Ouija Boards - Tips On How To Use Them

For the Ouija Board to work properly, 2 people must gently rest their fingers on the planchette. The Ouija Board supposedly works better when placed on the knees, but a table works fine. In the end, it's whether a spirit wishes to communicate or not that gives you the ultimate result, which depends not on where the board is placed.

Talk to Your Ouija Board

The 'proper' way to start is to keep repeating, "Ouija, are you there?" until movement is felt. Small jerks are usually felt but result from slight twitching from one of the 'players'. When the spirit wishes to communicate, a strong sweep of the planchette will be felt as it navigates the Ouija Board and points at the word "Yes". If you see a look of surprise on your partner's face, it's usually a good indication that it's a genuine spirit. Keep in mind, laughing and giggling usually results in aggravating the spirit and will keep them from communicating - or sometimes making them violent or verbally offensive.

Is it a Good Spirit?
Next step is to ask the spirit if they're from the sun or moon ("Where are you from?" sounds less cheesey but may not be specific for your question). They will point to one of the pictures on the Ouija Board. A sun spirit is considered good while the moon is bad, however, not all spirits can be trusted so pay attention to their behaviour to judge for yourself.

Respect the Dead

Once you have contact, ask questions about them to find out who they are before asking personal questions about yourself. Spirits are bad spellers and sometimes shorten the words to save time. One thing to remember: when asked how old they are, be specific on how old they were when they died. A 35 year old woman who died 8 years before will tell you she's 8 unless you specify 'at time of death'. Some spirits may become upset when pried with questions on their life, so show respect. They may have lost their physical body, but they still have human feelings like you.

Ask Questions
Find out who your future wife or husband will be. What job will you have in 5 years? What's the astral plane like? What kind of music did they listen to? Anything. (Lottery numbers never seem to work...). If you're running out of questions but still having fun, see how fast they can do figure 8's with the planchette (almost more fun than asking questions!!). *Figure 8's can sometimes mean you've angered the spirit - see note below.*

When to End Communication

Don't be scared. Imagine you are conversing with a new friend sitting beside you. Treat them like a person and they'll show you respect in return. As some humans have bad attitudes, their negativity will be carried with them beyond death. If the spirit shows aggression, end communication - but still in the proper way.

Goodbye, Ouija Board

When you feel it is time to end the coversation, let the spirit know you are stopping communication. Be sure to say "Goodbye" and watch for the planchette to point to the word "Goodbye" on the Ouija Board. If they fail to do so, say it again. This is the hang-up on the call. Without it, they could (according to some) remain connected to some form of 'doorway' into this world, however, the more you learn about spirits, the less this seems necessary for them - but there's no point in taking chances. From a recent email: From the ouija board section.. The vigorous figure eights is very bad news. Means you've angered the spirit, and that could be so dangerous. My response: You're right and I suppose I should have mentioned that. With my own experience, however, when I angered the spirit I didn't get figure 8's - I got threats. The figure 8's were done out of fun with a friendly spirit. We had those 8's moving so fast we could barely keep our fingers on the planchette. Figure 8's from a new spirit don't necessarily mean you've angered it either sometimes it's just a pattern they make to let you know they're there. All spirits are different and

once a single spirit becomes connected with your board you'll learn on your own how to interpret its actions.

Fifteen Ouija Board Tips

I came across this list of tips, most by Martin Attlins, but with additions and renditions by yours truly, and thought that with the amount of traffic I receive from people looking for Ouija Board information, they might be useful. Hope you enjoy them. An additional 5 tips were submitted below.

