Ian Parkin is the author of this post.

Ouija Board Rules And Tips For Real Hands-On Spirit-Talking Séances

Handy Ouija Board rules and tips for getting into the spirit of things. Before you open portals to higher realms and contact your loved ones from the other side be sure to read through this complete guide.

1) History Of Talking Boards 2) Do Spirit Boards Work? 3) Make Your Own Board? 4) Ouija Stories 5) Buy Online

A brief history of the Ouija board shows that after the rise in spiritualism’s popularity during the civil war, by the late 1880s, the Talking board’s popularity made it the go-to method for do-it-yourself psychic mediumship. In the early 1890s they started to be made commercially in the United States as Ouija Boards and they became the most popular fortune telling oracle of the time. The inventor is said to be the lawyer and businessman Elijah Bond. Although the name OuiJa comes from French and German words meaning Yes (F Oui) and No (G Ja), Bond said the board advised him that 'Ouija' meant 'good luck' in Egyptian. And don’t laugh - those early Ouija Boards were "dead set" made from recycled wood taken from coffins! It was the Kennard Novelty Company of North America with Bond and William Fuld who first commercially produced this wonderful talking board with the help of E.C. Reiche the coffin maker next door. An interesting thing is that in the 1930s the author Pearl Curran was in contact with a spirit named Patience Worth during sessions with a Ouija board and produced several novels and works of poetry from this so-called parlor game.Then in the 1960s, in the following year the Parker Brothers took it over, millions were sold, and these new talking boards even outsold the Monopoly Board Game.

Thanks to the late 19th century spiritualist movement this spirit world talking board game has grown into a veritable pop culture phenomenon and is possibly the first method of communicating with the dead that comes to mind of any layperson. A flat board marked with the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0–9, the words "yes", "no", "hello" and "goodbye", it uses a small piece of wood called a planchette to trace the ghostly messages from beyond.

Ouija Board Rules And Tips

Its original intention was to open portals into higher realms of consciousness, as well as to contact spirit guides, deceased relatives and communicate with spirits from the other side.

While mainstream religions, like the catholic church, strongly forbid the use of Ouija boards, believing they are a 'a haven for evil spirits and a tool of the Devil', the many Ouija-friendly people among us know it to be an authentic divining tool, and far easier to do than the practice of automatic writing. This mysterious talking board can open doorways to the other side, making it possible to commune with helping spirits, who will provide valuable insights and information.  And you do not need to be a strong medium.

Even if you have a pure intent for fortune telling, consulting it as an oracle, or for delving into the mysteries of the other side, take safety precautions when working with your Ouija board.  

For instance, spirits and alcoholic spirits don’t mix well. It is not a good idea to sit with Ouija in a graveyard, because you may well generate unenlightened entities. And high-strung, stressed-out people should not dabble. It is always best to have a well balanced, spiritually minded, person present to repel “bad” vibrations.

FAQs About Ouija Boards

Can I Use The Ouija Board Alone?
  • A pendulum pad can be used as a solo Ouija board. Not only is a pendant attached to a chain, necklace, or leather string the easiest divination tool to master, it is an auspicious way to get your psychic mojo humming. To get a free printable pendulum pad to practice with click here > >

Do Ouija Boards Work?
  • Ouija boards are a tool for communicating with spirits or accessing other realms. The board "works" as a conduit for supernatural forces. If you approach the board with respect and caution you can expect some profound personal experiences.

Some will, of course, immediately dismiss the Ouija Talking Board Game as merely a toy, more suitable to late-night house parties than any serious occult business. Sceptics love to reason it is a phenomenon known as the ideomotor effect (slight unconscious movements in the hands of the participants) that is controlling the pointer. Others will claim to have seen results and to have communicated with both of their late loved ones. Chances are, the truth is somewhere in between.

Whether you are trying to get in touch with a historical personage that has been dead for centuries or simply wanting to contact your recently deceased grandmother you miss very much, you need to take into consideration their needs and habits first, and not your own. Just because the Ouija board appears to be the easiest way to go about it doesn't mean that it will indeed work. Sometimes it will - but most times it won't. This is because communicating with a spirit depends on a plethora of factors, not limited to your level of clairvoyance, the phases of the Moon, the location at which you are attempting the ritual, and quite often - the mood of the ghost in question. Aimlessly wandering through a 15th century German castle and trying to speak to the spirits in modern English (as some "TV psychics" tend to do) is not very likely to result in anything other than embarrassment.

Instead, it is better to remain calm and listen with your inner, spiritual ear and be ready to receive messages unlike those from living beings. Since the mode of existence in our world and that of the dead is obviously very different, thoughts and ideas are often exchanged not through words (or letters on your Ouija board) but through more direct communication that is sensed rather than heard or seen. Our language can appear redundant and insufficient to what the spirit may want to impart. 

A Ouija board may be fun, but a true and accurate message is more likely to be received through the focused mind and well-intended heart of a real psychic medium.

