Ouija Boards ARE Dangerous!

As long as I've been part of the paranormal community in one way or another, I've always been privvy to one of the field's greatest debates:  the Ouija Board.  It seems as if there are two factions split evenly to this controversy...those who believe that the board is simply a piece of cardboard with no power to do, well...anything, and then those who believe that the board is actually a portal.  Those in this latter category tend to believe that playing with the Ouija Board is akin to dialing a random telephone number--only this one is connected to the other side, where demons, or other subversive spirits, are just waiting for some unsuspecting fool to mess with.

At the risk of sounding like I'm "playing Switzerland," I actually do not fall into either of these categories exclusively--I take on a different approach altogether.  It is my personal belief that YES, Ouija Boards ARE dangerous...but not because I believe their use will unleash a legion of demons bent upon destroying the user and/or world. 

The Ouija Board operates on the ideomotor principle, meaning that whether you consciously know it or not, you're actually moving it yourself.  Based on your belief system, the info that results could be a form of psychic ability, or it could simply be a way to retrieve subconscious information from deep within the psyche.  And THAT is what can be dangerous to some people.  Some people just aren't ready to deal with what their subconscious has put away.  The subconscious hides things from us for a reason, and while it can be beneficial and even healing to tap into that area, doing so before one is emotionally able to handle it, and in such a manner, can result in no less than the figurative train wreck.

And then there are those with addictive personalities who become truly obsessed with using a Ouija Board, even basing huge life decisions on ONLY what the board tells them.  I've heard horror stories about people who literally cannot stop using the board, and start using it as an emotional crutch.   It is also quite common for someone to start using a Ouija board in an effort to contact loved ones who have passed.  As a paranormal investigator myself, I strongly recommend that the Ouija Board NEVER be used to try to contact loved ones, and that grief counseling should be explored before any other type of communication is attempted.   Scary stuff, huh?

The board is a tool first and foremost, and like any tool, can be good or bad, safe or dangerous based on the person using it and that person's intent.  If there is any doubt, stay away.  However, if you DO choose to use the board as a tool, here's a short list of tips and tricks, based on a combination of folklore and common sense...just in case, lol.

* Never play the Ouija Board alone

* If the board starts saying not-so-nice things, or anything that makes you uncomfortable, stop play immediately

*Don't ask questions that you don't want the answers to...and never ask the board to describe when and how you're going to die...you'll obsess over the answer you get.

* Don't play the board if you're not emotionally and mentally stable...and don't play under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.

* There are a few ways to "close" the board at the end of a session.  Some believe that moving the planchette over the words Good Bye, and then flipping the planchette upside down on the board is the best way to go.  Others believe that storing the board with a silver coin placed over it will keep anything unwanted that may try to come through at bay.

* If using candles during play, practice general fire safety!

* There are a variety of "protection" rituals available to suit a number of belief systems.  Many like to envision themselves shrouded in a protective, white light, before playing the Ouija Board.