Reading Dreams

I suffer from a somewhat interesting sleep disorder where I will sometimes become conscious while still in a state of sleep paralysis. Meaning that, I have no ability to move. Normally, my eyes will open and I'll try to roll over and find that I can't. I get the feeling that if I don't begin to move quickly, I will become paralyzed forever. So I will my arm to move and after I'm able to fling one arm about, the rest of me snaps out of it as well. It’s pretty scary sometimes.

There are other symptoms associated with this disorder (and this is where it gets interesting): people who suffer from sleep paralysis will often hear things, and see visions as well. These types of things only happen to me when I’m really exhausted. And only once have I had some kind of vision.

I was sitting in front of my computer, it was really late, and I was starting to nod off. I closed my eyes and suddenly I got this image in my head of a black cloudy figure reaching out and putting its hand on my shoulder. It wasn’t like an imagination or a dream though; it seemed more real, as if I was sensing something that was actually happening. Part of what made it seem so real was the fact that what I was seeing was the black figure stepping up behind me while I sat in my chair in front of my computer with my head hanged over, fallen asleep.

This site has quotes from people talking about their experiences while in sleep paralysis: http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~acheyne/S_P.html

Some of them describe my experiences almost exactly.

Dark tall strong but "formless" bodies where you can't see exact entity but a haze or black cutout figure.

Quite often I hear voices, but they never say very much. I normally hear voices when I just begin to drift off into sleep. One time they said “wake up” and it sounds as though it’s someone right next to me in bed, whispering in my ear. Another time, just “fuck”.

In another incident, I woke up around 3:30am or something like that to find myself paralyzed. This was an odd case because only one eye had opened, and I was lying on my side, facing the wall with a window. A loud ringing grew in my ear and I became convinced that I was being abducted by aliens… It sounds pretty silly, but at the time it seemed like the most logical conclusion.

Has anyone else ever had any experiences like these?

My mom sees such black figures many a times (always when she is wide awake). And, whenever she sees 3 figures together (2 of them with horns on their head) at the same time, usually within 24 hours of seeing them, we get to hear the news of some death in the family.

She says that she first saw such figures when she was near my grand-mother, and then my grandmom died within a few hours after that. She has seen them at least 10 times after that, and every time some tragedy has struck our family.

We have absolutely no way of explaining this phenomenon, but definitely there are some things in nature which actually do not have any scientific explanations. Obviously, it can't be a coincidence every time! And, since I have seen this happening to her, can't even deny the fact that this can be true! This has never happened to me though, I don't believe I have any kind of Extra Sensory Powers. But, definitely some people do.

Love is blind, but marriage is a real eye opener.

You know what they were your mom saw, right?

i mean, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

you don't have to be a stupid scientist or a religious saint.

what your mom saw and sees are Grim Reapers. Demons from Hell.

They come to us for many reasons. To scare us, to torture us, to torment us, to destroy us, to kill us, to take us to hell.

understood?

and you don't have to be a genius to figure out the cure either.

the cure, you should know it already. it is something you foolish folks have ignored for many years.

you need Jesus Christ on your side.

let me warn you. the demons from hell go after the whole family. If your mom sees them, you will see them too.

and don't cry baby.

you know the cure.

Peace be with you.

st_michael

I'm not sure whether to rate this post mediocre because it's a half-assed religious sermon, or excellent because it's a brilliant joke my limited mental capacity just doesn't allow me to understand.

Anyhow.

what your mom saw and sees are Grim Reapers.

Maybe it's only me, but every time I hear this name I have to think of Monty Python's Meaning of Life.
(Anybody else?)

the cure, you should know it already. it is something you foolish folks have ignored for many years.

you need Jesus Christ on your side.

let me warn you. the demons from hell go after the whole family. If your mom sees them, you will see them too.

Jack Chick, give up, we've blown your cover!

"*sigh* Some men are really hard to manipulate!" - Orchid

This post was edited by null on Jul 22, 2004.

I also suffer from this and I was real surprised when I read your post for it's not often I meet other people experiencnig this. My mother also suffers from this and I've read that it may lie in the family. The first time this happened to me was about ten years ago or more, I was younger than ten years old. I don't remember that I felt paralyzed but I do remember hearing myself snoaring! I remember that I thought, but hey, that's ME snoaring! struck by how weird it was when asleep in fact hear yourself snoaring. I immediately got wide awake after that thought.

