revelation about sleep paralysis

[soarin12]

Had my first experience with being able to control and change auditory hallucinations during SP.  I was just entering SP when I heard my dog start barking.  It was 3:00 AM so I  immediately felt anxious that a prowler might be around but then realized I was in SP and thought to myself that the barking might be hallucinatory.  Empowered by that thought, I decided to try to intensify it.  The barking responded by getting louder and more intense until it became a long screaming sound.  It was a scary sound --sounded like my dog was being tortured, but I knew I had created it.  I then decided to end the scream and it ended right when I told it to.

This was a real break-through for me.  Now if I ever have a scary SP experience again (haven't in a while but the ones I used to have were awful) I will hopefully not feel so victimized and will have some tools to overcome.

In the NPR I rarely exert control over my circumstances.  I naturally have the desire to experience whatever comes along rather than to change/control things. --so my ability along those lines is low because I don't practice.  I can see where having skill in this area is important.  If I have bad experiences I don't want to have to wake myself up every time to get away from it. --just feels like failure.

Just thought I'd share.  --Maybe will help someone.

[Lionheart]

 Good Job Soarin! 

Knowing is usually said as being "half the battle"

But, in our practice, it's crucial. Being aware that you are in SP, gives you the chance to explore this entire phenomenon from your own perspective.

Keep up the great work. Make sure you log the results in your Journal! 

 

[Szaxx]

Excellent work!
While doing this, can you remember anything visual?
It's more of an ambient feel to it than visual, the background or the space you were experiencing.

[Bedeekin]

That's pretty much bang on the money; to KNOW it is illusionary. Once you know this... KNOW this... Use it and abuse it.

[soarin12]

Thanks and gratitude to you guys for sharing your knowledge and experiences.  I would not have gotten to that point without your help.

Szaxx-- I didn't have any visuals with this one but I know what you mean by ambient feel.  The visuals I have during SP have never scared me for some reason.  The ones that scare me out of my skin are some sudden auditory ones, tactile (something touches or attacks me) and the "intruder" presence.  Hopefully now that I have lost my fear of the auditory, I will have courage to take on the others as well.

[Bedeekin]

The visuals aren't actually that common. It's the implied fear that works at the nerves. The implied presence and sensations. Good to hear you are just working through them.

[Lionheart]

 Yes, as Bedeekin said here, it's your "expectations" of what may lurking around the corner that really fuel your fears.

I very rarely get visuals during SP. I notice I am in SP, sometimes I will attempt to move them around my body. This is what I mean by exploring them further. But, when they finally get to my head, (which feels like my brain is going to explode), I know that I will be out in no time at all. The trick here is to hold your conscious awareness at this point and not let it overwhelm you to point where your consciousness just clicks out.

Sometimes I will click out, then click back in and find myself there. Other times I will click out and lose all conscious awareness of the adventure.

It happens, but every time you experience the SP, you get more knowledgeable on what to do and what not to do during it.

[soarin12]

Yes, as Bedeekin said here, it's your "expectations" of what may lurking around the corner that really fuel your fears.

I very rarely get visuals during SP. I notice I am in SP, sometimes I will attempt to move them around my body. This is what I mean by exploring them further. But, when they finally get to my head, (which feels like my brain is going to explode), I know that I will be out in no time at all. The trick here is to hold your conscious awareness at this point and not let it overwhelm you to point where your consciousness just clicks out.

Sometimes I will click out, then click back in and find myself there. Other times I will click out and lose all conscious awareness of the adventure.

It happens, but every time you experience the SP, you get more knowledgeable on what to do and what not to do during it.

When you say --when they finally get to your head and feels like your head is going to explode ---I'm not sure if I know what you mean.  When I have the intruder presence thing, they start from far away across the room and then come right toward me until it is right on top of me or goes through me.  Is that what you mean?

[Lionheart]

 I mean the vibrations, the sensations, the buzzing. When they finally reach your head, the feeling is hard to describe, other than your head feels like it is expanding or going to explode.

[soarin12]

Ok.  Yes I understand.  It does get very intense at the end.  I sometimes do an exit before I get that far just to get away from it.  If I want to phase all the way through, lately I've been trying to do it while being just slightly sleepy.  I do risk degrading the experience or falling asleep but I find a touch of sleepiness keeps fear away completely. Gotta play it just right though.  Actually, I am thinking of a recent thread where Szaxx posted that you shouldn't exercise before projecting (if you're a beginner) because it will be extremely scary.  I was going to ask him what happens exactly but I forgot.  I'm wondering if that might have affected me because I do sometimes exercise before bed and that's when I phase.

