When people think of communication with the dead, there is one tool that likely comes to mind for many, and that is the Ouija board. However, these eerie board games are far more than just a game, and there are many real dangers associated with them.
Most people would estimate that the Ouija board originated sometime in the 1800s, but the truth is that they were around for much longer than that. The boards, which were originally wood with the words “Yes” and “No” inscribed on them, as well as every letter of the alphabet and ‘Goodbye.’ These inscriptions were supposed to be useful for spirits to communicate with us, however, there has been a lot of controversy over whether the board is real or just for fun.
Ouija boards are very similar to automatic writing, which is when a medium allows a spirit to take over their body, allowing them to write out messages from the dead. Instead of a spirit coming through the physical body, it moves through the planchette.
Take one simple look across the internet, and a grim picture begins to manifest. Most people who claim to have used an Ouija board do not come out unscathed. There is an entire group of people on the internet who played with one innocently and ended up with a haunting or far worse.
The thing is, at the end of the day, there is no way to determine who you are connecting with. One spirit can pose as another, leading to a very dark roulette being played in hopes it may be someone you know and love.
While you could spend an entire afternoon looking into the dangers of the Ouija board, there is little scientific evidence that Ouija boards can actually contact the dead. Most scientists believe that the movement of the planchette is caused by a part of our brain that we aren’t always entirely aware of. On that side, there is a lot in our world that science cannot explain. Regardless of your beliefs, most people feel a sense of fear around the board, and perhaps with good reason. Even the original creator of the board was found dead in the same factory the board told him to build.