You bought a new Ouija board and are eager to try it out. You have invited your best friends, and it is time to connect with the spirits. Dim lights, and the mood is tense. But nothing happens. The planchette won’t move.
Is the spirit board broken? Did you do something wrong, or are the spirits just grumpy?
Knowing precisely what causes your Ouija board not to work can sometimes be challenging. There might not be spirits present, or they might not be in the mood to chat.
Can Ouija boards stop working?
It happens that a Ouija board stops working. In some cases, they never work at all. The board is never broken if it is intact.
When the board stops working, there is something amiss with your energy, intent, lack of spirits, or that you approach it in a way that doesn’t resonate with the spirits.
To make a spirit board work, you must program it and open it correctly. You infuse the board with the intent of working as a divination tool. If you don’t do this, it is just a board with numbers, letters, and text. No magic will ever happen.
Reasons for a non-responsive Ouija
- The Ouija is not programmed
- You don’t open the session correctly
- You are asking pushy or demanding questions
- You don’t cleanse the board between readings
- You don’t treat the Ouija with respect
- The spirits are not interested to cooperate
If you want to learn more about using the Ouija board correctly, I invite you to look at the article below. In this article, I list the basic principles of how to use the Ouija board safely.
Related article: How to Use the Ouija Board in a Safe Way (14 Rules and Guidelines)
Reason #1: The Ouija is not programmed
For the Ouija to work, you must program it as a divination tool. This is easy to do; inject the intent to use the Ouija for spirit communications.
You don’t have to do any ritual if you don’t want to, but according to my experience, it helps.
How to program a Ouija board
- Place your Ouija board on a table
- Place two white candles beside it.
- Light the two candles
- Cleanse the board with White Sage or Palo Santo
- Take a deep breath and ground yourself
- Pick up the planchette
- Place the planchette on the Ouija board
- Hold your pointers on the planchette
- Start moving the planchette in a circular movement
- Say a prayer of intent and boundaries.
- Stop the movement
- Move the planchette to “Goodbye.”
- Blow out the candles
- Imagine how the smoke from the candles carries away any unwanted energy
- Store the Ouija board and planchette separately
- Treat the Ouija board and planchette with dignity
If you are unfamiliar with intention prayers, it is not as complicated as it might seem. In your own words, say that you want the Ouija board to act as a tool for spirit communications by moving the planchette on the board. Make sure to tell it to use letters, numbers, and words to communicate.
I recommend that you also add your boundaries when you program it. Say the intention prayer in your own words. Below are things that I include when I program Ouija boards. Use the list for inspiration. Add boundaries that make you feel safe using your Ouija board.
- What kind of spirits are allowed to come through (recommended spirits of light and love)
- No communication is allowed when you don’t hold the planchette
- No contact is authorized before you open a session
- No spirits are allowed to attach to you, your space, or objects
For example, this is how I might program and set boundaries for a new Ouija board. Use it as inspiration. This prayer can be used as any divination tool. A Ouija board that is programmed is very safe to use.
I hereby dedicate this Ouija board as a tool for spirit communications. Deliver messages by moving the planchette to the letters, numbers, and words so they form a message.
Programming prayer
Only spirits of love and light is allowed to use this board. The board is closed when I don’t hold the planchette or have opened a session. No one else than I can activate this board.
No spirits coming through this board is allowed to attach to me, my space, or objects.
This board is dedicated for messages and interaction of love and light.
Reason #2: Not opening the board
If you don’t open the board for every session, it will not work. Be sure to remember what boundaries you have set for your board. It will not break these rules.
Open a Ouija session by holding the planchette and moving it in circles on the board. Say, “now, I open this board for spirit communications.”
Be sure only to call for spirits of light and love if that is what you have programmed your Ouija board to do. If you call on the spirit of darkness, it will not work.
Reason #3: Asking the wrong questions
If your Ouija board goes silent on you, it might be due to how you interact and talk to the spirits. It might be that the spirits don’t want to answer your questions.
It is common to get frustrated and demand responses if things are slow. The frustration might turn into pushy questions and ultimatums.
Always remember to pay respect to the spirits and encourage them to answer your question, but never force them to comply.
Never say, “if you answer my question, I promise to leave you alone.” They might never want to talk with you again if you break your promise. They choose to speak with you; always give them support and appreciation if they do.
Never setting ultimatums was one crucial thing I learned when taking the course Diploma in Practical Ghost Hunting and Scientific Analysis (Paralearning.com). It is so common that people say this without understanding that this might shut down communications.
Reason #4: Never cleansing the Ouija board
According to many of my Ouija-loving friends, one of the most common causes of silent Ouijas is clogged or stagnant energy. It is essential to cleanse it often, recommended after every session.
Palo Santo is my go-to for cleansing Ouijas, as it keeps great vibes and removes negative and stagnant energy like a breeze. I don’t want to eliminate my guardians and spirit guides, as they protect me when using the board.
You will find helpful information in the article below if you want to learn more about Palo Santo and how to use it to cleanse negative energy.
Related article: Cleanse your home with Palo Santo: 9 easy steps
Reason #5: Too high expectations
It is not uncommon for high expectations to make you believe your Ouija doesn’t work. It is usual for some sessions to be silent. It is, in fact, more common for a quiet board than a talking one.
When you get frustrated that your board doesn’t work or the spirit
Reason #6: Spirit Guides or Angels block the board
Sometimes, a silent Ouija board is due to your Spirit Guide. It is thought that spirit guides can shut down a board to protect you.
It is never advised to try to re-open a silent Ouija board forcefully. Let some time pass, and try again in a few days or weeks. I tend to cleanse my board to ensure no negative energies are attached to the board.
Reason #7: Not spiritually invested
If a participant in a group of sitters is not spiritually invested and focused, it is a significant risk the session will be quiet.
It is essential only to let participants join willing to ground and open their hearts to the unknown. Only allow sitters that want to explore the paranormal and the spirit world. Even if a person doesn’t believe in the supernatural, he has to respect the ritual to not interfere negatively with the board.
In my experience, it is not uncommon that sessions are silent if a participant wants to make fun of the participant believing in the paranormal. I have no idea why this is. Maybe the spirits are put off by this behavior and don’t want to interact.
Final thoughts and tips
In my experience, a silent Ouija board might be because the spirits don’t know how to use it. It can be a great idea to tell the spirits exactly how they communicate using the board.
Be very detailed about what you want them to do. Ask them to move the planchette to answer the questions. Remember always to thank you for interactions, as it takes much energy to materialize movements.
It is always good to remember that it is not uncommon to experience readings where you get nothing. A silent board doesn’t mean that it is broken. There might not be spirits wanting to chat, the boundaries are set high, or there might not be any spirits present.
Keep at it and cleanse the board from time to time to keep it in tip-top shape. If things don’t resolve, it might be time to get a new board. Spiritual tools tend to stop working when the energy is drained.