Home

Due to a great many questions on the subject, I've decided to lay out my own FAQ of sorts here pertaining to the "Ouija" or "talking" board based upon a combination of my own experiences, understanding, and research.

It doesn't have to be dark outside, although for some to come through, they will specify per instance that this may be more adequate. Yes you can make your own Ouija, as in the old days, many times a divination device was drawn on the floor and they would use coins or small drinking glasses for the planchette. Here's a link to a site that may be of interest:

http://www.museumoftalkingboards.com/make.html

Also, just in case any of you think about doing this, here's a Q&A I have written up:

1. Does it matter if I use an old or new ouija board?
Nope, doesn't matter, even one drawn on paper will work. If the spirits are going to talk to you through this they WILL talk to you. The bad could be that through an older board, you may be subject to only speaking with a spirit that has chosen in the past to "graft" itself to this one board, this happens and may not be a chance you want to take.

2. Is it possible to use a ouija board alone?
Possible? Yes. Happen often successfully? No. Wise? NO.

3. Can spirits use a ouija board if you're not touching the pointer thing?
Yes and no, they are still there, and try as they might, it will only continue to move for a split second after raising your hands from the planchette. As with everything, there may always be room for exceptions.

4. To communicate to the spirits, do you recommend spelling out or saying your questions or comments?
Just talk to them like you would any normal person. Be respectful and courteous and receptive to any and all courtesy. Don't be too trusting however. Keep them at arms length so to speak. Take what they say with a grain of salt until researched and proven. Be kind yet inquisitive.

5. How should I start it? Just set it up and ask if anyone is there?
You and whomever else is taking part should place your fingertips on the planchette (pointer) lightly, enough to make contact but not so much to keep it from sliding over the board's surface freely. Then ask aloud, "Is anyone there?"

6. Why can't it be done alone?
Wellllllllllll....I never said it COULDN'T; I said it wasn't the smartest thing to do. Think of it this way, using a Ouija is the spiritual equivalent of living in a large city and leaving your door wide open at 2 a.m. for anyone to come wandering in and you just talking to whomever may decide to stumble through your door. Now would YOU want to be there alone or wouldn't it be better to have someone there with you?

7. I see that things necessary on the board are the alphabet and the number line. Is it necessary to have the sun and moon? Should I draw the letters or numbers in a certain way or pattern?
For simplicity's sake, it's best just to pick a design from a pre-existing board you like and duplicate that.

8. When making one, I can see in the another topic pretty much anything can work. So I suppose the cardboard back of a notebook and a quarter will work.
Some believe it will work fine, others believe the more work put into it, the more personal the object of divination becomes, the more credible and useful that source becomes. This has a great deal to do with faith and belief on a very base level. Any negativity is going to more than likely, at the very least, sully your experience.

9. About behavior, I was reading some "Ouijastitions" on that Museum of Talking Board site. Though I see the pun on superstitions, do any of the things apply? If it starts counting through the alphabet, do I have anything to worry about?
Some believe this is the entity's way of trying to escape, others think this is just a result of anachronism on the part of the entity. In my experience, you have nothing to fear unless it just "feels" wrong and I can honestly tell you no more than that. If you are not very in tune with this sort of thing or observant, I wouldn't suggest trying this in the first place. Being observant and very attune to your every feeling and movement is nothing to be taken for granted in a situation such as this especially one to be taken seriously. For so many who begrudgingly say they've "tried" the ouija to no effect, if you're just "screwing around" and doing something half assed, then what can you honestly expect? ;)

10. I bought some piece of crap cardboard-ish one from Toys R' Us. I assume that this will work fine, right?
Yep, its the same kind that I started out on.

11. Which way do I hold the planchette? If the pointed part of it faces up, then it can not point to "goodbye" or any of the numbers.
It doesn't actually "point" to the letters and or numbers exactly, the letter or number or whatever being selected is usually viewed within the little clear plastic "window" of the planchette. When going across the word "Goodbye", it will simply glide over it.

12. How will I know when I have contacted a spirit? How do I go about contacting one (do I just keep asking "Is anyone there" every now and then, or will it just start moving around a bit and that is when I know?)
Just be patient. You should feel a bit of a tug, if you do, make sure its not you or your friend by thinking and feeling first, then if it continues, follow it while lightly touching the planchette...just let it go where it wants to. There is a definite difference in the feeling of someONE moving the planchette and someTHING moving it. You can feel it in your arms, hands, fingertips, even shoulders and neck...

13. I have only had the chance to do this alone right now. My hands sometimes shake, so it looks like it is moving a bit, but not a lot. How do I know when it is a spirit? I wil always have the thought in my mind that it is just me doing it to entertain myself, and not really a spirit (as in me influencing the answer too much, or moving it wher I want it to go).
You must learn to separate that part of yourself from what's going on. DO NOT influence what it is doing or saying, even if you think you know what word its trying to spell, you say it aloud if you can guess and either they will continue to spell the word out because they are just doing that to finish it, or perhaps you had the wrong word....but most times, if you say correctly what they're spelling out after the first few letters, they will move on to the next word.

DOs and DON'Ts

1. Its not a good idea to do one where someone died an especially painful or suicidal death.
2. DO NOT do it alone. I've even been warned not to have your hands on it by yourself even though there are others watching you.
3. Don't poke fun at their emotions.
4. Don't be too trusting. As skeptical as you would be of another person, be more so with spirits, but don't be hateful about your skepticism.
5. Don't have them doing dumb ass parlor tricks. They get tired of it quickly and have better things to do. How would you feel if every time you met someone new they were asking you to push a pencil, turn off a light, or guess a number.
6. Asking how they died is ok.
7. If they don't want to talk about something, don't press the issue.
8. If they tell you to go...do so.
9. If they will not say goodbye force one by turning the planchette over and swiping it across the goodbye. Most times they go to goodbye on their own. If you need to go, say, "well I need to go", or whatever and they will either go to goodbye or if they don't understand or don't want to, then, ask nicely again, if they still won't just do one yourself.
10. Always be patient and courteous and receptive to courtesy.
11. Look for signatures in the spirits; the way they move the planchette is their signature.
12. Always, if you think something has offended them, offer an apology. Be extra nice, after all, they are having to exude quite an effort to communicate with you.
13. If you get one that is seemingly spelling out gibberish, pick up the planchette and place it back in the center of the board nicely. Ask your question again, and if the response is still gibberish, you may have contacted a spirit that is either dyslexic (it happens), illiterate (or has a lot of trouble spelling), or a foreigner. Nicely ask them to go to "goodbye" if they won't then go ahead and do one yourself.

And last but not least...

--Are there any other precautions I should know about, as it will be my and probably my friend's first time?--
No more than what I've already told you in the "Do's and Don'ts" and anything you may feel more comfortable with based upon your own personal beliefs, i.e. prayers, candles, salt circles, etc.

Thanks to the loyal masses over at GameFAQs P/C boards for the interest in this subject and for the questions for my Q&A. No thanks to the unsupportive mods and asshat trolls there. :)