THE OUIJA HEEBIE-JEEBIES

I still remember the first time I ever used a Ouija board:  I was in fifth grade, having a sleepover with my friends.  After a long, giggly debate, we decided the dead person we most wanted to contact was….Betsy Ross.  Go figure. (I voted for Bobby Sherman, but he wasn’t dead– a minor technicality).

Anyway, we shut the bedroom door, lit a candle, gathered ‘round the board….and promptly had the crap scared out of us when my mother (listening on the other side of the door) gave a spooky “Woooooooo.”  Cue the sound of high-pitched squealing 10 year olds.

Ouija boards have a reputation, which hasn’t been helped by a long line of stories starting with “I heard about this guy who….” or movies where they burst into flames. But I personally don’t believe they are the default gateway to the demonic, and here’s why.

The board is a way of communicating with the spirit world.  Like any work with spirit, certain precautions are necessary.  Whenever I do a reading, meditation, etc, I make a habit of surrounding myself with the white light of love and protection.  I declare that only positive and helpful entities be allowed into this circle.  To me, this is my “Beware of Dog” sign to any spirit that might want to make mischief .

The same kind of precautions apply when working with a Ouija board.  You only want “good spirits” to come through.   And here’s one more thing I learned from a very experienced medium:  have a bouncer.  She works with a board all the time, but generally gets the information from one spirit guide alone.  When she wants to communicate with a different spirit, that guide steps aside – but keeps an eye out in case things start to go off the rails. He has the power to tell that troublesome entity to hit the road.

Several years ago, I had a Wiccan friend of mine make a Ouija board for me.  See how beautiful it is?

She put a lot of positive energy into it – and added one special touch on the back:  the engraved message, “with harm to none.”  When I work with this wonderful board, I have one of my guides serve as my doorman.  I also make sure to start every session with positive intentions and the circle of protective light.

Having said this, however, I don’t recommend working with a board casually.Like chainsaws, explosives or PowerPoint,  you need to know what you’re doing.  It’s just good sense.

As for all those tales of spooky Ouija boards?  Wait…it’s spelling out something….”Forget….about….it….”!