Ouija boards have been used to communicate with the dead since the end of the 19th Century. For some, they are a link to a loved one who has passed over. Others are simply curious to see what, if anything might happen and use the board to try and contact any spirit that wants to communicate with them.

The board itself is rectangular, with letters of the alphabet written across it in a crescent moon shape and the numbers zero to nine written below. The words ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ should also appear on the board, with the word “Goodbye” usually at the bottom. A “planchette” (French for “little board”) is the pointer, traditionally on castors for ease of movement.

You use a Ouija board by placing two fingers lightly on the planchette and asking direct questions to a spirit or spirits that may be present. The spirit will then supposedly answer by moving the planchette around the board to indicate letters and spell out words. When finished, you should move the planchette to “Goodbye” to signify that the séance is over.

Ouija boards, also known as ‘Talking Boards’, have been produced since 1890 but there is some debate over who was responsible for the design and where the name originates.

Spiritualism first appeared in the mid-19th Century and it was soon apparent that an instrument was needed that could provide an easy way of communication between the living and the dead. The Ouija board was patented in 1891 by Elijah Bond. Various weird and wonderful stories have grown up around the use of Ouija boards.

In 1920 a small town in California, USA, banned their use after an outbreak of ‘Ouijamania’ which lead to many of the town’s residents behaving so oddly that mental health professionals were called in to help.

The movie “The Exorcist” (1973) is apparently based on the true story of a child who allegedly evoked the spirit of the devil while using a Ouija board. A woman in the US claimed the numbers that won her over a million dollars on the lottery were picked by her Ouija board.

For many a Ouija board is nothing more than a harmless parlour game but others believe that they can be dangerous, with the potential of allowing malevolent spirits access to the human world. Some professional mediums even advise using a Ouija board only with professional supervision to prevent any nasty surprises or long term consequences. Others argue that there is no external force at work and the planchette is moved subconsciously by the people touching it.