One of the most controversial tools ever used in spirit communication, that is still used today, is a simple wooden board. They come in many different sizes, with many different beautifully painted scenes and symbols. Yet they all share certain characteristics, which are, the letters a-z, the numbers 0-9, the words yes, no and goodbye located somewhere on the surface of these boards. Equipped with this board is a pointer called a planchette. The planchette is a triangle or heart shaped device that will point to the letters, numbers or words, spelling out phrases, names and dates. The planchette actually predates these boards, they were originally used with a pencil attached for automatic writing (a method used a lot during the spiritualist movement). But now the planchette and this board go hand in hand. This board goes by many names such as a talking board, a witch board, a spirit board but many know it as the Ouija board.
Lets face it the Ouija Board is probably the most infamous tool used in paranormal research. In fact I am 100% sure that anyone reading this has heard a terrifying story that has either happened to a friend or a friend of a friend that involves the Ouija board. But when was the Ouija board created, what’s the history of this fascinating tool of devilish mischief? Was it constructed under candle light in a dark dungeon sometime in the medieval period? Or maybe it was created by a witch who practiced black magic and satanic rituals. Many will be surprised to learn that the Ouija board is fairly young and it was made as a novelty item.
On May 28th 1890 a patent was filed under 3 individuals Elijah Bond, Charles W. Kennard and William H. A. Maupin. It was created as a novelty item for The Kennard Novelty Company and the first boards were stamped February 10th 1891. Kennard was the one who named the board Ouija. People say the name Ouija means yes yes because oui is French for yes and ja is German for yes, but Kennard named Ouija after an Egyptian word for good luck. The funny thing is Ouija does not mean good luck in Egyptian (or Arabic) that word is actually Scarab. The story goes the board itself repeatedly told Kennard that Ouija meant good luck in Egyptian and the name just stuck. The company only produced the Ouija board for fourteen months but kept corporate control until 1898.
In 1898 the Ouija board was appointed to a man that would revolutionize the boards history , his named was William Fuld. It was this man who said that he invented the board and that the name meant yes yes. In 1919 Fuld bought the remaining rights and sold millions of these boards and other toys. Sadly William Fuld would die from a horrible accident falling from his company roof top while supervising a flag pole replacement. This didn’t stop William Fulds children from taking over the business or the production of Ouija boards. In 1966 the business was sold to Parker brothers who still own the rights today.
So what happened? When did the Ouija Board get associated with evil? The history seems harmless, why is it so closely related to Satan and demons? Although I can not be 100% sure but through research I found that almost all negative reports related to the board came about in the 70’s, after and novel which was turned into a movie 2 years later came out. A classic horror story about a teenage girl who tells her mother she has been talking to a person named Captain Howdy through the Ouija Board. Later this girl becomes possessed by the devil, in which her body contorts, she spits up the classic green pea vomit and her head spins 360 degrees. Yes, you guessed it, I’m talking about The Exorcist. But the movie isn’t all at fault after this another group that heavily promoted the Ouija Board as the work of the devil would be Christians. I would like to state right here that I myself am a Christian, but it is also through my own personal experience that pretty much anything that is used to contact anything supernatural is a product of the devil.
So one has to think is the Ouija board really a tool that contacts demons or even Satan himself? Maybe it isn’t demons but entities that exist on a lower plain. Maybe it isn’t even anything except ones imagination. When dealing with controversial subjects I feel it is important that we have to look at both sides, that of belief and that of doubt. With that being said lets look at something called the Ideomotor effect a term that was coined by William B. Carpenter in 1852. With the power of suggestion or expectation and the subtle unconscious movements made by the hand, one may trick themselves into thinking that something supernatural is occurring. William also states that the muscle movements can by made by the brain independently of emotions. Simply meaning we do not know we are the ones influencing the planchette to move. This same effect also could explain pendulums and dowsing rods (actually that’s why this explanation was created).
So is the Ouija board evil? Is it just some harmless toy? Could it be the intention of the user? Is it all in the imagination of the user? Perhaps its all of the above, one thing is certain the experience is real to those who have them, and I am in no position to say they are not. Thanks for reading and please send all your Ouija board stories to toledo_paranormal@hotmail.com
Comments
Back in the '60s, a college friend occasionally used a ouija board which was stored between the bed & the bedroom wall. Just before Graduation, there were plans for distributing unwanted posessions before Moving Out--including throwing the Board into the garbage. He went away for a weekend & returned to see his apartment & its' contents burned to a total loss. Seems the goose-neck lamp clipped to the top of the bed was left lit & mysteriously fell down onto the bed, igniting the bed coverings. Only the the ouija board survived--it had mysteriously slid down under the remains of the bed. So, the Moral of the Tale is: AVOID DABBLING IN THE OCCULT!!
An excellent article Bobby. Well researched and well written. I started using a Ouija board as a tool in the late sixties and my parents "played" with one for years before me. Neither my parents nor myself ever had a bad experience from this practice. I still use my own custom made board to this day so that's forty-odd years with no ill effects. To me, the Ouija is no more evil than reading tarot, palms,tea leaves or rune stones.
