Learn about itLearn onlyModern practice
This page describes the practice. There is deliberately no automated reading for it — see the notes below.
Background
The Ouija or talking board is marked with letters, numbers and "yes"/"no", with a planchette that participants’ fingers move during a séance. Its movement is attributed to the ideomotor effect.
How it works
Participants rest fingers on the planchette and ask questions; it drifts to letters, spelling answers.
Notes and limits
Safety: Some people find séances frightening; stop if anyone is distressed. The planchette moves through participants’ own unconscious motions.
Licensing: "Ouija" is a Hasbro trademark; it is used here only to name the object.
At a glance
- Also called
- Spirit board, Talking board, Witch board, Planchette
- Traditions
- Spiritualism, Popular
- Regions
- Americas, Europe, Worldwide / modern
- You need
- A question
- Price
- Free