Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board
by Edward Cornelius, Feral House, 2005

Review by Mark Westion

In the opening paragraph of Cornelius' densely detailed and wide ranging study, we find the following: "It is contradictory that I have written an entire book about the proper use of a Ouija Board, when Aleister Crowley said 'A few simple instructions are all that is necessary.' Yet, elsewhere in the book he quotes 'The Beast' as declaring that 'it was not a toy to be played with lightly, and that the average person walks on dangerous ground when using the board.'"

This 'dangerous ground' is, according to Cornelius, constantly being trespassed upon by weekend psychics who see no harm in toying with a thin slab of pressboard and a bit of plastic. This ironic dichotomy is repeatedly stressed by the author, who sees the Ouija as 'probably one of the most dangerous devices ever placed in the hands of humanity.' That an occult device can be machine made, shrink wrapped and sold on the same shelf as Monopoly or Ants in the Pants is but one aspect of the amazing history of the 'Mystic Oracle'; a history of death, bankruptcy and betrayal.

The heart of this book is much more than a mere listing of names and dates, as the author leads the seeker of dark truths on a Dante's tour of a stygian abyss populated by psychic 'shells' and vampiric elemental spirits. Cornelius calls upon Crowley repeatedly in displaying the many wonders of the qabalistic roadmap laid out before the traveler. To those who have eyes to see, the road is wide, the pitfalls obvious; but only after the guide has shown the way. It is this very guidance that Cornelius desires to provide in the 140 or so pages of this well-structured work. There is also an appendix dealing with Crowley's cleansing ritual, quite helpful in keeping one safe while dealing with the dark side of the Oracular Tablet.

Time and again while reading Crowley and the Ouija Board I was struck by the sheer volume of information, where page after page of interesting bits of information had me muttering to myself in wonderment at the bizarre truth of our world. This truth appears to be the object of this work, whose author presents us with a world of infinite possibility; the gate to which may be opened by lightly pressing the fingertips on a small, heart-shaped bit of plastic.

It seems that same mundane hunk of petrochemicals with the clear window serves as much more than the sum of its inexpensive parts. For as it glides over the art nuveau lettering printed on the board, that same planchette becomes a key to a world consisting of dark layers of mystery each more confounding than the last.

With Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board, Cornelius has clearly demonstrated that, far from being a mere plaything, the Ouija board is an effective tool for traversing the realm of shadows. This interesting read is an excellent guide to that mysterious landscape for worthy travelers who fear naught but the loss of their options in life. The tools employed by the traveler will determine the results achieved. Assisting the spiritualist in working effectively while there as well as safely retuning afterwards appears to be what motivated Cornelius to write this book, and this reviewer is of the opinion that he has succeeded in so doing.