The Astral Pulse

In this article I will replace every term associated with 'Astral' with 'nonphysical Reality, abbreviated to NPR or NP.


A little Introduction

First off I will tackle Sleep Paralysis (SP) also known as Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis (RISP) from its physical reality side rather than its NPR side. Both are intertwined at equal degree, but the sensations encountered are primarily physical in nature being interpreted by your NPR sensibilities. Put another way; it is a dual-consciousness state. The sensations felt and in turn manifested through NP interpretation can be very overwhelming. The function of this little article is to help you link those sensations to normal functions of the body and hopefully dissipate the fear commonly encountered. I have written about SP several times and therefore researched it for many years and will pull form those writings in order to construct this treatise with objective reasoning and available scientific information. I have also experienced it for a lot longer so can also assess the phenomena subjectively due to many years of experimentation.  


The cultural history of SP

SP comes under several names in modern western culture such as; Second State, Phase State and Vibrational or Vibratory state to name but a few. However our modern terms have nothing on the abundance of descriptions given to it by other cultures throughout history. The term 'nightmare' for instance, now used to describe a bad dream or unpleasant situation stems from an old English term of Germanic origin 'maere' meaning 'Goblin' or 'Incubus'. It wasn't until the 1300s that it appeared as 'nigt-mare', as a roughly shortened version of the descriptive 'the mare who comes in the night'. Old English folk-law also used the term 'The Old Hag" and the process of this as being 'Hag Ridden'. It is thought that the Salem witch trials of 1692 that resulted in 19 executions and 150 accusations may have been fueled by locals reporting SP.

The perceived presence that often accompanies SP has been given many names and is often associated with the beliefs of the culture. In Turkey SP is called Karabasan, which means "dark presser or assailant" and the presence referred to as a Djinn, a nighttime demon of Islamic faith that can be banished by reciting certain lines of the Qur'an.  Pakistan culture calls it Bakhtak or the IfritIn and is associated with black magic performed by enemies or jealous people. In Thai folk-law it is the Phi Am. The people of New Guinea refer to it a Suk Ninmyo, believed to originate from sacred trees that requires human essence to sustain its life yet is not thought of as evil in nature. In Hungarian folk culture SP is called Lidércnyomás and the presence is attributed to several entities such as faeries, Wraiths and witches. One is called Ördögszeretö, which means 'Demon Lover'.

Other cultures describe the crushing or pressing down sensation. In Japan SP is called Kanishibari, which literally means 'Bound or fastened in metal'. In Mongolian culture it is referred to by the verb-phrase Khar Derakh, meaning, "to be pressed by the Black" or "when the Dark presses". In Vietnam it is called ma dè meaning 'held down by a Ghost" or bóng dè meaning "held down by a shadow". In Bangladeshi it is referred to as boba meaning "Speechless". In Arabic culture SP is called Kaboos, which means "pressers", or Ja-thoom, meaning "what sits heavily on someone". These examples are a relatively small selection of many more cross cultural references. There are probably names for SP and their associated sensations for every culture throughout human history that have been lost.

So what is Sleep Paralysis?

Many people associate SP with being a necessity for experiencing NPMR. This is a fallacy. True, it is a direct route into the altered state of consciousness that IS 'nonphysical', but far too often it is lingered and pondered upon much to the distraction of the uninitiated. It can actually be said that SP is not meant to be experienced. If it were, there wouldn't be a plethora of anesthetic mechanisms naturally put in place that cause us not to experience it. Usually SP is an unconscious process that happens when we enter REM sleep that inhibits us from acting out our non-physical incursions. It is a natural physical anesthetic. The medical term for this process is REM atonia (atonia meaning a lack of muscular tension). Being aware of this state that the body has put so much effort into concealing is what we experience as Sleep Paralysis. I will add here that sleepwalking isn't an REM state phenomenon but rather takes place during Slow Wave Sleep State.

Why do I get Sleep Paralysis?

To understand why a little better we need to briefly discuss the sleep stages. When we go to sleep we enter 4 stages of slow wave or Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Stage1, also called transitional sleep lasts only a few minutes until it evolves into our "baseline" stage 2 sleep. It is from this stage that next 3 stages develop.  Stage 2 takes up approximately 50 – 65% of our sleep time. Within 15 to 20 minutes we have slowly evolved into stage 3 then stage 4, which is marked by Delta Sleep that has the same brain wave pattern as a coma.  After these stages that last approximately 20 – 30 minutes We suddenly slip back into a very brief stage 2 (which is often marked by what can be called a micro-wake) and almost immediately change gears into a the very active brain wave pattern known as Paradoxical or REM sleep. Our heart rate and respiration increases substantially and we lose our ability to use our skeletal muscles known as striated muscles.

Sleep Paralysis occurs when we have previously slept through our slow wave sleep stages and wake for a period before attempting sleep or during REM sleep without breaking brainwave pattern.  This is not always the case and it takes the right amount of slow wave sleep and conditions for SP to manifest.  SP usually follows after a period of wakefulness from slow wave sleep that is marked by Sleep Inertia. Put another way, one will most likely experience SP after waking up from a dreamless nap that leaves one groggy, itchy eyed, likely to want to return to sleep and shivery; this is due to the drop in body temperature during the end of stage 4 sleep. Attempting to go to sleep forces one to instantly enter REM while still relatively conscious.

If SP is entered involuntarily it has usually gathered enough hypnogogic (subconscious) thought to contain more hallucinatory qualities. If SP is induced by using a short focused meditation the hallucinatory qualities will be less evident and the sensations can be viewed (or ignored) objectively.

So what are all these sensations about?

As we discussed above there are many sensations that bring about the cultural names attributed to SP and those described in the posts on this forum. These can be broken down into four main types.

•   Tactile sensations
•   Auditory sensations
•   Visual hallucinations
•   Perceived presence


Tactile sensations.

The main sensations felt during SP are commonly a buzzing or vibrational feelings in parts or throughout the body, the uncomfortable feelings of being pushed down or having a 'lead blanket'  (asphyxiation) over ones body and the inability to move (paralysis). However it isn't true paralysis. Paralysis is the total blockage of nerve messages sent to and from the brain. The partial paralysis during SP (REM atonia) is a one-way blockage (called neuron depolarization) of receptors turned off going to the muscle; and only striated (bone connected) muscles. This is REM atonia. As mentioned before, This ensures that we don't act out our NPR activities yet retains the ability to still receive feedback to the brain in case we are in trouble physically; like someone entering the room or a predator attacking us. During SP we are aware of this normally unconscious feedback from our muscles. When in REM atonia the one way signal is extremely low and rather than being a flowing sensation (one that we don't notice in waking life) it is staccato or strobe-like in nature and feels like an electric impulse. In fact, that is exactly what it is; low frequency electric impulses. This gives us the vibrational sensation. When we are calm and focused these vibrations are very subtle and can feel very gentle – very much like Nitrous Oxide intoxication. If we are fearful of the experience or panic our body releases adrenaline which stimulates the heart, pumping blood around the body causing violent and overwhelming vibrational buzzing.

The lead blanket or pressing is also caused by the REM atonia.  As we mentioned it's only striated muscle neurons that become depolarized leaving them unable to be controlled voluntarily. These include the intercostal muscles between your ribs. Involuntary breathing is autonomous during REM and is controlled entirely unconsciously by the hypothalamus in the brain and is carried out by the diaphragm muscles that aren't bone connected. When you panic or try to breath voluntarily during SP you are in effect fighting your brains automatic breathing system using paralyzed muscles; leading to the sensation of being sat upon or pressed down.  


Auditory sensations.

There are a plethora of sounds heard during SP such as Rumbling, buzzing, screaming, whistling, banging, electronic pulsing, footsteps, babbling, crying, laughing, white noise, ringing, a boing 747, wailing, whispering, words, sentences, marching, breathing, heart beat.... I could go on. While most of them are subjective and may be NPR in nature there are specific physical phenomena that occurs in the middle ear during REM that causes most of the vibratory, rumbling and buzzing noises.

Your middle ear consists of three little bones (the smallest bones in the body) that are hinged to allow for the passage of vibrations into your inner ear or cochlea. These bones have a really clever dampening mechanism that kicks in whenever a loud sound like a clap or bang is heard.

Go into a quiet room, clap your hands and you should hear a slight rumble in your ear during and after.

This is performed by your bodies smallest bone connected muscle (can you see where I'm going here?)  called the Timpani Tensor muscle. Some people can voluntarily tense this muscle causing the rumbling heard when you clapped.

During REM atonia these muscles naturally vibrate due to the depolarization and because they are part of your auditory system can be actually heard. The onset of SP is usually marked by little spasms of these muscles creating intermittent bursts of tickly rumbling. It can be quite pleasant.

Visual Hallucinations.

Our eyes and eyelids aren't controlled by bone connected muscles. This is why it's called REM – rapid eye movement. But although they aren't paralyzed they cant be moved very efficiently. This is why when one tries to open the eyes it is difficult to focus and indeed keep them binocular. What happens is akin to a 'magic eye' picture or any 3D effect. Your eyes naturally grab shadows and patterns that cause your eyes to bring two separate spots of darkness together – like a dark corner in your bedroom and a shadow caused by a cabinet or other object in the room next to it – causing a 3D effect. The shadow literally jumps out, proud of the surroundings. Now, couple this with the fact that you are also being fueled by fear and creating forms non-physically and you have yourself a perceived shadow creature.

Perceived presence or 'the intruder'

This is the most commonly reported aspect of SP yet is also the least specific and perhaps the most fundamental.  The terror that accompanies it is extremely common.  It is difficult to assess whether the sense of presence brings on the fear or whether the fear generates the sense of presence.

There are many variations of the presence... sometimes it is out of sight, just around the corner and sometimes fully realized in glorious HD. It is fair to assume that the latter is a nonphysical manifestation brought on by fear of the unknown.

To describe the process neurologically would require a bit of knowledge in neuroscience. I'll try to explain without getting too technical.

Studies show that when a person is experiencing SP the cortical center lights up like a pinball machine. The function of the cortical center is the synthesis and making sense of available stimuli. This part of the brain is normally on full power during waking life, but when in SP the information received is purely internal and filtered through the Amygdala, which is the raw emotional centre of the brain. The sense of presence is believed to be formed by this stimulation of the Amygdala by bursts originating in the Pontine Reticula formation (responsible for sleep-awake cycle). In normal 'emergencies fear reactions' the immediate sense of danger is quickly confirmed or disconfirmed. In the absence of outside stimuli, attempts to analyze the source of the fear will inevitably fail to produce corroboration. But the fear is originating  from within so what would normally last a second or two continues throughout the SP episode as a prolonged and rising sense of fear of your fear.

To put it very basically if you glazed over , you are sensing your fear sensing you sensing your fear sensing you sensing your fear and so on and so forth... a type of biometric feedback.

How can I stop the fear?

The way to fully put an end to the fear is to stop the SP process entirely. To play the 'get out of jail free' card either wiggle your toes, fingers or simply jerk your whole body physically. It takes a bit of willpower but is highly effective.

If you wish to carry on using SP as your springboard to NPR, You can meditate and focus yourself not to enter SP while you are thinking subconscious or hypnogogic thoughts. Maintain concentration.

Another way to overcome SP is by practice and repeated exposure to it.

There are many members here who can guide you to defeat the fear, whether through your belief or by pragmatic explanation.

However.

SP is not a prerequisite for experiencing the NPR and can be avoided by not trying to phase or practice after a short nap. Although it is a direct root it can be a massive distraction and as I have explained most of the sensations are physical in nature. Your task is to direct your focus away form your physical, almost by performing a mock slow wave sleep (meditation/phasing) exercise.

