What is the Ouija board?

Question

I've herd some thing on the topic. Can ayone give me a true story about it? Best story or information gets 10 points!

Answer 1

The name "ouija" comes from the French and German words for yes, "oui" and "ja." There are many different types of Ouija Boards, which can have differing layouts and can be made from a variety of materials. The board usually consists of the letters of the alphabet, 0-9 in numbers and the words, "Yes" and "No." The user or users of the board lightly touch a pointer (sometimes called a planchette) and the pointer moves and spells out the answers to questions asked of the ouija. Usually this pointer is mounted on castors to help it move freely about the board.

Ouija boards became very popular in the 1960's, a time of resurgent interest in all things occult and metaphysical, and were sold in many countries as a board game.

Some believe that the Ouija offers proof as to life after death. Others, though, believe that the answers to the ouija come from the unconscious mind of one or all of the sitters.

Persons of a nervous disposition can be frightened easily when using a ouija board and it is suggested that they should therefore avoid them. It must also be pointed out that there is no scientific proof that they actually work, although there have been many claims over the years.

Who Invented The Ouija Board?
We recently received an e-mail asking whether or not the ouija board was invented by the Devil. Perhaps the most accurate way to answer this is to say that, if the Devil did invent the ouija board, he neglected to file a patent for it.

The earliest known patent for a talking board in the patent offices in London, England was filed by Adolphus Theodore Wagner, a professor of music and resident of Berlin of the Kingdom of Prussia. Wagner described his device as a “PSYCHOGRAPH, OR APPARATUS FOR INDICATING PERSONS THOUGHTS BY THE AGENT OF NERVOUS ELECTRICITY” on January 23, 1854. This patent goes on to describe the device and identify it as a talking board.

“The apparatus consists of a combination of rods or pieces of wood joined so as to permit of free action in all parts. From one of the legs of the instrument hangs a tracer; on one or more of the other extremities is fixed a disc, upon which the operator is to place his hand, and from this extremity or these extremities depends another tracer. The other parts of the apparatus consist of a glass slab or other non-conductor, and of an alphabet and set of figures or numerals. Upon a person possessing nervous electricity placing his hand upon one of the discs the instrument will immediately work, and the tracer will spell upon the alphabet what is passing in the operator’s mind.”

In 1861 a Frenchman, Allan Kardec, described ouija boards (or talking boards) in his Le Livre des Mediums thusly:1

“In order to render spirit-communications independent of the medium’s mind, various instruments have been devised. One of these is a sort of dial-plate, on which the letters of the alphabet are ranged like those on the dial of the electric telegraph; a moveable needle, set in motion through the medium’s influence, with the aid of a conducting thread and pulley, points out the letters. We cannot help thinking, however, that the independence of the medium’s thought is insured as well by the raps, and that this independence is proved more conclusively by the unexpectedness and pertinence of the answers, than by all the mechanical contrivances yet invented for this purpose. Moreover, the incredulous, always on the lookout for wires and machinery, and are more inclined to suspect deception in connexion with any special mechanical arrangements than with a bare table, devoid of all accessories.

“A more simple contrivance, but one open to abuse, as we shall see in the chapter on Frauds, is the one devised by Madame Emile de Girardin, and by which she obtained numerous and interesting communications; for that lady accomplished and clever as she was, had the weakness to believe in spirits and their manifestations. The instrument alluded to consists of a little table with a moveable top, eighteen inches in diameter, turning freely on an axle, like a wheel. On its edge are traced, as upon a dial plate, the letters of the alphabet, the numerals, and the words “yes” and “no.” In the centre is a fixed needle. The medium places his fingers on this table, which turns and stops when the desired letters is brought up under the needle. The letters thus indicated being written down one after the other words and phrases are obtained, often with great rapidity.

“It is to be remarked that the top of the little table does not turn round under the fingers, but that the fingers remain in their place and follow the movement of the table. A powerful medium might probably obtain an independent movement; in which case the experiment would be more conclusive, because less open to the possibility of trickery.”



Can Using A Ouija Board Make You Psychic?
There is evidence to suggest that using a ouija board can "open one up" in terms of sensitivity. Pearl Curran, a housewife from St. Louis, began using a friend's ouija board in 1913. The ouija board began to spell out communications that were purportedly from a spirit contact by the name of Patience Worth. Pearl and Patience then began collaborating via automatic writing, and their output was prodigious: Patience "dictated" over a million words of poetry, plays and novels to Mrs. Curran. The works were of sufficiently high literary quality to be published and to enjoy some success among readers, and were rich in historical detail.

Not all cases work out so well. If using the ouija board is the equivalent of opening a door into the unknown, then it should be understood that the user of the board has no control as to who might walk through that door and into his or her life. It could be a pleasant and helpful spirit, as Patience Worth seemed to be. It could be a malevolent spirit.

Of course, other arguments can be raised. Perhaps Pearl Curran was herself the reincarnation of Patience Worth, and had tapped into the mind of herself in a previous lifetime. Or perhaps Pearl Curran (in spite of all evidence to the contrary) was really a great writer herself with a knack for historical detail, and had simply created the persona of Patience Worth, albeit unconsciously. In that sense, then, the ouija board is still useful - it is a method of reaching the unconscious mind and hearing what it has to say, much as dreams are.



Of Related Interest
Abraxas Tarot article on ouija boards - interesting article from an older source.