Szaxx (if you're reading this) or anyone else that knows about this, What happens when you exercise before phasing?  In what way is it a bad or scary experience?

[Szaxx]

The exercises done at home will be o.k.
The one I found really useful for a concious exit was done  when I was in an intense fitness regime. At that time I could run all day if so desired and was as fit as as an Olympic athlete.
I liked to push boundaries and that still exists today. The physical fitness with the healthiest diet did work really well.
Im too old for it today and if I tried I fear it would end in a one way trip.
What I did was intense weight lifting then a 4 mile cycle ride at the speed of cars on the road.
My chest burned with the pain and when my blood sugars started to become depleted my legs hurt and felt like jelly. Carrying on home at speed the adrenaline rushed to aid my physical state and everything in my body was shaking strongly as a result. My heartrate was beginning to return to normal around 58 at that time and an overwhelming desire to lie down seemed a great idea. I took 6 spoons of dextrose in warm water to correct the low sugar levels then lay down. (having to do this is scarey, I'd hate to know how a diabetic feels)
I was still shaking from the extreme exercise although at a lesser extent. As the dextrose entered my system I had a sugar rush and this was horrid by itself. Everything was going numb and when I closed my eyes I recognised that feeling of being in a vortex, the one where you are thrown around crazily (also can be scarey).
Within a min I was in some wierd location with really strange non human entities I'd not seen before on a beach. Two suns in the sky and the feeling of not belonging here or even being welcome.
I was out and transfered my thoughts to a known location and enjoyed the trip.
I did this a few times too. Reducing the stress on the body each time gave less of an effect and once the blood sugars self maintained the effect was minimal.
Light exercise helps the muscles to relax but doesn't create the being thrown around feeling.

[soarin12]

Wow!  That sounds very intense.  Thanks for sharing.  It's safe to say I've never exercised that hard.  I do occasionally get low blood sugar (the shakes) from eating simple carbs. then exercising and not replenishing calories.  I haven't ever phased with unstable blood sugar though and don't think I'll be doing that anytime soon!

[Szaxx]

Unsure of the health results if attempting with low levels. I corrected mine as directed by a professional as soon as possible.Overdoing the correction would be a bad idea. He never said why but he knew I was aware of my limits ( thats why I pushed them).
It's possible the thrown around feeling is part of it, especially with adrenaline still flowing. It was 34 or so years ago, I got stuck with the toils of life since and not tried it after 10 more years.
If you're super fit or whatever the modern term is, then try it. I'd assume you have a professional trainer too. Their advice is a MUST HAVE.

Hope this helps someone in a similar position.
The going numb does feel like youre phasing and the physical dissapears from your percieved awareness.
I don't get the trapped feeling most describe with SP or the vibrations too. I have experienced the vibes about 7 times in my 50 years of the art.
Bedeekin is the master on this subject.

[soarin12]

One time I got violently thrown around too.  For some reason, every time I shut my eyes and tried to sleep I was immediately pulled violently into a vortex and then had the feeling of being thrown around or maybe assaulted would be a better word.  I wish I could remember my physiological condition before the experience--like if I was having a sugar rush or had adrenaline flowing for some reason.  I can't remember though.

Your story goes a long way to prove that there is a physical reason behind this "being thrown around" feeling.  When it happened to me I assumed I was assaulted by and evil entity, and I have heard stories others have told where they have assumed the same thing.

[Lionheart]

 I had one time in my life that I have a full memory of, but could never explain. Maybe you explained it for me Szaxx.

It was in the middle of summer, I was 14 years old was working at a Pool Company, part time. They just got a tractor trailer, full load of Chlorine. Each box has 4 one Gallon bottle in them. I unloaded the entire truck myself. Now, this was my second day of working there, so my body was not ready for this vigorous workout.

I went home that night, went to bed and the next thing I knew I was vibrating violently. I fell onto the floor of my bedroom and tried to call out to my parents, but I had no voice. It took all of my might to crawl towards my door, but I only made it about 3 feet.

Then the next thing I know it is morning and I am in bed. I just passed this entire event off as "physical exhaustion". But, to this day, I have never figured out how I got back in into my bed.

There's a good chance that I projected, but lacked any control whatsoever. None the less, it was a violent experience.