I to sometimes wake up paralyzed and in panic do my best to try to move. ususally it takes about fifteen seconds at most but one time I laid for about a minute unable to move a bit. That time was the scariest for I was just as you wrote terrified that I'd be lying like this forever unable to notice everybodey that I in fact was well aware of everything going on. Outside my room I heard my brother in the hallway and the sounds from the kitchen, I knew this wasn't something I was dreaming. The sounds in dreams are different, more like you know there's a sound but you don't really hear it, but this was real. At the same time I started "falling". It felt like the whole bed was spinning around and falling and my head was filled with a loud deep sound. I've had a couple of these experiences but this one was definitly the worst.

I also see these images and sometimes here voices just when I'm about to fall aslepp. This often shocks me so much that I immediately gets wide awake. One time I was falling asleep and suddenly saw a little girl, staring right at me with a face so blank of expression that you couldn't be other than terrified of her.

Have you heard about astral projections? When the mind leaves the body. I totally believe that can be achieved. It's like the near death stories we've all heard. But you can do such thing while you're alive if only you get relaxed enough. I read a book written by a person suffering from this condition and while she was paralyzed her mind left her body in an astral projection. I'm trying to achieve this but it's hard because of me instead of trying to do that panic and do my best to try to wake up from this.

carpe diem.

Well I can give the scientist's interpretation of what is going on. Granted, I don't know what is going on with the visions, but the paralysis is perfectly well-known.

As you may or may not know, there are 4 levels of sleep. The first level is similar to daydreaming. The transistion to level 2 is marked by REM or rapid eye movement. Sleep walking occurs in level 3 sleep. How do they know this? Because at level 4 sleep, the mind actually detaches itself from the spinal cord resulting in a temporary paralysis. There are theories that this is done to prevent falling out of trees and such (during stone age). However, while this probably stops most sleep walking, some still sleep walk at level 3.

When transitioning back to level 3 like a normal dreamer, movement is returned to the person. However, if someone were to suddenly wake you up while you were in level 4 sleep, you would be unable to move for a small amount of time. This is what causes sleep paralysis. Why the brain awakens at level 4 sleep is unknown. The visions too, are unknown. We do know that it is perfectly normal to not be able to move (even though it may seem scary).

Based on what I've heard from you guys so far though, I'd hate to experience it myself.

"If I die of a heart attack eating bacon, I'll be a happy man." -My father

That's kind of what I imagined it to be. When I've described it to my friends I've described it as the mind waking up but the body still being asleep. It's like being on your way to wake up but get trapped somewhere between being asleep and being waked.

carpe diem.

I've had sleep paralysis episodes off and on for 7 years now, and I only just found out that it was an actual condition or disorder. I have had many experiences where I feel a presence in the room or near me, but my most recent was the most vivid and strange I've had and it was before I found out about SP so my experience could not have been affected by the stroies I read of others' experiences.
It was night time, I was just drifting to sleep, when I found myself paralized on my side but I felt like I was on my back. I knew that there was a woman's ghost with me. She was thin and had sandy colored hair, her face was sunken in. I was in my room, and I knew this, but I was somewhere else. I was at a body of water, it was light and misty. The water was completely still and like a mirror reflecting the blue sky. It was quite beautiful. But the beauty was sliced by a harsh chaotic rush of despair and panic. She was speaking to me but not with words or language, with feelings. She was violently angry and infinitely sad. She would not let me go. It felt like millions of emotions being projected into my mind and I was struggling to pull away out of it because I knew that I did not want to be in the saddness. But I was motionless and I could physically feel my body being sucked in and I could not move. Beyond this point I do not remember any further. Strange. I won't ever forget that.
I'm not one to believe in ghosts but if so many people are havng specific experiences of looming and supernatural presence, there must be a more specified reason aside from merely halucinating.

