Category Archives: RADIESTHESIA AND OTHER PHENOMENA
13.3. PLANCHETTE AND OUIJA
13.3. PLANCHETTE AND OUIJA
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These devices really spell out messages. Planchette is a name applied to a triangular plate mounted on tiny wheels with a pencil projecting down from the center. Several persons place their fingertips on the plate and wait for it to move above a sheet of paper.
It moves, all right, and if properly inspired it writes out messages, but with too many mental impulses at work those are apt to be a mere scrawl. So the planchette declined in favor, except in a few circles — probably those where a dominating impulse prevailed!—and the ouija took over.
The name “Ouija,” coined from the French oui and the German ja, means “yes, yes,” when translated into English, but the Ouija board can respond with either “yes” or “no.” Both of those words are emblazoned on its surface, along with all the letters of the alphabet and the numerals 1 to 0 inclusive. A three-sided device is mounted on little felt-tipped legs, and consultants of the “Ouija” put their hands on the sides and await results.
13.2. TABLE TIPPING
13.2. TABLE TIPPING
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Further evidence of subconscious muscular activity accompanied the “table-tipping” craze of a century ago, when “Spirit circles” gathered about a table and pressed their hands upon it, hoping for a message from beyond. Soon, the table would being to move, then bounce about, rearing upon two legs and banging down upon the other pair.
Next, the “sitters” — as the members of the circle were called — would be spelling out the alphabet, “A-B-C-D-” and so on, hoping for the table to stop on a letter, which it always did. So they would start the whole thing over, hoping for another letter, which would also come. Next, the table would be spelling out words, sentences, and complete messages.
Often, this was attributed to “spirit” aid, which put table tipping in bad repute. Usually, some member of the group was responsible, for by clamping hard at the right moment, it was definitely possible to “spell out” messages. This put an unfair burden on other members of the group, whether or not the “clamper” was operating subconsciously or consciously.
