Séances & Ouija Boards
This morning some friends of mine came over and started talking about weird séance-type stuff, which got me interested. One of my friends (Hay) suggested we hold one and use a Ouija board, just for fun. My other friend (Laura) didn’t think we should mess with stuff like this, and refused for it to take place in her house, so I suggested the most godless house in the area…mine. So we’ve invited a few other “spiritualist” people, including another friend (Ayten) who goes to have psychic readings (or “cold readings” as they are known to rational people) a few times a year.
As for the board, we plan to make one using a large whiteboard, and simply have a small glass as the pointer. The internet has a large number of websites telling us what to do, so it’s full steam ahead from here. My prediction? If everyone keeps to the pact “not to push the glass”, then we will be sat for an hour with absolutely nothing happening. If someone does push the glass, we’ll be in for a bit of fun. As the official skeptic of the evening, I won’t be breaking the pact. I might take some pictures if it’s worth it.
Has anyone else dabbled in the occult, if only just for fun? If so, have you got any suggestions or stories to share?
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Some friends of mine actually created their own board - and once I figured they may have subconsciously been colluding to move the pointer, I asked them to close their eyes and do it. The pointer drifted way off the board. Then I did it, and even called out for the spirits (to which the believers freaked out and shushed me), but really - it was all b.s. I even offered to do a few bloody mary’s. They couldn’t believe how bold I was. Of course they always say it doesn’t work if you don’t believe.
erickg
28 Sep 08 at 8:50 pm (GMT)
Read Derren Brown’s book. ‘Nuff said
db0
28 Sep 08 at 8:51 pm (GMT)
I went to see Derren Brown live and he used a Ouija board, and then did some cold reading with a “relation” of the “spirit”. He was deadly accurate of course, but it is all a trick.
Adrian Hayter
28 Sep 08 at 8:55 pm (GMT)
Yeah that is a classic. You imagine if the same happens in medicine? Sorry he dies because you didn’t believe he would live. Or in mechanics. If you close your eyes and wish hard the engine will work, just repeat, THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME, jajaja.
BTW, @Adrian: Can you put me apart from the spam section?
Faryshta
28 Sep 08 at 9:20 pm (GMT)
I once took part in a ouija session. With 5 or more fingers on it, the glass becomes very sensitive to slightest change of pressure. So even if no one is actively trying to move the glass, after a while of absolute boredom people start relaxing their fingers, shifting the weight (as you would when standing up for a longer period) etc.
The glass started pointing random letters, and as soon as some letters form the beginning of an actual word, the participants start to unconsciously form full words.
When that got old after a while I decided to have some fun. Again, by very subtly changing the pressure of your finger you can make the glass go anywhere you want. So my ‘ghost’ started telling a story (made up with some the previous random words), about how he died horribly in that room. At one point I even had the ghost say things about me ‘that I never told to anyone’. All the time I thought someone would figure out I what I was doing, but apparently it’s incredibly easy to manipulate a ouija board without being noticed.
mathias
28 Sep 08 at 9:34 pm (GMT)
Mathias, that is nothing ;)
db0
28 Sep 08 at 9:43 pm (GMT)
BTW, not having read Brown’s book, could someone let me know if his explanation of ouija differs much from my experience? thanks
mathias
28 Sep 08 at 10:04 pm (GMT)
Hey guys. This has little to do with the occult but i thought you guys might like it lol. Its a thread on some forum where this douche is trying to prove the koran is scientific proof of god
http://forums.zerosecond.org/showthread.php?t=6264&page=2
Its pretty funny, feel free to add your 2 cents.
jimmy
30 Sep 08 at 12:48 pm (GMT)
@Faryshta,
I have no idea why all your comments keep getting filtered, and I can’t do anything about it other than keep marking them as “not spam”. Try contacting Akismet over the issue.
Adrian Hayter
30 Sep 08 at 6:00 pm (GMT)
Do you really need akismet? I managed 2 years without it and practically no comments
db0
30 Sep 08 at 6:01 pm (GMT)
No spam comments that is
db0
30 Sep 08 at 6:03 pm (GMT)
@db0
In answer to your question: YES.
Adrian Hayter
30 Sep 08 at 6:16 pm (GMT)
Get better spam filters
db0
30 Sep 08 at 6:18 pm (GMT)
Better??? It blocked every single one of those pieces of spam. Only on two occasions have spam comments got past the filter in the entire time I have used it.
Adrian Hayter
30 Sep 08 at 6:20 pm (GMT)
Oh, and I did have several methods of getting rid of spam but *someone* (you) told me to get rid of them because they were annoying! :P
Adrian Hayter
30 Sep 08 at 6:21 pm (GMT)
But you also have to struggle with not-spam getting caught. I managed to do without akismet AND without spam ;)
BcSpamBlock and Bad Behaviour ftw!
db0
30 Sep 08 at 6:27 pm (GMT)
I’ll take the “db0 challenge” then, install both, and disable akismet. These might be some interesting results :)
Adrian Hayter
30 Sep 08 at 6:33 pm (GMT)
I received a Oujia board for Christmas when I was 13. It said on the box not to use it buy yourself or a powerful spirit could take over your soul.
I used it by myself anyway. It did move. Maybe it was my subconscious doing it, but that thing moved and spelled out legitmate words with my eyes closed. It is now 11 years later, and that oujia board even predicted somethings that eventually came true.
Modern Girl
1 Oct 08 at 3:33 am (GMT)
I would not allow this to go on in my home or be present either, but I understand the fascination. I have messed with a qujia board before, but it quickly came to a point where only one “spirit” was getting through. He was very threatening and he scared the hell out of me. I really belive this was a true experience and not the product of my friend messing with me.
Lola
1 Oct 08 at 7:42 pm (GMT)
[...] Of course, I still like to humour these things. [...]
The Atheist Jew Can’t Keep His Hands Off Me - The Atheist Blogger
14 Oct 08 at 11:08 pm (GMT)
I am very intersted in this topic of ouija boards and ghosts. I have recently been readin a lot of books regarding atheism and I am considering becoming an atheist myself.
I am having one stuggle about it. I have done ouija many times and the accuracy of it has always became truth. I have also seen many ghosts and have heard “ghosts” talking and this is my stuggle. I have never seen a proof of god or felt his presence, but I have felt and talked to past relatives and ghosts.
Does anyone have a suggestion of an article to read about this topic etc.
Thanks so much!
Marlene
11 Nov 08 at 8:04 pm (GMT)
Marlene, I would suggest you look up Derren Brown and read his book “Tricks of the Mind”
Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDXQTBUCpYw
db0
11 Nov 08 at 8:10 pm (GMT)