The Ouija Board, as we know it today, was originally created in the United States in 1890 to be used as a novelty device for fortune-telling. However, soon after its introduction within the market, people began using it as a tool to communicate with the deceased. The American people from that era had recently experienced a massive carnage of loved ones during the Civil War. The Spiritualist movement was in full force and the rage was to attend séances and revivals where many would attempt to prove the existence of an afterlife and provide messages from their loved ones from the “Beyond.” To this day, that is how most of us use the Board, as a tool for communicating with whom we call the “dead.”

When I began using the Ouija Board in 1973 I used it under these assumptions, while adhering to this type of séance form of communication. I proceeded this way until I “stumbled” upon communication with other types of sentient beings, including the higher self, angels, guides and ethereal beings. In the middle of one such session in 1996, while communicating with my angel, she told me that someone had a message for me. She precisely said, “You aren’t going to believe this.” What happened next, was a message coming through the Board from a distinctly different energy than my angel, as the planchette slowed down, changed directions and felt directed. The planchette spelled out a message for me: “Hermes cat I love you.” Well, lo and behold, my very much alive orange tabby cat named Hermes, who was sitting in a rocking chair near the table where my partner and I were working the Board, engaged in communication with me!

It was an incredible experience because I was now aware of the possibilities of communicating with my cat, Hermes, my very much alive cat. This showed me another facet to this incredible, far-reaching tool, meaning I could easily and readily communicate with animals while using it regardless of their position within what we call “life.” Needless to say, this opened a whole new world for me. That day, January 26, 1996, I commenced my journey communicating with many animals, both dead and alive! Well, why not? We just need to match the frequency of the sentient being.

To this day, I continue to communicate with the animals via the Board and also, sans the Board. I found it to be a natural progression for me. Animal communication is an innate process and we do it all of the time with our household pets, whether we are fully conscious of it or not. They are constantly sending us messages. However, if you would like to learn how to communicate with your pet and quite possibly other animals, whether in physical form or spiritual form via the Board, here are a few pointers for doing so.

1.) Be Open – be open to the possibilities for this type of communication to occur from either alive or deceased pets.

2.) Ask and Allow Assistance – ask for your pet to come forward in communication and/or ask for one of your “go to” spirits to assist with the communications and translations from the animals.

3.) Hold the Image – within your mind’s eye and heart, think and feel what it’s like to be with your pet and connect with him or her. Recall those images and feelings.

4.) Be Patient – allow them the freedom to come forward with their communication without expectations for what they might say or how they might communicate.

5.) Thank and Reward – remain positive with their attempts at communication. Remember, this is not their way. They often find this silly, but will do so to please you. Let them know that you are appreciative.

6.) Every Day – view your pet as a sentient being able to communicate with you at a level where you both will be able to understand each other via this new tool for them. Continue the conversations with your pet away from the Board.

7.) Develop your Sensitivities – when away from the Board, endeavor to hear and feel your pet’s communications with you. Sit with your pet and just be in a silent space with him or her. Often they will speak to you in images. Don’t judge what comes to your mind and heart; just allow it to flow.

8.) Back at the Board – these messages will become more verbose as you develop this open communication with your pet. You will find that the Board is just one way to communicate. It can develop to the point where you can literally receive downloads of information from your pet while sitting with him or her and you will be able to understand the meaning of the communications.

As a final point, my most recent cat I adopted that came to me off the streets with no one claiming him, decided to communicate with me via the Board. I had been wondering what to name this young male cat. While sitting at the Board with a partner and conducting a session, on his own volition, this cat decided to join us. He plopped himself down on the floor four feet from where we were hosting this session. All of a sudden, the planchette changed direction and energy. It spelled out, “I like the name Bear.” I looked at this young white cat laying on the floor staring back at me and asked him, “What is the name you went by before you came to me?” He replied, “George.” This newly adopted cat renamed himself via the Board and from that moment on, his name became Bear.

Once you become comfortable with this type of communication, your pets will desire to communicate with you this way in addition to their way. They know only unconditional love and will do all they can to add to your efforts. They truly want to please you while living their existence. We can most definitely learn so much about unconditional love from our pets, especially when we take the time to connect with them.

Happy Boarding…

Karen A. Dahlman ©

Author of: The Spirits of Ouija: Four Decades of Communication