As Ms. Guiley pointed out, it is designated as a toy because of tax reasons. Further than that, you either believe or you don't. I personally believe that these boards are tools, and that the act of using one does potentially expose one to entities that should be avoided. Yes, an Ouija board is just an instrument with letters and numbers. So is a cell phone, and I don't understand how that works either. I think that there is some communication that takes place, regardless of the instrument.
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Rosemary Ellen Guiley 12.07.29
- Thread starter trainedobserver
- Start date
RenaissanceLady
Paranormal Adept
I've always seen the Ouija Board as being more of a meditation device that might help its user tap into his subconscious or underlying hopes and fears rather than a tool to communicate with the spirit world. For that reason, I use it pretty much the same way I use a tarot deck.
I suspect the person who would act upon a message from a Ouija Board is the same sort of person who would act upon a message spelled out in his alphabet soup. Before we start looking to blame demons or mischievous spirits, we should remember that there are people who desperately seek out any reason to act upon their meanest instincts.
I suspect the person who would act upon a message from a Ouija Board is the same sort of person who would act upon a message spelled out in his alphabet soup. Before we start looking to blame demons or mischievous spirits, we should remember that there are people who desperately seek out any reason to act upon their meanest instincts.
trainedobserver
Paranormally Disenchanted
Beliefs about the Ouija board are classic text book examples of Superstition. That is: a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation. (Webster's) or "a belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge, in or of the ominous significance of a particular thing, circumstance,occurrence, proceeding, or the like." (dictionary.com)
Another central characteristic of superstition is the belief that unseen powers can be influenced or manipulated by some ritualistic performance or activity such a using a Ouija board.
The truth of the matter is these things like Tarot Cards and Ouija Boards serve as mirrors for the person's psyche reflecting their fears and desires. People who are taken in by the "terrible spiritual entities attacking" fantasies are really missing the boat in my opinion.
I agree wholeheartedly. A person's decision to act on anything is solely their own, and without divulging too much, I deal with the type of person you mention on a daily basis professionally. I'm merely suggesting that on rare occasions, and regardless of methodology, we can invite unwanted entities into our lives.
In the words of The Dude: "That's just, like..... your opinion, man". (The Big Lebowski)
Any way, I'm not advocating that we are all constantly beset by demons, as indicated by my use of the word "potentially" and not "definitely". I'm just saying I believe it's possible.
marduk
quelling chaos since 2352BC
It's possible that ouija boards facilitate communication with "something else." It's also possible (probable, even) that they represent our subconscious. I mean, our hands are on the thing.
It's very likely a mixture of both. Disentangling the two is very improbable with any accuracy, therefore gleaning anything except some spooky stories is unlikely.
It's very likely a mixture of both. Disentangling the two is very improbable with any accuracy, therefore gleaning anything except some spooky stories is unlikely.
As long as it is tackled in a legitimate manner, I always soak up anything regarding evidence for an afterlife. EVPs and NDEs have already been mentioned (both of which I don't think are given nearly enough attention on the show).
I'll also mention reincarnational studies. Specifically I am thinking of the kind of work Ian Stevenson did at the University of Virginia--work that is now being carried on by his successors--and the practice of past-life regression therapy that was pioneered by Brian Weiss.
Roro
aka Arlen Royal Woods
It seemed very odd that, based on her own stories, the normal experience of using the talking board started out positive then turned negative and even harmfull yet she seemed quite positive about people using them.
I suggest a show with Brad Steiger on the same topic to provide another viewpoint.
I suggest a show with Brad Steiger on the same topic to provide another viewpoint.
What of the stories that have some actual unexplainable physical component, like the ouija board that reappeared after being thrown into the lake or a planchette that flies across the room on its own?
Are they just that: stories?
I wondered about that myself. There seemed to be a big focus on the negative. I wanted to hear more of the positive stories where users divined information that helped them out in some way.
