How to Use a Ouija Board Safely: 18 Rules, Dos, and Don’ts

Ouija boards can be a fun and exciting way to connect with spirits. You might be worried about attracting
negative spirits, but there’s no reason to fear. We’ll tell you everything you need to know to use your Ouija
board safely. You and your friends will be having fun around the spirit board in no time.

Things You Should Know

 Pick a quiet place to use your Ouija board, and cleanse it with sage or incense to remove any negativity.
 Invite your friends to use the Ouija board with you, and make sure everyone is in a good mood.
 Be polite to the spirit and always remember to say “goodbye” to end your session.

Part 1: Setting up the Ouija Board

1. Find a quiet place with no distractions. You'll need to focus to connect to the spirit world, so choose a
place where you feel peaceful and relaxed. Then, silence your phone and any electronic devices so you won’t
be interrupted.
 You might have heard that it’s dangerous to use a Ouija board at home. As long as you do it safely,
there’s no reason to worry. If you’re afraid, you could always use it outside or at a local park.
 Leave the lights on if it makes you feel more comfortable. Spirits can feed off of energy and sense fear,
so being really afraid could make you more of a magnet for negative spirits.

2. Don’t use a Ouija board in a graveyard. Doing a séance in a graveyard is #spookygoals, but graveyards
can have chaotic spiritual energy. While it might make for a great story, you could have trouble connecting with
a single spirit in a cemetery, and you may wind up with an unwanted entity. To be on the safe side, pick another
spot to use your Ouija board.

3. Cleanse the space of negative energy. A cleansing can help protect you while you talk to the spirits. Try
burning sage or lighting incense to purify your space. You might burn myrrh, frankincense, dragon’s blood,
copal, or amber.
 You could also surround your Ouija board with crystals or a circle of salt. If you have crystals, you
could use black tourmaline, clear quartz, or amethyst.

4. Cleanse your board. Your board can hang onto energy, so it’s a good idea to cleanse it. If you have sage,
light it and waft the smoke over your board and pointer. Alternatively, sprinkle some rosewater over the board,
while saying a simple, protective prayer. You can even make up your own.
 Here's an example of a protection prayer: “I clear this space of all negativity. I clear this space of the
energy of people or things that have no purpose in this household. I ask that this clearing be gentle, and
that all of this energy be returned to its source."

5. Light black candles to protect you from negative spirits. Black candles repel negative energy, so they
make it hard for bad spirits to connect with you. Plus, burning candles will give the room some ambience while
you’re using your Ouija board.
 White candles can also help remove negative energy.
 You might also burn a blue candle to help open the lines of communication between you and the spirit
world.

Part 2: Preparing Your Participants

6. Gather at least two people to use the Ouija board with you. You need multiple people to build up energy
and channel the spirits. Additionally, it’s helpful to have someone who can take over and close out the session
if you can’t continue anymore.
 If you have more than two people, you might have one person write down what the spirit is spelling out
so it’s easier to read the messages.
7. Make sure all participants are in a good mood. Spirits can feed off of your energy, so good vibes are
essential. If you’re feeling upset, you might accidentally attract a bad spirit. Similarly, you might have a bad
experience if you’re feeling afraid or anxious. To attract positive vibes, use your Ouija board when you’re
feeling upbeat.
 Stay sober. No one can tell you how to Ouija, but you’ll be more in control if you’re sober. You might
hold off on the drinking until later.

8. Ask each participant to do a spiritual cleansing. Doing a cleansing ritual helps dispel any lingering bad
vibes. Before you gather around the board, cleanse your spirit with a simple ritual before you talk to the spirits.
You could:
 Meditate. Try envisioning yourself surrounded by a bright, cleansing light.
 Say a prayer of protection. It can be something as simple as: “Let nothing but good energies surround
me. Let nothing but good intentions fill me. Let my mind and body be calm and at peace."
 Take an herbal or salt bath. The best herb to use is lavender, and the best salt to use is sea salt.

