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The Problem with Ouija Boards
3rd February 2010 10:43 ∞ About us, Banishing, Bizarre, Channeling - trance, Counseling others, Deep work, Discernment - real or imagination?, Emotional manipulation, Henry, Letting go, Meridjet, Metaphysics - general, Obsession, Ritual, Spirits - general info, Subconscious work, Talking boards, Xanquela ∞ About Meridjet, About Sheta, Practices ∞ RSS 2.0
I received a Facebook email this morning from a young lady who has been playing with a Ouija board. In the interest of sharing the issue in general, I’m going to paste that email here with my response. I hope this will help others who are using talking boards with little to no success. Her email reads (edited for readability):
Please, I hope you can help me with some information, because I’m rather lost and you seem like you could.
My cousin and I got into using a Ouija board. On two occasions when asked what its name is, it has spelled out my name. Is that normal? Maybe its confused by the question? And also, my brother passed away and it said it was him, but it answered only a few of the question we asked correctly, and got a few wrong. It kept saying things with a mix of numbers and letters, and when we asked if it was speaking in code, it said yes.
Is there any way you know of for us to understand what it is saying, and whether it really is my brother? Because I know sometimes spirits try to do impersonations and then feed of the negative energy from the distress they cause by saying they’re someone that we knew.
So I’m just hoping you will be able to shed some light on this. Thanks.
My reply:
Ouija boards are [arguably] operated by random spirits and rarely provide useful information (even when they spell properly) without a certain amount of preparation, through (for example) ritual protection circles and other things that demonstrate your serious intent. When approached casually or frivolously, they give casual or frivolous results.
The odds that your brother is the spirit operating the board are very slim. Spirits are by nature telepathic, so it would know your name and other things about you. A lot of the time the spirit can only convey information known to both people operating the board, so if you asked a question about something only you (and not your cousin) knew, odds are it wouldn’t be able to provide a correct answer.
Most people who’ve passed on are beyond reach, on to their next thing. The spirits on the board may believe they are helping you by telling you it’s your brother on there — they will also lie and tell you just about anything you want to hear, because they want to make you happy AND because they want you to stay on the board to give them the contact that they desire. It’s a connection, for them, to this world, something they may not otherwise be able to find.
Based on your description, it sounds like you have a random and not very helpful spirit. If you want to try using the board more seriously, then cast a circle or light white candles, be very serious, and speak aloud your intentions. For example, “We use this talking board to reach only truth, and invite spirits willing to speak the truth and to aid us in understanding the well-being and location of (brother’s name). We banish those spirits who would mislead us, in the name of (preferred god etc). May our genuine intentions receive only genuine results. Amen.” Or something like that.
Above all, be careful. When a spirit is willing to tell you everything you want to hear, it’s very hard to walk away. Spirit boards are addictive and create obsession in the people using them. Be aware of this, and don’t get caught up in finding out every little detail or in asking about (for example) your love life.
Hope this helps.
I didn’t answer the question about it using her name because she’d answered it herself in her email — it was probably confused.
Ouija boards are, more than anything, seductive. I started using them when I was 14 (that was in 1975), and my usage grew until by around age 16 I was thoroughly obsessed. The spirit I talked to most often at that point was very friendly, but essentially useless, as it just told me whatever I wanted to hear. I started making my own boards from nothing more than a piece of paper with the letters drawn on, so that I could just make one anytime I wanted to use it but didn’t have one handy. I used a ring from my finger as the planchette (pointer). I even successfully used a very impromptu “board” in a parking lot, with one rock for yes and one for no. It got a little ridiculous.
When I was 17, I broke my Ouija board in half and threw it away. After that, anytime I tried to use a board with friends, the pointer would just go to “No.” Finally, in 1992, after years of randomly attempting to use one with no luck, I started again, but with a much more serious approach. Initially, I was using homemade, lacquered boards, and I was using them alone. Using a board alone, it’s not even necessary to move the pointer (and it won’t move alone, very often). It was just a tool for reaching the receptive mindset, much as the tarot or a crystal ball is a tool for the same thing. I would just turn the pointer in circles and listen. I reached my first spirit guide, who was called Tamra, this way, and I would speak to him for guidance for a friend of mine.