10 Tips 1. Never use the Ouija Board alone. Always have another person's fingers on the planchette (the pointer that moves over the board) besides your own. According to some, using a board by yourself can open a doorway, allowing a spirit to possess your body. True or not, do you really want to chance that? Always have a friend with you and you'll never have to worry. Just make sure it's someone you trust not to play jokes with the board or act immaturely towards the ghost.
2. Try not to be afraid of the spirit, unneccessarily that is. If it's a good spirit, getting over your fear and holding a friendly conversation with him/her can help you connect with your subconscious. 3. Before asking about yourself, find out more about the spirit you're speaking with before deciding if you would like to continue. Use all the details given to judge for yourself if the spirit appears good or evil. Don't forget that spirits are just as capable of making up stories as living humans, so use your intuition. If possible, verify the answers. 4. If the spirit claims to be a celebrity, chances are they weren't. Not only does that remind me of a spirit claiming to be Jimi Hendrix, even telling us the chords to his lost song, but it brings to mind the seance in one of the Bill and Ted movies where the lady claims to have been Joan of Arc in a past life. Except in rare occasions, celebrity = fake. But like the last tip, verify the spirit's details over the internet if you have to. Who knows, you might get lucky. 5. Try not to ask questions that will scare you as some spirits will feed on your fear. Even if the spirit can tell you when you will, not only do you really want to know, but you won't know if they're serious or not. Just because they're a step closer to the Akashic Records (where all wisdom is stored for those who believe in it), doesn't mean they've yet learned to access it. 6. Limit the amount of time you spend using your Ouija Board. Keep it down to only a handful of hours each week, if that. Too much use can almost be like an addiction and some spirits might just use that to their advantage. 7. Take any precautions your religion/beliefs may suggest. Cast a circle before the session and close it at the end. Keep a rosary on the table. Anything you can think of to lessen the risk of communicating with an evil spirit is wise. Sure, you can get along fine without it, as I used to, but why risk it if you have the means and the knowledge. 8. Keep your eyes on the planchette. Never leave it unattended. If it constantly goes to all four corners or does figure eights, sometimes at alarming speed, this can indicate that you have an evil spirit, although, as mentioned in another article, I have used figure eights with a good spirit, but I also knew and trusted her. If these things happen, immediately flip over the planchette and use it upside down. 9. If at any time during your conversations you feel the spirit becoming hostile, immediately say goodbye and put the board away. 10. If the time ever comes where you would like to dispose of your Ouija Board, don't burn it. Some people say the proper way is to break it into seven pieces, then sprinkle it with holy water, salt, or whatever your beliefs suggest. Some people say to bring it to a church, even leaving it on the steps, allowing a priest to bless it. Why so much trouble over a Ouija Board? Think of the energy that was focused upon it. You opened a gateway into the astral plane, and those energies - both good and bad - can remain inside the board, which can also leave the portal open.

Shortly after posting this article, I received an email from a visitor, June, who had some great tips to add. Rather than make a separate page, I'm going to add them here. Hi! I have been an avid ouija board user, this is only because of my success with it. Nothing harmful has happened to me only positive experiences with real spirits. My concern lies with those that don't use it properly and giving ouija a bad name. There are a few aspects to ouija where I haven't seen online anywhere when it comes to proper use. I'd like to share my process where I've learned from experienced users and this way has always been peaceful and successful. Before anything we have two tall white candles we light them and place them at the corners of the board. This brings only good spirits and energy. (This is taught by a Wiccan) First we gather whomever that wants to play, usually its me and my 2 other friends. We then sit down on the floor indian style, knees touching. Contact is supposed to help the connection for the questions we ask and with the spirit. (Good for the beginning, but you can move around after the a awhile) Second we all say a prayer to protect ourselves and our board. it is a simple protection prayer we've made up over the years. This ensures good spirits and a positive experience. Third We clean the board, which means switching the planchette between yes and no until we feel its "clean" Fourth We begin asking questions of course of the spirits first then yourself. We have learned that spirits are genderless and they will answer accordingly. Also NEVER ask questions that have to do with religion, because ouija is purely spiritual and should not be disturbed by asking things about God or whatever. Fifth After asking your questions, clean the board and thank them, and then point your planchette on goodbye. blow out candles. ****please be sure to clean the board between each question (wiping between yes and no) after you get an answer, clean. this helps the spirit give precise answers. Because of this I've encountered some spirits with great spelling! this way of playing has made me comfortable playing with the board and everyone that has joined us has felt the same. there's really no accurate directions on the internet and i feel that's why people have had bad experiences. I hope you would share this process with others so everyone can have a safe and positive experience. Thank you, June Hopefully these tips help those of you just starting out, or even those that have used Ouija Boards in the past. Now that this is over, I suddenly have the urge to buy another board. Trust me - they can be fun.