I am new to this,so excuse me if i am replying the wrong way or something.
You have no idea how totally amazing it felt for me when i read about your experience,the reason for that would be because of the fact that i am going through exactly the same thing night after night.I get so terrified when it happens and the strange thing about it is that i know when it is going to happen to me and it is as if my body is preparing for the shocking feeling of becoming paralyzed and hearing demon voices in my head,and i always feel this strong presence of something or someone right next to me scaring the living hell out of me!I have talked to so many people about it,but everyone always just stares at me as if i'm going crazy!It takes a while to snap out of it and get myself to move again,but i have to get myself to a point where i have to gather al the energy possible to even just lift my finger up.It is not a nice feeling and it scares me.I also suffer from insomnia and when i eventually fall asleep i get the strangest dreams of death,demons and war.I am just glad to no now that i am not the only one going through these experiences!

Dream of an insomniac

I am new to this,so excuse me if i am replying the wrong way or something.

All is fine!

'Yeah, That's what Jesus would do. Jesus would bomb Afghanistan. Yeah.' - snowlion

I just now woke up from an experience like this. I've only had about 12 hours of sleep in the last 3 days. This may be the reason for a disruption in the normal sleep cycle. I think that these experiences are truly bizarre because they allow us to semi-consciously observe what is hidden in the dark depths of our minds. In the dream I just awoke from I could not move but I could see my wife next to me. I tried to speak to her but all that seemed to come out of my mouth was a frightening moan.

Behind me, hidden from view was some creature speaking in an odd, possibly old language. It said something like "ahh!! sheaky leegs" and it was making a slurping shivery sound. It was thundering and raining. The scariest thing was that I could not turn around to see what was behind me. When I was finally able to move, I fully expected that it was storming outside but of course, it was not.

This has happened to me before but the dream was completely different but seemed very real.

It's always nice to have a scientific explanation for things, but i don't think sleep paralysis explains the recurring demonic theme of your dreams and visions. I suffer from sleep paralysis, too. What usually happens is i actually "think" i had woken up and turned on the lights only to realize moments later that i was still in bed. One night, this happened five times! I was really scared. I thought it would never end and i would forever keep turning the lights only to find out that it didn't happen. In my case, the body part i have to move in order to snap out paralysis is my neck.

As for your demons and voices, well, try to be open-minded--this could be really supernatural. Most of the time, there's a good scientific or at least psychological reason for these cases. At other times, it's a genuine demonic oppression. It would be wise, perhaps, to consult with competent theologians who are into "spiritual warfare." Try to avoid the weirdos, though, who will find demons everywhere.

Have talked to so many people about it,but everyone always just stares at me as if i'm going crazy!

I wouldn't stare at you as if you were crazy. In fact, i know many people who will take you very, very seriously as well. For your sake, i hope there really is nothing supernatural about your case.

“To God, there is no zero. I still exist.” Scott Carey, The Incredible Shrinking Man

There lies so much truth in what you told me,and it is facts like that which makes me shiver.But then again,i have to disagree a little bit because i am a firm believer that one can only become posessesed when one opens the doorway for such demonic activity to enter.If you dont open yourself to something evil like that,you wont become a victim of it.

For your sake, i hope there really is nothing supernatural about your case.

I totally get what you saying,and i truly appreciate your concern that it is not something supernatural.

The last few nights i tried something weird,when i enter the phase between still being awake and partly falling asleep,I listen to the voices,okay,i know it sounds weird,but for me it is a way to get a explanation of what the voices are saying to me.Here and there i catch a word,but it is not in my language,so i am still looking some of those words up,maybe,just maybe there is a message that i need to hear.Maybe I shouldn't do it,because i am opening myself to it,but unfortunately curiosity got the better of me.

Dream of an insomniac

I'm a bit at a loss here since the idea of someone being possessed is so alien to me. To me a demon is just a metaphor for something you can't explain. I don't believe in them literally.

Of course I have no means to prove their non-existence nor do I have any right to call you wrong.
But the reason for this reply: Please, if you are so open-minded to consider supernatural causes, also keep in mind that just maybe it's nothing like that but just your subconsciousness playing a trick on you. (You're last post sounded like you still considered this, but I wanted to emphasize). Believing to be possessed is probably not helpful.

Also, should you decide to seek professional help go to a psychologist rather to an exorcist :-).

The last few nights i tried something weird,when i enter the phase between still being awake and partly falling asleep,I listen to the voices[...]

I think confronting it is not a bad thing.

'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman. 'Get stuffed!' the Harlequin replied, sneering.

