Before the Ouija Board, there was Table Turning

Success is never guaranteed, but we’ve often observed that tables will tip for sitters who are willing to wait.

By Jake Cordero

Table turning — it is one of the earliest and most rudimentary methods for attempting contact with the other side.  Before the Ouija board, before spirit bells and electronic voice phenomenon, there was table turning. The practice was common among spiritualists in both America and Europe as far back as the mid-1850s.

The method is simple. First you need a wooden table — any small one will do. We typically prefer three-legged tables, but the four-legged variety also works. (It’s better, however, if the table isn’t too heavy.) Now gather a few friends, interspersing each at regular intervals around your table. We typically dim the lights and then begin with a guided meditation or short prayer. Strange as it may sound, we recommend that you also lead your friends in rounds of an easily recognizable and repetitive song, such as “Row Row Row Your Boat.”

As your friends sing, each should place their finger tips on the edge of the table. They should do this lightly, while simultaneously keeping their palms up and away from the table surface. This results in the sitters’ elbows being extended slightly. It’s also important that the tips of the sitters’ fingers remain planted near the table’s edge.

The sitters should continue singing, in unison, but remain patient. Some may want to close their eyes to concentrate — either on a single entity or (if they believe in residual hauntings) on the specific home or building where the table is located. This process likely will continue for minutes, maybe tens of minutes, without a noticeable movement.

Success is never guaranteed, but we’ve often observed that tables will tip for sitters who are willing to wait, concentrate and remain still.  Sometimes the movement is subtle, and sometimes it is quite vigorous. The table may tilt to one side, and then rock back to the other. It may rotate. We’ve even seen tables scoot across the room, as if pushed by invisible hands.

Have a few questions prepared in advance, then call them out as the table begins its gyrations.  Sitters may want to agree on a system wherein a tilt to one side signifies “Yes” and a tilt to another signifies “No.” Sitters also can call out letters of the alphabet and tease out names and words. If three or four letters emerge that seem to indicate a specific name or word, then don’t hesitate to call out the entirety of the word and see if you receive a “Yes” or “No” in response. This is a good way to save time.

The table-turning phenomenon (some call it “table tipping”) can be particularly startling, especially given that many believe the information gleaned from these sessions cannot be obtained from other sources.  Explanations for the phenomena include the direct actions of spirits or otherworld entities, the effect of “mesmerism” (a sort of hypnotism), or an unconscious muscular action known as the “ideomoter” effect.

You can decide for yourself by holding your own table-turning session. All you need is a wooden table, friends and a spirit of adventure.


Have a question? A suggested blog topic? Email us at the following address: theaustinseance at gmail dot com. (We’ve spelled out the address to outsmart the robot spammers.) You can also send us a message using this website’s contact tab.

5 comments on “Before the Ouija Board, there was Table TurningAdd yours →

  1. I used to do table tipping back in the 1970’s . This is not something you should fool around with. I started with my elderly aunt who used to do table tipping. She seemed to think that I had a very powerful gift. I continued to tip tables nightly with my mother . After some time, I tipped tables daily alone and with others. Time went on and the power that I seemed to have became more and more intense as time went on. The power grew to a point to which I could move the family large dinner table with the touch of one finger. The table would levitate and one time chanced my brother through the house until he was cornered and continued to knock into him in a way as to try to harm him. This story is true and much longer than I can write here. I came from a very normal home . My father was a high school principal and my mother was a nurse. They both experienced this phenomenon. Long story short my power grew to a point of controlling me. This is never good. I believe it was coming from a very dark place. One night my parents went out for dinner and to see a play. I along with my brother and some close friends decided to invite all the friends and acquaintances who had heard about my table tipping. The turn out was about 40 young people all about 15 to 17 years old . This particular night , the tilting of the table seemed different somehow. It turned out it was quite different. In fact it was downright evil. Everyone ended up running out of the house after several very scary moments. When everyone was outside, all the lights in the house were going on and off and things in the basement were moving The next morning the washing machine was about a foot from where it usually was. There were deep tracks in the cement with fresh cement dust showing movement back and forth for quite some time. When my parents drove up to the house after their night out. They found the three of us outside sitting on the curb of the street terrified. After that night I never attempted table tipping again. There is much more to this story but believe me. Please don’t try table tipping it’s not a good spirit you’re playing with it’s the devil in disguise .

  2. There’s rules. Like any spiritual practice, you need to ground your self, center your self, protect your self, and what ever you invite un, you need to demand they leave when your done. I personally have never used table tipping. I am a medium though. Protection and closing down aftwards it key!

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