There is no incompatibility between science and the occult. Use the methods of science to gauge the veracity of your occult experiments.
Aleister Crowley in 'Eight Lectures on Yoga' insisted that his disciples not believe a single word he said, but instead that they use science to establish the credence of his exercises.
Given the preeminence of science in today's world, many people, even highly intelligent people, are often caught in the mental trap that science has already explained everything there is to know. And that if science does not recognize a phenomena today, then that phenomena is unscientific. This is a sad and disfunctional mentaility as there is so much left to explore, especially in the realm of consciousness.
There is a realm of hidden knowledge. In fact, the term 'occult' might be restated as that body of knowledge not yet fully understood or explained by science.
I also believe that tempering one's occult experiments with the scientific method is the key to maintaining one's sanity in this domain. I would expect therefore that those who choose to experiment with the Ouija board and don't follow this premise are also those who end up with the problems.
Remember also Crowley's definition of magick, loosley stated, being to cause change through the power of Will. The obvious corollary question is how will you know that you are successful? You will know by applying the scientific method.