Actually, exorcists consistently admonish people from necromancy, as does Scripture (Deuteronomy is a great reference.)
Here are two articles that detail the real life events that the movie "The Exorcist" was based on:
as I can't include links here, please do a search for halloran on spiritdaily [in their archives] and on catholicherald [article 6748]. Both articles are fascinating, and frankly, a bit frightening.
I'm 60 years old. When a friend brought an ouija board over to the house in the 1950's, my mother was furious. She told us, "Get rid of that thing, it is evil. We had one when we were kids, and my father took it to the basement and threw it into the furnace." Apparently the destuction of the board was preceded by an incident that she would not relate to us. That had to have taken place in the 1930's. So you see, it was recognized as something evil long before the 1970's.
Yes, Darlene can you please email me at toledo_paranormal@hotmail.com? I have received a few emails with stories that predate the 70's but none of them involve demons, but there is a common factor I'm seeing, and I'd personally like to ask you through email.
As for Sue comment
I fail to see how this has anything to do with the Ouija board. I never put exorcism in question and the board wasn't around in biblical times. Sorry I just fail to see how this is relevant.
In the 1960's, I was at my grandmother's house and there was a ouija board there. We had been trying to get my aunt to tell us her middle name. She refused, saying she didn't like it. We asked the ouija board, and it told us. When we told her she got upset, wanting to know who really told us. It was the right name.
In the 70's, some coworkers and I were talking about ouija boards. One of them told me she and some of her brothers and sisters burned one to destroy it, and it screamed. She wouldn't tell us the rest. She was one of those people who doesn't lie or exaggerate, and the look on her face scared me. Now I stay away from the things.
Ricochet Rabbit doing Tea leaves, rune stones, palmistry, tarot or any other type of occult/supernatural work is forbidden and there is a very good reason it is... it opens oneself to the other side. Imagine a lighthouse on the darkest of nights... thats what happens when you do Quija or any supernatural thing. The demons and the evil that goes along with it comes to you. The living are surrounded by the dead. And not the good dead. The good dead have ascended. I implore you not to play or dabble in these things. I have and I rue it.
Long before becoming Christian, had one someone gave me as a gag gift. Things started getting really bad in my life, relationships, all kind of things. So gave it to a friend. His wife thought it looked cool, so she set the board up on an easel in one corner of the room. next morning, it was gone, and was laying near the front door. They set it up again and went to work. Came home. Easel was on the floor, ouija board by front door again.
Then it all started to creep Richard out, so he tossed it in the trashcan out behind their apartment.
yes. next morning it was in their house, on the easel. (If you ever want to get rid of one, you must burn it or cut it into small pieces or it will lure another person to take it in.)
A national late night radio show had a show on ouija boards one Halloween. It was NOT a 'Christian' channel or show. They had more calls that night than any show in their history, people calling with their own ouija stories. Even unbelievers admitted to the evil of it.
PS to BOBBY anout SUE's comment: I think she mentioned exorcists because they are often faced wtih the results of people who have opened the wrong doors and suffered oppression, obsession or posession for their innocent mistakes. So if an exorcist, who may deal 'face to face' as it were, with the dark and demonic, tells people that ouija boards are gates or doors, that would add simply another note of credibility to the issue.
That was the way that her comments impressed me, anyway.
There is nothing "occult" "evil" or "satanic" about a talking board by any name. "Ouija" is a trademark owned by a toy company. Let's attribute all those superstitious monikers to religion and Hollywood. You aren't likely to bring through Satan or any other evil spirit with a talking board. Believe me, the evil people are already here. Having used a talking board on a daily basis for many years, I've never had a bad experience nor have I ever experienced an evil spirit come through. There's a link to the "History of the Talking Board" at the Channeled Readings.com web site. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
A friend of mine is a priest in England. He told me that years ago a young man came to him and told him that he and his brother had been using a Ouija board thinking that it was a toy. Then one night the young man awakened to sense some sort of horrible being in the room. He was terrified and promptly destroyed the board.
Actually the movie "The Exorcist" was based on a true story.
It's called: "Possessed" by Thomas B. Allen, Sept. 2000, ISBN-10: 0595132642
I know from my eary childhood (1950s & 1960s that the Ouija board was considered dabbling with the occult and was forbidden. So, the movie definitely was not original in its association with evil.
When i was in 3rd grade my friends and his older sister and i played with the ouiji board. I know without doubt in my mind that ideomotor actions were not what was moving this thing. I remember we asked the board for Reggie Miller's phone number and it proceeded to give us a number. We called the number and it when to voice mail saying this is the Miller residence please leave a message. We left this long message about how we loved Reggie Miller.. It took me a couple years to realize the demon just gave us some random Miller residence number and that we must have sounded like idiots to these people. Years later i can remember the lies it told.. Always lies and deceit that was thing and I never realized it at the time. I will never forgot getting really scared one time and grabbing my crucifix off the wall and setting it on the board. The planchette could not move. I still keep that crucifix close to me today. Mind you we played with a paper football and a cardboard box.....
