An Actual Fear-Free Step-by-Step Guide to Using A Ouija Board
Written By: Grace Mintun
Date: April 13, 2026
Colton Sturgeon via UnsplashIt is said never to use a Ouija board alone, but is that just fear of the unknown talking, or is it actually true? A Ouija board is a board that has the alphabet, numbers 0-9, yes/no, and the word goodbye on it that people use to contact spirits and the dead.
The first post that comes up when you search the do’s and don’ts of using a Ouija board is a whole bunch of fearmongering, compiled from weird creepypastas that don’t have a foot in reality. But where did all that fearmongering start?
It used to be a way for people to communicate with dead family members and was just a harmless game until the release of the movie The Exorcist, which portrays a young girl getting possessed by a malevolent being from a Ouija board. Then, practically overnight, people began claiming Ouija boards open the gates to hell, and that you will be possessed by demons just by touching one. Those things will not happen.
The Ouija board is just a divination tool, nothing more, nothing less. It’s just like tarot or a pendulum or runes or dowsing rods or a spirit box. It has as much power as you give it.
“The Ouija board is just a divination tool, nothing more, nothing less. It’s just like tarot or a pendulum or runes or dowsing rods or a spirit box. It has as much power as you give it. ”
What do you actually need to do when using a Ouija board?
Well, you don’t even need a real Ouija board to be frank, just a piece of paper or cardboard, a Sharpie, and something to act as a planchette that glides well on top of the paper—an upside-down shot glass works nicely.
Next, cleanse the area with smoke or incense or just by imagining a bright white light washing over you, the Ouija board, and the area. Then, set your intent. For example, you might imagine that you’re safe, or set the intention to communicate only with entities who have been alive or will be alive at some point, or that people can only come through who have your best intentions at heart.
Through a Ouija board, you can contact entities, dead ancestors, ghosts, angels, demons, deities, fae, pets, and a whole slew of other beings alive and not alive. Or that have never been alive or will never be alive in the first place. This might sound scary, but knowing what you may contact gives you information in order to make the judgment call if using a Ouija board is correct for you.
Put two fingers on each side of the board and draw three circles in the top center of the board with a planchette. Let your arms relax, zone out, and ask close-ended questions (yes/no or answers that can be spelled out).
If nothing happens, wait and try another question.
If the planchette moves, ask follow-up questions. Maybe take notes on their responses to look up later. Ask questions about who they are, what kind of entity they are, and what they want to communicate. Sometimes there will be a misspelling; ask if there has been a misspelling, and if it points to yes, ask them to spell again.
At the end of your session, put the planchette on goodbye. Pick up the planchette and store it, not touching each other.
And there you have it! A quick, no fear-mongering guide to using a Ouija board!
Happy seancing!
Written by: Grace Mintun
About the author description: Necessary Behavior’s Editor-in-chief and Creative Director!
Tags: Divination, Spirituality, Seance
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