Any Sleep Paralysis Sufferers Here?

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I've suffered with this for years and wrote a book about my experiences.

Does anyone else have experience of this phenomenon and if so what are your thoughts on it?

I'd be interested to know.

  • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
    I don't know what you are talking about. But, sometimes when I'm on the verge of sleeping, I have this feeling of intense fear. I'm half conscious at this point. I mean, I know it's a dream but can't do anything. Feels like the body is in vibration mode. I can't break out of this spell for sometime.. Then I become half conscious. My mind returns to almost normal (the fear stays) but I still can't move my body. Finally, after a few seconds, I return to normal and full conscience. It's scary..

    I sometimes cramp my muscles in the leg, trying to break free, during this.

    What is it that you are talking about?

    Sumit.
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    • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
      Hello Sumit

      Thanks for replying.

      Yep sounds like you've experienced a mild form of sleep paralysis (SP) which is very common.

      Have you also had any visual or auditory hallucinations during your experiences?
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      • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
        Originally Posted by Epicurus View Post

        Hello Sumit

        Thanks for replying.

        Yep sounds like you've experienced a mild form of sleep paralysis (SP) which is very common.

        Have you also had any visual or auditory hallucinations during your experiences?
        Yep... Once Me and some guy with me were trying to run out of some open, dark place with a door. There were guys (or some creatures) with weapons behind us. Just when we reached the door, it closed down (like they close in Star Wars) and suddenly all the other doors (I didn't see those doors before, though) beside it close down too .. They were coming close to us but then I managed to wake myself up!

        Sumit.
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  • Profile picture of the author Sumit Menon
    Originally Posted by ProductCreator View Post

    I think I only ever experienced it once. I was awake in the morning and could not move. But I pretty much "willed" myself into this state. I had to "fight" to get out of this state too.

    I actually wanted to experience it again but could not manage it again.
    You like it? It scares the hell outta me!
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  • Profile picture of the author Diana Lane
    For as long as as I can remember (as an adult, anyway), although only a few times a year and not enough to bother me, the last time being a few weeks ago. It's always before waking up though, and never just after falling asleep. I actually thought everyone experienced this.

    Two incidents come to mind, one where I was dreaming that I was walking along the central reservation of the M32 motorway(!) when I suddenly froze and just could not move at all. Just then, a huge, bright diamond-shaped space craft came spinning towards me at speed, and for what felt like a lifetime I became more and more petrified as it got closer. I eventually made myself move and immediately woke up. The 'spacecraft' became my bedroom window and the daylight coming through it, diamond-shaped because I'd had my head tilted on the pillow.

    The other was during the night once when I was pregnant, and I thought I was awake. My arm was trailing over the edge of the bed, and I could see the hand of a man beneath it reaching out to grab my wrist. I was frozen rigid with terror and just could not make myself move. I had to drag my arm back into the bed, but it would not happen. Of course, after what seemed like an eternity I made myself move, waking up at the same time. I don't whether it was because I'd awoken in exactly the place as I was when I'd been dreaming or because I was awash with pregnancy hormones at the time, but that one felt more real to me than most and it wasn't until I'd had the baby that I stopped getting my husband to check under the bed and in the cupboard next to it before I went to sleep every night. I think giving birth again must have given me my backbone back

    As I said, it doesn't normally bother me much although I don't like it and wouldn't go out of my way to recreate it. I'd rather that though than the recurring dreams of unpleasant times past, or even those horrible 'atmospheric' dreams that can still live with you for most of the next day.
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    • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
      Diana, if you are dreaming then I don't think it is considered sleep paralysis, unless I am wrong. From what I understand sleep paralysis is when you are awake but can't move because your brain still thinks you are sleeping. I had this happen once only in my life when I was a child. My mother ended up bringing me to the doctor to see if I had some disease, but they couldn't figure out why it happened.

      Originally Posted by Diana Lane View Post

      For as long as as I can remember (as an adult, anyway), although only a few times a year and not enough to bother me, the last time being a few weeks ago. It's always before waking up though, and never just after falling asleep. I actually thought everyone experienced this.

      Two incidents come to mind, one where I was dreaming that I was walking along the central reservation of the M32 motorway(!) when I suddenly froze and just could not move at all. Just then, a huge, bright diamond-shaped space craft came spinning towards me at speed, and for what felt like a lifetime I became more and more petrified as it got closer. I eventually made myself move and immediately woke up. The 'spacecraft' became my bedroom window and the daylight coming through it, diamond-shaped because I'd had my head tilted on the pillow.