Please be aware that this article is purely based on the physical phenomenology present during SP and in no way attempts to explain the more sublte non-physical interactions that may take place.

Please feel free to ask more questions as I have only explained the basics.

I will periodically update this post.

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References

Ohayon,M.M.,Zulley,Guilleminault,C.andSmirne,S. - Prevalence and pathological associations of sleepparalysis in the general population.Neurol.,1999,52:1194–1200.

Jean-Christophe Terrillion - Does Recurrent Isolated Sleep Paralysis Involve More Than Cognitive Neurosciences? Journal of Scientific Exploration, Vol. 15, No. 1, p. 97–123, 2001

Anna Pissiota - Fear, Startle, and Fear-Potentiated Startle, Probing Emotion in the Human Brain. Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of SocialSciences 127

William H. Cooke - Justice at Salem, Reexamining the Witch Trials. http://www.justiceatsalem.com/Cooke%20justice%20text%20100109.pdf

Cheyne, J.; Rueffer, S.; Newby-Clark, I. (1999). "Hypnagogic and Hypnopompic Hallucinations during Sleep Paralysis: Neurological and Cultural Construction of the Night-Mare". Consciousness and Cognition 8: 319–337.

Quote from: Bedeekin on November 06, 2012, 22:01:53
If SP is induced by using a short focused meditation the hallucinatory qualities will be less evident and the sensations can be viewed (or ignored) objectively.

This entire Sleep Paralysis article is very well written. I suggest someone should sticky this, since so many people ask questions about Sleep Paralysis.

The above Bedeekin quote is extremely important for people to understand. To me this short focused meditation or OBE technique is so important to achieve anything worthwhile with sleep paralysis. Otherwise, you are left with a groggy OBE of low quality.

The quicker the sleep paralysis induction, the better the resulting OBE is.

Sticky indeed!!

This one is also going up on my website!  ... assuming Bedeekin is okay with that.  ;)

 Excellent article Bedeekin. Very well articulated.  I'm sure all members can learn something profound from this!  :-)

Bedeekin. Solid work. I myself go in and out of paralysis all the time. Good stuff, and thank you for taking your time to do this.  :-)

Quote from: Xanth on November 06, 2012, 22:37:28
Sticky indeed!!

This one is also going up on my website!  ... assuming Bedeekin is okay with that.  ;)

Absolutely mate.

Cheers everyone, you're very kind. Now its off my chest (no pun intended) I can relax a little.  :wink:

An excellent post.
The explanations will answer many questions too.
I understand more about the effects of SP now. That enables an answer to a question with greater accuracy. SP and myself have never met, this fills that void.

With respect.

Awesomely written Beedekin, very informative, & the formatting is easy on the eye too.

Admittedly I actually got the format of 'posing questions to answer' discussion from reading Bruce Lipton's book 'Spontaneous Evolution' ... It made it a really enjoyable read. Thanks tho... my previous articles were all over the place.

Hey guys well To start of I've been medetating for the third eye for about 5 sessions ( 45 minutes each) and when my (fourth session was over I opened my eyes and the lights (5) all over my room were flickering on and off enough so I could notice and I felt a great sensation of an astral presence in my room and I felt light headed as if there was too much astral energy of some sort in the room . I have astral traveled many times before and my experiences are quite intresting , I was in my kitchen then I went through my living room wall outside but after that I don't remember much and when I woke up I felt full of energy and ready to do anything well thats my experience so please give me an explanation to all of this . Thank you .

Awesome job!

Sleep paralysis has been a regular part of my life for the past 20 years. It only took the first 10 years to piece it all together :)
This write up will no doubt come in very handy for those that are currently sorting out SP.

Many Thanks for you time.

Thanks so much. No problem. 

As you noticed, I posted this to my blog.  Which also posted to my facebook page.  :)

Hope you don't mind.  hehe

Absolutely not. I didn't know whether to comment on them "Thanks Xanth" that sort of thing. I didn't want to draw attention to myself though! HAHA

Amazing read Bedeeking thankyou :-D

The transcribed results here are taken from an online questionnaire written by J. A. Cheyne... http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/spquest01.html  a well known SP researcher and published in his paper "The Ominous Numinous Sensed Presence and 'Other' Hallucinations" and from an old website ran by Cheyne. The information isn't written well so I have took it upon myself to edit it for a more easy to read source of information.


Auditory Hallucinations

Auditory experiences are much more common than visual experience during SP, although both are significantly associated with the sensed presence. The association between sensed presence and auditory and visual hallucinations is only slightly consistent than that between sensed presence and fear. In general, visual hallucinations are probably quite rare outside of dreaming. Auditory hallucinations during SP are extremely diverse. Two qualities do seem to pervade all of this diversity, however. The sounds are very distinctly experienced as being external to the hearer rather than "in the head. The former appears to correspond to "inner speech", is more thought-like, and may be taken to be self-generated. The latter seem to be more like "hearing voices". In contrast to dreams the auditory experiences associated with SP are overwhelming of the former "hallucinatory" type.

Sounds — elementary.

Very often the auditory experiences are described only as "buzzing", "grinding," "humming," "ringing, "roaring", "rushing", "screeching", "squeaking", "vibrating", "whirring", and "whistling" sounds. These are sometimes accompanied by bodily sensations described as "tingling", "numbness", or "vibration". There may be some synesthesia being experienced here. These elementary sounds are often described as being very loud and "mechanical." There is little or no interpretative elaboration of these sensations. They are described in the most basic sensory terms available to the respondents.

*During the waking episodes I don't recall any sounds, but during the hypnagogic ones I get a loud rushing sound in my ears. Something like it sounds like when you put your fingers in your ears only it is very loud.  
*Sounds crescendo as the apparitions approach me. Whirling/ringing noise, sometimes gets unbearably intense. Once I thought my window fan was 'roaring'— the pitch gets higher sometimes, too.  
*Yes, during the 'buzz' which precedes or accompanies SP. I have heard resonating vibrations (at different  frequencies) and arrhythmic percussion, including bells.  
*A high, humming sound that gets louder and louder the farther I fall into the 'trance'.  
*On one occasion upon waking up in a paralysis, I heard pure tones of sound, but it wasn't music.  It was very erratic and unorganized.
*These particular auditory experiences are very similar to what some people describe as bodily sensations.
*Usually when waking up, also usually accompanied by INTENSE bodily vibrations.  
*I feel like my body is shaking like I am having a seizure or something.  
*Right as it starts, I feel like I'm being electrocuted slowly.  
*[bodily] tingling and vibrating  
*My whole body felt like it was vibrating inside at some incredible rate.  I was afraid that my body and my brain would not physically be able to stand it. I also felt a numbness and electrical vibration, and would feel stuck to my bed.  
*Like electricity going through my head  
*Maybe I might feel numb. It's really hard to tell when you can't move if you're numb or not. I definitely don't feel any tingling.  
*vibration in my hands is painful if prolonged
*I have frequent thought that the bed was being shaken.

One person explicitly made such a connection. In responding to a question about sounds this person remarked that it was "More of a bodily buzzing and swirling." Another suggested that "It's not exactly a sound. I felt a vibration inside my head that produced a noise. I felt as if satellite had been connected to my head. The vibration increases and don't stop until I manage to move. The last time it happened, it affected my left ear and I felt pain, as if my ear would blow up. The pain lasted for two days.

Sounds - Technological.

Many of these sounds are very much like the simple inanimate sounds except that they are identified with technical apparatuses that might produce such sounds.

*There is always a siren like screeching that gets louder and louder and some nights it's almost unbearable  
*The voice sounds from the ringing of the telephone, in a way wake to it and notice that I am paralyzed.  
*Two sounds are recurrent. One sound is like air entering a vacuum, it happens sometimes when entering or leaving the state as the ears become functional again. The other sound is like a radio being heard from another room in the house. Many stations at the same time, barely intelligible.  
*The sound was like high pitched power tools....drills or band-saws that were close to my ears and gained in volume and intensity until I felt like my head was going to explode.  
*A very loud combination of sounds...a constant crashing, glass breaking, train-like combination. loud sirens...almost deafening  

Sounds — Natural.

Alternatively, these sounds may be attributed, perhaps by the less technologically minded, to natural causes.

*A gust of wind appears, even though no windows are open  
*shrill whistling sounds, sound of 'wind'  
*A rushing/roaring sound like waves in a sea shell almost or maybe similar to white noise.  
*I felt I was in a sandstorm. I could hear the wind and sand rushing past my ears with a loud (sound) gust of wind

Sounds of Movement.

Although the quality of the sounds may be modified slightly when experiencing a ringing sound as a telephone, or a rushing sound as the wind it seems unlikely that the next set of sounds are simple transformations of simple sounds described above. A commonly reported sound is that of footsteps.

*Usually, it sounds like someone walking around the apartment. (I live alone.)  
*There was a sound rather like a cardboard box of some weight being dragged across a dusty wooden floor  
*Animal Sounds. Similarly, animal sounds of growling, snarling or just barking seem unlikely to be merely elaborations of simple sounds.  
*I have heard 'growls' like a dog from hell or some other monster!  
*Can be sounds of an explosion or really loud music or just recently, a sound like a herd of animals howling and screeching
*Human Non-speech Vocalizations.  

Sometimes sounds of moaning, screaming are reported, Laughing is sometimes reported as well.  

Sounds — Voices - indistinct and/or unintelligible.

Symons argues that, in dreams, voices are seldom heard as external sounds. Rather, conversations are experienced "in the head" as internal dialogue. The sense and meaning of conversations in dreams are what are experienced. Bergson discusses essentially the same idea. "Most of us at one time or another . . . have dreamed about speaking to someone or being engaged in a lengthy conversation only to have forced on us the singular realization that we are not speaking and had not spoken, and that our interlocutor had not uttered a single word. We had exchanged our thoughts and carried on an unequivocal conversation, yet we had heard nothing". Bergson further noted that "unless we are provided with some phonic substance, it is hard for us to fabricate sounds in our dreams". In contrast to dream voices SP voices are experienced as definitely externally produced sounds but of indefinite or nonsensical meaning. The voices may be experienced as quite loud shouting or soft whispering but, in either case, the sense of what is being said is elusive.

*I heard loud voices and thought there were people outside of my car, but there were not. (This person reported SP while napping in car.)  
*I also frequently hear voices saying nonsensical things when falling asleep.  
*I sometimes hear people (who I think are in the room talking), or music that I think my family or friends are playing.  
*I heard strange garbled voices whispering in my ears.  
*moaning and voices  
*I also frequently hear voices saying nonsensical things when falling asleep.  
*Loud noises and talking, but I could not make out what was being said.  
*Vague voices speaking sentences that were nonsense (but in English words)  
*Usually the sounds are that of people talking or yelling outside. Sometimes it will be a familiar voice like that of my mother. Usually unfamiliar. Many times I will hear high pitched noises, very loud, usually increasing if I don't wake up.  
*Loud noises and talking, but I could not make out what was being said.  
*Have had the sense that I was hearing sinister voices - saying nothing in particular  
*screaming like sounds  
*One time I awoke to find half snake/half human thing shouting gibberish in my ears.  
*On a few occasions it has whispered heavily in my ears. Once it spoke in a language I couldn't understand, the other times I couldn't remember what it had said after I woke up.
*Laughing and babbling background voices are common.

Sounds — Voices – distinct.

Occasionally the voices may produce intelligible utterances, but these are usually simple commands.

