Understanding Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis and I have had quite a long history together, and I'm very grateful for it. Sleep paralysis was a big driving force that eventually led me to investigate the phenomena of out-of-body experiences and the much broader field of spiritual development. I know for many that sleep paralysis can seem like something evil and scary; and when I first began to experience it, I was scared out of my wits! But I've since come to see it as a very natural and positive part of life, and I've seen that there's nothing evil or harmful about it.
Around the age of 12, I began having strange experiences as I was falling asleep, and sometimes as I was waking up. I would find myself awake in my bed, yet paralyzed. I couldn't even move a finger. I also perceived external sensations, maybe like what you'd imagine it's like to be submerged in quicksand. I'd get really scared. I'd cry out for help but it would be hard to utter a sound, although I sometimes did succeed in crying out. Often I would also sense negative beings next to me, feel things touching me, and hear or see scary things...
After a few minutes of being in a panicked state, fighting to move, I'd gradually regain motion, usually starting at my toes and moving upwards. In talking about this with my parents, they had no idea what I'd been experiencing and they said they never heard my cries... This began happening every couple of nights, sometimes more than once in the night, and continued like this for a couple of years. Being scared to go to sleep became a normal part of my life. But in this time, I also had a few rather interesting experiences (I'll just share a couple).
On one occasion, I managed to fight out of sleep paralysis in an afternoon nap and I got straight up from bed, in case it was going to happen again. I opened my bedroom door and walked down the hallway to where my parents would be, wanting to talk about my experience. But in the process of walking to see them, something scared me and within the blink of an eye I was in bed again, in sleep paralysis! This was so weird: I'd just gotten out of bed, out of my room... how could I be back in bed? How could such a thing have happened?
Or in another instance while sleeping on my back, I prayed to the Archangel Michael for help when I felt negative presences upon me. There was a flash of light and it was as though a bolt of lightning had zapped away the presences, but it also jarred me and I was suddenly on my side curled up in a fetal position. The next thing I knew I was again on my back, getting up...
Naturally, this sort of stuff can be a pretty strong motivator for someone to look into what's going on in life... After doing some research and through my own experience, I learned how much of what I'd been experiencing was related to astral travel: how many of my experiences were taking place in my astral body, in another dimension – my physical body couldn't move because I was actually in my astral body, although simultaneously aware of my physical body. I saw how there was definitely no reason to be afraid, since we can't be physically harmed in the astral. Most importantly, I came to understand sleep paralysis quite well, and I've been able to use it on countless occasions as a means to astral travel (or as a sign that I will be traveling in the astral shortly).
I sincerely hope this helps those out there who may be in a situation like I was to see that sleep paralysis is nothing to fear. It's really a wonderful part of life!
~ Mike
Vancouver, Canada
Hi Lyn,
I know, it can be terrifying. Certainly my initial experiences with it were not "positive" by any means. But by gaining understanding of it, I was able to overcome the fear and even appreciate sleep paralysis.
Hopefully you see that you're not alone in what you're going through. And just remember that you can't be harmed in sleep paralysis - the experience is not something physical in nature.
You'll be okay.
I wish you all the best in gaining more understanding.
Mike
I have to agree with your comments lyn. I too am not having very positive feelings relating to my sleep paralysis. I am now though extremely grateful having found this site and will continue to log on.
Silly really but I have always beleived in Astral Travel and beleive that I have acheived this state but never once thought that the two subjects were connected.
I now have food for thought.
Thankyou all.
Nancy
I have had similar experiences to this. I have remember having sleep paralysis since my teenage years. I always reach the point where my body is asleep and my mind is in between. My body starts getting jerky and then I can't move. Sometimes I wake up fully after I guess I project. I am paralized and I often fight it and try to move and scream. When I was younger I thought something was trying to possess me because I felt something terrible in the room. I always hear footsteps coming towards me and something grabbing me starting at my feet, then I feel like I'm being shocked all the way up my body. Shortly after that I am able to move and sometimes scream. I never remember actually seeing myself though.
My experiences up to a couple of weeks ago are mostly the same. Then I began talking to my friend and boyfriend about it because they were becoming more frequent. I did some research and started feeling more sane and assured that I may be able to have some control over these experiences.
Last week I hit that state, body asleep and mind awake. I told myself that I wanted to have an out of body experience. I felt as if I was torn fast from my body but still near or not able to move from my body. This time I heard alot of voices. Also what sounded like pots and pans banging. The voices were mumbly and I couldn't make out words. Then I heard footsteps come and someone standing beside my bed flipping the pages of a book. It wasn't me because the person was talking and I couldn't understand what was being said. I fought hard to come out of that and it took a few tries. I felt like I would come out part way and then I would hit the in between state and be there again hearing mumbly voices and the pages of a book turning. When my boyfriend came home from work I asked him to stay and talk to me to make sure I was completely awake.
Hi Cheryl,
It sounds like you were near to have an out-of-body experience, just got stuck there as maybe the sounds were distracting you. Voices and sounds are a normal phenomena to experience while we're getting into the astral consciously, as are various other sensations, like 'being shocked all the way up the body' that you mentioned.
My experience of this state hasn't been very encouraging either, but this has only been due to my own fears and not being familiar with that sort of thing. The fear of the unknown can certainly be strong in many of us.. I agree with Mike, with experience and understanding of the whole process you'll be able to manage it.
It helps to have something to concentrate on while we attempt to get into the astral, such as our heartbeats. If we train our concentration strong then the immobility, any sensations, other presences etc. won't distract us and soon we'll find ourselves past the stages of separation, being able to move, consciously in the astral.
I'd recommend to you and others who are interested the astral course that's being mentioned on this site (http://www.astralweb.org/astral-course-online). They teach techniques on how to get into the astral among other things. And you'll be learning with others, which helps a lot, to see we're not alone with these problems. You'll notice if you put in the efforts this pattern that has been disturbing you for a long time could well change for good!
All the best,
Laura
Very interesting story.
I myself have been attempting to astral travel for about a year or so with no luck. I've felt like I've been close a few times but it just doesn't happen. Up until this past weekend.
My job requires me to be on-call sometimes so its not unusal for me to get called out in the middle of the night. This past Sunday I received one of these calls and I ended up being at work for about an hour and a half or so. By the time I got home it was around 4:30 AM. I've read many times that the best time to attempt to astral travel is when you wake up in the middle of the night and move to a different spot and go through your meditation and routine. I did just that, and I distinctly remember giving up on it after a few minutes just because I was so exhausted. It felt as if no time had passed and I remember almost a waking up sensation but not being able to move. My eyes were open because I could see my room but at the same time I knew they were closed. The feeling was nothing like I have ever felt before. I was completely helpless, I tried yelling out to my wife but no sound came out. While I was in this state, I thought to myself that I must be having a OBE, I must just be having trouble controlling my astral body. After what seemed like a minute or two my body seemed to have either awaken or if I was having an OBE my astral body renentered my physical form.
My story is similar to you all but I in no way had anything negative around me at the time or even in my mind to be honest. It was more fear out of helplessness and a little irritation because I couldn't move. I would love to hear everyones thoughts on this. It truly is an experience I will never forget.
-Dan
Colorado
Thank you Mike for your insight into sleep paralysis. My experience of it is not a positive one. It is a most terrifying feeling knowing that you are completely unable to move, at the same time feeling the presence of something that you cannot see but know is near you. One thing that I do notice is the heaviness that is pressing down on the body. It is so real that I feel the bed is depressed beneath me - sometimes it feels like someone is sitting on the edge of the bed as it feels like it is being pressed down. I will continue to follow this site to understand more.
Regards
Lyn
Melbourne, Australia