      The other was during the night once when I was pregnant, and I thought I was awake. My arm was trailing over the edge of the bed, and I could see the hand of a man beneath it reaching out to grab my wrist. I was frozen rigid with terror and just could not make myself move. I had to drag my arm back into the bed, but it would not happen. Of course, after what seemed like an eternity I made myself move, waking up at the same time. I don't whether it was because I'd awoken in exactly the place as I was when I'd been dreaming or because I was awash with pregnancy hormones at the time, but that one felt more real to me than most and it wasn't until I'd had the baby that I stopped getting my husband to check under the bed and in the cupboard next to it before I went to sleep every night. I think giving birth again must have given me my backbone back

      As I said, it doesn't normally bother me much although I don't like it and wouldn't go out of my way to recreate it. I'd rather that though than the recurring dreams of unpleasant times past, or even those horrible 'atmospheric' dreams that can still live with you for most of the next day.
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      • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
        By the way, I have also experienced something that is kind of the opposite of sleep paralysis: I was able to be "conscious" or aware I was dreaming while I was dreaming. Then I was able to do what I wanted and control my dreams to a certain extent. I learned how to do this from reading a book by Carlos Castaneda. It was a great and unusual feeling. I was only able to do this for a short period of time years ago although I keep trying to do it now and then.
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        • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
          Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

          By the way, I have also experienced something that is kind of the opposite of sleep paralysis: I was able to be "conscious" or aware I was dreaming while I was dreaming. Then I was able to do what I wanted and control my dreams to a certain extent. I learned how to do this from reading a book by Carlos Castaneda. It was a great and unusual feeling. I was only able to do this for a short period of time years ago although I keep trying to do it now and then.
          This is more commonly known as Lucid Dreaming and is slightly different to SP but they are both in the same ball park for want of a better phrase.

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      • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
        Originally Posted by TimPhelan View Post

        Diana, if you are dreaming then I don't think it is considered sleep paralysis, unless I am wrong. From what I understand sleep paralysis is when you are awake but can't move because your brain still thinks you are sleeping. I had this happen once only in my life when I was a child. My mother ended up bringing me to the doctor to see if I had some disease, but they couldn't figure out why it happened.
        Yes Tim that's more or less what it happening.

        When we go to sleep and enter the REM stage there is a mechanism which paralyses the body to stop us acting out our dreams.

        Sometimes this goes wrong and we can find ourselves totally conscious but having very real and sometimes terrifying hallucinations.
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        • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
          Have you ever tried lucid dreaming? I'm thinking if you can control that you may be able to control the SP.
          Originally Posted by Epicurus View Post

          Yes Tim that's more or less what it happening.

          When we go to sleep and enter the REM stage there is a mechanism which paralyses the body to stop us acting out our dreams.

          Sometimes this goes wrong and we can find ourselves totally conscious but having very real and sometimes terrifying hallucinations.
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  • Profile picture of the author Loren Woirhaye
    I've experienced it a few times but wasn't too disturbed by it.

    If it happened a lot to you I could see how it could be upsetting.

    Back in the middle ages people used to see (hallucinate) demons
    crouching on their chests and they attributed the demonic
    influence to being unable to move to body. Similar patterns
    are found in accounts of UFO abduction.
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    I've had a lot of different experiences with sleeping/dreaming. For many
    years, when I was younger, I frequently felt this incredible acceleration
    in that state between awake and sleep. It always scared the hell out of
    me. It was very strong. And I was always able to consciously make myself
    wake up by moving an arm or a leg. But it was always a herculean effort
    to do that. I never really quite understood what all that was about. But
    it seemed to go away on its own. I think I experienced that for a good
    15 years, and it happened probably half a dozen times a month.

    Some of the things you wrote reminded me of a time when I listened
    to brainwave entrainment cds and the way my body felt when I was
    deep into it. I believe the frequencies were called theta.

    Basically, it's the state in which the body is asleep, and the mind is
    completely awake and conscious. But it was extremely relaxing. I
    listened to a particular cd from the Monroe Institute every single day
    for about two years. (There was something particular I was working
    on, and it wasn't consciously attempting OOB experiences - although
    I have had those.)

    Years ago I bought this contraption. lol. They were glasses outfitted
    with LEDs that had a timer built in. The purpose was to induce lucid
    dreams. After a preprogrammed estimated time the LEDs would flash
    at a low intensity and certain frequency. The purpose was to
    instigate a certain level of consciousness but not awaken you. Kind of
    a cool idea.

