FAQ: Ouija Boards (or Witch Boards)

We get a lot of people in here asking about Ouija boards. They are certainly one of the more publicly accessible divination tools, featured in any number of pop culture references. Everyone seems to have a story about when they used one, or their friend used one or their cousin used one. The actual term "Ouija Board" is trademarked by Hasbro and refers to the board with the triangular pointer that most people are familiar with and is likely the one used by someone you know. This board is considered a game and is available at places like Toysrus. This is why most boards that are created by other companies are referred to as "Witch Boards" or "Talking Boards."

What is a Ouija Board and how does it work?

Ouija boards are pretty much a flat board made of anything from paper to cardboard to wood (the more genuine ones will be made either of paper so they can easily be destroyed or of rosewood) with the alphabet printed on it and "yes, no, hello and goodbye." A guider is placed on top, which can be as simple as a cup placed upside-down. Using this simple tool, you call upon a spirit to talk to you, using the board and the guider as the medium through which you communicate. In other words, the idea is that a spirits you contact and question will guide the guider with their energy to the appropriate responses. Some people claim that it is really your own energy that guides it, in which case it is either you receiving the messages directly and translating them through the use of the board or you are in fact speaking to your subconscious. Either way, a Ouija Board is used to contact and communicate with spirits.

What's with all those stories about people being haunted/possessed/having bad luck/ having their houses burned down etc. when they use a Ouija Board?

We've all heard those stories. Once upon a time a friend of yours used a Ouija Board and then freaky things started happening. Some of these stories certainly are exaggerated or just plain urban legends but there is in fact a very real risk to using any sort of divinitory tool to contact spirits, particularly one as unspecific as a Ouija Board. What I mean by "unspecific" is that a Ouija Board, as opposed to say a tarot or oracle deck, has no particular energies or spirits that it is tapping into. A Ouija board can be used to talk to any spirit and therefore any spirit can answer, whether it is the spirit you wanted or not.

Using a Ouija board, then, is the spiritual equivalent to running into the middle of a busy city street with a megaphone and going "Hey! Bob! I wanna talk to you!" The person who answers may or may not be Bob, any other Bob, Bill who heard wrong, Sarah who was curious why you were shouting, Mary who was looking for Bob too, Creepy Steve, or worse, Creepy Steve pretending to be Bob. And then once Creepy Steve starts talking to you, and has an in with you, it's really hard to get rid of him. That's more or less what happens when people use Ouija Boards without any knowledge (like most people who pick them up from toy stores) and end up with trouble: they accidentally invited Creepy Steve to hang out with them.

Practicing safer spell-craft

So, lets say you want to use a Ouija Board or any other type of board to contact a spirit, but you obviously don't want to attract anything bad. What do you do?

You can minimize the type of negative effects you will receive with any sort of spell-crafting or divination by being safe. Magic is a tool, and like any tool, you need to know how to use it safely in order to use it effectively. Here are some tips:

- Learn to cast a circle: "Casting a Circle" is a very basic magical practice where you surround yourself with an energetic circle to prevent any energies you are invoke from leaking out. Casting a circle can be as easy as tracing an imaginary circle around yourself but to begin with you might want to use chalk or sea salt. Be sure to banish the circle when you are done! There are several ways to do this. You can smudge the circle with sage, purify and cleans it with water and with fire (i.e. incense), sweep the circle counter-clockwise with a broom among other things. Some rituals like the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram can be used both as an elaborate casting of a circle and banishing of it if done before and after. I suggest reading The Witch's Sheild by Christoper Penczak for a good book on different protection rituals and practices you can do to help keep you safe during a magical working.

- Be specific: If you want to contact Bob, make as sure as possible you get the right Bob. Write his whole name down and as much information as you can give: birthday, appearance, a picture, the emotions you associate with Bob, his signature, anything that would directly link to your Bob. The more specific you are, the more likely you will get the right entity.