Cryptique Talking Board - Inspired by carvings found on the gravestones of old burial grounds of Salem, Massachusetts and its surrounding areas. These early colonial graveyards display some of the most unique and spiritual artwork of our country's heritage. While various talking boards have depicted suns, moons, mystical symbols, magical beings, and ghostly apparitions, Cryptique draws its inspiration from these early gravestones, adorned with the stone of the crypt, the wood of ancient trees, and the winged skull, a symbol of our own mortality.







Psychic Circle

The Psychic Circle was designed by Amy Zerner and Monte Farber. Here's how it works:

* You may address the board alone, or with a partner
* Concentrate on your question, whether spoken aloud or not
* Touch your fingertips to The Psychic Circle's Magical Message Indicator and watch it move across the beautifully illustrated, full-color game board as if by magic
* The indicator will come to rest through the power of your mind and beyond

On the Board are twenty key words, eleven colors, and forty universal symbols, in addition to the letters of the alphabet and the numerals 0-9. The Psychic Circle may use any of them -- either individually or in combination -- to create detailed and insightful answers to your every question.

Answer 2

Ouija boards have been around forever but the commercially made boards became quite popular in the 1960's. The name, ouija, comes from the French and German words for yes.

The board itself can have many designs but the one we know best consists of an alphabet, 0-9 in numbers and the words, yes and no. The earliest know patent was filed by Alophus Theordore Wagner in 1854. He invented it as a "physchograph, or apparatus for indicating persons thoughts by the agent of nervous electricity."

The user of the board is supposed to lightly touch the planchette, or pointer, while they concentrate on their question. The pointer will move and spell out the answer.

What causes the pointer to move? Well, that is the mystery. Is it something from the metaphysical world?...a ghost. Is it something satanic or from the occult? Some think it might even move from the powers of our unconscious mind. The real reason the planchette moves may never be discovered.

I always wanted a Ouija board when I was a child but my parents forbid it...they thought it was sacrilegious.

One October, I saw an old board at a flea market and bought it to use as a Halloween decoration. The board itself was beautiful. One cold evening, my son and some of his friends asked me to show them how to use the board. I never took the board seriously and considered it just an urban legend. We read the instructions and gathered around the board. Each of us, in turn, touched the planchette and thought of our question. Amid giggles and sneaky thrusts, the planchette spelled out all sorts of funny answers. Then it became my turn. I really didn't have a question but wanted to play along. I rested my hands on the planchette and suddenly felt a shock as if it had been wired to an electrical current. Of course, I jerked back my hands. Immediately the planchette began to move...no one was touching it. It spelled out the word...believe. I put the game away and may never have the courage to open it again.

Answer 3

It was invented as a parlour game at the time in the last century when "spiritualism" was going through a fad. you are supposed to put the board on a table and have everybody put their fingers on the planchette(the name of the small heart shaped board), then a question is asked and supposedly the spirits answer. people participating are supposed to be blind folded or keeping their eyes closed until the planchette stops moving. usually some of the others in the room are used to record the letters and numbers that make up the answer. It is the normal random muscle tension that makes for the movement of the board. the askers unconsciously push the planchette around with their finger tips and because there are enough of them it feels like it is moving by itself. It is only a game but superstitious people often take the"spirits" thing way to seriously, and fear satanism or witch craft, quite silly of them really.

Answer 4

A Ouija board is actually a device used to communicate with the spirits that are in pergatory...True story...I had a friend shot and killed by his own father. Less than a year later two friends and I decided to try to find out what happened so we got a Ouija board and attempted to talk to him...He wouldn't talk to us but another spirit who was talking to our friend and then talking to us, told us that he was told that our friend was killed because his father couldn't handle being a single father anymore. Our friend was the type of person that everyone could get along with and everyone did. He was very popular for only being at our school for a short time. We found out what we were looking for and our friend got to say bye to us. And we got to say bye to him.

Answer 5

Contrary to popular belief, the ouija board is not used to talk to the devil, and it is not associated with occult!!!! It is used for divining answers. The proper person to use it would be a 'medium'. This is a person that can communicate with spirits. Be they evil or good.

Answer 6

It's a board game that you can buy at Spencer's in the mall for $20.00. Some say it's evil Some say it's not. I don't' like them they give me the heebie jeebies! My Mom used to "use" one to talk to spirits. I don't know if I believe her or not.
True Story
My Mom was asking it questions she then asked me what I wanted to know. I said whats my next boyfriend name. It answered J.G.
We just laughed and said yeah right. I don't no anybody by that name.
A few days later I met a guy named John G from Chicago and we dated!
Creeeeeepy!

Answer 7

OMG, stay away from it! I had some really bad expeirences with the ouija board when I was a teen. I would rather not get into what happened but it's pure evil!

Answer 8

A game using a board which is marked with letters, numbers and the words "yes" and "no." A pointer on a raised platform selects a character or word. One or two players place their fingers on the platform, which moves -- apparently by magic. Many conservative Christians believe that this game is profoundly evil and dangerous and that the pointer is moved by demonic forces. ...

Answer 9

It is a way to communicate with the spirit world using a planchette and a board. I will not ever own one again, nor allow one in my house. You never know what you're messing with with you dabble in the occult.

Answer 10

It's a small board with the alphabet and the answer "yes" and "no" printed on it. A small heart shaped slider with a hole in it's center is used to divine answers from the beyond (wherever that is!). It's associated with the occult.

Answer 11

the first ouija board replaced into bought and created by hasbro. the youngster's toy making corporation. yet you imagine it is risky? it is like affirming a barbie doll will homicide you on your sleep in case you dont comb her hair.