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Ouija boards, psychics, etc.

(117 Posts)
Daddima Wed 26-Oct-16 11:53:05

Just saw a trailer for a film called Ouija, and wondered if anybody has used one.
I don't believe for a minute that the "spirits " communicate through them , but would never try using one!

I'm also ultra sceptical about psychics ( though I don't go to those events either!)

Having said that, some friends did attend one recently, and one got an extremely detailed account of her sister's death.

br0adwater Wed 26-Oct-16 12:09:21

Google your nearest spiritualist church and go to a few Sunday services before you decide about spirit communication.
You are right to avoid ouija.

LullyDully Wed 26-Oct-16 16:20:35

We used to do it with a wine glass and scraps of paper....just for fun????

damson Wed 26-Oct-16 16:42:00

Our mum told us in no uncertain terms that we would be in deep, deep trouble if we ever decided to use one - she's not a superstitious woman, but for some reason, this was one of those rules that we never dared disobey. To my knowledge, none of us have ever touched one to this day.

By contrast, I recently went to a psychic night, where the lady spoke to spirits she was 'connecting with' and then with the audience. Complete load of rubbish.

tanith Wed 26-Oct-16 16:49:30

I have a relative who goes to these Psychic nights but she fits in well because she is also 'potty'. Its all nonsense of course.

TriciaF Wed 26-Oct-16 16:53:54

With a group of friends we used to met one afternoon a week for a while, to use the ouija board.
Most of the time we either got nothing, or humdrum messages from the 'other side' which weren't unexpected. But one afternoon a message came up about a gas explosion that was about to happen in a block of flats in Glasgow. Later it was on the news - it had happened about an hour after we got the message shock.
What bothered me the most was, should we have taken it seriously, and warned people? We never did ouija again, it frightened us so much.

janeainsworth Wed 26-Oct-16 16:57:07

We used to do it with a glass and lexicon cards to spell out the letters when we were at school. The 'spirit' was called Petra and it told us that Brian Jones (late Rolling Stone) had 11 illegitimate children grin

Ana Wed 26-Oct-16 17:07:24

Would any warning you could have given been taken seriously though, TriciaF? I doubt it, so you have no reason to blame yourself.

A group of us used to 'consult' the ouija in our teenage years. I do remember some of the answers came true, and the way that glass used to whizz around the table...

I know a couple of widowed friends have been to see a local psychic and are very impressed by the readings. But it all seems to be information about their late husbands' lives and habits etc. - no profound messages from beyond the grave.

Ana Wed 26-Oct-16 17:09:04

janeainsworth, that info about Brian Jones could well have been true from what I've heard! thlgrin

rosesarered Wed 26-Oct-16 17:18:30

Yes, when a teenager, sometimes with friends, or relatives, it was thought of as harmless fun.AsAna says, the way the glass whizzed about or went in fast circles was a bit disconcerting.

rosesarered Wed 26-Oct-16 17:19:44

I still don't know what I really think of it, but wouldn't like to do it now.

rosesarered Wed 26-Oct-16 17:20:34

Just in case! ?

sunseeker Wed 26-Oct-16 17:35:11

There was a report some time ago about a psychic who was found to be cheating. She had an assistant who would stand near the entrance and listen to what people were saying as they went in. She then used this information in her act to try to convince people she was genuine.

vampirequeen Wed 26-Oct-16 18:31:55

I think Ouija boards can be dangerous. I believe in (for want of a better word) the spirit world and I believe it contains good and bad just like in the real world. The Ouija opens a connection between the two worlda but doesn't control what comes through so if you're lucky it's a harmless spirit and if you're unlucky it's a bad or even dangerous spirit.

Stage psychics are con artists. They're excellent at cold reading and can appear to be very accurate. I think there is a YouTube of Derren Browne showing how it works. Even though he keeps telling his victims that it's a trick they still find it hard to believe he can't really speak to spirits.

Ana Wed 26-Oct-16 18:34:11

I agree with what you have said, vampirequeen.

ElaineRI55 Wed 26-Oct-16 18:52:10

I also think they can be dangerous by opening a door to the supernatural and are not just harmless fun.
I had a scary experience doing this when I was about 12 and would not recommend it to anyone.
Having become a Christian later in my teens, I also don't consider it something God wants us to get involved in smile

Jalima Wed 26-Oct-16 18:56:33

My post has disappeared!

(Who did that? .....)

whitewave Wed 26-Oct-16 19:07:16

I think it is total rubbish. Harmless fun for some but best avoided if you are of a culpable personality.

whitewave Wed 26-Oct-16 19:21:57

That should have read gullible!!!!

Ana Wed 26-Oct-16 19:33:33

That's a relief, whitewave!

notanan Wed 26-Oct-16 19:48:11

I don't believe in spirits talking to us

but I do believe hat ouija boards are incredibly dangerous.

I think they tap into something.. I guess it's a bit like being hypnotised by someone without proper training.. it's not good and I think they can do psychological damage to users.

I don't know how, maybe the process triggers the parts of the brain that LDS do.. and can really mess people up/ leave people disturbed.

Nothing good can come of it, they're not even "comforting" because it's not like when people think they're talking to grandad through a charlatan psychic. the ouija is darker

whitewave Wed 26-Oct-16 20:00:04

ana grin

Jalima Wed 26-Oct-16 20:01:27

We used the ouija board a few times at college - even though it made us quite nervous.
One girl refused to join us again because it told her that someone she knew would be killed in an accident (I never knew whether that happened or not).

The last time we used it the glass flew across the table and smashed on the floor. It had just warned us to 'beware of methyl ethane'
Our 'Guide' said he was Persian
He said his name was 'Rug' (I am not joking)
hmm

However, the college padre did warn us not to meddle in things beyond our understanding.

rosesarered Wed 26-Oct-16 20:18:09

I think what the ouija does, is tap into our brain somehow, we allow it to, and we make up answers, ( Persian...rug) when we play it as a game.However, yes, it could be dangerous simply because we allow our psyche to open up.Fascinating stuff, but probably best left alone.

Penstemmon Wed 26-Oct-16 20:23:34

If folk are in a vulnerable state, e.g. recently bereaved, then psychics/ouija etc. can be damaging and quite insidious. I do not believe in a spirit world so do think psychics can be con merchants at worst and foolish at best.