Ouija Warning

During my teenage years I lived very close to the school I attended and my Mum had no objection to me bringing friends home at lunchtime, while she was at work. We got up to the usual teenage pranks; dancing to loud music, cooking disasters, playing loud games in the garden and no doubt annoying the neighbours.

I don't remember who suggested we started sessions with a Ouija board or how we even knew about them, but being short of the real thing, we made our own circle of letters of the alphabet and 'yes' and 'no' written on bits of scrap paper. A household glass was used upside down as the guide to the letters. Whether or not this set up was correct I have no idea, as to this day I've never seen a commercial Ouija board and have no desire to do so.

It started out as fun and we asked the glass the typical questions of interest at the time like would we get married, how many children we would have and would we be rich and famous. The glass seemed to glide without effort over the kitchen table and as we were all good friends we never questioned whether anyone with a finger on the glass was directing it. It certainly didn't seem that way.

After a few weeks we started delving more into questions regarding the 'spirit' of the glass, as we called it. Each session threw up different names, locations and even characteristics and we became intrigued. You may not believe this but on some occasions we'd all agree to take our fingers off the glass then watch in awe as the glass moved around the letters on its own. Perhaps it was a build up of energy, or maybe some other explanation, but we were captivated. We'd even give the glass instructions to move faster, slower, turn in circles or commit suicide, which is when the glass would career off the table. I suspect we realised around this time we were maybe messing with something we shouldn't, but the dark and macabre generally seem to fascinate the young.

One lunchtime we asked the 'spirit of the glass' if it had a message for anyone and my name was spelled out. When asked what the message was the glass spelled out the sentence 'You will not go to Heaven.' Already scared, we asked the glass why and the strange, disturbing reply 'You are not a lamb of God' was given. Now, my friends and I were very close and none particularly religious; even if they had been it was a very weird and old-fashioned phrase to use. So no, I don't believe anyone was pushing that glass, but I still remember the sheer horror we felt at the time.

A group of very upset teenagers returned to school that afternoon and it wasn't long before we confessed to teachers what had happened. We were warned not to use the Ouija board again and never did. I occasionally see some of those old friends involved and no one has forgotten that lunchtime. To this day the message still haunts me and the way my life has panned out I do sometimes wonder if I am being punished or something for being an evil person. I know it may sound silly, but such was the effect this incident had on us.

I have become interested in the Spiritualist Church in my adult life and find their philosophies very uplifting and acceptable. They do not, as some believe have anything to do with Black Magic or Ouija Boards, but simply believe in a spirit world after death. They have assured me I carry no evil spirits and during one demonstration the medium hit upon something which may be an explanation of what happened to us. During this meeting some young boys were giggling in a corner and the medium asked them if they were serious about being there. She explained if we don't take the spirit world seriously, it invites naughty and mischievous spirits through who can distort intended messages and interfere with the whole session. Whatever the explanation, I would warn anyone, old or young never to meddle with Ouija boards or anything else of that nature.