The stories concerning Ouija and the demonic are too manifold to recount. I can say of all the cases I have been involved in since 1985, over 50 percent involved the talking board or a similar modus operendi. It is all bad.
Kelly Atkins
Founder
St. Benedict's Guild 1985
Louisville, KY
kelgo22@insightbb.com
Raised in the 1960's, we always thought it was the other person moving the planchette. Having said that, since was neither one of us, who was it? Certainly NOT God.... He doesn't work in this way, never has. So, since it is not of God, there is only one other answer. This thing is evil, dangerous, destructive and should NEVER be allowed in one's house. There are plenty of books "out there" about the evil experiences of people, who have used this board. Nothing good comes of this thing. If you want to bet against what is being said about this, go ahead..... but what if we're right? Can you go up against the demons by yourself? Why would you want to take the chance? Exorcisms are not a joke. When this is done, using the St. Benedict crucifix, it is a dangerous time. Protect yourself. Don't take chances. Giving permission to the demons by use of this board is the most dangerous thing you can do to yourself, spiritually, physically, mentally. Heed our advice here.
Your modern history of the Ouija is accurate enough, but what's more important is what you DIDN'T say. The Ouija dates back much, much farther than the 1890's in America. In 1100 B.C., the Chinese used something known as Fuji "planchette writing." It wasn't used as a game, but as a way to contact spirits. Ancient Egyptians also used a similar device: a ring attached to a piece of thread held over a circular table with symbols on it. The ring would strike the table to spell out words. Elijah Bond and William Kennard had the idea to patent it as a novelty in the 1890's, but it's original origins suggest that it was taken seriously as a way of commutnicating with the unknown. When you look at the complete history, you'll find that this device is not even close to being a toy.
Ricochet-Rabbit,
I would dare you to pray the Hail Mary while using that pseudo game board.
When i was about 7 years (I'm 50 now) I was at my friend's house who was also 7. He asked if I wanted to play a board game and I said sure. While trying to choose which game to play I asked about one I'd never seen before. He said it was his parents game but we could play if we wanted to. He told me you can aske it questions and it will answer them. I was skeptical. He asked it something silly like will he get a new bike for his birthday. It said yes. I thought it was creepy, and told him I thought he had moved it. He assurred me he had not, and asked me to ask it a question. I asked it if it was god? The sliding game peice circled quickly and flew out of our hands. I felt a cold chill and asked him why he did that? He looked shocked and fearful. Said he thought I did it. NO, I didn't. Said I don't want to ever, ever play that game again. I've since warned my children about it too. I remember it like it was yesterday. Can't belive they sell those things at childrens stores.
My oldest son bought one (I didn't know til later) right before he graduated from HS. I found out later and took it out to try to burn it. It wouldn't burn. I dumped bbq fluid on it and finally after trying for awhile I got it to burn. Those boards are evil!
In 1962 when I was 12, I was at a friends house
when my friend got out her new game. It was
a ouija board. We started asking it questions
like how many kids would be have. After a few
minutes the room suddenly got very cold and
we smelled sulphur. We both were so scared we
ran downstairs to where her parents were. I only
later in life learned about what that game was.
Now I know why I was so frightened. BY the way,
there were no candles or matches in the room to
produce the sudden, stong sulphur smell.
My niece was with some of her cousin and friends one night in a back room apt. There in that room her cousin had killed himself about a yr. before. They started with this game. They say they were having so much fun. Then it was telling them who it was. First it started as a child,then it got stronger n stronger then all of a sudden it started to LIFT them up in the air, they got so scared and they have children. They all are still under what ever it was. It won't leave them alone.They are being haunted by what ever it is. We have so manys problems. My niece even when she sleep she is being haunted she evenwake up bruises and her children too. So don't mess around with the unknown. Pray for her that God will Protect her and her Family
There is a part 2 to this article. Please continue to send me your stories @ toledo_paranormal@hotmail.com
Ray evedentily you have a problem with reading your Bible. It discusses playing with witchcraft. God gave us all free will you chose to take yours and do with it as you have, and thats not to listen to our Lord and Savior. Every preacher talks about going to the cross, and taking stripes for our sins, where he bled and died for you and I. Your a movie buff then watch the Passion of the Christ -by Mell Gibson. Wouldnt be cool though if we could remove each lash that Jesus took on that cross by not commitng a knowledgable sin ahead of time I like looking at it that way it helps keep me on my toes. Im not judging you because my Lord tells me not to but it seems like you'll be skating your way through life because you'll never be responsible for anything. Pick up the Bible instead of the game. Watch Charles Stanley if your afraid to go to and open Church, but I recomend you finding a regular Church home. Reason i was on this sight fyi my daughter got into this and shes changed il pray 4 u
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