Essay/Term paper: Ouija boards

Essay, term paper, research paper:  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.

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

Ouija Board. (1996). In The World Book Multimedia Encyclopedia. [CD-ROM]. 525
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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.