Being very open-minded as i am,i consider each and every little thing crossing this path i am walking in life to be extremely important to me.Looking at myself,i do realise that i am just a human being after all,with not all of the answers i so desperately seek.To use the term of being posessed is a very strong and scary term to use.I do not believe that i am posessed,i am only keeping the possibility light at heart,because of all the physical torment i go through when i go to sleep,it realy scares me to death.Taking drastic steps as to going to a exorcist is not something on my 'to do list'.I would rather take your advice to go and see a psychologist:-)

maybe it's nothing like that but just your subconsciousness playing a trick on you

I am also keeping in mind that the mind can be extremely powerful,especially when in a state of vulnerability and being on a path of self-discovery,a person tend to look for the answers at the wrong places........

Dream of an insomniac

The key term i used is demonic "oppression," not possession. Possession is the advanced stage of the process. The difference, i think, is that posession is about the entity taking total control of your body whereas oppression is when the spirit merely torments you physically or emotionally. As for opening oneself to demonic influences, i am yet undecided as to what that exactly means. Some people say this means engaging in occultic activities, whereas the more extreme ones say it's as simple as listening to certain music. Still, others claim that any form of sexual activity (even kissing) with an "oppressed person" can also cause this.

At any rate, im not an expert on the matter. Wizz, thanks for bearing with me, i know this can sound crazy even for someone like me. Geneve, since you say you are open-minded and would like to consider all possibilities, why don't you go see a thereapist anda spiritual warfare expert. My only worry about this advice is that it is so hard to find a true "expert" on the latter field. Too many so-called experts are just buffy-the-vampire-slayer fans or people who actually need medical attention or ultra-paranoid people. At any rate, it is good that you are handling this in a mature way and are not panicking. I have to warn you, though, you have to act soon. This is serious. Whether psychological or spiritual, you need to get some help. This could become worse.

“To God, there is no zero. I still exist.” Scott Carey, The Incredible Shrinking Man

The key term i used is demonic "oppression," not possession.

Sorry, the difference wasn't clear to me. Feel free to mentally replace the term in my post :-)

Whether psychological or spiritual, you need to get some help. This could become worse.

I agree.

'Repent, Harlequin!' said the Ticktockman. 'Get stuffed!' the Harlequin replied, sneering.

In the past two weeks I've had my own vivid "dreams." Both times were right before I awoke, and although I don't necessarily recall paralysis during them, I do believe that some of the other symptoms fit in with those listed under this disorder.

The first time something occured, I was awakening from a nap, and although I hadn't opened my eyes yet, it was between that time-period when you're just beginning to awake and had passed from some previous dream, I heard this harsh, nearly "demonic" voice state: 'I found you.' Subsequently, I felt three sharp blows to my head. However, these blows didn't "feel" physical. That is to say, there was something more metaphysical about them. They contained a surreal quality. Immediately afterwards, I awoke, disturbed by the event.

The second time something similar occured, nearly a week later. Again, I was awakening from a nap during the day. I was once more in that period between dispensing of your previous dreams and moving to open your eyes, that I suddenly felt as if I was being smothered. My body felt like it was being caged, or some how contained, confined, enclosed, and my mind struggled to free myself from the process (kidnapped is the most akin word to the experience I can think of). As I struggled, I heard one voice amidst whispers say "Oops." -- and I felt like I had been accidently dropped. Immediately, I escaped, and awoke.

As a graduate student in molecular biology and biochemistry, with a neuroscience background, I personally cannot ascribe to the idea that these were ghostly entities, that my dread was warrented during either experience, or that my "soul" was somehow trapped momentarily on another plane, open for attack or manipulation.

Rationale and cyncism inhibits my willingness to easily accept such concepts. However, surely, also as a scientist, I can be objective and open to other possibilities. But, I suspect that the halluciations described under the sleep paralysis condition are a far better explanation. Indeed, the last few weeks have been tiring for me, and I suspect my sheer exhaustion has played some role in the manifestation of these peculiar events.

