Quick Specs
- Type: Talking board, spirit communication board
- Size: 12.25″ x 15.25″
- Size/Quantity: 12 1/4 x 15 1/4 inches
- Best for: Seance, spirit communication, ancestor work, group divination
Spirit Board for Seance and Communication Work
The spirit board, also called a talking board or witch board, is one of the oldest commercially produced divination tools in Western esoteric practice. This 12 1/4 x 15 1/4 inch board follows the classic layout: full alphabet, digits 0 through 9, yes and no fields, and a farewell position for closing the session. The format was standardized by late nineteenth-century manufacturers and derived from earlier planchette writing practices that were used in spiritualist circles from the 1850s onward. The modern talking board format is thus embedded in a tradition of organized spirit communication that predates most contemporary occult tools.
The board is sized for tabletop work with two to three participants, which is the traditional format for group spirit communication sessions. Solo work is possible, though most practitioners in the talking board tradition recommend working with at least one other person, both to stabilize the planchette and to cross-reference interpretations of incoming messages. The 12 1/4 x 15 1/4 inch format is compact enough to store easily and transport to group sessions without the bulk of a full-size board.
History and Tradition of the Talking Board
Talking boards emerged from the nineteenth-century American Spiritualist movement, which sought systematic methods of communication with the dead following the enormous losses of the Civil War era. The standardized letter-and-number board format was developed in the 1880s and patented in 1891, but the underlying practice of using physical objects to receive messages from spirits draws on much older traditions including automatic writing, planchette drawing, and earlier forms of cleromancy. By the early twentieth century, talking boards had become both a legitimate spiritualist tool and a mainstream parlor pastime, creating the dual identity they retain today.
Serious practitioners have incorporated talking boards into structured ritual contexts, using protective circle casting, grounding practices, and explicit session protocols to contain and direct the communication. The board does not function independently; it responds to the attention and intention of those using it, and the quality of results is generally proportional to the clarity of the practitioner’s protective and intentional preparation. For divination tools and accessories that complement spirit board work, browse my tarot and divination kits collection.
How to Use a Spirit Board
How to open, conduct, and close a spirit board session safely and effectively.
- Prepare and Protect the Space
Before a session, cleanse the space with incense or sage, cast a protective circle if your tradition uses one, and state what kind of contact you seek. Protective candles and grounding crystals at the corners help define a contained working space.
- Open the Session with Clear Intent
With all participants placing fingertips lightly on the planchette, state the intention aloud: what spirit or type of guidance you are seeking. Move the planchette in a slow figure-eight pattern to open communication.
- Close the Session Deliberately
Thank any spirits that communicated. Remove your hands from the planchette, extinguish candles, and open the protective circle if one was cast. Storing the board face-down between sessions is a standard traditional practice.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I stock this spirit board because the format has a genuine history in divination practice that deserves to be taken seriously rather than treated as either a toy or a danger. The 12 1/4 x 15 1/4 inch size is practical for tabletop group sessions without requiring the full surface area of a large board. It’s a clean, classic layout that lets practitioners focus on the session protocol rather than navigating an overcrowded board. Practitioners who approach spirit board work with proper preparation and clear intention will find this a functional and appropriately sized tool. For supplies to support your broader divination practice, browse my ritual supplies collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
The board measures 12 1/4 by 15 1/4 inches, a compact format suitable for tabletop sessions with two or three participants. This size stores easily, and a planchette is the standard companion accessory for conducting any session.
If a planchette is not included, standard heart-shaped wooden or plastic planchettes are widely available as separate accessories and will work with this board’s standard talking board layout and letter spacing.
Most experienced practitioners recommend cleansing the space with incense or sage before opening a session, casting a protective circle, and stating clearly what type of communication you are seeking.
Ouija is a trademarked brand name for a specific manufacturer’s talking board. Spirit board, talking board, and witch board all refer to the same general format: a lettered board used with a planchette for spirit communication and divination.
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