    Well... it worked. Perhaps the second time I wore them to bed I had
    a very incredible lucid dream that was not so comfortable. So I just
    stopped it. Plus they were uncomfortable as hell to wear to sleep.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Sounds like what you were doing is Lucid dreaming, Tim.

    I do a lot of lucid dreaming -- and once you get the hang of it, it's not hard to do. Not sure lucid dreaming would help the paralysis thing.

    Ken - remind me never to try that - sounds scary as hell. I use light visualization for a lot of things and that just sounds scary.
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    • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
      How did you learn Sal? As I mentioned I read a book by Castaneda called The Art of Dreaming. In it he described in detail the steps. The first one was to look at your hand while dreaming. I was able to do that and it led to the ability to "control" my dreams somewhat.

      Here's a brief outline of how this book described the steps to the art of dreaming:

      * 1st Gate of Dreaming(stabilization of the dreaming body): Arrived at when one perceives one's hands in a dream. Solved when one is able to shift the focus from the hands to another dream object and return it to the hands, all repeated a few times. Crossed when one is able to induce a state of darkness and a feeling of increased weight while falling asleep.Location in the body - in the area at the base of the V formed by pulling the big and second toes of one foot to the sides.

      * 2nd Gate of Dreaming (utilizing the dreaming body): Arrived at when one's dream objects start changing into something else. Solved when one is able to isolate a Scout and follow it to the realm of Inorganic Beings. Crossed when one is able to fall asleep without losing consciousness.It is also referred to the activity of dreaming together with other practitioners. Location in the body - in the inside area of the calf.

      * 3rd Gate of Dreaming (traveling): Arrived at when one dreams of looking at oneself. Solved when the dreaming and physical bodies become one. Crossed when one is able to control the Dreaming Emissary.Location in the body - at the lowest part of the spinal column.

      * 4th Gate of Dreaming (Seeing): Arrived at when one is able to perceive the energetic essence of every dream item. Solved when one falls asleep in a dream, in the same position in which one has gone to sleep. Crossed when one wakes up in this reality, located only not in the physical but in the energy body.


      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_Dreaming

      I love dreaming and sleeping.

      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Sounds like what you were doing is Lucid dreaming, Tim.

      I do a lot of lucid dreaming -- and once you get the hang of it, it's not hard to do. Not sure lucid dreaming would help the paralysis thing.
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    • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Ken - remind me never to try that - sounds scary as hell. I use light visualization for a lot of things and that just sounds scary.
      Well, it wasn't so scary looking back at it. It's just that the experience seemed
      much more than lucid dreaming. I've had lucid dreams, but that one wasn't a
      lucid dream.

      I'm not quite sure what to call it. It was along the lines of just being in another
      slice of existence. A different reality. I'd describe what happened but not really
      sure I'd care to. It's nothing really scary, but not necessarily comfortable.

      Tim I read some of Castaneda's books a long time ago. I don't recall reading
      the one about dreaming, but I've read that about looking at your hands somewhere
      else. Maybe the place I read it got it from his book.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I really don't remember how I learned it Tim - but I know the steps to it. I never used anything like looking at hands - someone somewhere said something about a watch but it didn't seem to make sense to me.

    First you have to start remembering your dreams -
    then you start to decide before dreaming what you want to dream about
    When you start being able to control what you dream before you go to sleep
    you automatically start to be able to go in and change things.

    I remember WHY I learned it. Re-occurring dreams about getting into an elevator and having it plummet. I would wake up pretty upset. After I was able to get lucid, I had a dream that I got into an elevator and it started to fall and I just said "no, I can't do this crap any more" and pushed the elevator button and made it stop and I got out. I never had that dream again. Since then lucid dreams have been pretty handy for other problem solving as well.
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    • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
      Another good method for inducing a lucid dream is the anchor method.

      Basically, it goes like this:

      In your normal waking life you repeat a certain movement several times throughout the day, for example pressing your hand into a table, this is known as creating an anchor.

      We all have sometimes experienced a level of self consciousness/awareness when we are dreaming - basically realising that we are having a dream.

      This is the key to maintaining a lucid dream - becoming aware. So when you realise you are dreaming you repeat your anchor action, in this case pressing your hand into a table.

      You may find that your hand goes right through the table because it is just a dream of course. This is the trigger and if you can maintain a certain level of awareness within the dream then you can learn to manipulate your dreams in any way you wish.
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      • Profile picture of the author TimPhelan
        OK you guys. I'm determined to do lucid dreaming again. I'll try both of your methods.
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      • Profile picture of the author Intrepreneur
        Originally Posted by Epicurus View Post

        .