*But as I listened I could sense this  'thing' walk to hover over my head - very close directly over my ear. It said 'Freya!' . . . The voice continued 'I've got  work for you to do!' Then I listened as the presence hovered for a few seconds more and moved across the room to sit on my roommate's bed.  
*Sometimes hear voices, e.g., my name being called.  
*Usually voices. One time he (?) was using my name when speaking to me.  
*I heard a voice telling me I was playing the game wrong and I had to play it right or quit.  it was a woman's voice and she sounded as though she were in a lot of pain and very far away, then she said, he's coming and left.

In one case, a respondent heard the voice of someone who had actually threatened her in the recent past. "But as I listened I could sense this 'thing' walk to hover over my head - very close directly over my ear. It said 'Freya!' At first I thought - just my roomie - but I recognized the voice as a mystery caller who has harassed me twice." This is an interesting instance because we may be seeing here an example of someone explicitly running through a series of plausible interpretations for this unusual experience and settling on perhaps the most plausible given the context of sensed presence, fear and the recent threatening experience.

What is interesting and what many of you will realise while reading this is that J. A. Cheyne is a serious researcher and isn't prone to write anything that points to SP being anything other than medical in nature. Although when reading his material it is evident that he alludes to the evidence pointing to something 'other' but as we know... many serious scientists can only allude and never divulge their beliefs unless thoroughly 'tested' lest they be lambasted by their peers.

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References.

http://cabinet.auriol.free.fr/Documents/ParalysieSommeil/cheyne.pdf

http://philpapers.org/s/J.%20A.%20Cheyne

We'll just toss this one up next to the other one waaaaaaaay up top.   :)

I usually hear voices and footsteps. On occasion, I'll hear musical notes as if coming from a piano or electric keyboard.

I think it's a 50-50 mix of bodily function/and "other".

Thanks Beedeekin. Since this is my most often experienced problem with SP, I appreciated the attention on the auditory.

But while I was reading it, I realize that I often think my cat is walking on my bed. I feel her jumping on it but I always know when it's not her because she has a predictable pattern...Pounce twice on the bed and then my head. If the head pounce doesn't come, I know it's the ghost kitty. :lol:

 Thank You for putting all this "much needed" info into a a easy to read and find Sitcky, Bedeekin!  :-)

We now have another excellent thread to direct new members to.  :-)

The "Sounds of Madness and Insanity" as so described by so many that aren't in the know, yet!  :wink:

Yep, that nails the sounds down pretty well.
Nice one. :-D

I am currently re-diting the other phenomenologies... that of the 'intruder' and 'visual' aspects based upon Cheyne's results and questionnaires. It's a shame we can't put them under some sort of umbrella 'sticky'. I've been meaning to do this for a while... Understanding SP is something that's overdue for those learning.

Quote from: its_all_bad on March 11, 2013, 21:44:25
But while I was reading it, I realize that I often think my cat is walking on my bed. I feel her jumping on it but I always know when it's not her because she has a predictable pattern...Pounce twice on the bed and then my head. If the head pounce doesn't come, I know it's the ghost kitty. :lol:

'perceived presence' is the next thing to tackle.  :wink:

 I had my own experience with this last night and was so annoyed with myself when I woke up.

I awoke in a Lucid Dream, went into a very strange form of SP, where I found myself just kind of floating in a dark tunnel, totally different then my usual SP experiences.

I stayed in this area until I lost my conscious awareness, just to awaken with people bombarding me and almost jumping on me screaming that something horrible had happened to MJ's one and only grandson.

It was extreme terror at the time. It made me feel even more for people that experience this the first time without knowing what it is.

Well, at the time, the knowing what it was wasn't there for me. Once I woke up I knew what had happened. It took me about a 1/2 hour to get rid of the chills.

Like I said, I was extremely annoyed with myself for getting "duped".

I awaken in Lucid Dreams every single night now, but for some reason, this "holding area" I found myself in was totally different. I haven't experienced this place at all, even while consciously Phasing. The feeling was completely new to me. It wasn't really vibrating and it wasn't really paralysis either.

It's really hard to explain. This is what I mean when I say we don't have any known words to "reference" what is happening to us.

It just goes to show, I still have a lot to learn.  :-P

Says the man regurgitating his own face... ;)

Great stuff!

 :lol:

Again this is information taken from answers given by those who filled in 'the Waterloo Unusual Sleep Experiences Questionnaire -VIIIa' by Al Cheyne Associate Professor Emeritus Department of Psychology University of Waterloo and edited for ease of reading also from his papers 'The Ominous Numinous Sensed Presence and 'Other' Hallucinations' and 'Situational factors affecting sleep paralysis and associated hallucinations: position and timing effects'

The Phenomenology and Ontology of Presence 
 
On reflection, the notion of pure presence is very odd to contemplate. If you were here I could see you, hear your voice, and touch you. My sense of your presence would seem to be the sum total of all of this evidence of my senses. That I would have, in addition to all of this a separate experience of your existence seems superfluous. That I would have some need of a sense of your presence without the evidence of my senses seems very unproductive. Yet, experience of the "sensed" presence would seem to argue that there is indeed something over and above the sum of our sensory experiences. 
Perhaps the phrase, "sensed presence" is an oxymoron, for there is no sensory evidence of the presence. To say that it is "unsensed" seems even worse. It is more an intuition of a presence. Perhaps it would be best to call it an "experienced presence," or an experience of a presence." It is an experience without a modality, neither seen nor heard, nor able to be touched. In any case these terms are awkward if, perhaps, somewhat more accurate. We will accept a modicum of incongruity and continue with the phrase, "sensed presence" and acknowledge that that it not sensory in the usual meaning of having a particular modality.

Is the sensed presence a hallucination? It clearly lacks the central requirement of discrete sensation. The sensed presence is more like a simple awareness or apprehension of a person or thing in the room. Yet there is the conviction that the entity exists outside and independently of the person. Even without further auditory, tactile, or visual sensations it often has more than the feeling of a mere suspicion or hunch. The sense of presence may be very strong and it clearly seems to be quite real, external, and independent. Yet, for all that there remains a sense that there is indeed a feeling of "seeming" to all this, possibly, at least in part, because of a lack of confirmation from any specific modality. In some cases the presence may be described as "invisible." However, most often it is simply "unseen", that is, respondents report the impression that the presence is "just out of sight." If only one could turn around it would prove to be quite visible

Mere Presence

Often the sensed presence is described as just that, a neutral, or perhaps slightly uneasy, feeling that someone or something is present in a room or surrounding area with the person. As a "mere presence" this experience has no sensory associates, nor does it provoke a strong emotional reaction or complex interpretations. One has the definite impression that there is something external to oneself yet with no confirming sensory experience of that entity.

*I 'feel' something, never seeing it. 
*I just sense something or someone has entered the room. 
*I never saw the entity . . . just felt its presence.

As noted above the sensed presence is not a part of everyone's SP experience. Moreover, those who do report the sensed presence do not report having the experience every time. "1/3 of the occasions through my life, the disturbance has been accompanied with a feeling of a presence in my bedroom. A great fear usually overcomes me, but only about a 1/3 of the events do I feel a presence." The foregoing quote also illustrates the sense of fear that often accompanies the sense of presence. The association between the sense of presence and fear will become increasingly evident as we proceed. This may also be experienced as a feeling of threat or domination. "The sensation is of a presence which is more powerful than me and dominates completely." 

A Monitoring Presence

The presence associated with sleep presence may also be endowed with certain minimal "psychological" qualities such as that of attention. The presence is often somehow attending to, watching, or monitoring the subject. It is "as if someone that I couldn't see was there, watching." One of the most common comments about the SP experience is that "It feels as if someone is standing there watching me." Respondents are frequently puzzled that they are unable to specify how they know this or even where precisely they think the presence is located. "You feel that someone is looking at you and you don't know where they specifically are." Aside from being very disconcerting this must certainly contribute to the otherworldly sense of the presence. In slightly stronger terms other respondents will describe the presence as "staring at," rather than merely watching, them.

The sensed presence may form the core of subsequent hallucinations involving several modalities. Although very few people actually make the suggestion spontaneously, one respondent was quite specific about the transformation. "The unseen presence starts to emerge as a formed being." Since the presence is usually perceived of as threatening, the interpretation is usually of a presumably readily available innate, "prepared," or conventional image of image of something mysterious and threatening.

Realistic Interpretations

The presence is not always immediately interpreted as something bizarre or frightening. Occasionally, the presence is thought to be someone who might plausibly be thought to be ready to hand.

*At some point in the episode, I also usually think that one of my roommates is trying to wake me up, but cannot. 
*I thought the presence was my roommate returning from class.

Most of these experiences are reasonable attempts to interpret a feeling that someone or something is present in the room. Sometimes the presence may be associated with sensory experiences.

*I sometimes thought my wife had come into the room, but subsequently realized that she was not there at which time the presence rapidly turned into a sinister presence. In this case I had been making a low moaning sound in an attempt to alert her to my condition. After a few moments I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, along the hall, and into the room. I inferred was that it was my wife approaching. The footsteps appeared to stop at the side of the bed and I waited for her hand to shake my shoulder. When this did not happen I realized that she was not there and, on reflection, realized that she was not even in the house. I was then immediately filled with a sense of dread and formed a distinct awareness of a sinister presence in the room. In this case the sense of a sinister presence was associated with, and seemed to be caused by, the auditory experiences. Al Cheyne

A similar experience involving the hallucination of someone approaching to arouse one from SP was reported by one of the respondents. In the following case we also have an illustration of the interaction (and confusion) between endogenous and exogenous sources, and between illusion and reality, that characterize the HHEs (hypnagogic and hypnopompic experiences) of SP. 

*The oddest experience I've ever had was the last episode I had. My boyfriend was watching TV in the living room and I was taking a nap on my couch, I was going through SP but decided to wait it out. All of a sudden I felt a presence behind me. It was making horrifying sound (I thought Death himself came to visit me). I realized my mouth had a little opening. I started to breathe as hard as I could to get my boyfriend's attention. It worked. He sat next to me. I was so relieved that for the first time I had reached somebody while I was in this phase. I thought he touched me on the forehead so that I could be released from the SP but it was my imagination that thought he touched me. When I realized he didn't touch me I started breathing hard again. Right after that, I got out of the SP and saw my boyfriend next to me. I asked him why he didn't touch me when I was panting in my sleep. He thought I was having a bad dream.

Very often, however, the presence is associated with threat and menace. The threatening presence is not always subject to bizarre or otherworldly interpretations. Often people make very plausible assessments of the situation in terms of conventional sources of danger.

*Sometimes, in these situations, I feel like there might be a prowler in the house, even though I know this is impossible. 
*I constantly think that there are 'bad' people (such as burglars, rapists, etc.) in the room with me. 
*The second episode I ever had involved a strange man sitting on the edge of my bed. The room was dark, but my eyes were open and I was terrified that there was someone in my room (or so I thought).

An Evil Presence

Even with no further information or untoward incidence, many respondents appear to have an immediate intuition that the presence is someone or something to be feared. "The presence brought fear with it." The presence is commonly interpreted as possessed of a malevolent, evil intent. Some descriptions never become elaborated beyond a sense of dread, and a fear of impending doom and even death, provoked by this evil presence. "It felt like something threatening was standing beside me." A feeling of urgency and flight may accompany the feelings of fear. "I always feel like I am in grave danger if I don't wake myself up as soon as I can." The presence may even be personified as death. "I've also felt a presence but never see it. Like Death was breathing down my back." The presence may be rendered even more concrete. "My only thought of death was not from my paralysis, rather, from my fear of the 'reality' of my visitor's presence. I thought 'My God! What is this sicko going to do?!?'" We have been especially struck with the frequency that the specific term "evil" is applied to this presence, even by people to whom this term does not readily spring to mind.

