Ouija Board Rules
Following the rules of the Ouija board will help keep you safe from the trickster spirits and demonic entities that may come through the board.
So you want to play the Ouija board, but you’re afraid you might get some kind of spirit attachment or demonic possession. Following these Ouija board rules will help keep you safe from the trickster spirits and demonic entities that may come through the board when you are communicating with the other side.
Many who have experimented with the Ouija board seem to agree that the creepy old board game, patented by Elijah Bond in 1890 as little more than a parlor trick and sold by William Fuld through the Kennard Novelty Company, is not a toy to be messed with.
The Ouija conjures fear and anxiety at the mere mention of its name.
Ouija board users have been haunted and tormented by the spirits or demonic entities they unwittingly opened the door to.
It wasn’t always like this.
Spirit communication devices were once considered little more than the harmless tools of Spiritualism used during seances in a dark rooms. The services of mediums were particularly sought after during times of great mourning such as the years following the Civil War, and later WWI. Ghosts like the mysterious Patience Worth, and even the spirit of Mark Twain, supposedly penned novels from beyond the grave through Ouija boards.
The general public didn’t begin to fear them until the 1950s, following reports of a boy known only as Roland Doe who became possessed by the devil after playing with his aunt’s board.
Roland’s story was eventually adapted into The Exorcist, a story about a girl possessed by the demon Pazuzu after talking to a spirit calling itself Captain Howdy. William Peter Blatty’s novel and the subsequent film were also inspired in part by this bizarre case of demonic possession.
Since then, significant lore and has grown around the Ouija, and users’ own harrowing personal experiences talking to the dead have dictated a number of things you should and should not do in order to avoid the dangers of the Ouija board. Following these simple rules might help ensure that you don’t inadvertently invite the ZoZo demon or some other malevolent entity into your life.
Follow these Ouija board rules while playing:
1. Never use the Ouija board alone
Playing Ouija by yourself leaves you more vulnerable to an evil spirit coming through from the other side, so always make sure you play with one or more friends.
2. Never use the board in a graveyard
A graveyard or somewhere where a violent murder took place can be a gateway for a malevolent entity to come through the veil. You don’t want to risk opening any channels through which they may make their way in from the other side.
3. Never burn the Ouija board
After a particularly harrowing session, users are often compelled to destroy a board as thoroughly as possible in hopes of closing the portals they opened. To accomplish this, they will often try to burn the board – a method experienced users do not recommend. A Ouija board is said to scream if you try to burn it, and the common belief is that anyone who hears it will have 36 hours to live. Burning a Ouija board doesn’t work anyway, according to stories, as it always seems to end up back in its owner’s home intact.
The proper way to dispose of a Ouija board is to break it into seven pieces, sprinkle it with Holy Water, and bury it.
4. Never leave the planchette on the board
The planchette (pointer) acts as a window through the veil to the other side, and being careless with it can lead to problems. Leaving the planchette on the board allows things to escape into our world. Similarly, be wary of the planchette counting down through the numbers or moving letter-by-letter across the alphabet, as that is another way an unwanted doorway can be opened to undesirable spirits and demons.
5. Never ask when you will die
I don’t know why. Maybe because it’s something you shouldn’t really know? Or because a spirit will invent a terrible fate for you, then see to it that it comes true?
6. Always say goodbye
Closing the board is important, as it shuts the door to the other side and prevents lingering spirits from interfering in your life. Thank the spirits and say goodbye. The planchette should move down to the word “goodbye” on the board. Then you can safely put the board back in its box.
If the spirit does not say goodbye back, you need to once again say goodbye, then pass the planchette through the flame of a candle.
Sometimes you will find variations or additions to these rules, such as never ask about God, place a silver coin on the board for protection, never play the Ouija board when you are sick or weak as it may make you vulnerable to possession, and never play if you are an atheist, doubter, or think it’s just a game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you play Ouija?
- Place the board on a flat surface or on the laps of two people facing each other. Some early versions of the instruction say a “lady and gentleman” are preferred for playing.
- Rest your fingers lightly on the planchette, using the least pressure possible.
- Ask a question, keeping your mind focused on the matter, and wait for an answer.
- Only ask one question at a time to avoid confusion.
- Don’t ask frivolous questions or play Ouija in a joking manner
Who invented the Ouija board?
The patent for the spirit board was filed in 1890 by Elijah Bond, who later granted the rights to the Kennard Novelty Company of Baltimore, Maryland, who produced the first talking boards in the US. William Fuld soon took over the company and his name became synonymous with the Ouija board.
What does “Ouija” mean?
The origin of the word “ouija” is as mysterious as the game itself. A common misconception is that it comes from the French word for “yes,” but that is not correct. William Fuld claimed his “Egyptian luck board” named itself. During a meeting of Kennard investors, Helen Peters – a medium and Elijah Bond’s sister-in-law – asked the board what it wanted to be called. The planchette moved around the board, spelling out O-U-I-J-A. Peters asked what that meant. “Good luck,” the board responded. Peters then showed the group a locket she was wearing around her neck. Inside was a photo of a woman with the word “Ouija” written on it. Some speculate that the word was misread and may have actually said “Ouida,” the pen name of author Maria Louise Ramée whose romance, adventure, and children’s books were quite popular in the 1890s.
How do Ouija boards work?
According to believers, spirits of the dead or other entities from beyond the veil move the planchette around the board when you ask questions. Science ascribes this seemingly paranormal phenomena to something called the ideomotor effect, which causes the Ouija board user to make unconscious movements based on suggestions and expectations. The movements feel unnatural, or supernatural in origin, as they are not aware they are making them.
Have you ever broken the rules of the Ouija board? What happened? Share your story in the comments below.
In grade school I would take my moms ouiji board to my friends house. She liked to use it with me.
One time I moved it to an answer or two then I thought I better not do that.
The first thing it did was spell H I T
S H E RRYL so my friend hit me.
I explained to my friend what I did and we never played it again.
I asked my friend do you remember when we were in 6th grade and the ouiji board?
She still remembers.
Is the board real or just the ideomotor effect why does it open doors to demons if it is just our own mind at work?
turns out a paper ouija board works to you just have to make it right also it kep spelling zo zo 24x
Mom and I used to play with it together. It would spell the answers backwards..scared the crap out of people. I gotta admit I am not brave enough not to play with it anymore.
Yup no I get nauseous going near one of these cursed boards. I will go out of my way to avoid them in stores
They aren’t safe in any capacity and could open doors to the demonic. One should avoid them!
Did not close and say goodbye, having bad luck
Nohing happnn. asked if I was safe .no but they was not going to hurt me other eople yes but not me. ended p being m death friend. they ssaid they was scary and infront of me.
Its utterly confounding to think that this is solds in toy stores and its horrendous to think of what the kids will do they know nothing of the dangers
where’s the rule about the silver piece on the board?
Such excellent information and advice! There are too Few instruction manuals for the Ouija!
my sitster dint no i do not like her
what does it mean when the planchette tries to go to the 4 corners of the board?
The planchette keeps trying to move off the board? Why what does it mean?