Previously: The Dark Reflection Ritual.
The Hooded Man Ritual appeared on the NoSleep subreddit in November of 2014. According to its submitter, nickybutler123, it has surfaced on other sites in the past; I’ve been unable to locate these other sites, however, so it’s possible that this claim is meant to deepen a newer story’s sense of history.
[Like what you read? Consider supporting The Ghost In My Machine on Patreon!]
Certain similarities strike me between the worlds traveled to by the Hooded Man’s taxi cab and the one(s) that can be reached via the Elevator to Another World ritual. I’m not sure whether they’re the same ones, though, so do with that what you will.
This ritual should NOT be attempted in a state of agitation, nervousness, or fear.
As always, play at your own risk.
Players:
- One principal.
Requirements:
- Two black cords or ropes measuring half a meter in length each.
- A telephone. If you have access to an old-fashioned rotary phone, it is suggested you use it, as it will provide the greatest effect. A modern touch-tone phone will also work, although it is recommended that it be of a corded variety. Cordless or cellular phones may present some difficulties and are not recommended.
- Matches or a lighter.
- A watch.
- Salt.
Instructions:
The Prelude:
- Prior to beginning, perform a cleansing ritual in the location in which you plan to perform the Hooded Man Ritual. Burning a sage smudge stick and spreading salt or ash before the front door are recommended; for more detailed instructions, see here.
- Shut all the doors, close all the windows, and draw all the curtains.
- Turn off the lights, as well as all electronic devices. Set the two black cords, as well as the matches or lighter, near the phone.
- Empty your pockets of any power or protection items, but keep the watch on your person.
Calling the Cab:
- Begin at night.
- Sit down before the telephone and count to the number 13. Then, leaving the phone on the hook, dial the following number: 20496888.
- Tie one black cord securely to the telephone’s handset. Lift the handset by holding the cord only; then dial the following number: 25515823.
- Count to 13 and set the handset down, but do not hang it back on the cradle. Speak the following words into the receiver: “Hello? I need a cab.”
- Untie the first black cord from the handset and replace it with the second one, making sure to secure it tightly. Burn the first cord immediately if possible; if it is not possible to do it immediately, burn it as soon as you have completed the ritual.
- Open the curtains and look out. If you have completed steps one through five correctly, you will see a black taxi cab parked outside. Exit the building, locking the door behind you, and climb into the cab’s empty back seat.
- Lock the cab door and go to sleep.
During the Ride:
- When you awaken, use your watch to check the time.
- If your watch reads anytime other than 3:30am: Exit the cab and reenter your home within two minutes. Proceed to “The Ending – Step 1.”
- If your watch reads 3:30am: Go back to sleep.
- When you awaken for the second time, you will find the cab to be driving on a highway with a man wearing a hood at the wheel. Do NOT do any of the following:
- Panic.
- Attempt to get out of the cab while it is moving.
- Speak to any other passengers the cab may pick up.
- When you are ready to end your ride, lean close to the hooded man’s ear and say the following words, slowly and deliberately: “I have reached my destination.” You will fall asleep one last time; when you awaken, you will have returned to your starting location.
The Ending:
- Once you have returned to your starting location, seat yourself before the telephone once more and dial the following number: 200082.
- Use the black cord to lift the handset, set it down, and recite the following words into the receiver: “Thank you for the ride.”
- Untie the black cord from the handset. Burn it; then bury the ashes of both it and the first cord in the ground. Scatter salt over the top of the burial site.
- Perform a cleansing ritual.
Additional Notes:
Sage, salt, or other items of protection may be used during the cleansing rituals performed before and after the Hooded Man Ritual itself; however, these items should NOT be carried with you while you are performing the Hooded Man Ritual.
Should you feel threatened, followed, stalked, or otherwise unsafe at any point during the ritual, do NOT proceed. If you have not yet gotten in the back of the cab, do not enter it; if you have, perform step five of “During the Ride.”
Panicking, attempting to exit the moving vehicle, or speaking to other passengers may result in dire or fatal consequences. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, perform those actions.
Concerning the Length of the Cab Ride:
You may allow the cab ride to continue on as long as you desire; however, it should be noted that the longer the ride, the more difficult it is to emerge from the landscapes through which the cab passes. Should you wish to return to the same world you left, it is recommended that you do not allow the cab ride to go on for undue amounts of time.
It is unknown what happens when the cab stops. If you are feeling adventurous, you may attempt to find out…
…But don’t count on being able to return home again once you get there.