- Have clear intentions: Don't just pick up the board and fiddle around with it until you get a result. Magic comes from will, so you need to will something to happen for it to work, and the clearer you are about what you want the easier it will be, and the less likely you will come across something you don't want. Also, the flavor of your intentions are important. Like attracts like, so if you have positive intentions, you are more likely to have a positive experience. Don't use a Ouija Board just because you are bored, or you want to impress your friends or you think it will freak out your little brother. Use a board to communicate with a loved one for peace of mind, or an angel for advice or to help a spirit move on.

The Ouija Board is a very simple tool and can therefore be very useful and powerful. But like with any tool you have to know how to use it correctly in order to use it safely. Now that you've got a few tips on how to use your board I hope you can do so without fear of becoming and urban legend.

Guardian Protector Stuffed Animal

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that there has been a bit of a baby boom in this last year. It seems like every time I turn around I see someone either pregnant or with a newborn. I blame it on the recently finished year of the rabbit.

With this mini upsurge in pregnancies I've had quite a few customers ask me how they can protect the new baby in their lives. The biggest problem with this is that you need to be careful with what you give a newborn and also it's difficult to explain to a young child how or why what you are doing will protect them from those awful nightmares or that monster under the bed.

But if there is one thing that children instinctively understand it is the power of stuffed animals. Stuffies (as my family calls them) are perfectly designed to become what we call in the magical community fetishes, that is, a receptacle for a spirit. All it takes is a little bit of love and a little bit of personification and there you go: you have a magical object with its own little soul. Of course, for this we want to program that stuffy soul to be a guardian and protector of our little ones. Here's how you can do it, and how I did it for my yet unborn niece:

The first part of this spell is to find a stuffed animal that both speaks to you and represents protection to you. Some good protection animals are bears, lions or panthers, dogs, dragons, wolves among others. Once you have your stuffy it is important to treat it like a living being. Talk to it, hug it, love it, explain its duties to it, put it in a place of honor while you get the rest of the spell together.

You will need:

• Malachite (for protecting children)
• Obsidian (for psychic protection)
• Rose Quartz (for love)
• Howlite (to combat nightmares and for reducing stress)
• Spring Water
• Sandalwood
• Lavander
• Rose
• Orris Root
• Sage
• (Any other protective herbs you feel like adding)
•  Guardian Protector Candle or a black candle with Guardian and Protection oil on it.

1. Place the stones and herbs in a bowl with water. Soak on a windowsill for an evening and a morning.
2. Carve the candle with the name of the child and some affirmations and/or prayers naming the stuffed animal as the child's protector and for the child's safety and love.
3. Place the candle in the bowl with the water, herbs and stones. Place the stuffy nearby (but obviously far enough away not to get singed.)
4. Light the candle and imagine the energy flowing into the stuffy.
5. When the candle is burned down, take the stones out of the water, dry them off and sew them into the stuffed animal.
6. Hold the stuffed animal in your arms, look at it tin the eyes and explain to it its duties: that it is to keep the child safe, happy and loved.
7. Give the stuffy to the child. If they are over two years old, tell them the stuffy is going to protect them from bad dreams and monsters. 

Workshops for Jan-Feb 2012

Tarot Series (Catharine)

This solid program introduces you to the major and minor arcana of the tarot, along with various techniques and skills for reading the cards. Please contact the teacher for more information (river.rain.catharine@gmail.com).

*Please bring your own deck.

Cost is $40 per class (or $300 if you register for the entire series starting January 21 through April 28 for a discount of 50%)

Major Arcana part 1: Saturday, January 21st, 12-2pm

Major Arcana part 2: Saturday, January 28th, 12-2pm

Major Arcana part 3: Saturday, February 4th, 12-2pm

Major Arcana part 4: Saturday, February 11th, 12 -2pm

Minor Arcana swords: February 18th 12 -2pm

Minor Arcana Wands: Saturday, February 25th 12 -2pm

Please note this this class continues right through to the end of April, more details to come.

Psychic Development Series (Catharine)

Introduction to the many abilities that fall under the term "psychic". Exploring your own intuitive gifts with like-minded people so you trust yourself more than ever before!

