" is assigned to protect from who or what can come through that passageway.  A gatekeeper is a guardian spirit that will only allow certain spirits to come through.

Once communication is established ask only important or pertinent questions.  Don't ask silly things like when am I going to die.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to be respectful when using the Ouija Board.

When you are finished with the board it is important to seal it and close the portal.  Do this by saying another prayer and ask that the portal be closed and that any and all spirits return to the Other Side where they came from.

Treat the board with respect.  It is a divination tool.  You should always be serious minded and reverent when you use it.  It is not just a game as is the popular belief.

It is also a common myth that one can communicate with their deceased loved ones by using the Ouija Board.  Unless one possesses the psychic skills of performing mediumship it is highly improbably that one will be able to connect with a particular loved one that is deceased.

I have been called out on several occasions to homes where people have just toyed around with the board and called in spirits.  They did not know the proper procedure in using the board which resulted in a spirit lingering in the home.  I then had to rid the home of that particular spirit.  Nine times out of ten, this will be a lower energy form that will cause problems in the home.

Some people will tell you that the Ouija Board is bad.  This is not the case.  What they should tell you is that improper use of the Ouija Board is bad.  Again, think of it this way.  A police officer carries a gun to protect himself from danger and to protect the lives of innocent people should the case arise.  A murderer or a person that commits armed robbery also carries a gun.  Is a gun in and of itself  a bad thing? No, it is just an inanimate object.  It is not the gun itself that kills people, it is individual using it that determines that opinion.  So to say that a Ouija Board is a bad thing is not accurate.  It is the people that use the board that determines what the outcome may be.  Some people have very successful sessions when the board is used properly.

Please remember that whenever you decide to try spirit communication to always be respectful.  Following proper procedure, being respectful and praying for protection are the most important aspects of using the Ouija Board.  I am not saying that I recommend the use of the board to just anybody,  I don't.  Over the years I have experienced first-hand the ill-effects of people just playing around with the board.  Again, I caution each individual to use the board at their own risk.  There is no guarantee that by following the instructions and offering a prayer of protection that one will be immune from calling in a malevolent spirit if you are using the board with other individuals.

Signed, Psychic Jill   

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