***
Support The Ghost In My Machine on Patreon for behind-the-scenes access and other bonus content. You can also follow on Twitter @GhostMachine13 and on Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine.
Tanwa says
March 9, 2015 at 2:54 amHello –
I think I’ve found the source of this one. A post here – http://www.sayainunderworld.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-to-go-to-another-world-black.html – bears certain similarities, particularly in the use of a black cord and the numbers to be entered in the telephone. I’m pretty certain this one is the one being referenced by the nosleep author, although much of the content differs beyond the use of the phone.
Lucia says
March 9, 2015 at 6:49 pmGood to know! Thanks for the info!
Cas says
March 11, 2015 at 12:32 amWhy must I perform cleansing rituals? Is it because the ritual is unholy or ‘stay safe, so do this’? And why should the cord be black? I’m thinking it’s because it’s considered the Devil’s colour, or is it something else? Thanks
Satan says
July 24, 2015 at 7:22 amI imagine that the cleansing rituals are to “close” the portals. The cord should be black because black is usually associated with other world travels? Also black is NOT the devils color. As a follower of Satan I should know. It’s Red and sometimes blue.
illuminati bi chick says
August 13, 2015 at 7:10 pmThanks Satan.
tiana michelle says
August 18, 2015 at 11:37 amWhats up with the username???
JesusMilk says
July 26, 2017 at 10:27 amSatan sleeps on this website
Lucifer says
August 6, 2017 at 1:00 amSome guy told me you were myself from the future, like what I’m the head angle I ain’t gonna do nothing like being the head demon
TotalyHuman says
October 16, 2017 at 7:36 pmHow do you follow Satan? Also why blue?
CrunchyLord says
May 17, 2018 at 2:04 pmSo, you are Satan, but also a follower of your own religion, Satanism? Can you do that? I mean, I guess you can do that since you are Satan, but like, why? It seems somewhat egotistical, bro. Just sayin’.
Paradox says
February 19, 2016 at 1:36 pmBlack isn’t a color my friend , its a shade. Hail Satan.
IndieDud says
August 15, 2017 at 6:45 amYou don’t know what will be happen if you do a contact or ritual with unknown things. That’s why you should be doing cleansing ritual, to make sure you don’t have any contact with that thing again.
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:29 amI’ll answer your questions. I have answered lots of questions.
1. They might help you stay safe. Safe, of whatever what might harm you. And one cleansing ritual at the end may banish what you’ve invited in.
2. Black isn’t the devil’s color. It’s red, burning red. Maybe to get your fear out of you.
Mandy says
April 10, 2015 at 11:35 amWhat are you meant to see in the cab ride?
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:30 amI don’t know for sure, but it’s something otherworld-ly (it means something that’s from the otherworld).
Glow-shroom says
December 21, 2017 at 5:51 amI don’t know, but expect that you will see something with Otherworldly elements.
Linivier says
May 27, 2015 at 7:56 pmDo the passangers in the car talk to you? If so, may we be allowed to look at them? If not. . . It’ll be hella hard for me, because I am a very nice person, and I always have to look at the person talking to me.
KeeganTheFabulous says
June 2, 2015 at 2:56 amIt may happen, and I imagine that you can look at them, as long as you don’t reply to anything they say to you. Be careful with this, however; body language could be counted as communication, and you do not want to miscommunicate.
Elisa Lam says
August 21, 2016 at 9:30 pmI read online that one man did talk to a passenger but became obsessed and fascinated by him. He ended up basically selling his soul to the stranger in the cab bc he said he wanted to go home and the mysterious man talked to the driver before asking if he was allowed to control the mans life from then on in order to go home. So I suggest not doing it unless you wanna sell your soul.
TotalyHuman says
October 16, 2017 at 7:38 pmSo he became a human puppet? Also how can one be so stupid?
Jasmine says
January 12, 2018 at 5:08 pmThat sounds….kinda superstitious…
manar says
March 5, 2017 at 2:40 pmYou should never do that especially to dark spirits and such things
Alfie Moss says
October 18, 2017 at 10:44 amWhen I did it it felt like a dream and they talk to the driver and you but you can look at them I hope
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:32 amYou can look at the passengers, as long as you don’t talk to them. Spirits are sensitive, but they CANNOT BE TRUSTED.
Jasmine says
January 12, 2018 at 5:10 pmI have spirit friends and have been communicating with such spirits for years. As long as youryou’re careful and feel whether or not something is right, then you will be fine. It’s intuition you shoukd trust. And be open minded.
