There are various opinions regarding the Ouija board. Some people believe that evil spirits or only low entity beings come through to communicate. I asked different mediums how they felt about the Ouija board and received very positive responses. All of them stated that is was not a game and should not be taken lightly.

Arlene disagrees with any concept of lower beings communicating through the Ouija board, claiming to have had rewarding experiences. She says that the quality of information and communication depends on the individuals using it and their intent, purpose, and spirituality. On one occasion in Arlene's experience, the information was very strong and revealing, and extremely accurate predictions were made for some people who were in the house at that time. The force, she believes, was of a high level, but because the information was too personal, in Arlene's view, she decided not to use the Ouija board again.

The Rev. Dr. Warren Hoover also believes in the validity of the Ouija board and discounts the notion that evil spirits control the board. Certainly, he feels, a mischievous spirit, or a jokester, as he calls them, can come through, but that doesn't make them evil.

When we use the ouija board, light is sent out into the universe, the same as when we meditate, so an ignorant spirit could be attracted to us. But they aren't evil either, like some people would have you believe. Remember, mischievous and ignorant are not synonymous with evil.

Marie Lilla and her husband, Al, are firm believers in the benefits of communicating with the spirit through the Ouija board. They have compiled a large notebook of communications that they have received by using the Ouija. When Al's father passed away on Christmas Eve one year, even before New Year's Eve had arrived, they were talking to his dad on the Ouija board. Marie and Al love to use the Ouija board.

Sylvia DeLong speaks about how she and her parents would use the Ouija board to receive high guidance. Sylvia has experienced many significant things: Her moving to Cassadaga was predicted through the Ouija board. But Sylvia does not recommend this practice for everyone, because some people may not appreciate the gift involved here. Beautiful things can come through, but there is potential for abuse, such as someone using it for every decision or matter in life.

We must also recognize that numerous books have been written due to the information that a spirit communicated to a human being through a Ouija board. Stewart Edward White's book, The Betty Book, is a good example of such communication. The most famous would be the four volumes that sprang from the Ouija board communications from Patience Worth, a discarnate spinster of Puritan extraction, to Pearl Curran and Emily Hutchings, beginning in 1913 and continuing for many years. They are The Sorry Tale: A Story of the Time of Christ, Hope Trueblood, The Pot Upon the Wheel, and Light from Beyond. The first three works were novels and the fourth, poetry. The Sorry Tale was 650 pages in length and was dictated through the Ouija board at a speed of 110 words a minute. That is impressive!

The Ouija board is one of many ways for a beginner to facilitate communication with spirit since it appears to be fairly easy for spirit to manipulate the pointer. However, the fact that it is not a game must be stressed. You will need to judge the quality of the messages to determine if you want to continue communicating with an entity. If it is, in fact, a spirit communication you have established. I would caution you not to be dependent upon the Ouija board, as Sylvia suggested. It is not there for every single issue in your life.

My suggestion for working the Ouija board would be to first find a willing partner. While one person may be able to work the Ouija board alone, two is far easier. It also would be ill-advised to include anyone in this practice who is not stable emotionally. Frequently, one or the other will be the stronger medium, with the additionl person supplying energy.

I don't feel it really matters to the spirit world what setting is used, but atmosphere may be important to you. Therefore, I would suggest burning a purple candle and some frankincense to set the stage, so to speak. Soft music sufficient for meditation would also be conductive to attracting and receiving spirit.

Start by mentally flooding white light energy around the Ouija board and then the entire room. Some people like to say a prayer to invite the higher spirits. This is an excellent idea. I would suggest something like the following:

Universal Presence, we ask that the highest and best spirit entities be attracted to our gathering. We seek those who may enlighten us in (our daily lives; spiritual growth; the world of spirit; whatever you desire). May we be blessed with spirits who are pure in heart and deed and of the highest spiritual level. We ask this in the name of truth. And so it is (Amen, Blessed be).

All participants should gently place their fingertips on the pointer and keep at least one hand touching at all times during the session. Questions may be posed either silently or aloud. I feel, personally, if they are spoken aloud, it stimulates the vibration of sound, which in turn will work with the energy flow. Or you can simply wait to see what is delivered to you. Begin the procedure by speaking aloud to the spirit world to encourage movement of the pointer, saying something like, "Are you there, spirit?" or "Welcome, spirit, please begin." As in any effort to establish a relationship with spirit, as questions of the spirit force: "What is your name? Where are you from? When were you born?"

Frequently spirit will work so rapidly that it is helpful to have a third person present to write down the letters as they are given. This avoids confusion over the meaning of the message. All the communications should be kept in a notebook or journal. Over the months it will be interesting to review the information you received. If at any time communication seems to be going nowhere, you can ask to have another spirit come through. If an unenlightened spirit comes in, send it to the white light with a prayer of blessing. Maintain a positive attitude and a sober mind. Remember, like attracts like. And always express aloud your gratitude to each entity who comes forth.