Part 3: Talking to Spirits

9. Set a positive intention for your session. As a safeguard, you might state out loud that you’re only
interested in talking to friendly spirits. That way, you’re not purposely drawing a negative entity to you.
 “We welcome friendly, positive spirits to talk to us.”
 “This is a pure, positive space.”
 “Are there any good spirits who wish to speak with us?”

10. Ask the spirit to introduce itself. You’ll get an idea of who you’re talking to, and the ghost will feel better
about talking to you. You don’t have to talk to a spirit that makes you uncomfortable. You might ask:
 “What’s your name?”
 “How old are you?”
 “Where were you born?”
 “When were you alive?”

11. Be careful what you ask. Stick to positive questions to stay safe. You can technically ask a Ouija board
anything, but some questions aren’t a good idea. You could upset the spirit, or you might get a rude answer. Do
your best to ask questions that will keep the good vibes going.
 “Where did you live?”
 “What did you do when you were alive?”
 “Are you related to any of us?”
 “What did you like to do for fun?”

12. Don’t ask for a physical sign that the ghost is there. It’s so tempting to ask for proof, but resist the urge.
To be on the safe side, don’t give the spirit permission to do anything outside of the Ouija board. Also, keep in
mind that some spirits won’t have the ability to interact with the physical world. Stick to communicating with
the pointer.
 Instead of saying, “Is someone here? If so, make a noise,” just ask, “Is someone here?” and wait for the
pointer to move.

13. Be polite to the spirit. Spirits can get annoyed and upset just like anyone. While you don’t need to worry,
it’s nice to treat the spirit with respect. Don’t ask questions that might be offensive, and don’t make jokes at the
spirit’s expense. That way, you can avoid any unwanted negativity.
 Don’t ask things like, “How did you die?” or “Why are you a ghost?” because it might upset the spirit.
 Similarly, don’t ask, “Will any of us die soon?” because spirits can’t see the future. They could get
annoyed and might decide to prank you by giving you an upsetting answer.
14. Take everything the board tells you with a grain of salt. Just like people, spirits can lie. A playful or
mischievous ghost might try to prank you with a mean message. If the spirit says something upsetting, it’s best
to just ignore it because the spirit is just messing around.
 Spirits aren’t fortune tellers, so they can’t predict your future. You don’t need to worry about scary
predictions from a Ouija board.

Part 4: Ending Your Session

15. End the session early if anyone feels uncomfortable. Stop using the Ouija board if you sense any bad
vibes. Say “goodbye” right away and move onto another activity if things get too scary—which includes the
pointer moving in a weird way. You can always try again when you feel better.
 Using a Ouija board should be fun for all of you. If it’s upsetting people, it’s probably best to do
something else.

16. Say “goodbye” to end the session. Some people believe that not saying goodbye could leave a door open
to the spirit world. Sometimes, the spirit will end the session first by moving the pointer to “goodbye.” If that
doesn’t happen, thank the spirit and push the pointer over to “goodbye” yourself.
 Always say goodbye, even if you don't get any contact, just in case a spirit is hanging around but didn't
move the pointer.
 After you say goodbye, flip the pointer over so it won’t start moving around again.

17. Burn sage to cleanse away any lingering energy. You really don’t need to worry, but you might feel more
at peace if you burn sage after using your Ouija board. Just make sure you open a window or door first so the
energy or spirit has a way to leave. You might also tell any spirits they have to go.
 “Any spirits lingering in this home must leave.”
 “All spirits need to leave this home.”

18. Store your board and pointer after you use it. Pack up the board, and place your pointer in a bag. Make
sure the pointer isn’t positioned over the letters on the board because some people believe that spirits can use
the board without you there.
 If you want to use your board as decor, just make sure the pointer isn’t sitting on the board. Keep it put
away until you’re ready to use your board again.