Ouija boards have been very popular - and controversial - for over a century. The first actual Ouija board was patented in 1890 by Elijah Bond. The Ouija board is now a trademark of Hasbro, who sells them as a board game.
Since the dawn of time, people have tried to contact the dead or spirits from the other side. There were many means to do this, one of which was called planchette or automatic writing . The original planchettes served as a sort of pencil holder, wherein a medium would place their hands on the planchette, allowing the spirit to write a message by moving the medium's hand to form letters. It was later realized that a planchette could also serve as a pointer, thus began the method of using a board with letters on it for the spirit to point and spell out messages. Reportedly, the original users of the modern Ouija board asked the board itself what its name should be. After spelling out "Ouija", the board was asked to define the meaning of the word, to which it replied "Good luck."
Today, many people regard the Ouija board as a dangerous tool, as stories abound about evil spirits being unlocked and doorways being opened to the other side. It is said that demons may use the Ouija to communicate and manipulate the living, under the guise of being a deceased loved one. Others say that everything about the Ouija board is nonsense. Psychologists dismiss the method of communication by stating that the participants are either consciously or subconsciously moving the pointer themselves to achieve the desired result.
Much superstition and mystery surrounds the Ouija board and its methods. Some view it with curiosity, some with fear, and some with ridicule. Regardless of one's point of view on its legitimacy, it remains a well-known and historic piece of paranormal history.
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