*There is usually always an intense feeling of extreme evil surrounding me. 
*I also feel a presence in my mind (like something sinister or evil) that is trying to draw me into an extremely deep, permanent sleep. I feel that if I succumb, I will never wake up. 
*The presence of evil taking over my body? 
*I was very afraid and I felt an evil presence or presences that I could not see. 
*usually an evil presence
*Scary sensation, like something evil was in the room.

The sense of evil is often made concrete by the experience of the presence as a devil, demon, or other inhuman, even unnatural, creature.

*At times I thought it was the devil, other times it was aliens, but almost always I felt the presence was going to harm me. 
*The worst time was: I was lying on my back and when the episode started I opened my eyes and saw what I thought at the time was the devil coming like a bullet straight at me. 
*A few times, I felt like I was with the devil (I always think it is the devil).  He is usually behind me and I feel like we are flying through the air at warp speed and I actually see the view of the room as I am moving and passing by everything. 
*I saw/felt that I was being attacked by a VERY ferocious phantom dog, almost mythical in nature.

Multiple Identifications of the Presence 

Often people run quite explicitly through a series of possibilities, alternating between considering mundane and exotic, vague and specific, and benign and frightening, possibilities. It is also clear that these alternatives are often entertained as possibilities, as hypotheses with varying merits. Some or all of these hypotheses may be recognized and identified as preposterous or at least extremely unlikely. Such assessments do not, however, necessarily detract from the vividness or compelling nature of the experiences. As one respondent put it, the experience is "100% REALISM. But makes no sense." The entire affair is, experientially, utterly compelling, while at the same time capable of interpretation only in terms that are often quite unbelievable. In some case there appears to be a blurring of sensed presence and visual hallucinations.

*Sometimes it's an animal, sometimes like an alien, and recently, some kind of demonic presence. Quite spooky! 
*Have seen everything from giant spiders (3' diameter) to dead friends (suicide-related), rarely seen form clearly. [There are] several types. Dark tall strong but "formless" bodies where you can't see exact entity but a haze or black cutout figure. Other times with child-like beings  . . . will see small child-like creatures, but hardly believe these to be real entities but from imagination or inserted image 
*The first shape I saw was a cloth-like triangle hanging or balanced in mid air and appeared to be a crude form with a hat. Funnily enough it reminded me of the Sandeman logo. I sat up after this went away and for a minute or two was in shock as to what this was. I lay down to think what to do. A visible figure appeared at a height of about 18 inches approx. above me the angle and the width of the bed meant it must have been hovering. From it first appearance I was paralyzed and had pain I have described it was a very forceful presence which 'breathed' with an aspirated wheezing. 
*I have imagined burglars, rapists, terrorists, monsters, demons, and the devil all in my room. Sometimes they just stare or laugh at me while I lay helpless and other times they try to attack me.  Often times I feel like evil spirits have put a spell on me and are trying to steal my soul while I am asleep and helpless to stop them or wake up. 
*There are a variety of different hallucinations from wolves to terrified children to daemons. Mine appear as demons. I have no fear of death or ordinary life happenings like dogs or murderers . . . I see demons. Usually it is one regular visitor whom I have never met

Not surprisingly, some women experience not only the threat of rape but sometimes also rape itself. Occasionally, the presence is a bit more active, moving about but usually remaining close to the person.

*Once, I felt as if someone were walking around my bed, and then they sat down next to me."

Or worse, The threat becomes more concrete.

*I feel fairly certain that if I let the apparitions get all the way up to me, they will kill me. I have fought out of this to prevent getting too close to the possibility. Each time it happens, I am scared they will kill me, especially if I let them 'take' me out of my body.

The Presence and the Terror 

One major difference between SP with HHEs and dreams is the relatively high rate of reporting fear during the former. McCarley & Hobson report that only slightly more than 12% of dream reports make reference to emotions, although half of these were to fearful emotions. More recently Hobson and his colleagues have reported much higher proportions (95%), presumably as a result of using specific probes for emotion. In that study slightly less than one-third of the reports were of anxiety or fear. In contrast, we have found that, depending on the sample characteristics, between 66% and 98% of reports of SP report experiences of fear. The higher percentage was reported by unsolicited responses to a web survey and may be biased by the fact that people who have had more frightening experiences during SP were more likely to seek out the questionnaires. The other samples were not self-selected and this bias would not have been present. Nonetheless, the estimates of two-thirds are considerably higher than those reported for dreams in general and consistent with the rate of 67% reported for SP. Given the prevalence of interpretations of threat and evil associated with the sensed presence it is scarcely surprising that the predominant emotion is that of fear, or rather, in the words of one respondent, "absolute cold terror." Respondents are often most emphatic about the extreme nature of their fear,

*The greatest primal terrors that I have ever witnessed: Character forming stuff - I can't imagine anything in reality that could cause greater fear than these episodes. 
*There are not words strong enough to describe the horrific fear I felt (feel). 
*Nearly always I feel a fear or a horror. 
*The whole experience is extremely terrifying. 

Many respond to the query about "fear" with unabashed contempt for the inadequacy of the term to describe their emotion. 

*The word 'fear' doesn't even come close. 
*Panic is more like it! 
*Fear is not a strong enough word! Terrified or panicked might be a better choice. 
*How about "overwhelming terror?"  These attacks leave me shuddering and crying.  Sometimes I'm so scared I get sick to my stomach.

These experiences of dread and terror associated with the sensed presence are also clearly different from fear associated with specific fears of paralysis, death, or suffocation. "I have had paralysis, where by I had difficulty breathing that was not associated with a presence and I felt like I might die. Or an urgency to wake up and if I didn't I might die... however, these experiences are distinct and different than the experiences of having a presence in the room." Although the fear may sometimes be ascribed to the fear of the paralysis itself, or that the presence will cause physically harm, many acknowledge that there is something uncanny about the sense of dread. "I literally fear for my soul."

---

http://www.whiterosesgarden.com/Nature_of_Evil/nightmare/NM_folklore/NM_true-nightmare_JA-Cheyne.htm

http://cabinet.auriol.free.fr/Documents/ParalysieSommeil/cheyne.pdf

www.researchgate.net/...and.../9fcfd508c31f215b29.pdf

 Another "sticky" awarded to you my friend!  :-D

This is an excellent follow up to your last thread here.

You pretty well have the entire Sleep Paralysis phenomenon nailed down now!  :-)

Thanks to Al Cheyne... he seems to have nailed it. He's a rather impartial scientist and researcher who isn't trying to prove or disprove it as real or not. He merely collects the data.... I think the best way to approach this subject.

QuoteOne major difference between SP with HHEs and dreams is the relatively high rate of reporting fear during the former.

Everyone needs to understand this difference. There is probably nothing we can do in the moment to prevent fear from gripping us initially but it doesn't have to last for more than a few seconds if you understand what's happening. Because SP isn't a dream per se, we are gaining our full awareness while in a dream state but our physical senses are lagging and slowly catching up. That is different from an OOBE or a dream to me.

Quote from: its_all_bad on March 12, 2013, 14:42:17
Everyone needs to understand this difference. There is probably nothing we can do in the moment to prevent fear from gripping us initially but it doesn't have to last for more than a few seconds if you understand what's happening. Because SP isn't a dream per se, we are gaining our full awareness while in a dream state but our physical senses are lagging and slowly catching up. That is different from an OOBE or a dream to me.

Actually, there is plenty one can do in order to prevent fear from gripping them.
It just needs to be taken care of BEFORE you get into the situation... and it involves becoming comfortable with, knowing and accepting yourself.

Quote from: Xanth on March 14, 2013, 21:52:44
Actually, there is plenty one can do in order to prevent fear from gripping them.
It just needs to be taken care of BEFORE you get into the situation... and it involves becoming comfortable with, knowing and accepting yourself.

i agree knowing and accepting yourself is very important.

But what I have experienced lately, is that REMEMBERING all that you know at the time is crucial!

Definitely.

That goes hand-in-hand with what I was saying on another thread about increasing the quality of your consciousness too.  :)

So many things I take for granted now all started with that concept.

Quote from: Xanth on March 14, 2013, 21:52:44
Actually, there is plenty one can do in order to prevent fear from gripping them.
It just needs to be taken care of BEFORE you get into the situation... and it involves becoming comfortable with, knowing and accepting yourself.

I understand what you are saying, but I don't believe we can ever completely conquer all of our fear. The attempt to do so strongly suggests that there is a fear of not conquering all fear. But I think grip was too strong of a word. I was just referring to that split second where "flight or fight" kicks in just before our physical senses kick back in fully.

Quote from: its_all_bad on March 14, 2013, 23:20:57
I understand what you are saying, but I don't believe we can ever completely conquer all of our fear. The attempt to do so strongly suggests that there is a fear of not conquering all fear. But I think grip was too strong of a word. I was just referring to that split second where "flight or fight" kicks in just before our physical senses kick back in fully.

Well, ultimately to completely know yourself and become accepting of yourself would be enlightenment.

But yeah... I agree, I wasn't suggesting conquering all your fears, just enough to project. 

Here is the method I have used for years personally and to teach people with. It looks complicated but in actual fact is so simple it's scary.

(1) Go to bed much later than normal.

(2) Try to wake at least an hour earlier than usual and regardless of how tired you might be, work hard. Basically go to work as normal. If you're unemployed, do something active. Try not to drink too much coffee in the afternoon.

(3) THE NAP - At around 8pm go to a quiet room where you will not be disturbed. set an alarm so that you have around 1 - 2 hours sleep or you can rely on your own natural ability to wake without sleeping through.
Go to sleep. You should have no problem sleeping. Wake up when your alarm goes off.
IMPORTANT. When your alarm wakes you up or if you wake up naturally before this, DO NOT GO BACK TO SLEEP. I can't stress this any more. If you do, you will enter REM and dream and you will probably have to reset and try the next day.

(4) Stay awake for another 1 to 5 hours. A safe time or perfect window is 1 to 3 hours.
You should feel awake and and maybe bit strange, as in you could go to sleep any time or happily stay awake.
DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL OR YOU WILL FAIL. You can drink tea or coffee but not too much, as you may ruin the OOBE because of needing the toilet.

(5) Go to bed.
Anyone who has been practicing breathing, relaxation or meditative techniques or any OOBE techniques for that matter then this is the time to do them. Visualization techniques are rendered irrelevant through this sleep management technique and aren't important but they won't hurt either.
Those who are completely new to the OOBE and have correctly followed the four stage sleep technique as I have instructed; get comfy in bed and just relax. Scratch itches and loosen clothing and with your eyes closed begin to say a word in your head. Don't just think of a word, form it and try to hear it. Imagine it. I sometimes think of my name "Benjamin". Not only is it percussive and therefore easy to imagine but it's the word I hear most often. If you have small children it may be useful to use the word 'mum', 'mummy', 'daddy' or whatever your children constantly call you to attract your attention. Maybe a tune that you're familiar with. Once you hear it, repeat it. Keep repeating. If under the likely event you find your mind wandering, pull it back to the task in hand.

Three things may happen when you try this mantra-like exercise, either:

(1) the very process of attempting the word forming will shift you into SP
(2) having repeated the mantra the word will eventually suddenly jump out loudly and you will shift into SP.
(3) When your find your mind wandering away and pull it back to the mantra, this pull back will shift you into SP.