Get help from an online psychic medium today

Communicate with your deceased loved ones to get answers and feel closer to them. These psychic mediums can help you connect with the world beyond and your loved ones who are now in spirit. Get help from an online psychic medium today > >

How To Make A Ouija Board

You can learn how to make a Ouija board that truly talks to you with this simple guide.

How to Make a Ouija BoardUse This Printable Version as a Guide in Learning How to Make a Ouija Board (Click opens a PDF in a new window)

Gather your materials:

  • Use a modern Ouija board picture like the one above as a basic pattern.
  • A hard wooden board or small table top
  • Paint - your preferred color
  • The Alphabet
  • Numbers
  • Clear varnish if desired (this method works well on a table top)

 Directions:

  1. Create an arc by painting letters of the alphabet directly on the board or table. Put A-M on the first line and N-Z on the next line.
  2. Repeat process for numbers 0-9.
  3. Paint the word “Yes” on the top left and “No” on the top right side of the board. "Hello" and “Goodbye” goes on the bottom corners of your Ouija alphabet board.
  4. You can also affix personal bling, such as crescent moon, sun, stars, zodiac signs, on your board.
how to make a ouija planchetteHow to Make a Ouija Planchette

The Planchette:

This little, but mighty important tool, is a bit more challenging for the DIY’er to construct. Get a thin piece of pretty wood or hard, clear plastic. Study this picture to get an idea of what a planchette looks like. Cut the desired material into a traditional triangle, heart or whatever shape you fancy.

Shape one end into a point and attach three little legs to the planchette, so that spirits can “point” to the letters/numbers.

Other ideas for your planchette.

  • You can use a clear shot glass upturned.
  • Buy a large metal washer from your local hardware store.

And remember – it takes two to Ouija!

The Ouija Board by Norman RockwellThe Ouija Board, a 1920s painting by Norman Rockwell, sold at Sotheby’s for US$1,685,000

True Ouija Board Stories

These real-life stories from Ouija board users, and their many lessons learned, will either encourage or discourage you. Use your common sense and realize the full consequences of their use.

There is a lot of negativity surrounding the Spirit Board. But this tends to come from a domineering religious movement of some kind and/or from those those who have never put their finger on the planchette. Here's the blunt truth - it come down to your own energy. If you are a negative person you will tend to come up with all sorts of crap about all sorts of negative things. If you are enlightened with positive mind, you will come up with positive and helpful insights on all sorts of brighter things.

Scary is not necessarily negative.

I remember playing with my first Ouija boards as a kid back in England. We would scare the beejeepies out of each other with all sorts of stuff and nonsense.

Then in early adulthood I had been drawn back to the board with office work-mates. Again I had the beejeepers scared out of me, but this time it was not stuff and nonsense. It was fascinating that the three of us, each with just one finger on any piece of furniture in the office, as light as you would place on a planchette, would have tables and chairs lifting and flying around the room in phantasmagorical style. There certainly is an energy when a group of like minds lightly connect in a spirit board fashion. 

There were a couple of messages from those early Ouija wanders that strongly influenced me over the rest of my life. Things like moving to Australia and avoiding the Middle East.  While I have fond memories of my own true Ouija board experiences, after developing my psychic mediumship ability in later life, I’ve never been drawn back to using a board for spirit communication.

Get help from an online psychic medium today

Communicate with your deceased loved ones to get answers and feel closer to them. These psychic mediums can help you connect with the world beyond and your loved ones who are now in spirit. Get help from an online psychic medium today > >

Your Ouija Board Stories And Comments 

Zozo the Ouija Demon - by Layla - Stuart, Fl USA
When I was 10 (in 1996), I had a Ouija board. My mom had had horrible experiences in her teen years with one, so she refused to get me one... so I begged my grandmother and she secretly got one for me. At first it was really fun, then the board started telling me really gross and inappropriate things. The way my mom found out I had the board was because I asked her what a C U Next Tuesday meant... because I'd learned that word from my board. When asked who I was speaking with the board said 'Zozo'. Long story short I ended up burning the board in my dad's grill. Fast forward to when I was 25 working as a hairstylist, the owners 12-year-old daughter kept saying she wanted a Ouija board. I kept saying 'no you don't' and told her some of my experiences with my board, there were A LOT. So, she asked me if I'd ever googled that name. I hadn't, it had actually never occurred to me. So, we ran back to the office, and I typed in Z O Z and automatically the words Zozo the Ouija Demon popped up. So, we read page after page of similar experiences to what I had. Apparently, there’s even a movie about it. I'm now a Tarot reader, with Mediumistic tendencies. I've always been drawn to the 'super'natural. I just read your Tell Me a Ghost Story and immediately thought of my Ouija experience. Has anyone else encountered that Spirit? That's my only experience with anything dark, I make sure to only connect with light and loving energies now that I'm older and wiser.

