Last night, I had the pleasure of having a discussion with a fellow paranormal investigator on the topic of the Ouija board.
My stance was and has always been that they are an instrument of danger and should not be taken lightly.
Theirs was that's its just an inanimate object and is the exact same as using a KII meter, tri-field, voice recorder or one of any of the other many tools that we use to try to communicate with spirits.
With that being said, I have heard that arguement before and I agree to a point. Using any device as means of communication with spirits can be dangerous. I admit that. But what I do not agree with is that using a Ouija board is the exact same thing as using a voice recorder.
They then brought up the Ideomotor effect, which I am familiar with. Ideomotor effect is defined as:
A psychological phenomenon wherein a subject makes motion unconsciously. This could also possibly be an explanation for pendulums reacting to written words and dowsing rods. To learn more, go to http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideomotor_effect
That may very well be the case in 99.9% of all Ouija board sessions, however, in my opinion, when you try to interact with a spirit through the use of a Ouija board, your just asking for trouble. When we come across a case, we have a pre-interview questionnaire. On that questionnaire is the question, Have you ever used a Ouija board, tarot cards or been involved in witchcraft or black magic?.
Among the negative cases, the answer to that question is an overwhelming yes in most cases.
I do admit, also, that there is alot more in their background that lends to the negative entity or entities surrounding them, but using a voice recorder is not one of them.
They then make mention of the Ouija boards for sale to children at Toys-R-Us. They have ones that glow in the dark and one made especially for little girls, a pink one. This has to be one of the dumbest and most dangerous ideas ever. When I found out that they were selling them, I chose to boycott. I stopped using their services and buying their products and advised others to do the same. Ouija boards are not a toy, in any form or color. It is dangerous and now, I would not be surprised if the families that bought their child one of them are being tormented. Maybe tormented is a Tad bit strong, but they will definitely notice the consequences of the purchase sooner or later.
They then mention the TV show, Ghost Adventures. They stated that the GA crew attracks and taunts demonic spirits on each show. This is false. They know that if they just showed three guys sitting around in the dark, asking questions, they will not get much ratings. Ask anyone in the paranormal field and they will tell you that investigations are nothing like what you see on television. They have to act that way to get ratings. Anyone that has followed my blog knows how I feel about these paranormal TV shows. None, and I repeat none of them are entirely true. The investigation techniques, mainly of GA, should not be imitated. Provocation is a very dangerous technique to use. It can have very negative consequences, such as, being made physically ill, being physically attacked, and even having a negative attachment, like the one Aaron Goodwin of Ghost Adventures himself, stated he had received as a result from provocation at Bobby Mackeys Music World, which in his own words, was the cause of his divorce.
Be it for ratings or true, he and maybe the TV show cast and crew are the only ones that will know for sure.
This conversation that I speak of started by my noticing that they are selling a "Custom made ouija board coffee table" on eBay. This is a very bad idea. Them being paranormal investigators, they are familiar with the consequences of using an Ouija board, or their supposed lack thereof. The person who buys it, however, may not be. They may buy it because they thinks it is "cool" or another reason. Then one night they use it. That's opening a door that they may not be prepared to close. Its a never-ending cycle, as well as, being very wreckless and haphazard of the individual selling it.
If you are reading this and new to the paranormal field, please do not take your cues from paranormal TV shows. Any reputable paranormal group in your area would be glad to speak with you about the dangers that are involved with investigating the paranormal. Do your own research. Research. Research. I am contstantly learning in the paranormal field, and so is every other investigator. Paranormal investigation in not an exact science, yet.
Yes, provocation may produce results. But are those results worth your life, your family being affected negatively? No. Nothing is worth that, nothing.
Definitive proof will be found soon. That, I am certain. It shouldn't matter who happens to be the one to find it and it is certainly not worth the negative consequences of provocation.
There are many people across the world trying to prove the existence of ghosts or spirits that it is inevitable. It is going to happen.
So my plea is this: Please do not take anything lightly in the paranormal field. If you do, you may live to regret it.
