Ouija, Is Anyone Here?

O’Brian Gunn

The spirit of Halloween has started to move in while the spirit of summer has started to fade into the early sunset. It won’t be long until pumpkins are being carved (and used to flavor everything under the Harvest moon), Halloween costumes are being put together, the leaves start to change their wardrobe, and Halloween decorations adorn neighborhood porches. If you want to add a hint of the supernatural to your Halloween this year, you may decide to make a spiritual call with a Ouija board to the Other Side to see how your ancestors are living in the Great (or Not-So-Great) Beyond.

Ouija Roots

The origin of Ouija boards goes back to the late 1840s when spiritualism started taking root in the United States. Mediums (psychics who can communicate with the dead) originally used planchettes and “table turning” as a way for spirits to write messages. The major obstacles with these earlier methods were that they were either too slow or the messages were too difficult for us “unlearned living folk” to decipher.

Now Entering the Ouija Station

After several failed attempts at communicating with that dead cousin who still owed them money, mediums created a “talking board” in 1886 that consisted of numbers, letters, and the words “yes” and “no,” and “goodnight.” The name of the Ouija board comes from the Egyptian word that means “good luck.” Now that you know a bit more about the history of the Ouija board, learn how to use it the right way or risk starring in your very own horror movie franchise that will inevitably be remade at least three times by the Hollywood machine.

Ouija Done Right

If you’re going to do the Ouija dance, you’ll want to have a partner with you. It’s also recommended that you do your conjuring at night when there’s less “spiritual interference.” If you really want to set the mood, turn off the lights and light some candles to help guide the spirits to you.

You’ll also want to designate one person as the speaker or medium who will be in charge of asking questions. Before you start asking grandma the secret to that bomb-ass lemon cake she only made once a year, warm up your medium muscles and the board by purposely moving the planchette around. It’s also best that the speaker/medium announce that the session will only be a positive one and that negative energies and spirits are not welcome. Doing so might feel a little silly, but why take the chance of stirring up some bad juju and having it follow you throughout your days like a bad credit score?

Once your session has ended, it’s vitally important that you “close the board” by intentionally sliding the planchette to “GOODBYE” and removing your hands. By neglecting to close the board, you’re essentially leaving the front door of your spiritual house wide open to all manner of invasion.

Before you engage in any type of supernatural mischief, tomfoolery, or shenanigans this Halloween, make sure you read the instruction manual from cover to cover. There are no warranties or takebacks when you’re dealing with the spirit realm.

Check out our other Halloween stories from this issue:

• Colorado’s Ghost Towns
• Ouija, Is Anyone Here?
• Five Haunted Hospitals
• Messages from Beyond the Grave
• Netflix Instant Screaming
• The Stanley Hotel: Colorado’s Premiere Spooky Destination
• Oh, Blucifer
• First stop for UFOs: the Watchtower in Hooper
• The Ghosts of Cheesman Park
• Scientology is Scary [Opinion]
• Halloween Hitmakers
• En Garde