Mahnoor says
June 10, 2015 at 9:16 amCan we do this ritual with a partner?
Mahnoor says
June 10, 2015 at 9:18 amOr another person?
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:33 amNope, nope nope. It says “one principal” and that means there can be only one player to play.
Anonymous says
October 7, 2015 at 4:55 pmWhat happens if i dial the wrong number? do i have to restart?
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:34 amYou’re doomed. You might have pranked called a person, rather than calling a spirit.
alexanderjdwilliams says
October 27, 2015 at 12:41 pmI performed this ritual last Saturday. It’s really not fun and I decided not to go into the cab. The driver had a hood silhoutte but it was hard to see at night. I immediately got sage and salt and when I got back to check out the window he was gone.
Ally says
March 23, 2016 at 6:24 amDid you actually?
stephanie says
February 19, 2016 at 5:28 pmI really want to do this but it doesn’t specify if it’s okay to do it when others are asleep in the house. Would that affect the game?
IndieDud says
August 15, 2017 at 6:47 amMaybe. When you want to do some rituals, some says that there is no people in your home/place.
M. Langdon says
January 24, 2019 at 1:18 pmI don’t think you would want to do that. Unless the ritual itself requires more than one participant, make sure you’re alone. Not all rituals work this way, but some state that if you’re on the premises at the beginning, you’re in the ritual. Whether you like it or not.
Redbear03 says
March 7, 2016 at 6:12 pmI would like to try this, but not alone, I’m too chicken. Can you do it with another person? The rules don’t specify.
Jolene Tiew Chongling says
June 12, 2016 at 4:17 amIt says “one principal”, so that means ONLY one person can do it. Usually these rituals have to be done alone. It won’t work if other parties are involved.
Anonymous says
March 7, 2016 at 6:16 pmI would like to try this, but I can’t do stuff like this alone. I freak out, but it’s fun when I have a friend with me. Can it be played with two people? And would other people sleeping in the house effect the game?
dakinuvpepr says
April 12, 2017 at 10:26 amI think it’s ok to do it with a partner, just don’t let the others touch anything.
meuh says
March 13, 2016 at 7:56 pmWhat about performing the ritual in a non-english speaking country ? Do we have to talk in english to the hooded guy or is it allowed to speak in the local language ? What do we have to do if we fail a step during the ritual (wrong number, no cab visible…) ?
lunalilywolf says
April 4, 2016 at 3:14 amblack is the color of protection, red passion, blue is harmony.This honestly sounds dangrous, but have fun
Lilly says
June 29, 2016 at 1:32 pmCan you do this with a friend? I am terrified to do rituals alone, so would doing it with a friend effect it?
Sweet Tender Flesh says
August 15, 2016 at 7:10 amIs the cab driver Death?
Storm says
September 9, 2016 at 11:36 pmWell, the cab didn’t come. But the closing phone number is either Chinese of Kazhakstani
luka ponciano says
September 11, 2016 at 8:45 pmWhat is do if any of the other passangers speak or touch me?
Meteor Girl says
October 28, 2017 at 5:35 amDon’t reply to them. They cannot be trusted.
Juhi says
October 13, 2016 at 10:50 pm”When you are ready to end your ride, lean close to the hooded man’s ear” thats definitely a little too much, no?
Kris Sellers says
January 3, 2017 at 3:58 amI did this in a lucid dream just now I promise you you don’t want to do this its nearly impossible to get back up.
I saw the hooded man over my shoulder and it sounded like I muttered “enough is enough” muttered the first set of numbers and was out cold. Its a violent drop you’ll take and its hard to get up I don’t know if location has anything to do with it because mine was in a resort of sorts on a raised platform to dive into a 27-29ft pool with a friend my words coming up and seeing it were “only 29ft” sarcastically said. In the passing out, I saw snow and fluttered my eyes which were impossible to keep open I was trying to scream for help but I was muted and it sounded like a whisper of sorts to me no doubt unintelligible mutters in the world around me man I’m scared and if anyone talks to the man who gets in with you, ask him for me. If that was truly the hooded man in my dream or him. Please let me know please
Veronica Lodge says
July 6, 2017 at 10:56 amI’m a bit confused by this. Side note: DON’T LUCID DREAM PERFORMING RITUALS, IT’S NO SAFER AND YOU MIGHT EVEN END UP BRINGING THE ENTITIES INTO OUR WORLD. If you did somehow manage to get the cab ride…did you wake yourself up during it? You should probably go back in your dream to finish it off properly. It also sounds like you didn’t do the cleansing rituals. Good luck…
Glow-shroom says
December 24, 2017 at 5:15 amHello Kris Sellers.
