28 schoolgirls in Colombia had been playing with Ouija boards in school when they apparently suffered anxiety attacks and had to be sent to hospital, according to The New York Post.
The incident happened at the Galeras Educational Institution located in Galeras, Colombia, where the girls had fainted and displayed symptoms of anxiety attacks.
The schoolgirls were sent to a municipal hospital by their parents and the school faculty members, although their diagnoses were not revealed.
It is unclear what exactly sparked the collective anxiety attacks, as some netizens pointed out that it is too much of a coincidence for all 28 girls to have anxiety attacks at the same time after playing with the Ouija board.
The girls had purportedly been trying to communicate with spirits when the incident happened.
According to The Mirror, some of the parents are of the view that their children’s conditions were caused by a lack of nutrition, rather than it being caused by the supernatural.
However, another parent refuted their claims and said that the fainting cannot be attributed to lack of food because she works in a hospital kiosk and sees about 3 or 4 children being admitted after fainting.
Used to communicate with spirits
Ouija boards have been a source of fascination and controversy for generations. These boards, which are also known as talking boards or spirit boards, are said to be a way to communicate with the dead. But where did they come from, and why do some people believe in their power?
The History of Ouija Boards
The first known talking board was invented in the mid-1800s by a man named Elijah Bond. Bond was a businessman from Baltimore who teamed up with a group of spiritualists to create a new way to communicate with the dead. Their board was made of wood and had letters and numbers printed on it, along with a planchette (a small, heart-shaped piece of wood with a hole in the center).
The idea behind the board was simple: participants would place their fingers on the planchette, and it would move around the board, spelling out messages from spirits. Bond patented the board in 1890, and it quickly became popular among spiritualists and mediums.
In 1901, a man named William Fuld took over the production of the board and renamed it the Ouija board. Fuld claimed that the name came from an ancient Egyptian word meaning “good luck,” but there is no evidence to support this claim. Regardless of its origins, the Ouija board became a cultural phenomenon in the early 20th century, and it remains popular to this day.
The Lore of Ouija Boards
Despite their popularity, Ouija boards have always been controversial. Some people believe that they are a harmless game, while others think that they can be dangerous. Here are some of the most common beliefs and legends surrounding Ouija boards:
- They are a portal to the spirit world. Many people believe that Ouija boards can be used to communicate with the dead. According to this belief, the planchette is moved by the spirits themselves, who use it to spell out messages.
- They can summon evil spirits. Some people believe that Ouija boards are not a way to communicate with benevolent spirits, but rather a way to summon demons and other malevolent entities. According to this belief, using a Ouija board can lead to possession or other negative outcomes.
- They are cursed. There are numerous stories of people who have used Ouija boards and then experienced strange and terrifying events. Some people believe that these boards are cursed and should never be used under any circumstances.
- They are a hoax. Skeptics argue that Ouija boards are simply a game, and that any messages spelled out on them are the result of unconscious movements by the participants. They point out that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that Ouija boards can communicate with the dead.
The Verdict on Ouija Boards
So, what is the truth about Ouija boards? As with many paranormal phenomena, there is no clear answer. Some people swear by them, while others dismiss them as nothing more than a gimmick. However, there are a few things that we do know:
- Ouija boards are not scientifically proven to be a way to communicate with the dead. While many people have reported strange and unexplainable events while using Ouija boards, there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that they can actually summon spirits.
- Ouija boards can be dangerous. Even if they are just a game, Ouija boards can be emotionally and psychologically distressing. They can also be used to exploit vulnerable people, especially those who are grieving the loss of a loved one.
- Ouija boards are a cultural phenomenon. Whether you believe in their power or not, there is no denying that Ouija boards have had a significant impact on popular culture.