I wonder if the ratio of negative-to-positive encounters was properly represented on the show.
trainedobserver
Paranormally Disenchanted
I think it is much more probable that the only entities these things serve to contact are in the minds of the participants.
trainedobserver
Paranormally Disenchanted
Hmm, it could be. But the problem with Occam's razor is that sometimes it just doesn't work. Sometimes the most likely conclusion is not the correct one, so I try to keep an open mind.
My grandmother told me a story long ago about using a ouija board as a kid. She said she was with some classmates and they asked for some information about a teacher that no one there could possibly know--I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was something that would not be public information like a social security number or something--and this information was later verified with the teacher.
My grandmother was not the type to lie or play games, and I remember her telling the story with a great deal of sincerity. So I just don't know what to make of that.
To use the example of my own story about the clock, I can assure you that I was not hysteric. My friend kept time on his watch, counting aloud the entire time, and I checked the house clock specifically to make double sure of our time spent outside. When we returned inside, I was the first one in the door for the same reason. Indeed, the whole point of the event was to disprove the resident skeptic, who happened to be ME! All the same, the house clock showed that an anomalous period of 5 minutes had passed. No hysterics and no explanation.
How did everyone else react to that?
Well, the immediate reaction was shock, followed by some gloating on the part of my brother. Honestly, we were all a little wigged out. In the long term, I think it enticed him and a couple of his friends to continue experimenting with the board, and it certainly caused me to shy away from it. As an adult 20 years later, I know that his priest found the stories to be very troubling.
Did he have any other strange experiences during his continued experimentation?
There was the aforementioned dead raccoon. He also told me that he and his friends had been conversing with spirits/entities that claimed to be a brother and sister who had been murdered in an intentionally set house fire. I don't remember anymore what names they gave. I do recall that they seemed to come and go frequently, and that they made reference to their killer continuing to torment them. Keep in mind that I'm not sure what I believe the truth of these event to be, just that he really believed them. I remember thinking at the time that some of the details seemed convenient, as though he was being strung along, and I found it unsettling.
I wonder how many cases there have been where the messages coming from a ouija board claimed to be a real person and gave personal details about where they were born, their name, where they were buried, etc. and these details were later verified to be correct.
It seems like a single verifiable story of that nature would prove one of two things: a) spirits exist, or b) psychic ability exists. In either case, it would prove the existence of something that science generally does not acknowledge. That would be a true smoking gun, in my opinion.
It seems like a single verifiable story of that nature would prove one of two things: a) spirits exist, or b) psychic ability exists. In either case, it would prove the existence of something that science generally does not acknowledge. That would be a true smoking gun, in my opinion.
I was just looking through Guilley's products on her website and ran across one with the following description:
"Faery Magic CD $10.00 An informative and practical CD based on Rosemary’s book Fairy Magic (not available here in hard copy). The content, narrated by Rosemary and set to a pleasant, lilting background soundtrack, introduces the origins, types and nature of fairies, and emphasizes the ways human beings can cultivate communication and relationship with the fairy realm."
I generally think of her as a pretty credible researcher but that seems very questionable to me. I'd like to know what evidence she thinks proves the existence of fairies and why she thinks she has figured out a way to "cultivate communication and relationship with the fairy realm." Does she feel that she personally is in communication with the fairy realm? I could be wrong, but that seems like a blatant money grab to me. . .
"Faery Magic CD $10.00 An informative and practical CD based on Rosemary’s book Fairy Magic (not available here in hard copy). The content, narrated by Rosemary and set to a pleasant, lilting background soundtrack, introduces the origins, types and nature of fairies, and emphasizes the ways human beings can cultivate communication and relationship with the fairy realm."
I generally think of her as a pretty credible researcher but that seems very questionable to me. I'd like to know what evidence she thinks proves the existence of fairies and why she thinks she has figured out a way to "cultivate communication and relationship with the fairy realm." Does she feel that she personally is in communication with the fairy realm? I could be wrong, but that seems like a blatant money grab to me. . .