The history of Planchette divination is not as dark as you might think.
By Rose Marcellus
It’s really remarkable how many people find Ouija Boards absolutely terrifying. Everyone seems to know someone, that knows someone else, who has had some spooky experience that may be involved a mysterious icy wind blowing candles out, shaking a table and a Ouija board flying across the room. Even amongst many psychics and open-minded believers, there seems to be this ominous warning to avoid the use of such a tool altogether. The notion that Ouija Boards are bad, that they invite evil, or the idea that you better not bring that thing in the house or else, seem common today. However, the fear and dark stigma around planchette divination was not always so.
The heart shaped disc, or Planchette, can be used by placing fingers lightly on the pointer allowing it to “move itself” and spell out messages. Best practiced with others, but can be used alone if you’re good at it.
Planchette divination was extremely popular in the 1800’s, surprisingly amongst the Christian upper and middle class. By the time the Civil War had passed, people were gathering in the Parlor on Saturday nights to contact departed loved ones. It was a time when women especially, needed to feel close to their sons, husbands and brothers lost to the war. People wanted to believe. No one frowned about it either at church come Sunday morning, it was generally accepted and not seen as dark or evil in any way.
Spiritualism was a religious movement that gained extreme popularity in the nineteenth century. It was based on the belief that spirits exist and can communicate with the living.
By 1897, spiritualism had more than 8 million followers in the United States and Europe, and they fell in love with the ‘Talking Board.’ Many Spiritualists were large supporters of the abolition of slavery and women’s suffrage, gaining credibility and social acceptance at that time.
Elijah Bond, of Baltimore Maryland, created the first patented ‘talking board’ in 1890, as a mystifying Oracle. He had to prove it worked to get the patent, and so the board spelled out the patent officers name, who then became pale and granted the paperwork.
In 1901, William Fuld took over production and renamed the board “Ouija” which he claimed was channeled through the board and came from the Egyptian word for ‘good luck.’ 50,000 boards were sold that year, and sales would continue to increase into the twentieth century. Today, the same classic game is sold by Hasbro.
William Fuld’s Ouija Board.
The Chinese have been practicing Fuji, or automatic planchette writing, as far back as 1,000 AD. Several scriptures of the DaoZang, a translation of “The perfection of wisdom in 8 thousand lines,” were supposedly written purely from this practice.
The Chinese still practice Fuji readings today. Though it is a different style, it’s the same concept, and is regarded with great honor for the wisdom and enlightenment it offers.
So, when did Ouija become so scary? Well according to marketing statistics, after the movie “The Exorcist” came out in 1973, sales for the Parker Brothers game took a swift upturn. However, buyers were now purchasing the game for its alluring fear factor. This is when Ouija became stigmatized with demons, darkness and scary energy. It worked great for the company; fear sells.
It is beyond dangerous to work with any divinational tool in a place of fear. And yes, this could invite all kinds of creepy stuff to show up and wreak havoc for the untrained user. Intention is most important, and if you feel afraid of planchette divination, just stay away from it. Otherwise, used for high vibrational purposes, it’s completely safe.
Some styles of Planchette divination don’t use a board at all. This pointer has a hole for a writing implement so the users can receive automatic writing messages from beyond.
If you’re looking to practice Planchette divination, here’s a few things to remember when working on the board:
- Respect the board and what it’s being used for. Set your intentions for a high vibrational connection, or direct contact with someone you love on the other side.
- Holding a good, calm, peaceful state of being will naturally protect you from picking up dark energy and help you to advance your skills. Meditation, light work, creating a sacred space, using tools like crystals or sage, all will help set the tone for a good experience. Don’t get on the board if you’re depressed or stressed out, use it when you feel good.
- Remember, you’re the boss. Don’t allow spirits push you around! You make the rules, you’re the one grounded in physical reality, not the other way around. Don’t be afraid to send a strange spirit away, and mean it. Again, if you feel fear, get off the board.
- Planchette divination is not easy, and not everyone is good at it. It’s okay if you feel like you’re moving the planchette, or nothing seems to be happening. If and when it does start happening, it will just click.
- Set the Ouija devil free! Let your friends know that a Ouija boards being “evil” is a myth produced by Hollywood that made the Parker Brothers and Hasbro game corporations a lot of money.
- Put your Ouija Board away in a sacred place when you are done using it, the more of your energy it retains, the easier it will be to use it next time.
Charging quartz in salts can be used to purify your planchette space and keep the energy clean and clear. These Himalayan Pink Salts are great to deflect negative energy, even on their own, and help amplify higher connections.
About The Author:
Rose Marcellus is a practicing psychic medium and writer in the Sierra Foothills of California. She can be contacted for readings, psychic services and freelance writing at: (530) 310-4452 or through email at: magicrosie111@gmail.com.
