Many of us begin using Ouija Boards at a time in our lives when we are not yet prepared or qualified to be doing so. Intuitively, I knew to stay away from them until I was old enough to make a more informed decision.

In my career, I’ve met many people who have faulty ideas about how the Ouija Board works and what it is intended for. In my years of experience, I’ve noticed many hold skewed judgments about the Board based on bad experiences they had using the Board as adolescents. I myself have two adolescent girls that wanted to do this very same thing. Being a spiritual teacher and trance channel, I chose to educate them about this valuable tool so as to ensure they would have a positive first experience.

What is a Ouija Board Really for?

A Ouija Board is a channeling tool. It is only as good as your own channeling skills. I will explain why shortly. You can contact deceased loved ones, spirit guides, or lower spirits (although this last one is rare).  I learned to use one when I was 30 years old in a channeling class. I saw how my teacher used it and it was a very different experience than what I had previously heard of.   Moving forward in my own classes, I also have used the board in a positive, teaching-oriented way.

Why Most Negative Experiences Happen

Just like your spirituality, if you are uninformed, untrained, or working with an unhealed belief system, you may create a negative Ouija Board experience. Most times, this is not harmful, but rather serves as a solid teaching from your ego. Yes, your ego. Not a lower spirit, deceased person, or demon. Your ego loves to use scary experiences to frighten you away from growing spiritually. What better way than to come through a Ouija Board when you are not yet developed in your spirituality? The ego can pose as anything you might be afraid of that’s lurking in your subconscious. It knows that you are not developed and that you are most likely to fall for this at a young adolescent age.

For this reason, I think it’s absolutely horrible for toy stores to sell these things and market them as toys. They are not toys. “The Board,” as I was taught to call it, is a very serious and sacred metaphysical tool that should be used under the guidance of a proper channeling or mediumship teacher.

The other reason for this is that the media, video games, and movies generally do not positively depict use of the Board. I know for me movies like “The Exorcist” really colored my relationship to Spirit until I was willing to educate myself and explore naturally. Keep yourself and your children away from any media that may sensationalize negative or fearful spiritual experiences.  There really is no basis in such portrayal and exposure to such influences tends to fill your subconscious with fear.

How I Use Ouija As a Channeling Teacher

When I teach channeling in person, I wait until the class has begun developing a relationship to their spirit guides on their own through automatic writing. We do this for months before I ever introduce the board. When Raina guides me that it is time, one person per class gets an opportunity on the board. I set an intention with Raina that our desire is to contact a high vibrational Inner Spirit Teacher only.

It takes two of us to work the board so I am what is called the “carrier”. The carrier should be someone that is well versed in using the board. My intention and ability to hold the space is vital to not letting in unnecessary things. I also ask Raina to hold that intention as well since I am not blended with her during a Ouija Board experience.

The rest of the class writes down the letters and words. I call them out as the planchette moves. If I get a word, I call that out. What makes this such a great tool is that the letters come very quickly, not allowing even me to recall most words or sentences in a row. We have to rely on the writers to get it down correctly, and then we read back what has been spelled out. I am always amazed at the messages and the intricacy of how well they use words and paragraphs. They do not mince words and they do not waste them either. A lot is said in even one sentence.

What is so amazing is the Spirit Guides tend to talk about something intimate that has occurred in their writing or dreams that was never discussed in class. It verifies the relationship the student has been having this way. It’s always something I have no knowledge about. This is the whole reason I use it and why I wait to use it.

How the Planchette Moves

In my work I really like to demystify things as much as possible. First off, I create my own planchette. The one that comes with the board is usually too heavy and doesn’t move well. I take a CD and put soft felt furniture stickers on the bottom to help it glide. This gives you a very light thing to work with and also lets you see the letters through the middle of the cd. I learned this from my own channeling teacher and its brilliant. Then I toss the original planchette.

Now, this is where your own channeling or mediumship skills come in. Spirit uses half your body, half the board. You will feel the presence of the spirit. You may even begin to hear a letter before it comes. The key is being able to let your arms/hands be moved by them. I can use a board on my own, but it is much easier with two people. Two people create more energy together. It’s also important that your fingers be very light on the planchette so that no one is weighing it down. Then trust as it moves together. Your own ability to channel comes in here. When you are a developed medium or channel you will allow this process much easier. The other person on the board just assists with energy.

How Useful Is A Ouija Board?

It is useful when you are learning to channel but at a certain point it becomes unnecessary. I can get a message much faster from spirit by means of direct vocal channeling. I only use the Board in this capacity so that my students can get validation from their automatic writing.

What About Deceased Spirits?

This is the other reason to use the board. I have used it when a good friend passed away under unexpected circumstances. At times when my own emotion was too raw I felt this would be a better way to hear from them initially. A medium might also use a Ouija board for this purpose. Again, I suggest setting a strong intention and hopefully working with a developed medium or teacher, as opposed to just letting in any spirit in that wants to talk.

What I want to summarize here is:

1. The Planchette does not move itself. It is very similar to automatic writing where you feel your hands being guided. An extra amount of energy will flow through them as this happens.

2. Naughty spirits are almost always your ego messing with you. A lower deceased spirit could do this, but your intention is everything. It won’t happen unless you want it to on some level, or unless your fear is so overwhelming that you can’t hold your intention. In that case, you shouldn’t be using a Ouija Board anyway.

3. The Ouija Board is an advanced channeling tool that requires advanced skills. If this is something you want to use in your own spiritual growth, please get some training to clear your subconscious of silly fears/beliefs so that you can enjoy an optimal Board experience. You might consider our Sage Foundation Course, and enroll in a mediumship or channeling class that can help you to create a relationship to the spirit world.

4. Just as some people are really talented at dancing and others are not, the Ouija board works just the same. I’ve seen some wonderful channels that just weren’t attuned to the board, but they were great with their automatic writing or receiving from spirit in other ways.

Make sure you receive proper instruction and always hold a strong intention. When I first learned to channel, I did use the board. It was fun at first and then Raina kicked me off the board!  She said she didn’t want me relying on the physical tool more than I relied on trusting what I was receiving directly. She was right about that and I went on to develop my vocal channeling beautifully. I use the Board rarely, only when I’m guided to for a good reason.

Happy spiriting and I hope I helped answer some questions about the Ouija Board!

In Love,

Lori Camacho

Trance Channel, Clairvoyant Healer and Spiritual Teacher, Lori Camacho, has been serving others with her gifts of clairvoyance and vibrational healing abilities since 2003. It was in 2007 that Lori began to spontaneously vocalize Raina, the wise consciousness she had memories of communicating with as a child. Together Lori and Raina have created many workshops, classes and writings.