Later, I got another board and reached my guide Henry. This was around the time that I was getting deeply into trance work, and was doing a lot of guided meditations for accessing past lives. I had a friend (same one who spoke to Tamra) who was a hypnotherapist, and we spent about 18 months doing extensive trance and hypnosis work. One night, I trance-channeled Tamra for about eight hours, without a board (of course). Then I got the other (normal) board and reached my guide Henry. (No idea if Henry was his actual name, but it’s what came to me in trance.) My friend Xanquela (Mel) and I began to use the board together, and the new, serious mindset I approached it with paid off. Henry was present on the board, and he helped Mel and I with our study of the Qabalah. We spent many days fully immersed in pathworking with Henry’s help. It was phenomenal.
Henry is the guide who ultimately brought Meridjet to me. We’d been working with Henry for about 8 months when Meridjet came along. For the first two years of our relationship, much of my contact with Meridjet was on the board, though there was also contact off the board. The problem was that I didn’t trust my perceptions — this was during the period when I feared for my sanity quite often, interspersed with periods when I thought I was making the whole thing up. Problem was, things were happening that were definitely real, so it wasn’t all that easy to dismiss. There were many witnesses (but those stories are for another day).
After I moved away from Seattle in 1996 and Mel stayed behind (this was right after Meridjet left), I never got on a board again until this year, when I briefly helped Tina play with hers. (It didn’t work so well; maybe I’ll talk about that another day, too.) When Meridjet returned in 1999, he taught me how to develop my perceptions. My work with him also taught me discernment, though at times it was a very painful thing to be learning. I no longer have the need of a board, but I don’t mind telling you that if Mel (or other skilled party) had been around when Meridjet returned, I probably would’ve gotten right back into using the board out of habit. It’s a really good thing that it wasn’t an option. Boards are addictive. Like any tool, they are useful to a point, but should not be used as a crutch. They ultimately keep you from learning more appropriate and more permanent ways to access your guides.
I have a bunch of freaky stories about how Ouija boards can lead to manifestations. This is a real possibility, and one that most people aren’t prepared to handle. Remind me, and I’ll tell you the best one in a few days. 
Meanwhile, if you are using or intend to use a Ouija board, take the proper precautions and don’t let yourself get hooked. If you feel a strong pull to talk on one, it’s probably a bad sign. Then again, maybe one day it’ll lead you somewhere profoundly life-altering. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take 18 years, like it did for me!
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“The Problem with Ouija Boards” Here: http://spiritcompanion.com/2010/02/03/problem-ouija-boards/
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I played with a board for the first time at Samhain/Hallows last fall. It was rather fun actually, though the answer to one question made me jump in a good way. Now to see if it happens.
Be sure to let me know if it does.
I have never used one – but quite intrigued by them for some time, my daughter Alex is especially interested and I will pass this post on to her – I found it very interesting! Thanks for posting!!
I will note on a couple occasions I was asked to film a ceremony to cast out unwanted spirits from a home – they used divining rods (?) I believe if I am referring to them correctly – it was quite an interesting experience – afterward I happened to mention Ouija Boards and they were – “don’t go near them” – they did not go into detail, as you mentioned above – I would totally agree if using be serious and not treat it frivolously
I am a novice as I mentioned previously – but have always been curious and intrigued and very open minded to learn more
I think the “don’t go near them” attitude is borne of inexperience — people just parroting what they’ve heard other people say. I don’t see any reason to fear them.
How many kids do you have?
Did they use dowsing rods? How did that work?
I agree with your thoughts regarding the “don’t go near them” 2 daughters, Alexandra and Cassandra, Alex is the one interested in Ouija Boards
the rods did seem to work I was quite mesmerized when they asked “yes/no” questions , and they responded accordingly – I had never seen this before and was very intrigued by the process – I was able to get some good images on video
I’d be interested in showing a video clip on Rending the Veil if you can make one that’ll fit the 300wide x 250high box — I don’t know how video works, but I have a place in our sidebar that’s set up for it. If you’re interested in showing it, that is.
Nice names for your daughters!
Pendulums work interesting well for answering questions like that, though probably not as impressively as the dowsing rods or whatever they were.
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