Talking Boards

[pt_tangles]

The most I ever hear about Talking/Spirit/Ouija boards are urban legends and warnings to 'stay far away'. This, of course, draws my notice and creates an almost irresistible urge to learn more and try it for myself.

My thinking for the past year or so has been that this really doesn't seem all that different from pendulum work. Ask a question, get an answer. I'm not so sure that it matters if you are asking an outside source or asking your own subconscious (or rather, I'm not convinced that the corporeally-challenged sit around waiting for someone to crack out the ouija board so that they can possess/haunt/poltergeist them - I mean seriously, wouldn't you have better things to do with your afterlife?)

At any rate, I have been poking around online, and I found that there is an online museum of Talking Boards from their inception to the present. Very cool stuff if you're interested (the link takes you to the site map, otherwise you have to deal with a planchette chasing your mouse cursor).  Some of the custom made boards are absolutely gorgeous!  This one is my favourite.

My question for all those out in cyber/lj-land is this:  have you ever used a talking board as a means of divination?  How successful was it?  Any stories (no urban legends, please - I've heard all of those ones already) to share?

--Phae

Comments

[jalilifer.livejournal.com]

I've used one as a kid, the way kids use them. Sometimes, something does happen. What that something is, I don't know. On one occasion, when using the board by myself, it was very, "talkative" and said that I would marry a man named Scott and have three kids (these statements where in direct response to questions I asked). While I did not marry a man named Scott, I came very close. In fact, I also had three dreams about Scott before I met him. He definitely fell into the "first true love" category. And I do have three kids. So it was interesting.

It also told me that I would do a lot of wandering in my life, when I asked about what sort of work I would do. At the time, I thought that meant travel, but now, I think it refers to the way I get distracted easily and bounce around from one pursuit to the next.

Put me in the category of "I find them interesting, don't know how they work, and don't know how reliable they are". If you are curious, pick up a cheapy or even make a simple one of your own, and give it a spin.

The folks that scream "They are EVIL! Burn them all" have probably just seen "Witchboard" a few too many times. :)

[pt_tangles]

I've got one, actually. My brother and I used to play with it as kids. I think "who is smarter?" was our favourite question, followed by "It's moving to the A!" and "No, it's not, it's trying to move to the R, but you're pushing it!"

It's just a cheapy one that I think we got at WalMart when I was young. I might dig it out and give it a go one of these days. My pendulum is always pretty accurate.

--Phae

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

Taylor has a spirit board that he modified. He uses it for evocation, especially of Goetic entities. No evil possessions, no ridiculous jibberish, just another tool that's effective in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

People who get the spooky effects are the ones who *expect* it and manifest such things through their expectations.

[estaratshirai.livejournal.com]

It always worked for us. The problem (which is, I think, the origin of some of the "stay far away" talk) is that, without the background necessary to exert some control over who shows up to talk to you...it could be anybody. Or anything. So it's a good way to get yourself pranked, or worse.

That said, with a proper circle and the other usual precautions an experienced practitioner would take, it might work great. I haven't made the experiment myself.