Did I astral project during sleep paralysis?

[Meadow]

Hey

I am just starting to learn about astral projection so I'm not very knowledgeable about it at the moment. I've been wondering lately about something and maybe someone here can help me figure it out...

I have had sleep paralysis episodes since I was about 7 or 8 years old, I'm 23 now. I remember the first time it happened to me like it was yesterday. Growing up it absolutely terrified me, esp. because I grew up in a religious household and had ppl who didn't understand tell me it was the devil. I didn't even know what it was until I was 18 and googled it and found out I wasn't alone. I also found out that my mom used to get sleep paralysis and a lot of the weird, trippy sleep things I get but she doesn't now. Also, my niece, who is 18 now, has been getting sleep paralysis episodes for the last few years as well.

Anyways... many times during sleep paralysis episodes, I experience a weird sensation where even though I'm asleep in my bed and cannot move, and a lot of times am sleeping on my stomach, its like I have eyes up in the ceiling somewhere and I can "see" everything around me and behind me, and even myself sometimes. Its only vision though, I dont FEEL myself out of my body, I just can see, if that makes sense? I also think this could just be part of the hypnogogic hallucination thing, because a lot of times when Im seeing everything around me from the ceiling or whatever, I am seeing things that arent there, like the scary things and etc. For example, my most recent episode of sleep paralysis was about a month ago. I was laying in my bed on my stomach. I woke up in the middle of the night and quickly fell into sleep paralysis. I couldn't move and it was pitch dark, I could see my entire room and myself and at first it was totally dark until this bright white light started glowing and it scared me, it felt EVIL. I knew it was not real and I knew it was sleep paralysis but it was still really scary and all the sudden the white light started coming over me and I felt an intense buzzing come up me from my head to my toes and it was like I had intense goosebumps and it felt like something evil was trying to possess me. I knew all this time, as scary as it was, that it wasnt real and I knew I was having a SP episode but when I am in an episode and can see all around the room and I can see myself, is that astral projection??? Or is it maybe somewhere between? I've had a lot of people tell me that SP is a good time to astral project and some ppl even tell me that SP and astral projection are linked and to embrace SP episodes... however that is wayyy easier said than done because usually SP episodes are terrifying.

Also, another experience I started to get a couple years ago is this strange sensation when I go to bed. Its sooo hard to explain, but its this feeling of my body becoming REALLY heavy and its like Im starting to fall into SP, which of course brings me panic and I have to fight the heaviness. Sometimes I have to push myself off my bed to get myself out of it but usually it returns every time I lay back down for bed. Its this scary, strange feeling of falling asleep too fast, almost as if Im going IMMEDIATELY into my REM cycle. Its like my body becomes heavy and Im about to fall into a certain state, I dont know if its a good one or bad one. I relate this experience to SP bc it is similar and so it scares me. Lately though, ive been wondering if this could be linked to astral projection and wondering what would happen if I were to allow myself to fall into that state and not be afraid and fight it. I guess Im afraid of falling into a bad state, like SP, where its a terrifying experience.

Any insight? Thanks!!

[Astral316]

I have had sleep paralysis episodes since I was about 7 or 8 years old, I'm 23 now. I remember the first time it happened to me like it was yesterday. Growing up it absolutely terrified me, esp. because I grew up in a religious household and had ppl who didn't understand tell me it was the devil. I didn't even know what it was until I was 18 and googled it and found out I wasn't alone. I also found out that my mom used to get sleep paralysis and a lot of the weird, trippy sleep things I get but she doesn't now. Also, my niece, who is 18 now, has been getting sleep paralysis episodes for the last few years as well.

Hey there. Your scenario is nearly identical to mine except my family wasn't too religious so I didn't get a "It's the devil!" I got "It's a bad dream... shaddup and go back to sleep!"

Anyways... many times during sleep paralysis episodes, I experience a weird sensation where even though I'm asleep in my bed and cannot move, and a lot of times am sleeping on my stomach, its like I have eyes up in the ceiling somewhere and I can "see" everything around me and behind me, and even myself sometimes. Its only vision though, I dont FEEL myself out of my body, I just can see, if that makes sense? I also think this could just be part of the hypnogogic hallucination thing, because a lot of times when Im seeing everything around me from the ceiling or whatever, I am seeing things that arent there, like the scary things and etc. For example, my most recent episode of sleep paralysis was about a month ago. I was laying in my bed on my stomach. I woke up in the middle of the night and quickly fell into sleep paralysis. I couldn't move and it was pitch dark, I could see my entire room and myself and at first it was totally dark until this bright white light started glowing and it scared me, it felt EVIL.

Old hag syndrome is a common feature with sleep paralysis. Haven't had SP in a while but I typically experience panick from a feeling of suffocation or being smothered in my pillow. Neither scenario is pleasant or conducive to projecting, really.

I knew it was not real and I knew it was sleep paralysis but it was still really scary and all the sudden the white light started coming over me and I felt an intense buzzing come up me from my head to my toes and it was like I had intense goosebumps and it felt like something evil was trying to possess me. I knew all this time, as scary as it was, that it wasnt real and I knew I was having a SP episode but when I am in an episode and can see all around the room and I can see myself, is that astral projection???

