Many have tried Ouija Boards in their dorm rooms or "secret hideouts" to test whether they could indeed communicate with spirits, but not very many know the history behind the Ouija. The scientific community blames the appeal of the Ouija Board on the "ideomotor effect." According to The Guardian, this is "a phenomenon well known to psychologists whereby suggestions, beliefs or expectations cause unconscious muscular movements." Many people who have tried the boards beg to differ, claiming that they have had dangerous experiences and believe it is not a toy to be reckoned with.
Attempting to get in touch with the dead dates back to an unknown time. In China, one method was called "Fuji." This practice involved putting a pencil in a larger device called a "planchette", that is very simular to the device moved on a Qujia board, but this planchette had wheels and created automatic writing. Although method for Fuji was formed in the Ming Dynasty, the practice dates back as far as the Tang and Song Dynasties. According to MuseumofTalkingBoards.com, despite the similar use of a planchette, there isn't a connection between Fuji and Ouija Boards: "The talking boards of today grew out the use of the alphabet and aphabetic pasteboards durring 19th century spirualistic séances and not from pendulum oracles or other devices used many centuries earlier."
The history of Ouija boards in particular seems to start with a fellow by the name of William S Reed. Reed created something dubbed the "witch board". Every major toy company loved the idea and were starting production on boards of their own.
According to MuseumofTalkingBoards.com "The first patent for "improvements," filed on May 28, 1890 and granted on February 10, 1891, lists Elijah J. Bond as the inventor and the assignees as Charles W. Kennard and William H. A. Maupin of Baltimore, Maryland. Whether Bond or his Baltimore cronies knew about Reed's earlier "witch board" is, as the board might say, unclear, but there is no question that they were the first to heavily promote the board as a novelty."
From then on other types of boards came about and failed because the name "Ouija" had become so popular. There are even disputes behind why the board was named "Ouija". One states that the name is an old egyption translation for "Good Luck". While that has been debunked, there is another story that states that the board named itself by spelling out O,u,i,j,a during a seance with Elijah Bond and Charles Kennard, two of the many credited with the invention of the Ouija Board.
Although once taken very seriously, most people in the here and now see the Ouija Board as a child's toy. The famous American toy and game manufacturer Parker Brothers has made their own versions of the Ouija Board as well. In fact, they have just come out with a glow-in-the-dark board and even a pink board marketed towards teen girls. Websites such as witchboard.com allow you play with an online version of the Ouija.
Still though, there many unanswered questions regarding this toy's ability to contact the other side. Some claim the planchette on a Ouija Board has moved without a single person touching it. This would clearly not be ideomotor effect taking place. One might argue that although the board was created by a man cashing in on 19th century Spiritualism, it has now become a tool to communicate with ones that have passed.
Paranormal Life Magazine would love to know your thoughts on the Quija Board. If you have had an experience with a Ouija board, good or bad, write to us and let us know! Your story could be featured in our follow-up article "The Quija Board 'Good Luck' Part 2" Meanwhile, you can also browse or shop for an older Quija board at WWW.OUIJABOARDS.US
Good Luck: Part One