Mysterious Oracle Put Under The Test - by James Giuliano - (San Francisco USA) 
The horror movie The Exorcist was based on a novel about demonic possession by William Peter Blatty. In a true story William tells that while writing the final chapter of his book he developed a ten-day obsession with a Ouija board. These sessions convinced him that he was seeing paranormal activity from an external force. Thinking the main character was his late father communicating with him he decided the only way to know for sure was to validate what was going on. He brough in someone to help do this. A girl, who could go into trance while touching the planchette, was asked questions in Arabic so she would not understand them. He received accurate answers in English.

My Ouija Board Disaster - by Claudia (QLD, Australia)
My stepsister and I invited over some friends and after winding each other up with our Ouija board stories we decided to do a seance. I can see ghosts, and everyone there knew that already. We were all being silly, and I think we made some ghosts mad, because there is now a ghost in my room that will not leave. I just don't know how to get rid of this ghost.

  • Face Your Fear - by Anonymous
    Some ghosts are not there to harm you but have an important message. Some ghosts are not ghosts, but spirits. I've met some that seemed scary or harmful at first, but they just had an important message, and talking to them provided not only healing for them to move on, but deeper insight on my own life as well.

Halloween Helen On Ouija Board - by Julia (Philadelphia, PA)
We were telling Ouija board stories at a Halloween Party. We opened our old Ouija board but got bored with asking random questions about the future. So I (sort of jokingly) asked if there were any spirits in the room. It instantly said Yes. I asked for details. The spirit said that her name was Helen, and that she died in a train crash near where I lived in 1856. She even told us she was a 35-year-old teacher. I looked the information up on the internet later, and I was shocked to learn that everything she said checked out. There was a terrible train crash in Ambler, Pennsylvania on July 17, 1856, killing about 60 people. It was a train filled with Sunday School children and their teachers. I tried to find Helen's name on the list of victims, but I couldn't find a complete list, and she never gave me a last name. I never heard from her again - I figure she just wanted someone to talk to. You can find out about the crash if you just look up the Pennsylvania Great Train Wreck of 1856 on Google.

From Ouija Board Beginnings - by Paula Briggs (Ocean Park, WA)
It all started when I was a teen and at my Aunt's home for the weekend. I was playing with a Ouija Board. I interrupted my Aunt to ask her if she knew anyone named Estie. On the Ouija, my great Aunt Estie (whom I didn’t even know existed), told me that Uncle John (whom I didn’t know existed) was sick with lust. Estie wanted my Aunt to call John because he left her home alone dying from cancer while he chased Mary (his now wife). That all turned out to be true. From my Ouija board beginnings, I've been a Psychic Clairvoyant for 25 years now. I have contacted my spirit guide to answer the hard questions for people searching for answers to change their life in a positive direction.

Solo Ouija Talking Board - by Rev. Priestess Calister (Jonesboro, GA)
I use an instrument called a Talking Board which has been designed especially for me. It has alphabets, punctuation and numbers. The difference in what I do is that I use it solo. I use a pendulum which is tied to my finger allowing it to dangle, I then place the pendulum over the Talking Board and without any effort from me (remember the pendulum is tied to my finger I do not hold it) the pendulum swings from letter to letter spelling out words, giving answers to your questions in sentences and phrases.

Ouija Board Wise Guy - by Louis (Denver, CO)
I was at a party where the hostess was telling Ouija board stories and nagging everybody to try out her Ouija. She finally wore me down and the two of us were doing the usual - asking silly questions with her laughing at the mostly meaningless stuff that was coming through. Finally, as we were about to quit, I asked it a question mentally. The pointer started to move, but I could not see the letters well since they were turned her way and the place was badly lit. The pointer stopped moving after a few letters. She looked at me and said: "What did you ask it?" I told her "I asked it how things looked from that side". She says: "It says 'DEAD'." She did not bother me with her Ouija board stories after that.

Don't Mess With The Ouija - by Lanarkshire Psychic
As a psychic clairvoyant and spiritual healer, my advice to anyone would be not to touch a Ouija board...ever! There are mischievous and nasty earthbound entities out there who use Ouija boards as a kind of open door and who prey on the gullible and the confused and once you let them in, they can become invasive and dangerous to your mental and emotional health. Remember, in this world there are nice decent souls and downright nasty, wicked people who wouldn't think twice about doing someone harm. It’s the same in the lower astral realms. Yes.... your loved one could be at your door, waiting on you contacting them.... but so could any other unknown spirits, so stay away from the Ouija board please. If you want to contact a deceased relative or friend, then do so through a 'reputable' medium.

If you would like to ask questions, add answers, or comment on this page please use my contact form. Start the conversation with the heading About The Ouija Board.

Or if you're inspired to write an article on this subject please submit a guest post here.

How To Get Your Hands On A Ouija Board

Buying a Ouija board, like any other product online, requires a careful approach to ensure you get a quality item that meets your expectations.

Remember, while many people view Ouija boards as simple game boards, others (me included) attach spiritual and mystical significance to them. Consider your own beliefs and those of others who may interact with the board and proceed in a manner that feels comfortable and respectful to you.

You may also like these

How Contacting the Dead Became a Family Game