Cost is $40 per class or $230 for the entire 9-part series (that is a discount of $130)

Clairvoyance: Saturday, January 28th 3 -5:30pm

Clairaudience: Saturday, February 4th 3 -5:30pm

Clairsentience: Saturday, February 11th 3-5:30

Predictive Dreams: Saturday, February 18th 3-5:30

Channeling: Saturday, February 25th 3-5:30

Cleansing and Smudging: Saturday, March 3rd 3 - 5:30

Spirit Contact - Guides, Angels, Entities: Saturday, March 10th 3-5:30

How to Give a Reading: Saturday, March 17th 3-5:30

Practice Practice Practice: Saturday, March 24th 3-5:30

CMS Open House

Welcome to Crescent Moon School, Canada’s longest running public training school for magic and Paganism since 1995.

This Open House is a unique opportunity to see what students of all levels have done, speak with teachers and students about what it is like to attend classes, and to register for the coming session.

Go to www.mtl-magicalcircle/cms for more information about the school.

OPEN HOUSE: Friday January 27^th, 7-9pm

Level 1 New Session: Wednesdays, 6-9pm, starting February 8th for 20 weeks

Cost: $300 (3 installments of $100 every 6 weeks), includes 3 workbooks & a reading pack

IMBOLC PATH OF LIGHTS RITUAL (MPRC)

The MPRC will be running a public path of lights ritual for Imbolc in the upstairs room of Melange Magique. During the below times, we will be offering visitors the chance to walk the labyrinth of candles in meditation or contemplation.

Thursday, February 2nd, 6pm – 8pm, FREE

Water Walking: Managing the Emotional Body (Matt)

Tossed hither and thither by your emotions?

In this workshop we will explore effective techniques of rapid mood shifting. Things that used to trigger fear, sadness, or worry, will soon trigger laughter, empowerment, and confidence.

Sunday Feb 5th 2-5 pm. $35

Love and Attraction

How to bring love into your life? The rules of meddling in magick for matters of the heart. Simple love spells and divination tools that work! What you can control, what you simply can't. How to use your psychic energy to manifest a fitting partner in your life.

Tuesday February 7th 7-9pm $30

Chakra Balancing Series (Scarlet)

Welcome to this weekly in-depth exploration of the chakras. Each week will focus on a different chakra with the last class being a cleansing of the auric bodies. Learn about blocks and how to release them, correspondences to help you tap into the chakra energies and cleanse your own chakras, and exercises to help you become more in tune with each chakra.

*Please bring a cup for tea at the start of each class, wear warm yoga clothing and bring a mat or cushion to sit upon.

Every Thursday starting February 9th through 8 classes to March 29th 7-9pm

$250 for all 8 classes (saving you $70 if prepaid in full) or $40 per class

Root Chakra: Thursday February 9th, 7-9pm

Navel Chakra: Thursday February 16th, 7-9pm

Solar Plexus Chakra: Thursday February 23rd, 7-9pm

Heart Chakra: Thursday March 1st, 7-9pm

Throat Chakra: Thursday March 8th, 7-9pm

Third Eye Chakra: Thursday March 15th, 7-9pm

Crown Chakra: Thursday March 22nd, 7-9pm

Aura Cleansing: Thursday March 29th, 7-9pm

Re-Programming Reality: Techno-Pagan Techniques for Beginners (Courtney)

Learn a few new spellcrafting techniques from a Techno-Pagan point of view! Courtney goes over some of the most basic techniques and thought-patterns which she uses in her spell work, from re-programming reality to ‘running’ a spell in the background. This class requires that participants have basic knowledge of how to cast a spell, but does not require any prior knowledge of computers.

Saturday, February 11th, 1pm - 3pm, $30

Candle Magick

How to carve and create magick candles for your inner desires. How to manifest your dreams in reality? Taking the que's from old gypsy magick, incorporating magick symbolism from Old pantheons, such as Norse, Celtic, gypsy, as well as old ceremonial practices. Using symbolism, herbs, oils and psychic energy to manifest your dreams.

THE CLASS WILL BE HANDS ON!

Each will get one candle, with a choice of herbs and oils and decoration to make their own magick candle.

Friday February 17th 7-9pm $30

Basic Runelore pt. 1: Reading the Runes (Matt)

This workshop focuses on the 24 runes of the Elder Futhark. We will explore basic meanings from historical and contemporary sources, and learn how to 'read' them for oracular purposes.