Well, Ive cant say that Ive ever heard voices, but the feeling of being smothered and trapped happens to me all the time. In korea it has a name, actually. Its explained physically that your body is still asleep, but your mind is awake trying to move the body, which is still deep in slumber, therefore your breathing, needing to be quicker due to wakening, feels short, and your body feels trapped and smothered because your brain is trying to move your body, and the body is resisting. im not exactly sure how true this is, but that is what I have heard about it. now, the voices kinda freak me out, but its never happened to me.

although your voices do scare me, Ive also had some strange evens occur during my dreams. When I started meditating and visualizing to calm my mind, I started having vivid dreams of just a normal day at school, or at church, or wherever I may need to be the next day. Some of it is just silly and not possible at all, but some parts occur the next day EXACTLY as I had dreamed them. Now, Im not sure if this had anything to do with my meditation or not, but it was quite scary. in fact, in English class one day, my teacher asked if she had told us a certain story, and everyone said that she had not, and I remembered vividly her telling us the story, and I even repeated it back to her. She said she must have told the story, and everyone else in the class just looked at me like I was crazy or had growth on my face or something.

anyway, I believe dreams are your connection to your subconcious, and I am not entirely unsure that people dont have supernatural powers in them somwhere. now, I know all the christians are reading this and screaming at me that the Bible says witchcraft is not right, but it never said it was not possible. I believe that God tells us not to do it because the human mind cannot handle the intensity of it. I mean, if God created us in his image, I believe he can do anything, right?

okay, im off subject now, but anyway. dreams just connect you with what you have deep in your brain, and who knows? maybe you have a strange being living in the shadowy crevaces of your brain. ;)

"Wishing on a star that's already burned out..."

Hello, I'm new to this forum. I joined because I was doing a search on the subject of sleep paralysis and came across your posts. I have been experiencing this, too. It started sometime around the time that my daughter ran away last October. It only happens during the day, after I take our 3 sons to school and I go back to bed for a couple of hours. It's happened maybe 5 times and has really made me think twice about ever taking a nap while alone in this house again. This morning while I was asleep, I heard my oldest son talking to me. I remember opening my eyes and I heard his voice coming from the doorway, only he wasn't there. I realized that this could be a ghost or something taking on his voice, so I tried to get out of bed but I couldn't move. One time last year when this happened, I awoke to find him standing next to my bed, only he was a black shadowy figure and he said "Mama". I knew that it wasn't him, so I tried my best to get up and again I was pinned. I'm a Christian, so I spoke to it and said "In the name of Jesus, I am a Christian and you cannot harm me. You have no power here! Get out of my house!!" It was as if my mouth was paralyzed, too, so although I did speak, it was almost impossible and my words were coming out of my mouth like I was on very strong drugs or something. After I spoke to it, it went away and I fell into a DEEP sleep. I always do after this happens. Another time, I awoke to see my son again, along with my husband and one of our other boys coming into the room and again they were all black, but I knew it was supposed to be them. It scared the he** out of me. I tried to get out of bed and run outside, only I could not move, so again I spoke the same words to them and then they left. My oldest son is 16 and hangs around with well known devil worshippers at school. I'm embarrassed to tell this, but for the sake of being honest about what's going on here, I'm admitting it here. He wears all black, chains all over, has posters all on his walls of Mudvane, Slipknot, Rob Zombie, with fake blood all over them, etc. Most of them look like serial killers. I married a guy who was in a heavy metal band, and my favs when I was younger were AC/DC and Judas Priest, but this stuff puts them to shame, lol. He says he doesn't actually worship the devil, but that he did when he was younger, but that he likes the style of clothing and music. I have to wonder if what is coming to me in my sleep is something that is around him. After all, we did have a slight argument this morning about his wearing all black every single day. I know I'm not crazy. It's either supernatural or just harmless but scary dreams. It ONLY happens when I'm home alone, though, and never, ever at night. What do you think? This has not happened in many months and never once happened over the summer when the kids were out of school, then it all of a sudden happens this morning. Really wierd.

I've had sleep paralysis for a long time. I used to have it often when i was younger. Nowadays i have one once in a while. Sometimes it's when i'm stressed and other times it just happens. It still freaks me out. This is what happens to me, i feel paralyzed, i feel myself breathing really shallow breaths, then i try to scream out and see if anyone who hears me can come help me move, but i can't scream. I start to get scared. Before this went on for what felt like a few seconds, but lately it's been feeling like it's longer. I'm afraid that one day i'll not get up from my sleep.
One time i felt like i got up from my sleep and had gone into the kitchen to make some breakfast for my son, but then realized that i was still dreaming. I had to wake myself up to get out of it.
Sometimes when i get myself out of paralysis, and i lie back down on my bed, i fall back to paralysis. That pisses me off. Sometimes it goes on and on unless i move into a different sleep position. A couple times i've even had to get up and not sleep anymore.
I've read other things, that this is something called 'awaking sleep paralysis' and that it's a stage before 'out of body experiences' but i don't really know what it is.

