The Ouija Board: From Victorian Parlor Game to Hollywood Villain (And Back Again)
Or: How a Piece of Cardboard Became Cinema's Most Overworked Supernatural Scapegoat
Let's talk about the Ouija board – that mysterious piece of cardboard that's simultaneously been blamed for everything from demonic possession to bad relationship advice. If you believe Hollywood, touching one is basically signing a lease agreement with Satan himself. But before you start clutching your pearls and sprinkling holy water on your board game collection, let's dive into the surprisingly mundane (and frankly hilarious) truth about this "terrifying" parlor game.
A Brief History: When Talking to Ghosts Was Good, Clean Fun
Contrary to popular belief, the Ouija board wasn't invented by a coven of devil-worshipping witches in some spooky basement. Nope! It was patented in 1890 by a businessman named Elijah Bond as a harmless parlor game during the height of the Spiritualism movement. Think of it as the Victorian equivalent of Monopoly, except instead of arguing about who owns Boardwalk, you're arguing about whether Uncle Herbert really said he hid the family fortune under the rose bush.
The board got its name in an equally unexciting way. According to Helen Peters (Bond's sister-in-law), they simply asked the board what it wanted to be called, and it spelled out "O-U-I-J-A." When asked what that meant, it supposedly responded "good luck." Apparently, even ghosts from the 1890s were better at branding than most modern marketing departments.
The real popularizer was William Fuld, who bought the rights and marketed it so successfully that his family's company eventually sold to Parker Brothers. Yes, the same Parker Brothers that brought you Scrabble and Sorry! Nothing says "ancient mystical artifact" quite like a trademark owned by Hasbro.
How to Actually Use a Ouija Board (Spoiler: It's Not Rocket Science)
Using a Ouija board is refreshingly simple, which is probably why Hollywood had to jazz it up with spinning heads and projectile pea soup. Here's the basic process:
What You'll Need:
A Ouija board (shocking, I know)
A planchette (that little heart-shaped pointer thingy)
At least two people (spirits apparently prefer group activities)
A sense of humor about the whole thing
The Process:
Set the Scene: Find a quiet, comfortable space. Candles are optional but add atmosphere. Just don't burn the house down – that's not the kind of "spiritual activity" you're going for.
Get Positioned: Sit across from each other with the board between you. Place your fingertips lightly on the planchette. And I mean lightly – you're not trying to bench press the thing.
Ask Your Questions: Start simple. "Is anyone there?" is the classic opener. Think of it as spiritual small talk. Don't immediately jump to "What are next week's lottery numbers?" Even spirits need to warm up.
Be Patient: The planchette should start moving to spell out answers. If it doesn't move, congratulations! You've discovered that spirits are apparently just as unreliable as living people when it comes to showing up on time.
Stay Skeptical: Remember, you and your friend are both touching the planchette. The ideomotor effect (unconscious muscle movements) is a thing. Your subconscious might be doing more talking than any spirit.
The Spiritual Perspective: More Tea Party Than Terror
For those who do believe in spirit communication, the Ouija board is typically viewed as a simple tool – like a spiritual telephone, if you will. Traditional users see it as a way to:
Connect with passed loved ones: Think of it as the ultimate long-distance calling plan
Seek guidance: Though honestly, if a spirit's best advice is "B-U-Y C-R-Y-P-T-O," you might want to find a new medium
Explore the unknown: Because apparently, even in the afterlife, spirits are happy to chat about the weather
Most spiritual practitioners emphasize protection rituals, positive intentions, and respectful communication. It's less "summoning demons" and more "inviting your deceased grandmother over for ethereal tea and gossip."
The Hollywood Horror Show: How Tinseltown Ruined Everything
Here's where things get interesting (and by interesting, I mean completely ridiculous). Hollywood discovered that a board game where the scariest thing that happens is someone spells "GOODBYE" just doesn't sell tickets. So they cranked the drama up to eleven and turned our humble parlor game into a portal to hell.
The Hollywood Ouija Board Starter Pack includes:
Immediate demonic possession (warranty not included)
Furniture that suddenly develops a physics degree
Creepy children who speak in ancient Latin
Planchettes that apparently have more upper body strength than most gym enthusiasts
An inexplicable inability to simply throw the board away (seriously, just burn it or donate it to Goodwill)
Movies like "The Exorcist" (where the Ouija board makes a brief but memorable appearance), "Ouija" (2014), and countless other horror films have convinced generations that touching a Ouija board is essentially like sending an engraved invitation to every malevolent entity in the supernatural realm.
Debunking the "Evil" Myth: It's Just Cardboard, People
Let's get real for a moment. The idea that a mass-produced board game sold at Toys"R"Us is inherently evil is, frankly, hilarious. If Ouija boards were really gateways to hell, wouldn't there be a lot more supernatural activity reported from toy stores?
Common Myths vs. Reality:
Myth: Ouija boards summon demons
Reality: If they did, Parker Brothers would have the most interesting legal department in corporate history
Myth: You need special protection to use one
Reality: The biggest danger is probably a paper cut from the cardboard
Myth: Spirits can get "trapped" in the board
Reality: Have you seen the quality of cardboard these days? If I were a spirit, I'd demand better accommodations
Myth: Saying goodbye is crucial or spirits will stick around
Reality: If spirits were that easily trapped by etiquette rules, haunted houses would just need better customer service
The Real "Danger": Psychological, Not Paranormal
The actual concerns around Ouija boards aren't supernatural – they're psychological. Some people can become genuinely frightened by the experience, especially if they're already anxious or susceptible to suggestion. The power of belief is strong, and if you're convinced something scary will happen, your mind might just make it feel like it did.
There's also the risk of people making important life decisions based on what they think the board is telling them. "Should I quit my job?" "Should I marry this person?" These are questions that deserve more consideration than whatever your subconscious muscle movements might spell out.
The Bottom Line: It's All About Perspective
Whether you see the Ouija board as a legitimate spiritual tool, a fun party game, or an elaborate way to let your subconscious mind talk to itself, one thing is clear: it's not the supernatural supervillain Hollywood has made it out to be.
If you're curious about trying one, approach it with the same energy you'd bring to any other board game night – with friends, with humor, and with the understanding that the most supernatural thing that's likely to happen is someone "accidentally" moving the planchette to spell out embarrassing messages.
And if you do decide to try spirit communication, remember the golden rule of the afterlife: be polite, be respectful, and always bring snacks. Even spirits probably appreciate good hospitality.
Just maybe skip the horror movie marathon beforehand. Your subconscious doesn't need that kind of influence when it's trying to have a civilized conversation with the great beyond.
Disclaimer: No spirits were harmed in the writing of this blog article. Any spiritual entities who feel misrepresented are welcome to file their complaints via Ouija board. Please allow 3-5 business days for a response from the afterlife.
And if you’re ready for good helpful guidance, visit my booking page to schedule a reading with me! I tend to answer questions a lot faster than a Ouija board and I don’t require you to keep track of the letters and spell the words out in your head.