        You may find that your hand goes right through the table because it is just a dream of course. This is the trigger and if you can maintain a certain level of awareness within the dream then you can learn to manipulate your dreams in any way you wish.
        I have learned this way back.. It's fun to be able to control a dream. Also sleep paralysis scared the heck out of me first time I experienced it.. but it's all good all the same.
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  • Profile picture of the author Karen Connell
    I never, ever remember dreaming.

    I know that I must dream - everyone does. But I can not remember one single dream - ever!

    I feel as though I am missing out on something.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      I had sleep paralysis on waking two or three times a month for several years and then it stopped.

      I'd never heard of it or read about it - and it was terrifying. My mind was awake and my body would not move and I was struggling to try to move an arm or a leg.

      It only lasted 2-3 minutes but it seemed like hours.

      kay
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  • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
    I used to have a lot of it in my teens, and still have occasional episodes. They are very scary and sometimes I could actually open my eyes and see, albeit for short moments. They were not hallucinations because everything I saw was normal. I could nor move any limbs though.

    Many Chinese people believes that they are caused by real ghosts or spirtis taking momentary possession of your body.
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  • Profile picture of the author whiteeth
    Sleep paralysis? I'm lucky that I did not.

    Do you know the cause of this? is it normal sometimes?
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  • Profile picture of the author cscott5288
    Wow, I never expected to see this being discussed on warrior forum. It just enforces the conclusion I have made that sleep paralysis is becoming a more and more common phenomenon.

    I have suffered from sleep paralysis for a few years now. It started in high school. I was in bed and I woke up paralyzed -- completely awake and aware of my surroundings -- and then I felt a hand pull my shirt up. I was completely freaked out but I could not move; it pulled up my shirt very slowly. After that, I didn't experience SP until 1 year later in college. I was taking a nap in my dorm room and I had all the lights on. I woke up paralyzed, lying on my belly, and heard many whispers in me ear. The whispers were in thousands of different languages and it was impossible to comprehend. Then, I heard demonic-freaky sounding voice speak clearly and in English. It said VENGEANCE with a very long draw on the G. It sounds cliche but that's what happened! I have been experiencing it on a frequent basis since then and have experienced lucid dreaming in accompaniment with sleep paralysis. The entities that come to me are short, imp-like, a lot like the 1700 picture that's in the Wikipedia article for sleep paralysis. They sometimes talk to me through though speech because, when you are paralyzed, you can't talk out loud. It's so weird. People who haven't experienced it can't imagine.

    Anyway, I just recently created a sleep paralysis talk forum for people who want to talk about this because it interests me very much and it seems to be something that's becoming more and more common. You can check it out here.
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    • Profile picture of the author Epicurus
      Originally Posted by cscott5288 View Post

      Wow, I never expected to see this being discussed on warrior forum. It just enforces the conclusion I have made that sleep paralysis is becoming a more and more common phenomenon.

      I have suffered from sleep paralysis for a few years now. It started in high school. I was in bed and I woke up paralyzed -- completely awake and aware of my surroundings -- and then I felt a hand pull my shirt up. I was completely freaked out but I could not move; it pulled up my shirt very slowly. After that, I didn't experience SP until 1 year later in college. I was taking a nap in my dorm room and I had all the lights on. I woke up paralyzed, lying on my belly, and heard many whispers in me ear. The whispers were in thousands of different languages and it was impossible to comprehend. Then, I heard demonic-freaky sounding voice speak clearly and in English. It said VENGEANCE with a very long draw on the G. It sounds cliche but that's what happened! I have been experiencing it on a frequent basis since then and have experienced lucid dreaming in accompaniment with sleep paralysis. The entities that come to me are short, imp-like, a lot like the 1700 picture that's in the Wikipedia article for sleep paralysis. They sometimes talk to me through though speech because, when you are paralyzed, you can't talk out loud. It's so weird. People who haven't experienced it can't imagine.

      Anyway, I just recently created a sleep paralysis talk forum for people who want to talk about this because it interests me very much and it seems to be something that's becoming more and more common. You can check it out here.

      Hey thanks for commenting.

      You've described some very common features from my own SP episodes there.

      If you'd like to download a free copy of my book you can do so here:

      Sleep Paralysis

      I'll also take a look at the forum you mention.

      I think there's always more to know about this subject and I find it really fascinating.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Wow, I haven't heard Carlos Casteneda mentioned in decades!
    Have you read all of his writings Tim?
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