Oui-Ya

Fact or fiction, the Ouija Board

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, listeners, I cannot thank you enough for stopping by
for another episode of the Paranormal Activities Podcast, a show
dedicated to all the ghosts and goblins and ghouls and
things that go bump in the night. A show dedicated
to all EU fanatics out there. To day's episode, We're

(00:28):
going to dive into the Ouigi board. The Oigi board,
originally known as a talking board, emerged in the United
States during the late nineteenth century. The first patent for

(00:49):
the board was filed in eighteen ninety by Elijah Bond,
a Baltimore business man. The idea behind the talking board
goes back even further. Mediums in the nineteenth century used

(01:12):
simple boards with letters and numbers to communicate with spirits,
which was part of the broader spiritualist movement. Spiritualism, which
was especially popular in the mid eighteen hundreds, emphasized the
belief that living could communicate with the dead through mediums, seances,

(01:38):
and other devices. The talking board was an extension of
this practice, believed to provide a more direct means of communication. Spiritualism,
which started in the eighteen forties, sought to connect the

(02:02):
spirit world, and by the eighteen fifties mediums were conducting
public assaeances where they would act as intermediaries between the
living and the dead. The movement gained momentum after the
Fox Sisters, who claimed to communicate with spirits through knocks

(02:23):
and rapping sounds, became famous in eighteen forty eight. As
this belief system became widespread, individuals sought more tangible ways
to communicate with spirits, leading to the development of talking boards,

(02:44):
a tool for spiritualists. In eighteen ninety one, Elijah Bond
patented the Ouiji board. The name Ouiji was allegedly derived
from a combination of the French and German words for
yes we jah. Initially, the board was sold as a

(03:08):
novelty item, and Bond marketed as a fortune telling game.
In nineteen sixty six, Parker Brothers now Hasbro acquired the
rights to the board, and the mass production of the
way Yah board began, solidifying its place in both popular

(03:31):
culture and spiritualist movement. Since then, it has evolved into
a widely recognized symbol of the supernatural. A standard Ouiji
board consists of a flat surface with the alphabet A
through C and the numbers zero through nine printed on it. Additionally,

(03:55):
the board includes a yes and no, as well as
good bye words. The arrangement of these symbols serves as
a guide to spell out messages when the planchet moves
across the board, which participants believe is moved by a

(04:15):
spirit or some other external force. There are also variations
of the board with different designs, decorative themes, or even
with additional elements like hello or good bye, but the
basic structure remains consistent. The planchet is a small heart

(04:40):
shaped or triangular piece of wood or plastic that is
placed on the board. It has a small hole in
the middle through which a pencil or other writing instrument
can be inserted for automatic writing, or it simply serves
as a pointer. In most cases, participants place their finger

(05:04):
tips lightly on the planchet and it is believed to
move either under the control of spirits or through unconscious
finger movements the ideo motor effect. The board is typically
used in a group setting. Participants sit around the board,

(05:25):
place their fingers on the planchet and ask questions. They
wait for the planchet to begin moving, and they interpret
the letters, numbers, or words it touches. The movement of
the planchet is often slow, sometimes jerky, but over time

(05:46):
it allegedly forms coherent responses that can spell out messages,
sometimes answering questions about the future, the deceased, or paranormal phenomena.
Most participants close the session by moving the planchet to

(06:06):
goodbye to falling, end the communication, suring that any spirits
are released and the connection is severed. Since the Ouiji
board's commercialization, it has become a central symbol in horror films, novels,
and television shows. It is often associated with possession, hauntings,

(06:32):
and dark supernatural forces. Movies like The Exorcists in nineteen
seventy three and Ouiji in twenty fourteen, and the Conjuring
series feature Ouiji boards as tools to summon spirits, often
leading to terrifying or life threatening consequences. Its use in

(06:56):
films and shows has cemented the board as an emblem
of the occult paranormal activity, reinforcing its association with danger, mystery,
and death. The ideometer effect, a psychological phenomenon, plays a

(07:16):
significant role in how the board is perceived. This phenomenon
involves unconscious, in voluntary movements by individuals, which could explain
why the planchet moves without the participants being aware of it. Essentially,
the board's movements may not be caused by spirits, but

(07:38):
by the participant's own unintentional actions. Even when the participants
are blindfolded or unaware of the board's layout, research suggests
they can still guide the planchet to spell out coherent messages,
reinforcing the idea that it is the result of unconscious

(07:59):
movements rather than supernatural forces. Spiritalists believe that the Wigi
board serves as a direct line to the spirit world,
allowing individuals to contact deceased loved ones, spirits, or other
worldly entities. Many see the board as a medium to

(08:22):
bridge the gap between the living and the dead, facilitating
a two way conversation. Those who believe in the supernatural
potential of the Ouiji board claim that spirits can direct
the planchet, spelling out messages and providing guidance, answers, or warnings.

(08:44):
In spiritualist beliefs, the messages communicated through the Wigi board
are often considered messages from beyond, sometimes offering comfort, advice,
or insight. The board is often used in personal or
group settings, where people try to receive messages from their

(09:05):
ancestors or loved ones. These messages can range from vague
statements to precise instructions. Some spiritualists believe the Ouigi board
acts as a tool for uncovering truths that are hidden
from the physical world, such as revealing future events, secrets,

(09:27):
or important life decisions. One of the central beliefs surrounding
the Ouigi board is that improper or careless use could
invite malevolent spirits into the user's life. Some spiritualists believe
that if the board is used without caution, it could
open portals to negative or dangerous entities, potentially causing harm

(09:53):
to the user. Certain rituals or free cautions are sometimes
advised to protect the user, such as closing the session properly,
saying goodbye, or performing protective rituals before and after using
the board. Folks, unfortunately, that's all the time that we've

(10:15):
got for today's episode of the Paranormal Activities podcast. I
hope you've enjoyed this episode and I can thank you
enough for listening. Until next time,