I have found that if the mantra exercise is not followed and the VS is entered whilst experiencing non-conscious hypnogogic thoughts, the resulting thoughts manifest as hallucinations or an overlapping dream. The hallucinations, because of the quite raw and frightening nature of SP, can sometimes lead many to visualize figures that correlate to the sense of presence i.e. 'the old hag' or ghosts. Following the mantra will keep your mind in the know, so to speak, and result in a more 'clean' and uncluttered experience.

The Nap is actually the most important step. It is the key to experiencing Sleep Paralysis when you go to bed. Many people ask questions about step 5 and explain they were laying there and nothing was happening... if that is so then the nap stage was either missed out or it was forced.

 Thank You Bedeekin once again!  :-)

We will keep this here in this Sticky grouping with all of the other Sleep Paralysis information.

 I posted this recently on another Forum.

This is basically another one of those SP/Terror scenarios.

But I caught this one before it fully consumed me.  :-)

...so another night, spent watching myself go to sleep. I was still completely Consciously aware into what I think was the 3rd cycle of Dreams. This one I lost my awareness briefly in, just enough to awaken in full blown SP. Once again a terror scene showed it's ugly face, well it wasn't an ugly face. This time it was MJ waking me up with terror on her face.

I looked at this and said to myself, nope, not this time. I then rose my hand into the air, opened it and blinding white flash came out of it.

When the light subsided, I saw I was in a completely new setting, no terror and I kind of patted myself on the back for beating this.

I did have a very subdued remaining spine shiver for a moment though.

It felt good to beat it at it's best. I was right in the middle of a full blown incident and overcame it.

Having little accomplishments like this make today a great day. The feeling still lingers!

Thanks for listening!

This one is a bit more difficult to categorise because more often than not there will be so many different layers of consciousness, including nonphysical duality .

I will therefor keep the visual aspect of SP to the actual 'in body' perception that is related to the 'intruder' and that of what can be seen looking at your surroundings using your physical eyes. Still... this is also a fine line because often when experiencing SP I can find myself being conscious of being in a different room altogether which is more synonymous with a False Awakening.

The transcribed results here are taken from an online questionnaire written by J. A. Cheyne... http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/spquest01.html  a well known SP researcher and published in his paper "The Ominous Numinous Sensed Presence and 'Other' Hallucinations" and from an old website ran by Cheyne. The information isn't written well so I have took it upon myself to edit it for a more easy to read source of information.

Visual Hallucinations

Visual imagery in SP is experienced not only less frequently than auditory experiences but often less vividly. The sense of presence seems to merge with the less definite visual images. 

*It was more like an image than a real presence.

Visual imagery seems also to take its cues from other experiences. Sometimes it is the sensed presence that begins to take form.

*Always accompanied by the presence, I've seen shapes/beings, from snake/humans type things that shout gibberish in my ears. I've seen the devil, bats etc. Most of the time it's a human shape that's completely black.

As in the case of the sensed presence the visual images are almost out of sight, just on the periphery of vision.

*[It was a s]mall ugly creature behind me, which I could only see from the corner of my eyes.

Sometimes imagery may be associated with the pressure on the chest which is of course the original cause of the Incubus/Succubus and term 'nightmare' and 'Old Hag'.

*Once I had one of this old lady, that was sitting on top my chest beating the living daylights out my head, I pulled myself to and my head was pounding.

Not surprisingly, the images may be associated with threats.

Figure is threatening. 

*Until lately, all my SP involved a visible black shaped 'presence' in my room, meaning to do me harm. 
*I feel fairly certain that if I let the apparitions get all the way up to me, they will kill me. I have fought out of this to prevent getting too close to the possibility. Each time it happens, I am scared they will kill me, especially if I let them 'take' me out of my body. 
*On one occasion I felt like a presence and saw a kind of specter. It was a misty form floating above my feet, and I felt that it was the cause of my discomfort. 
*I once woke up to what I thought was a man leaning over me in bed who had my right arm in a tight grip, holding me down on the bed. The man just had me 'pinned' by the wrist and I was frozen for what seemed like forever staring up into his face (probably lasted less than a minute). The room was dark and the face was in shadows, so I mostly saw an outline of the face. When at last I could move, I whispered 'What do you want?' and the face seemed to just disappear into the flowered pattern of my bedroom drapes. My right arm was 'asleep' and as I then moved it I had extremely painful  'pins and needles' sensation. It was a terrifying experience, but something that never repeated. 
*The second time, in the first house, I saw a beige roundish being over my bed. The energy was female and it was very, very angry. The second time was the experience above, however, I did not see the presence that was in the room, however, I had visions, that the woman who had died there had. I saw two of her children at the edge of the bed. 
*I've seen images on the bedcovers. 
*Once it was an arm reaching out of my floor as if trying to pull itself up, other times it was vague almost faces and movements in my peripheral vision. 
*The formed shape is usually an unusual geometric shape that floats around the room.  I only see this when the room is dark.  It used to scare me when I was a child. 
*Usually larger than me, always male. It never has a face. 
*There was a woman - whom I could sense but not see - behind me. I feared her. It seemed to be a scene from the past century.

Vision —Well-defined Images 

Well defined imagery during SP is rare and can be misconstrued as hallucinatory and/or a fully fledged nonphysical experience. Here the fine line is well and truly blurred. In one of the relatively rare cases of specific and concrete imagery, a Native American woman drew upon her heritage. Curiously she then adds an apparently incongruous image of medical personnel. 

*Spider woman came from the ceiling and wrapped me up and sang songs to me. I was l0 and later the deerwoman would come and stand at the foot of my bed and then lab coated people with monitors. I have never been hospitalized. The deerwoman still comes. 

For the most part, however, visual images tend to be indefinite and insubstantial. This is in strong contrast to the vividness of visual imagery in dreams, conscious nonphysical experiences. Visual hallucinations frequently appear to be somewhere between full hallucinations and pseudo-hallucinations. Reed characterizes pseudo hallucinations as lacking the substantiality of externally perceived stimuli and as appearing in inner subjective space. The visual imagery of SP often appear to be less substantial than normal perception but are clearly taken to be perceived in external space. 

Some writers appear to require that hallucinations also be believed to be true by those experiencing them (e.g., Reed, 1988). That is, they require that the person be deluded by their experiences. Comments by several respondents suggest that this is a very problematic stance. Many respondents are quite emphatic that the hallucinations are entirely compelling but are able to maintain a critical stance. Their faith in rationality and conventionality triumphs, as it were, over the evidence of their senses. One respondent provided a vivid account of alien abduction, complete with medical procedures, associated with his SP experiences.

*At one point, long bony fingers pressed across chest to induce unconsciousness hands picking up and examining mine. Fingernail clippings removed. Painful examinations syringes, devices, exposure of brain, magical 'surgery' sometimes I find that I am like a robot being repaired by human owner. Was COMPLETELY SHOCKED to watch similar scene in Star Trek First Contact. Never seen this scene before my experience but my experience is almost captured in scene with Data getting human skin grafts... WIERD!

This respondent was most emphatic that his experiences were totally compelling but that, considering himself a hard-headed and sensible person, he did not believe any of it for a minute. His experience was of abduction but this did not make it true, even for him.

This of course delves deeply into the realms of Abduction and may therefore be full nonphysical/physical experiences and is worth a separate post and indeed website.

We all want to say that one day. Excellent.

My thing is, that I usually experience the audible hallucinations and I can go a year or more sometimes without this kind of an SP attack. The infrequency is what leaves me unprepared and totally caught off guard.

QuoteI have found that if the mantra exercise is not followed and the VS is entered whilst experiencing non-conscious hypnogogic thoughts, the resulting thoughts manifest as hallucinations or an overlapping dream. The hallucinations, because of the quite raw and frightening nature of SP, can sometimes lead many to visualize figures that correlate to the sense of presence i.e. 'the old hag' or ghosts. Following the mantra will keep your mind in the know, so to speak, and result in a more 'clean' and uncluttered experience.

Using a mantra is well known and popular but is very underrated IMO. Like this quote says, it allows you to work through the fear that can occur from the sensations because using the mantra doesn't let the mind wander to the crazy stuff. However, like anything else, you have to allow the process to work.

Well... this 'allowing' thing is getting used a lot.

What process must you 'allow' to work?

haha... that sounds so confrontational... but it isn't. I am actually seriously asking... what part of SP do you have to allow?  :-)

That abduction feeling during s.p. was what the guy on obe4u was discribing . I wounder if there is not some kind of fear built that is manifesting this .

I never see any of your responses as confrontational.

When I say allow, I mean don't analyze everything. It's one thing to work through the fear only to over think something and then ruin it with excitement.

You are referring specifically to SP but no one wants to induce SP and just experience it in a vacuum. To heck with that, we all want to phase. That means allowing it to happen. :-D

Maybe.

I went through a stage of realising how close Abduction cases were to SP... with the intruder and feelings of paralysis... even the auditory hallucinations can get quite electronic, but realised that the contents of the actual abduction bit crossed ages countries and cultures.. also it didn't matter who the person was or what belief system they held.. there were identical threads running through them. SP doesn't account for missing time and outdoor abduction cases.

it is interesting that the reports and depictions of faeries is very similar to the modern alien abduction scenario.

I see.  :-) totally agree.

I only questioned because in the 'beginning' the last thing I wanted was SP... so non-allowance didn't come into the equation.  :-D

I dont think all abductions are s.p. Travis Walton was missing for 5 days , hear in my state of Arizona .This was a very big story when it hapned .    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travis_Walton    I think many are tho .  A lot of that video made by the guy on http://obe4u.com/   links s.p. , the phase , and abductions .  That half awake half asleep state is a bit tricky .

I think that some of them are... I even think some of the authentic ones are.  :wink:

But yeah... Barney & Betty Hill, Travis Walton, Whitley Strieber, Antonio Villas Boas... and other abductees who weren't always taken from their beds are ruled out.

I made the SP / abduction connection well before Raduga started commentating on it... I'm sure anyone familiar with SP did.

We merged all the SLEEP PARALYSIS posts by Bedeekin into a single thread.  To save room on Stickies.  lol

The only thing is that they're strewn throughout the current four pages.  Perhaps Bedeekin can edit them all into the first post.  That's up to him though.  :)

Quote from: Bedeekin on April 01, 2013, 10:21:13
Well... this 'allowing' thing is getting used a lot.

What process must you 'allow' to work?

haha... that sounds so confrontational... but it isn't. I am actually seriously asking... what part of SP do you have to allow?  :-)

I use the word 'allow" quite a bit in the text that you feel the onset of SP or AP coming on and you simply let it manifest.

You don't fight it, fear, or stop it.

You just relax into it and let do it's thing.

But you are fully understanding what is occurring. That's the clincher! 

Quote from: Xanth on April 01, 2013, 21:07:21
We merged all the SLEEP PARALYSIS posts by Bedeekin into a single thread.  To save room on Stickies.  lol

The only thing is that they're strewn throughout the current four pages.  Perhaps Bedeekin can edit them all into the first post.  That's up to him though.  :)

I will. I'll get them all into one long post.

Or Maybe the original one could have been kept with the induction method and the others just left as non-stickies and linked.

Quote from: Bedeekin on April 02, 2013, 02:37:54
I will. I'll get them all into one long post.

Or Maybe the original one could have been kept with the induction method and the others just left as non-stickies and linked.

Whatever you decide on is fine with us!  :-)

You could break them into 2 categories, 2 stickies, that would work too.

 Here is a great video for all new people that are experiencing Sleep Paralysis for the first.

She is completely new to this practice and describing her scenario the way she perceives it.