The nature of what you describe sounds like spontaneous projection to the etheral, an area of consciousness close to the physical. My rule of thumb is if during these episodes you were aware of your physical life, and the degree of reality was equal or greater to the physical then you projected.

Also, another experience I started to get a couple years ago is this strange sensation when I go to bed. Its sooo hard to explain, but its this feeling of my body becoming REALLY heavy and its like Im starting to fall into SP, which of course brings me panic and I have to fight the heaviness. Sometimes I have to push myself off my bed to get myself out of it but usually it returns every time I lay back down for bed. Its this scary, strange feeling of falling asleep too fast, almost as if Im going IMMEDIATELY into my REM cycle. Its like my body becomes heavy and Im about to fall into a certain state, I dont know if its a good one or bad one. I relate this experience to SP bc it is similar and so it scares me. Lately though, ive been wondering if this could be linked to astral projection and wondering what would happen if I were to allow myself to fall into that state and not be afraid and fight it. I guess Im afraid of falling into a bad state, like SP, where its a terrifying experience.

Haha, wow this brings be back to my childhood. I remember many sleepless nights I'd be jerking myself awake every 10 seconds because I was deathly tired but I knew as soon as I "went too far" I'd fall into that feeling... that feeling that would inevitably turn into me being wide awake in blackness just knowing I was about to enter a different realm with all senses (and fears) intact. I've identified this as the 3D Blackness, and it is the perfect condition to project in. Through meditation I was able to achieve the 3D blackness and vibrations that I didn't have for about a decade. I admit it was tough facing what I spent a long time trying to avoid as a kid, but once I did it paid off. It sounds like you have to face that same fear. Once you overcome it, it's all gravy. Good luck.

[4everaspirit]

I also found out that my mom used to get sleep paralysis and a lot of the weird, trippy sleep things I get but she doesn't now. Also, my niece, who is 18 now, has been getting sleep paralysis episodes for the last few years as well.

Haha, my mom would sometimes get "night terrors" and she would wake up screaming. I didn't dare tell her that it was actually a precursor to astral projection. I had talked to her about astral projection once. She stated that when she was giving birth to me she had an "out of body" experience, but she thought it was just a trick of her mind. I don't want her to know XD

I woke up in the middle of the night and quickly fell into sleep paralysis. I couldn't move and it was pitch dark, I could see my entire room and myself and at first it was totally dark until this bright white light started glowing and it scared me, it felt EVIL. I knew it was not real and I knew it was sleep paralysis but it was still really scary and all the sudden the white light started coming over me and I felt an intense buzzing come up me from my head to my toes and it was like I had intense goosebumps and it felt like something evil was trying to possess me. I knew all this time, as scary as it was, that it wasn't real and I knew I was having a SP episode but when I am in an episode and can see all around the room and I can see myself, is that astral projection??? Or is it maybe somewhere between? I've had a lot of people tell me that SP is a good time to astral project and some ppl even tell me that SP and astral projection are linked and to embrace SP episodes... however that is wayyy easier said than done because usually SP episodes are terrifying.

I would like to say that I sometimes would see weird things around me too. Like posters on my ceiling o.o that were supposed to be on my wall. I can see around my room too. XD But, I don't think this "bright light" itself was "evil." It might have just been nothing at all and part of sometimes the weird things you see when you go into sleep paraylsis. Every time I go into sleep paralysis I always have this "scary" feeling. Just like you mentioned. I don't think it has anything to do with what we see. I usually feel like I'm vibrating, I hear weird noises, and I will start to feel lighter and I will feel like part of my body moved when I swear I hadn't moved a muscle. (I think this is just your "astral body" leaving your physical body.)  I think sleep paralysis is the precursor to astral projection.

Also, another experience I started to get a couple years ago is this strange sensation when I go to bed. Its sooo hard to explain, but its this feeling of my body becoming REALLY heavy and its like Im starting to fall into SP, which of course brings me panic and I have to fight the heaviness. Sometimes I have to push myself off my bed to get myself out of it but usually it returns every time I lay back down for bed. Its this scary, strange feeling of falling asleep too fast, almost as if Im going IMMEDIATELY into my REM cycle. Its like my body becomes heavy and Im about to fall into a certain state, I dont know if its a good one or bad one. I relate this experience to SP bc it is similar and so it scares me. Lately though, I've been wondering if this could be linked to astral projection and wondering what would happen if I were to allow myself to fall into that state and not be afraid and fight it. I guess I'm afraid of falling into a bad state, like SP, where its a terrifying experience.

I think this what you described hear was exactly the same thing as you described in the beginning. I think it's still the same old sleep paralysis. You might be confused about it because usually each "sleep paralysis" is a little different.(but not much) Sometimes you will hear different noises or see different things. (Sometimes I think I am able to keep my eyes closed...just helps me relax a little more). But overall I think you still "feel" like you are shaking/ vibrating or heavy. If you were to just let the feelings take over you and relax, you would soon feel yourself "coming out" of your body. It's okay though, I'm still afraid of the "scary sensations" even though I have astral projected a lot. Don't "fight" it as in try to stop it, but just relax and let it work. usually I will play a song in my head to help me keep myself calm Or I think of all the cool stuff I wanna do when I'm out of my body.
The next time you get "sleep paralysis" just relax and let what happens happens. It is scary, don't really know why, but it's scary every time XD  Soon, you will probably find yourself out of your body and having an astral projection.