Essay/Term paper: Ouija boards

Essay, term paper, research paper:  College Term Papers

Ouija Boards


For those of you that do not know what a ouija board is, it is a device
used to supposedly ask questions of and receive answers from a seemingly
supernatural force. Using a ouija board has become a controversial subject. Some
people regard them as "evil" or a "tool of the Devil", yet they continue to be
sold in stores along Scrabble and Monopoly as a game.
The Ouija board was invented in the early 1890's by William Fuld. It is
now sold by Parker Brothers. A ouija board is a small board with various symbols
printed on its surface. These symbols include all letters of the alphabet, the
numbers 1 to 9 and 0, and the words yes and no. A smaller board, shaped like a
heart, called a planchette or pointer is used to direct the answers.
Two or more people rest a Ouija board on their laps and press their
fingers lightly on the pointer. One of them asks the board a question. The
pointer supposedly answers by indicating a word or a number or by spelling out
words. According to people who believe in the ouija board, spirits guide the
pointer. Others think the fingers of the questioner influence the pointer.
There are basic guidelines that should be followed for using Ouija
boards. If any of you are willing to try one you should check out some of the
safe things to do to protect yourself or anyone else from possible harm. As many
people improvise a ouija board as a game, it is always best to protect yourself.
Where there is no protection from 'evil forces' extremely frightening things can
occur. Sinister messages can be spelt out, claimed to come from the devil. As to
prove that no one person is purposely pushing the pointer, tales have been told
of all removing their fingers except one, and the pointer continuing to whiz
around in manic fashion - or of the pointer jumping up in the air or hurling
itself off the table and smashing. Also evil spirits have been known to lie
about who they are tricking the users into further danger.
You have to be the judge of the information you receive. To believe
everything that comes through on the board just because it's from the other side
is extremely gullible, and is like believing everything that you read in the
newspaper or see on TV. If your mind tells you there's something wrong, there
probably is . If the information you're getting seems new to you, compare it
with other channeled material and see if you're comfortable with it.
The important point to remember here is Like attracts Like. Ouija boards
do work, but the sort of beings you are likely to attract is directly related to
the level of spiritual development of the participants and their intent.
Remember a Ouija board is just a tool for contact which relies on no practice,
learning or spiritual development to make it work. It's like dialing a random
telephone exchange and hoping for the best. However, with practice, learning and
spiritual development the chances of getting through to the right person are
greatly increased.
If used properly, the Ouija board can be a positive tool to making new
friends and gathering information. However, you should not just stop there and
rely on the board. Work on your own spiritual development and this will not only
enhance your use of the board, but may render it obsolete - while at the same
time improving your whole life.

Bibliography

Ouija. (1996). In Grolier's Encyclopedia. [CD-ROM].

Ouija Board. (1996). In The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia. [CD-ROM]. 525
W. Monroe, Chigago, IL: 1996 World Book, Inc.

Ouija Boards. (1991). In Guide to the Supernatural. (Volume 1, page(s) 110-111).

Using a Ouija Board. [Online]. (November 24, 1996). Available:
http://www.newage.com.au/library/ouija.html.