I am bit confused on your question but I think I can answer it. Here’s my theory:
That wasn’t the Hooded Man, it was a fake one. And evil.
Welp, a note from me, never do rituals on the dream realm. It’s dangerous and may end up bringing things from other dimensions to our realm.
RD says
March 27, 2017 at 2:42 amWhat benefits do you get from this again?
First Name Jenkins says
June 11, 2017 at 3:42 pmBragging rights. Like from most of these.
Wolf123 says
September 15, 2017 at 8:18 pmP3ople just do them to either prove them wrong, or for fun.
Glow-shroom says
December 24, 2017 at 5:16 amNothing. You don’t get a prize.
dakinuvpepr says
April 12, 2017 at 10:27 amWhat does the cab driver look like?
Sam Wyllie says
May 13, 2017 at 8:47 pmwell, I tried this with a cordless phone and black ribbon instead of cord, and no cab showed up, even though I did the ritual a second time to be sure. guess you need a corded phone for it to work.
sam says
July 30, 2017 at 5:35 pmcan this be performed during the daytime?
Bobbyjo says
August 6, 2017 at 12:58 amIt says that the ritual must be “Started at night’ but the cab ride can continue for as long as you want
JESUS FOLLOWER says
August 5, 2017 at 3:24 pmCan other peolpe see the black cab?
Ashley says
August 20, 2017 at 12:53 am“During the Ride” step 2 says that if your watch reads anything other than 3:30 you need to exit the cab and return home within 2 minutes. What if you’re too far away from home to return in 2 minutes, or you don’t know how to get home from where you are?
mllwcrmpmpkn says
September 16, 2017 at 2:32 pmIs it alright to ask the hooded man questions?
TACOBELL says
December 3, 2017 at 10:16 amI actually might try this game in the future. Thanks for the info!!
Jasmine says
December 30, 2017 at 7:59 amSo can you potentially use an alarm clock to wake you up directly at 3:30?
GhostlyBread says
January 9, 2018 at 2:49 amHow much do I pay the Hooded Man when the ride is finished?
Ashtyn says
February 2, 2018 at 3:02 pmI’ve been reading up this ritual a lot since I found it on Reddit, and I’ve found references to “the Father.” Anyone know anything about this?
E_mme says
February 15, 2018 at 10:41 amI don’t “know anything” about it, but I have also read stories that make reference to it. Apparently, people report of having strange experiences with other passengers, so they say it’s better not to encounter anyone else during the ride.
The general consensus seems to be that (regardless of the entity in question’s origins) if another passenger enters the cab during your ride, ignore that individual completely. Don’t talk to them, look at them, or respond to them in any way. Better yet, end your ride before anyone else gets in (the longer the ride, the better chance you have of the cab picking up another passenger).
Katy says
February 27, 2018 at 7:31 amHow are you even supposed to fall asleep? What if you can’t?
Landon says
March 17, 2018 at 4:08 pmDo you think I should take the car?
Jacob says
March 25, 2018 at 1:44 pmTo preform this ritual do you need a working a landline?
Or can you just have a phone plugged in?
These days most people don’t have landline.
BaphometFTW says
March 27, 2018 at 11:25 pmWhat I would like to know is if the Hooded Man is a good man or a bad man, or just neutral? Like, can I make friends with him? And is he like a demonic entity, an angel or Azriel?
A person says
May 6, 2018 at 1:57 pmNeutral, probably, until you make him mad.
Olympus says
May 27, 2018 at 4:22 pmIt doesn’t specify if the phone has to be connected to any type of network, it’s hard to find connected rotary phones or even corded phones these days, my house only has a wireless one with the buttons on the phone itself, anyone can give me any tips about this? Thanks.
Zen says
June 16, 2018 at 6:37 pmcan you talk to the hooded man? like, if you say anything other than what is scripted will anything happen?
Jacky says
July 23, 2018 at 1:39 pmDon’t know, I’ll try it out soon and say!
Teledex Diamond L2S-5E 2 Line Guest Room Telephone Ash DIA67149 says
March 30, 2019 at 4:39 amThank you so much for having such a nice and entertaining stuff for us. I really enjoy your blog and the way you describe your content.