Sometime it helps us by just knowing there are other people out there experiencing it for the first time as well.

You can follow her progress each week if you like too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGFrjW1FPVE&feature=player_embedded

 Last night I experienced the "Ultimate" SP scenario.

I went and had a short nap first, from 8pm until about 10pm.

I then listened to a Coast to Coast AM show from 12-4 am. During the time around 1:30 until about 3, I caught myself Phasing in and out.

The speaker was talking about Edgar Caycee, Astronomy and Astral Travel and I was having fun flying in the multiverse as he was talking about it. It was kind of like a "Guided Tour" of sorts.

OK, back to my SP experience.

I went to bed at around 4:30 am. I used my this nightly affirmation as I do every night:  "By my act of will, I RELEASE my focus over my physical body. PLEASE, TAKE ME to your desired destination. SHOW ME what I need TO SEE. TEACH ME what I need TO LEARN. I AWAKEN in my Dreams, KNOWING I am Dreaming. Because of this KNOWING, I INTERACT with them and have complete memory RECALL of them.

I then flip-flopped around for about 45 minutes, while mind awake/body asleep kicked in. The flip-flopping was pretty textbook to the Lucidology 101 video (if you have seen that).

I then started a Mantra saying: I KNOW I am Dreaming. I did this as I tried to fall asleep. Unfortunately that kept my mind too alert. So, I changed it up for some "Beach time" playing Frisbee. I threw the Frisbee into the darkness and just like that my Beach scene appeared.

I think I clicked out for a moment, but when I came to, I was feeling kind of strange.

Vibrations were kicking in strong now, I felt light headed and also had a high pitch starting in my ears.

I knew this was a classic SP episode, so I allowed it to progress.

Then I started feeling pressure on my ankles. It was like something had grasped them. This definitely got my attention now, but I still allowed it to progress. Now I could feel I was being pulled upwards, but from my ankles. Pretty soon I found myself suspended upside down from my ankles, just kind of hanging from the ceiling. I still allowed it to continue.

The next thing I know was a rotation was starting to occur. I was being "cork screwed" through the ceiling.

I decided I had seen enough for now, lol. So, I immediately jump started my Beach scene by throwing a Frisbee. The beach was there in a seconds time. I then saw that a dog was catching the Frisbee and giving it back to a beautiful woman, who in turn threw it back to me. We must have did this for awhile because the Frisbee was getting pretty mangled by the dog biting it.

Unfortunately I got too deep into the scene and clicked out completely.

When I awoke it was 7:30 am. I sat there contemplating what had happened for about an hour. At 8:30 am I took my Journal and wrote down everything I am saying here.

This SP scenario meant a lot to me. When I was younger and into my teens, early 20s and even the last 2 years, I have awoken with something touching my ankles.

When I was just a kid, I would immediately throw the blankets over my head in terror. Actually that basically was my response even into my early 20s.

In the last couple of years I have tried to understand it, but never could find what was occurring.

As soon as my ankles were grabbed, I normally immediately awoke.

I will tell you one thing though. I can definitely understand how people could misinterpret this as some kind a Alien Abduction scenario.

Who knows, it could still be, lol!  :wink:

Oh, by the way, it is now 10:00 am and I still haven't been back to sleep yet. This was too incredible an experience to just ignore.

This would have to be the most fascinating thing that has happened to me yet in this entire field of study.

The sensation of being pulled to my ceiling by my ankles, then rotated as I was being "cork screwed" through my ceiling was "out of this World"!

(goddamimmit this page just froze for 15 minutes!!!)

Awesome sauce.

It sounds like some sort of birth memory... you know like they say that the tunnel sensation during NDEs or some OOBEs is an allegory to being born? it's like you were reliving that bit where they lift you up by your ankles and slap you to make you cry... obviously you didn't remember this. HAHA "remember that time when you were swimming through a thick liquid with millions of your potential brothers and sisters towards that giant globe that you felt compelled to head-butt till you broke through?"  :lol:

Wow... sorry for the total side track... but I know for certain this happened to you. mental. WOW... we all did this... each and every one of us. WE MADE IT!!!! YAAAAAY!!!! we all conquered the others and got inside the egg. Makes you wonder why some of us waste this opportunity... or try to get away from the reality that we so wanted to enter.

DOES IT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH AP???

Quote from: V4NZ on September 06, 2013, 05:28:06
DOES IT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH AP???

yep it has EVERYTHING to do with AP.
give things time and a few hundred experiences then you will see for yourself.


SP, it puts more than perspective into precursor. (pun  cryptically deliberated).

Is it still considered SP when you see something freaky in your room at night, be completely awake, sit up physically in middle of a bed or something and still see the 'hallucination' carry on for however long?

The reason I ask this is that I AP'ed one night, went to the location I wanted to. I ran into someone powerful and I guess they tried following me back or something.

And I know I was completely awake, as my mom came into my room not too long after the thing vanished (looked more like a ripple predator-cloak bubble thing) because she needed help in the living room and thus I had to leave my room straight away.

The ironic thing is that EVERYTHING in your life has to do with Projection.
Because even this physical reality experience is a projection of consciousness.

People need to stop separating "projection" as something separate that they do from this physical reality. 
I know it's a silly concept right now, but one day we'll learn this... physical and non-physical have no separate dividing line.
All is consciousness... you can't separate consciousness into neat little categories.  We only TRY to do this as humans because without categories and definitions we can't relay these ideas to one another and quite frankly, it makes us feel better when we can define things.

But there just isn't any dividing line.

Hi,I first had a sp weeks ago using a beat on utube was amazing
I seen a blue portal swaying up towards the ceiling ,then is the morning
i had a dream seeing myself standing at the doorway and a picture of my wife like i was flying above her,she had a dream off me flying above her too.I still logically didnt believe i had done it after that.I then had a couple of small outs nothing special till the last one i went to friends house and was talking to her weird thing was she had no eyes then i heard a loud bull noise and went back in my body.I said to myself i wasnt going to be afraid so i went out again very easy and  the hallway was a light up all in gold then the sound came again so i got scared and tried to wake myself up again which i did,can anyone shed some light on my sp ,will i get better ,what things can i try,i deff feel more aware from the last one,less fearful.tks j

SP has always fascinated me.  I started having sleep paralysis when I was 17.  I was having it nearly every night and to be perfectly honest, it scared the excrement out of me.  I didn't know what was happening.  I knew I wasn't dreaming, simply because of the state of lucidity of the experience.  It in no way whatsoever feels dream like.   It happened the same way every time.

I would "wake up" and not be able to move.  I would hear these loud whooshing or sucking sounds, almost what I could imagine you would hear inside of a tornado.  And then the most horrifying part was the hallucination.  I would always feel like something was there, waiting for me.  I remember one time in particular, this thing walked from the corner of my room to my bed and crawled onto my chest and said "My name is Natalie and we are going play every night."  The thing then smiled and showed its jagged bloody teeth and let out this bone-chilling, terrifying mix of screaming and manical laughing.  That scared the hell out of me, because I literally could feel its breath on my face and could smell that rotten stench.  That by far was the most terrifying hallucination of my life. 

This kind of SP happened on and off for about a year and then when I started my first year of college I decided to see a doctor because I was losing a lot of sleep and was frankly sick of it happening.  My doctor ended up giving me a referrak to mental health.  My next doctor attributed the sleep paralysis to stress and mild depression.  She put me on Zoloft and Valium to manage the depression and stress.  She also wanted me to have a sleep study done, but unfortunately my insurance wouldn't cover it.  To be perfectly honest, the medication stopped my SP almost immediately.  I continued with drugs for a while, but they made me feel very lethargic during the day.  So the day I stopped taking my medication, I had my first episode of SP in a long time.  I later talked to my Dr. about this and she stated it would have taken at least a week for the drugs to filter out of my system, so most likely the medication I was on was only having a placebo effect on my SP and my brain realizing I wasnt taking those drugs, decided to stop playing nice. 

I never started taking my medication again until 2 years later for an entirely different reason.  Up until this point, my sleep paralysis slowly started happening less and less, until it just stopped happening.   During my 3rd year of college, I hit a very dark place in my life.  I became very addicted to Oxycodone and Alcohol.  I had experimented with a lot of other dangerous drugs as well.  One night, after getting my supply, I took my normal 6 pills, but soon after started to feel really weird.  I thought maybe I got screwed over by my dealer and identified the pills online.  Turns out these were Oxycontin which were 40mg a piece instead of my normal 5 mg.  I ended up taking about 8 times my normal dose that I would take to get high.  I ended up freaking out and forcing my self to throw up what I could, but almost a hour had passed.  I ended up passing out on my bathroom floor.  Sometime between when I passed out and when I woke up in the hospital I had an odd experience.  I remember being on the bathroom floor and not being able to move or make a sound.  It felt like my eyes were closed, but I could see clear as day and could hear the normal sounds of whooshing I hear during sleep paralysis.  There were EMT's around me taking vitals while asking my roommate and RA questions about me.  Then in the corner of the bathroom I see are dark sillouette and hear "You're mine now".  Then I see a sky blue type of light with what looked like a transparent white baby deer come down through the ceiling, the sillouette makes some kind of hiss and turns into some kind of black smoke ball and flew off.  The deer just stayed there in that blue light until at some point I blacked back out.  A very, very real feeling hallucination all-over.  The next thing I remember is being the hospital.  After that, I got clean, with a few hiccups here and there.  But, havent done drugs recreationally in over 4 years. 

I have had SP epusodes occasionally, but I no longer find them terrifying.  I find I just need to ride them out.  To this day,  I still do not know what triggers them, but would like to find out one day.

I have been slashed with claws, strangled by aliens (the little guy E.T. himself), held down by demons telling me to just wait because I had it coming.

In the moment, I am always terrified beyond belief but I can now almost instantly recognize that I am in the SP state and I can usually end it before the scary crap comes and even then, I laugh it off and go right back to sleep.

I think Bedeekin has provided enough of the available medical research and historical data to show a very probable reason why we do go into SP. The problem lies in why some people find themselves consciously awake in this state and why others have no idea that the condition even exists.

The easiest remedy is not sleep on my back. No problem for me.

I remember one vivid one that happened a few months ago. I was in the middle of the sort of creepy dream where I outright told this guy in it that I wanted to have sex with him. He wanted me to reconfirm this, so I told him again.

The dream then went away and I was in my room, on my back. I felt this huge thing wrapped around me, under my my arms , across my back and cross my chest. It felt less like thick strand of rope and more like an Anaconda.

I even took my hand, which I think was my astral double and ran my hand across it. The thick thing felt like slight pins and needles asleep thing. It was as if someone took all the pins and needles feeling from an arm or foot that has fallen asleep and decides to give it life outside the body! I turn my head and look at the wall, which was really just fifteen inches away from my face. I can see the shadow cast by the thing on me. It does look like a snake thing, all coiled up! The head of it is raised above my back like a cobra and it's mouth is open and very big! It hisses, the sound sounding like electricity! It lowers it's head. I can feel it, thrown over my back like a large sheet. It feels like a low current of electricity is flowing through me and I wake up to the day, like I blacked out.

That was one of my colorful SP episodes. Others have had people show up, jam their hand to my chest ala Wraith from SGA and cause freaky electric stuff. Etc.   

Everytime I experience sleep paralysis I wake up so scared and almost hyperventilating and my whole body is vibrating from the inside out.

Quote from: katiebug on April 16, 2014, 16:17:00
Everytime I experience sleep paralysis I wake up so scared and almost hyperventilating and my whole body is vibrating from the inside out.

