to ask what is so scary about ouija boards?

[OTheHugeManatee]

Inspired by the 'paranormal experiences' thread.

I've never done a ouija board. But it's been mentioned several times on the 'paranormal' thread as dangerous, scary, and something you should never, ever do. But always in hushed tones, and without much detail of what actually happened to make people think they're so dodgy.

Can anyone who's used a ouija board and then vowed never to do it again please explain to me what's so creepy or dangerous about it, and what happened to make you think that?

Evette Fielding's ever expanding eyelashes became terrifying on Most Haunted.

Most Haunted went downhill rapidly when Derek Acorah left IMO. Being possessed by a spirit with a scouser accent on a weekly basis was about as as it gets....

Stop hijacking, you lot! I want scary ouija stories.

It's a board game that relies on your subconscious to do anything at all.

The only danger is that if you have been previously convinced that invisible spirits lie in wait for you then you might imagine they were getting out and get all upset. The only danger therefore is not the game, but the things we stuff people's heads full of.

Warning: For those who don't know already. Putting the toilet roll on wrong (with the paper hanging against the wall) is also known to release evil spirits. My milkman told me that his grandad made that mistake.

So just don't do it okay? it's not worth the risk and anyway makes it awkward to get hold of the end of the paper.

"Warning: For those who don't know already. Putting the toilet roll on wrong (with the paper hanging against the wall) is also known to release evil spirits. My milkman told me that his grandad made that mistake."

My sister's friend's cousin's niece did this and now she's dead.

I agree that it is all down to the people doing it. You can scare yourself half to death! The mind is so powerful.

Or, in my case, you can be scared half to death.

I was doing something like this with a mate once. We'd be about 14ish. We were in my room and going through the whole silly thing. I said "Is anybody there, knock once for yes and twice for no" (yes really, twice for no. cos a 'spirit' is going to knock twice to let you know it's not there.)

Anyway. There was an almighty BANG!

Me and my mate came hurtling downstairs, scared witless. To find my sister in the kitchen with the broom, beside herself with laughter. And a big dent in the ceiling that is still there to this day, some 20 years later.

the magnificent LOL at the knocking twice when nothings there. thats the kind of shit id say!

I wouldn't do it as it would scare me if anything 'happens'. I do know of one person who needed counselling after doing one as a young teenager. I'm 35 but I still wouldn't risk it!

Insomnia am really interested in your comment - having decided to thoroughly investigate the next time somebody tells me their friend/brother/auntie has had a bad experience with a ouija board.

So - do you know the details of what happened and did they really, really go to counselling?

Tell me to 'feck off nosey' if you wish

I've never done one and I'm not sure whether I believe or not in this stuff. But my very good friend (who is very down to earth and not prone to superstitious behaviour) told me she found out about her mother's previous marriage through a ouija board. Since nobody else doing the board could have possibly known this information, it's hard for my friend to believe this was just a trick rather than her mum's dead husband visiting.

BeerTricks I managed to have a scary dream about potatoes last night. I dread to think what kind of state I'd be in after a game of snakes and ladders

There's nothing scary and creepy about them at all, unless you believe in such rubbish...

It's always someone pushing the glass. If you blindfold all participants, nothing happens. The person pushing the glass does not always realise they are pushing the glass, due to the Ideomotor Effect.

When people talk about the glass "flying off and shattering", what has happened is that whoever is pushing the glass has got overexcited and it's scooted off the edge of the table.

Derren Brown explains it all perfectly adequately, and in fact demonstrated it in his "Seance" programme.

Utube search for Derren Brown - he'll tell you how it's done.

There's a brilliant description of a ouija board session ins one of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories.

""I personally object to them on the ground of my religion. I'm pagan and firmly believe that playing with a ouija board is stupid and dangerous because it shouldn't be done without the proper circle being set or shields being used or the knowledge of how to protect yourselves should you attract anything untoward"

Sounds more like Wicca than Pagan to me.

A

I can hardly believe what I'm reading - I know teenage girls like to work themselves up into an enjoyably frightened state with these games, but amazed to see adults taking this stuff seriously.

Poltergeists and contacting 'spirits'? This is very silly.

I was once playing with a ouija board with some friends when I was a teenager. The glass started moving and spelling things out, we all started with the "who's moving it" in the end I was caught moving the glass. My friends all complained about me ruining it, I pointed out that one of us has got to move it because it's not going to move on its own.

Don't Wear Gloves Though

Don't know about ouija boards because I've never been tempted to use one.

But one Christmas/New Year we were watching Most Haunted and when Derek Acora contacted a spirit, our Christmas tree lights and lights over the fireplace all flickered off, then on They weren't plugged into the same powerpoint either.

If he'd been on a ouija I'd have been out the flipping door

Beertricks are you extracting the Michael from St Derek perchance?

You are a bad person.A bad person. Who is it Sam? It's Beertricks ,a bad person.( said in aforementioned Scouser accent)

BeerTricks I think I love you! I now want to watch that possession again..

Me and a few mates did a Ouija board many years ago whilst still school girls (are 33 now!). Luckily for us nothing bad happened. However, I asked the initials of who I would end up marrying and the letters R and S were Spelt out. Coincidence or not I am married to a R S. The name 'Gwen' was also spelt out - meant nothing to me and I dismissed it. When I bought my first house years later my neighbours name was Gwen! I had never even heard of that name before and she has been my neighbour for the last 13 years!

I am too much of scaredy cat now and know better not to ever dabble again!

i think alot of it has to do with how closed off or spiritual/open minded you are. i don't think i am spiritual although i ain't closed off, i don't like even being in a room with one of a shelf as there used to be years ago in maida vale at a friends house - my eyes used to keep going to it say flat on a shelf, used to scare the shit out of me, noway would i ever participate in a session or have it in my home