Sunday Feb. 19th 2-5 pm. $35

Year of the Water Dragon

January 23rd begins the Year of the Water Dragon on the calendar of the Chinese zodiac. On this calendar, each year is split into two parts, reckoned by one of ten heavenly stems (the five elements in their aspects as yin or yang) and one of twelve earthly branches (the animals of the Chinese zodiac). This year, we are in the year of the Yang Water Dragon.

The Dragon is the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac, and the only mythical creature in the lineup. Those born under the sign of the Dragon are expected to be confident, headstrong, charismatic, and powerful, with an extra dose of luck. These qualities are double-edged: a Dragon can accomplish most anything he sets his mind to, but he is also quite capable of pushing down those who get in his way.

The Year of the Dragon is generally held to be an economically lucky year, as the Dragon brings prosperity wherever he goes. Since this is the year of the Water dragon, though, those who already have a lot of Water in their charts may need to exercise a little extra caution.

If you're looking to find out more about what the Year of the Water Dragon holds for you, you may opt to join one of our clairvoyants, Catharine, as she goes over the astrological significance of this Chinese year. Check out the details below!


Chinese Astrology Night
Thursday, January 26th, 7-9pm; $20

For up-to-date information on our workshops, keep up with our workshops page!

The Book of Shadows

What is the Book of Shadows?

Essentially it is your magical diary. You can keep such things as lore and lessons, reference material (stones, herbs, and other correspondences), recipes for oils and other potions, spells, rituals, prayers and incantations, even dreams.

Dedicating a Book of Shadows is not complicated.
Start by either making your own book or personalizing one you have purchased. At your altar, you want to cast circle, call quarters, and invoke whichever divine you are comfortable working with. Purify the book with salt or purification incense (like sage or frankincense or rosemary). Bless the book by the four/five elements (earth, air, fire, water, and spirit). Consecrate it by blessing it in the name of your gods and with such things as holy water or blessing oil. Select a pen or quill of your choice and an ink (we recommend Dragon's Blood Ink or Ink of Jupiter). Write onto the first page a Book Blessing declaring the purpose and intent of this book. This is the actual Dedication part of the ritual. You complete the dedication by signing the book with your personal sigil or signature and then bind the book to you. Some will imprint it with a drop of their own blood or add a lock of their own hair. The last step is to add in some form of protection. Anoint a silk cloth with protection oil and wrap your book of shadows in it.

You might have more than one Book of Shadows or simply one that contains all that you do.

A coven will have one that is specific to the coven with all its unique traditions and practices. Initiates copy direct from this as they learn. This is often how a tradition is passed down in writing supplemented by the guidance and teaching of mentors in the coven.

Sometimes Books of Shadows vary according to theme: Spellcrafting, Rituals, Celtic lore, Healing, Dream work, Divination, Poetry, Insights from Asian Philosophies, Teaching of the Yogis, Norse lore, Voodoo & the Loas.

Whatever your theme or practice, there is a book out there for you to record all you learn and do.

Sisterhood of Avalon

Wonderful Yuletide blessings!

I am hosting two Open Tea information sessions in January for all Montreal-area women interested in the Sisterhood of Avalon and an eight-week Learning Circle starting in February.

All women are welcome to join us on:
Saturday, January 21st at Om West Yoga studio in Pointe-Claire Village from 7-9:30PM
http://www.westislandyoga.com/
OR
Saturday, January 28th at Happy Tree Yoga Studio on Ste-Catherine Street West from 7-9:30PM.
http://happytreeyoga.com/

Cost: Free but small donations to help pay for space rental appreciated(Cookies and snacks are welcome!) Please feel free to pass this info along to any like-minded female friends and contact me with any questions. Also, please RSVP by sending me a message (daughter.of.seas@gmail.com) so I know how many women to expect. Thank you!

Looking forward to sharing sacred space with you!

Kelly Morgaine

The Sisterhood of Avalon - http://www.sisterhoodofavalon.org
"Avalon Within" by Jhenah Telyndru - http://www.ynysafallon.com/publications.html