Hi Katie, you just need to relax and try to stay calm.  It is only a scary state when you don't know what's going on, but you can definitely minimize the fear factor by remaining calm and know that nothing is going to hurt you.  :-)

But I wonder why people still turn in their sleep?And why when I wake suddenly at night I am not paralized?

Quote from: Simo on May 14, 2014, 19:47:25
But I wonder why people still turn in their sleep?And why when I wake suddenly at night I am not paralized?

Most people turn in their sleep because they have become aware that whatever position they are in is not comfortable to them anymore.

The answer to your second question is because you have returned to full waking awareness.

You could call SP a "in between" state. Not quite there anymore, but not fully back either.

What we call "sleep paralysis" is actually a malfunction of a normal feature of the body.

You're not ever supposed to consciously experience the paralysis that your body is put in while you sleep.

Even when you wake suddenly, the paralysis has already worn off.  The function that controls this has worked successfully.

If you experience sleep paralysis, it's because that function didn't work properly for whatever reason.

Good question though!

 Here is a fantastic 10 part video on Sleep Paralysis. It is for the "science minded" and others as well.

The Researcher's name is David J. Hufford and he does a great job of breaking down SP from all sorts of views. Whether it's via cultural beliefs, religious beliefs, psychologists etc.. He explains it all. He then goes on to showing you how to "break" the SP state. Lastly he explains Lab results and findings with it.

This entire video was excellent and is a must for anyone that wishes to understand the mysterious and incredible state of Sleep Paralysis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21kW39IcLKA&list=PL13B2806AFB3F83DD&index=1

QuoteIf we are fearful of the experience or panic our body releases adrenaline which stimulates the heart, pumping blood around the body causing violent and overwhelming vibrational buzzing.

Thats not my experience. Iam very calm in SP, the vibrations dont react to panic or fear, they get only stronger when i begin to move in SP (!)

I've once experienced SP - was totally unrelated to me trying to AP or anything like that. Woke up with a shadow figure next to me, I went into a panic but couldn't move and then it reached down and touched me on the forehead - which felt very cold. Next thing I know, some time had passed but I had no recollection of what had occured but the figure had gone.

That was about 20 years ago. About 4 years ago I had regressive hypnosis to try and find out what happened in that missing time period. Didn't find it out but the hypnotherapist managed to have a length conversation with the entity (through me) which was very interesting and I'm so glad I asked for it to be recorded!

Product of an overactive imagination and a malfunction of the brain or a bonafide entity - I've no idea but it's very interesting.

loved this post especially the references to all the cultural names around the world for the hag/incubus succubus sensations 

 Every time I have a "spontaneous" OBE from the state of sleep paralysis, I feel my legs being touched, then lifted, then I shoot out of my feet. I was curious how many other people experience the same thing.

Last night I had the same thing happen. But this time it only led to the 3D "grainy" darkness. Well, that's all that I was actually consciously aware of until I lost consciousness. Usually I see a full blown scenario after I have a spontaneous OBE.

When you have a spontaneous or have had a spontaneous OBE, how were you "helped" out of your body? I am curious to whether there might be a shared experience here. If there is, then that leads to even more questions about what might be "really" happening here.

Quote from: Bedeekin on November 06, 2012, 22:01:53
In this article I will replace every term associated with 'Astral' with 'nonphysical Reality, abbreviated to NPR or NP.

How can I stop the fear?

The way to fully put an end to the fear is to stop the SP process entirely. To play the 'get out of jail free' card either wiggle your toes, fingers or simply jerk your whole body physically. It takes a bit of willpower but is highly effective.

I am having problems with breaking the paralasis, sometimes i feel like i can't even breathe. I tried different techniques to break it and nothing really helped. I did some research on this topic and physical movement is mentioned as the most effective technique for breaking the paralasis. But i just can't make myself make any movement from small as moving my finger to big like moving my arm or torso. Do you have any advice on how to start moving any part of my body?

Quote from: AstralPhreak on November 16, 2015, 00:41:44
Do you have any advice on how to start moving any part of my body?

Bedeekin hasn't posted on the Astral Pulse Forum here for a couple of years now. But he is greatly missed.  :-(

So, I will attempt to answer this from my own experiences and point of view.

Put/direct your entire focus on wiggling your toes and your "impulse" will take over and move them. I would say if that doesn't work, then see where the SP leads, as in project. If you can't stop it, I would take that as a sign that you should see it through. Meaning there must be a good reason behind it.

Astralphreak, I agree with the advice Lumaza is giving you. The fact that you display such good emotional control in SP provides you a wonderful opportunity to apply a variety of exit techniques. Calm, conscious control of the SP state is probably the fair equivalent of being in the MABA Mind Awake, Body Asleep state or Focus 10 of the Monroe model; the ability to remain in this state and think about your options is pretty much ideal.

Not getting caught out by any SP phenomenae at this point is also a good sign of your control within these types of situations; a likely indicator of a good mindset which will serve you well in later experiences.

Recognize the confidence this should give you and go with the flow, trust your instincts in these experiences.

Thank you guys for the advices. Fortunately i didn't have a chance to try my focus power these days, because i was sleeping preety good actually since i learned i can release my body from that state. So thank you again! :-)

 I wanted to put this in this section because I am hoping that through Bedeekin's research and other members posts and replies here that the phenomenon of Sleep Paralysis has already been explained.

Now Hollywood wants to get the "fear juices" flowing again by this new movie coming out named "The Nightmare".
https://vimeo.com/125421779

I do agree though that SP can be one of the most terrifying experiences you will ever have. That is if your not in the "know". I have had some incredible SP experiences myself and still do today. Once you learn to overcome and face it head on you will see that you have opened up to a whole new sense of awareness. You will be consciously projecting.

Tonight January 2nd 2016 on Coast to Coast AM (check your am radio for time schedules), they are going to have the Director of the show plus a experiencer as the Guests. Here is the header to that show.
" The horror of sleep paralysis is very real. While science can explain the biological phenomenon, what it can't explain is why so many of its sufferers see eerily similar figures of shadowy human forms. A new documentary, The Nightmare (Watch Trailer), explores the terror through the eyes of eight sufferers. The film's director, Rodney Ascher, along with Forrest Borie who's had the condition for years, join Connie Willis (email) to discuss the pain, torture, and serious horror of this mysterious and debilitating condition."

I will be listening to this and will write a edit after I hear what they have to say. But I know I won't like what I hear. These radio shows seem to love creating the "fear hype". If it gets too out of hand I will call in during the call in portion of the show and return the topic at hand back to sanity. Will they "delete or omit" my call in, I will find out?

Edit: Ok, they did air what I had to say. Rodney didn't get into the nuts and bolts/scientific/medical explanations of AP. He basically spoke on the making of his movie and some of his own and other people's experiences with SP. He did bring up though that some people have reported that SP led to a AP/OBE.

In the first hour of the show, the guest was a gentleman named Forrest, who is a SP experiencer. The one question I really wanted to ask him was why he didn't research the topic any further. Connie asked him why or if he looked into it any further and he said no. But why? He stated this was the single most terrifying thing as person can experience. He was supposedly even in the movie. But still he didn't want to know why he was experiencing what he was. That doesn't make any sense at all to me!  :?

I did get a chance to explain some things about SP, but my words of sanity seemed to be pinned between 2 other callers of opposing views. Oh well. I wanted to say the name of this Forum here, but I don't think they allow that on the air. At least the listeners of the show heard another point of view on the topic.

All in all the discussion was handled very well. I like Connie. She doesn't subscribe to the constant fear talk like the regular host George does.

Came out.  On Netflix too, no less.

Please, for the love of all things holy, DO NOT watch that "movie". 
Well, I mean... watch it, but ONLY for entertainment purposes only. 

If you're hoping to learn something from it, you'll be extremely disappointed... and if you BELIEVE any of it, you're only going to scare the ever loving crap out of yourself.

DO NOT WATCH THAT MOVIE.  Bad movie is bad.

Quote from: Xanth on January 03, 2016, 23:29:12
Came out.  On Netflix too, no less.

Please, for the love of all things holy, DO NOT watch that "movie". 
Well, I mean... watch it, but ONLY for entertainment purposes only. 

If you're hoping to learn something from it, you'll be extremely disappointed... and if you BELIEVE any of it, you're only going to scare the ever loving crap out of yourself.

DO NOT WATCH THAT MOVIE.  Bad movie is bad.

Well now I am glad I called in to the show last night to try and create some sanity in the discussion and on the topic in general. Rodney actually seemed like he understood the phenomenon of SP. He even replied after I shared, that he too had experimented with slowing the process down and just observing it, instead of giving in to the fear. But as we all know, "fear sells", so it looks like he decided to take another path to this interpretation of the phenomenon in general.

Like Xanth said though, movies of this nature should be viewed for "pure entertainment only". I haven't seen the movie yet and don't really care to. But I can only imagine the horror that they created in it.

I have one quesiton i have seen a shadow person in the middle of sunny day in the street he was teart tree i saw him and like he looked at me and after 5 seconds of eye contact he dissapered it wasn't like instatly dissapereaded i was looking at him a few seconds and he was looking at me so as far after this i beleive they can visit you not only in Sleep Paralysis but i don't want to insert fear cuz of this that u can also see them without SP it wasn't like just a shadow it was 1.7 Metters high Human-shaped with no face but i felt he was looking at me plus it was like he was spying i am not worried or anything but still can someone give their opinions about this?

Positive, all you can TRULY say is that you "saw something".
It's a stretch, in my opinion, to say it *WAS* a "shadow person". 
You've already primed your mind at this point... interpretation is everything.

Have you ever saw, for example, a pile of debris from a distance and thought it was something else?  Then you walked up closer to it and realized it was just debris?

This is the same thing.  Except, you didn't get that chance to "investigate closer".

I don't know why i forgot to mention this but there was actually another guy who saw it it happened several months ago so i don't want to look this answer like i am trying to protect my argument or something like that lol xD i just forgot so about the story me and my friend both saw it and from excitment we both like hoped cried omg did u see it ? he said to me i said to him at same moment  and i told him wait let's draw or write in paper and see if we saw same things i told him this because i wasn't sure if he was lying or not we draw same things and explained it same a shadow being with human shaped body and horn-like ears but very little... anyways you judge

But i liked your answer very much and i agree with it but in this situation there were 2 obsorveres anyways who knows xD

 Since many people believe that what they see in a movie or video is the truth, here is a very short video that is easily understood and gets right to the heart of SP in general.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wx4B03UJ1U

 I finally found a link where people can listen to that Coast to Coast Sleep Paralysis interview. My "call in" starts about the 2:15:00 mark of the show. All "call ins" started at about the 2:00:00 mark.

I don't know how long this link will be good though. They seem to disappear pretty quick these days! This interview link is also commercial free.
http://thevictoryreport.org/coast-to-coast-am-january-2-2016-sleep-paralysis/

listened to your portion and you came across really clear and explained it perfectly
the next guy was a bit to final with his point, of course you can do something about it its not easy but you have to have intent
scary excrement but like you say facing it head on and trying to turn it around or observe things objectively

This thread sure has been going on for a long time. I want to thank everyone who contributed, it's been quite an enjoyable read. I've had SP maybe 3 or 4 times in my life and it matches pretty much with what everyone else says. So that's good and explains a lot.

However, this also brings me to why I've lately been seeking out this kind of information. I hadn't had an episode in years till recently. The first time (recently) the episode was kind of typical only I wasn't afraid bc I've been there, done that. I relaxed into it and went to sleep. But decided the next time I would try to stay awake and you know, just see what happened next. A couple of nights later I again had the vibrations, only my head had just hit the pillow and I was nowhere near asleep. I lay there a minute. The vibrations were extremely strong. I felt pressure on my leg just above the knee. I was not paralyzed.

