I’m a senior in college, and my roommate makes Ouija boards. Yes, you read that right. She designs all kinds of boards – whether they be witchy, covered in cauldrons and magic herbs, or space-themed, abundant with cute little planets and stars – and she sells them on Etsy to a wide community of Ouija users. (If you want to check them out, her shop is called Positively Mystic.)
Before meeting her – and my several other friends who introduced me to spirit boards – I was always super intrigued by the myths surrounding the craft, especially those I’d seen in scary movies. In "Ouija" (2014), a ghost with a terrifying backstory has the ability to wreak havoc in the real world. In "American Horror Story: Coven," one character tells the story of her grandma whose house burned down because she Ouija-ed.
I’ve since learned that spirit boards aren’t scary, though. They’re actually pretty fun and a good way to spend time with a group of friends. However, they also aren’t something you “play.” A board isn’t a toy, and if you treat it like one, you’ll receive some negative spirits.
In case you’re interested in how a proper, respectful session works, here’s what happens when my friends and I decide to Ouija. (Also remember to do your own research before conducting a session yourself!)
1. We start in a positive atmosphere.
Negative energy has a better chance of attracting negative spirits, so we try to keep it light and optimistic. We also turn off all electronics (cell phones, even lights, as they can interfere with spirit contact), and use candles if it’s too dark.
2. We always Ouija with other people.
A one-person session equals a séance, and that’s the least safe way to contact spirits. Also, we pick one person from the group to speak so as not to confuse spirits with multiple voices.
To begin, everyone places two fingers lightly on the planchette and moves it in a clockwise circle thrice. After this, the speaker will begin by asking if there are any spirits present.
3. The planchette won’t move quickly (if at all).
In TV and movie portrayals, the planchette tends to move pretty fast. In reality, a session will probably be a little bit boring, because you have to wait for the spirit to make initial contact and slowly move the planchette around after that. Sometimes, the spirit even leaves in the middle of the session.
4. If/when we contact a spirit, we’re always polite.
We don’t ask about the details of their death, or if they know the details of ours. We do ask if there’s anything they’d like to say or tell us, and if we’d like to ask them a personal question, we always ask if they’re okay with answering such a question first. Remember that spirits can always lie, so take what they say with a grain of salt and interpret it how you wish.
5. Spirits don’t “come out of the board” and mess with us, because we watch for patterns.
If the planchette moves around the four corners of the board or repeats an answer multiple times in a row, it might be trying to escape. If this happens, we end the session.
6. We also end the session if we’re uncomfortable, or if the spirit is negative or unresponsive.
To do so, we continue being polite, move the planchette thrice in a clockwise circle and then to “Farewell” or “Goodbye,” take the planchette from the board, and flip the board face-down on the ground. We store the planchette and board separately from each other.
Whether we’re skeptical or not, Ouija-ing is usually a chill pastime for us. Now that doesn’t sound scary, does it?