And this is where I get lost. There was an 'alien' standing at the foot of my bed. He was pointing his finger at the point on my leg where I felt the pressure. Beyond all reason I screamed and jumped up and away from him. He stood there waiting/contemplating(?). I yelled at him, "No way in hell, you are not probing me again."

Now guys, to my knowledge I have never seen a real alien, never been abducted, never seen a UFO up close or anything. But I have on ocassion scene alien images/type things in LDs and such. I never paid them much thought.

On the surface I would describe this as just another example of SP. BUT I have my doubts. How can I know if maybe there isn't something else going on?

Quote from: Nameless on July 26, 2016, 00:19:23
On the surface I would describe this as just another example of SP. BUT I have my doubts. How can I know if maybe there isn't something else going on?

Try to film it. It works for all those "Paranormal" movies we are being bombarded with. Otherwise you always have doubts. I still doubt what is exactly happening during some of my SP episodes. I know what I read and what is said about it, but to experience it for yourself is a "whole nother" ballgame. 

I have had SP scenarios that have led to great adventures. But I have also had episodes that felt like I was "taken". ...and this is coming from someone who actually practices "non ordinary states of consciousness, often.

Lol, I think not to taking film of it. Have not seen him again anyway and not sure if I want to. The 3 recent episodes I have had all felt 'forced'. I know I wasn't trying to do anything. I truly felt like I was being told to wake up and pay attention. All 3 were quite different from each other but the last thing I ever expected to see was an alien. I'm really not interested in playing games. If there is something they need from me they need to spell it out.

Nameless,
What seems to me as evident from your active presence here and the quality and knowledge of your posts, is that something has been awakened within you. The fact of this awakening is apparently being "announced" to you in a variety of ways.

Whether it is an awakening from your Higher Self, your subconscious, your Teacher/Guardian (s) or some alien intelligence, this is knowledge that you need to work out for yourself.

The fact that it is happening for you is pretty apparent to those of us who have already experienced it to varying degrees.

The SP alien stuff is pretty raw...I've been there...just go with your gut, your intuition like you are doing...you sound like you are keeping it well in balance and finding the proper perspective.

I get frustrated the same way...but they are not playing games and they will NOT spell it out for you (or me  :-D)...it is a series of teachings that come through in very symbolic and personal terms...at least during this period.

Share what you are comfortable with, because it does help others; and ask or PM anything of greater concern.

EV

EV,
Thank you for your reply and thoughtfulness. Since these events and since reading here I have decided to try a few things. The other night I asked to meet my guide/higher self, whatever. Immediately I saw her(?). She was a definite alien but I have yet to see any images or pictures like her. I'm really not sure how I feel about that. What's interesting is that I have seen her before, dreams and such. I had just forgotten or didn't pay attention at the time.

I don't mind discussing any of this in the open if it helps someone else. At least so far. But I think I'm a little angry at them/her. Szaxx came a bit close early on when he asked me about the 70s.

I have tried asking for a meeting with my Guide/Higher Self but received very little that is recognizable; it seems that I am to be kept in the dark for awhile; but I do know there is activity; my experiences speak to that.

I share your sense of frustration and slight anger...it seems that this is part of the learning...

Szaxx is wonderful at touching on some of the points that awaken our memories of our energetic reality.

As long as you actively seek new experiences, you will be given them; so don't stop expecting them.

I look forward to your sharing your further adventures.

At least I feel better knowing I'm not the only one not getting straight answers. But then again maybe we are and we are just too dense to figure it out. I don't know if you can answer this but maybe so. My guide has always appeared blue. Like a dark watery blue. Any ideas what race this might be?

Quote from: Nameless on July 26, 2016, 06:27:20
At least I feel better knowing I'm not the only one not getting straight answers. But then again maybe we are and we are just too dense to figure it out. I don't know if you can answer this but maybe so. My guide has always appeared blue. Like a dark watery blue. Any ideas what race this might be?

"Blue Avians" perhaps?
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=blue+avians&qpvt=blue+avians&qpvt=blue+avians&qpvt=blue+avians&FORM=IGRE

I have the same issue. I have never met - even not in my childhood - any guides/helpers, didn't have imagery friend. I'm very friendly, got a big willpower, I would like to meet not just humans but many more and it is like - even if I ask for some presence - nobody is out there. I only met some greys or any aliens in dreams lastly and they were very friendly as me.
It is for a reason maybe. Maybe they don't want to interfere with my learning process - or I didn't allow them to show themselves clearly and loudly in mind yet, who knows. There are some guys who can project since years or decades and rarely met any helpers (or a very few) and others are seeing them all the time. It is an individual thing maybe. We have just clues about the background works lol.

Quote from: Phildan1 on July 26, 2016, 08:05:08
I have the same issue. I have never met - even not in my childhood - any guides/helpers, didn't have imagery friend. I'm very friendly, got a big willpower, I would like to meet not just humans but many more and it is like - even if I ask for some presence - nobody is out there. I only met some greys or any aliens in dreams lastly and they were very friendly as me.
It is for a reason maybe. Maybe they don't want to interfere with my learning process - or I didn't allow them to show themselves clearly and loudly in mind yet, who knows. There are some guys who can project since years or decades and rarely met any helpers (or a very few) and others are seeing them all the time. It is an individual thing maybe. We have just clues about the background works lol.

I have found that we see who and what we "need" to see when we need to see or experience it. I actually use that as part of my nightly affirmations. To be shown what I need to see and taught what I need to learn. Then I trust that my wishes will be answered. I use the word "Please" quite a bit too, lol, (just for extra bonus points). No, I use the word "Please" often as a show of respect.  :-)

Lumaza, thanks for the link. Took a look but those were not even close. I figure one day I'll stumble over what I need to know. That's how it always seems to work for me.

Phildan1, I wish you success. I would say you'll meet them when the time is right but doesn't that just want to make you scream? Lol.

QuotePhildan1, I wish you success. I would say you'll meet them when the time is right but doesn't that just want to make you scream? Lol.

Thank you : )  I'm not that kind of screaming man. Szaxx is the man who knows I had a few weeks back a tough fear test and I didn't even run away or scream like hell lol.
Well who knows when will the time be right lol.

Quote from: Phildan1 on July 26, 2016, 16:10:47
Thank you : )  I'm not that kind of screaming man. Szaxx is the man who knows I had a few weeks back a tough fear test and I didn't even run away or scream like hell lol.
Well who knows when will the time be right lol.

BRAVO! I thought I had gotten beyond fear of anything non-corporeal a long time ago. Till that one recent SP incident. Next time I'll channel YOU.  :-D

:D

Btw I can give beginners a tip if you want to experience sleep paralysis on your own. I worked it out easily, how to do it. I had never got one in my decades and I think it is not necessary for projection. You need to just imagine physically (and/or mentally) that you are on a very very strong magnetic surface. I could say on a neutron star : )
Now try to imagine - if laying on your back - that a huge pulling force (gravity of course) pulling your back, everywhere, where your body is on the bed and touches it. You feel that you are heavier and heavier and you can reach a point where it hurts really :D I don't really like it but I can do it for fun some times. Your neck could be the worst place at the peak lol.
Just feel it on your back, along where you are on the mattress.

It is just a mental work.

Quote from: todd421757 on November 06, 2012, 22:15:28
This entire Sleep Paralysis article is very well written. I suggest someone should sticky this, since so many people ask questions about Sleep Paralysis.

The above Bedeekin quote is extremely important for people to understand. To me this short focused meditation or OBE technique is so important to achieve anything worthwhile with sleep paralysis. Otherwise, you are left with a groggy OBE of low quality.

The quicker the sleep paralysis induction, the better the resulting OBE is.

What is the protocol of this "short focus meditation" to induce SP please ?

I've read about this...and about people's astral (subtle) bodies being stored in a high-tech cannister of sorts and "adjustments" being made, among other activities; it would seem that the Alien Greys have an obsession with souls, particularly human ones, and that although most abductions occur this way, that people usually wrongly presume that they are in their flesh when it's occurring (although physical abductions do happen).

Quote from: Whirlwind on May 08, 2017, 21:23:31
I've read about this...and about people's astral (subtle) bodies being stored in a high-tech cannister of sorts and "adjustments" being made, among other activities; it would seem that the Alien Greys have an obsession with souls, particularly human ones, and that although most abductions occur this way, that people usually wrongly presume that they are in their flesh when it's occurring (although physical abductions do happen).

No, no, no, no and no.

Quote from: Xanth on May 08, 2017, 22:10:52
No, no, no, no and no.

Sorry Xanth but could you answer to my previous question please ?:

Quote from: todd421757 on November 07, 2012, 03:15:28
This entire Sleep Paralysis article is very well written. I suggest someone should sticky this, since so many people ask questions about Sleep Paralysis.

The above Bedeekin quote is extremely important for people to understand. To me this short focused meditation or OBE technique is so important to achieve anything worthwhile with sleep paralysis. Otherwise, you are left with a groggy OBE of low quality.

The quicker the sleep paralysis induction, the better the resulting OBE is.

What is the protocol of this "short focus meditation" to induce SP please ?

Quote from: ww on May 09, 2017, 13:38:40

What is the protocol of this "short focus meditation" to induce SP please ?

All of those techniques are in the Stickies found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness-b30.0/

I think the one that Todd meant was Bedeekin's "pre nap" technique. http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/fantastic_obe_technique_bedeekins_method-t31819.0.html

  I do want to say though, that not everyone experiences exit symptoms and other signposts during this practice.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/exit_symptomssignposts-t46206.0.html

Quote from: Lumaza on May 09, 2017, 14:29:31
All of those techniques are in the Stickies found here: http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness-b30.0/

I think the one that Todd meant was Bedeekin's "pre nap" technique. http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_astral_consciousness/fantastic_obe_technique_bedeekins_method-t31819.0.html

  I do want to say though, that not everyone experiences exit symptoms and other signposts during this practice.
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/welcome_to_out_of_body_experiences/exit_symptomssignposts-t46206.0.html

Thanks a lot Lumaza ! I had already read it then but thanks again !

 I just re-read Bedeekin's initial post here for about the 80th time, lol. I did come across something there that mentioned the "short focus meditation".
"If SP is entered involuntarily it has usually gathered enough hypnogogic (subconscious) thought to contain more hallucinatory qualities. If SP is induced by using a short focused meditation the hallucinatory qualities will be less evident and the sensations can be viewed (or ignored) objectively."

Now, in my experience, what I see this as, is instead of Phasing into the "other realms" beginning with more of a "visual application" based focus, instead you keep conscious of what your physical body is doing as well. I would say in that case, some kind of "Progressive Relaxation" would suffice. Maybe some energy movements, (Phantom Wiggling) as well. This would keep you still aware of what your physical body is doing, thus you would be still experiencing the physical signposts (SP) as well.

With phasing, your focused will is so much into the visualization and imagery you are seeing, that you become totally immersed in "that" scenario and that you haven't the foggiest or at the time you don't care, what your physical body is experiencing.

I still awaken SP quite a bit. But it is all spontaneous. I have even had nights where I became consciously aware of the "Astral Winds" approaching and then the SP began lightly and strengthened until I finally found myself "out" of my body.
Other times, I become aware I am in full SP and my feet feel like they are being touched, then raised. Then very soon I feel pulled out and zipping down my hallway and out my patio window. Once out my window, I am in another "realm". I guess that is the chosen Portal at that time!