Im not sure thats healthy, but do whatever you think is best.

"Wishing on a star that's already burned out..."

Hi,

Is this the same thing that you used to go through in school? As we would call back home: "Being born with the helmet" or is this a whole new turn of events?

I have only had two experiences similar to this, where I actually woke up and the fear in me was the fact that my "dream" wasplaying of inside my room. To the extent that all around me felt alien but still I knew that I was where I was suppose to be, only the energies of force that were present weren't supposeto be there. The worse thing is that you can not shake it off for days thereafter.

I went through a spell of insomnia, but that was just due to stress of being in a new place and not finding my feet. Now I get it at random due to stress of having to deal with the growth of a new company. I do not know what is worse though, having insomnia or not being able to switch of from all the stresses in life at all, not even for one second. Where you find yourself constantly thinking, thinking, thinking...

This tend to drain me more, simply because my mind starts raising in all directions, even through my sleep, chasing chasing...

Then I rather appreciate insomnia, that time awake I can at least use for creative thought or to finish a good book that I've been dying to finish. Please explain to me this experiences you go through, who knows knowing me knowing you I might have some advice.

Use your insomnia to the best of your advantage. Get the stresses in your life to the foreground. Face them and aliminate them. At those times get up, light a couple of candles put in Flying Carpet by Claude Chall and just release yourself. Soar over that mountain that you've always dreamt about travelling to, start reading about lost civilisatons, create your own.

I've got to cut this short, but I'll be back again to chat more and to help you developoe this inner sanctuary.

Life is a journey, not a destination:" Enjoy the ride!!"

I would say that it is somewhat the same as what i went through in school, the only difference this time is that the emotions i go through while in this state is much more forceful than it use to be. Maybe it because of the fact that i am older now and more mature to be able to scrutinize it. While the difference with a child in this state of mind is, that the child's brain would promptly tell her that it is something weird and scary and then the child would try to just forget about it in order to feel save again.

These days i have taught myself to not freak out and rather try to remember the scientific logic behind it all, sleep paralysis is after all just the connection between the brain and the spine that has an "error". That kinda helps me through it when it happens to me. As well as the fact that i have the ability and the strenght to "wake myself up" when it happens.

My distress is my dreams. For the life of me i cannot understand how it is remotely possible for one person to dream the horrible things that i constantly dream about, i do not understand it! Sometimes it will get so bad that i would for days after my dream, still smell the distinctive smell that i smelled in my dream, i will steel feel the precise emotion i went through while in that dream.The smallest little detail i will remember as if it happened just moments ago. And what i do not understand is that 90% of the things that i have seen in my dreams, i have never ever seen before with my own eyes, i haven't even seen it in a horror movie, my mind is not sick, it scares me and i dont like it. And the worst thing of it all is the fact that no matter how hard i try, i do not have the power while busy dreaming to tell myself it is only a dream and to try and control the dream.

As far as insomnia goes, i have made peace with it.

Use your insomnia to the best of your advantage

I do use my insomnia to the best of my advantage, after all, i would rather choose to not sleep than to fall asleep and dreaming all of those horrible stuff. And there's nothing so nice to clean house at 2.00am in the morning:-) I always feel like John Travolta in that movie phenomenon,i am always trying to come up with a new invention that will shock the world,hehe!:-)
When i get insomnia, i will always see it as "my time", just time for myself and for my thaughts... so it is not always a bad thing....!

Dream of an insomniac

In Thailand people call it Phii and there are different type of Phiis. The majority in our world believes in them, mainly in Asia and Africa people would very well know immediately what you are talking about. What you have experienced was not a dream, it was a ghost.

Your western education may forbid you to believe it, but if you take some time to think about what happened you will realize it is true.
I usually don't talk about this because most people will put you off as a nutcase. Since you don't seem to know what you are dealing with I will tell you.

In Asia people distinguish between different type of ghosts. Most ghosts are bad but a few are not. The type of ghost that attacked you was a so called Phii Am, one of those that hold you down and don't let you move. I have experienced this myself and it is an absolute terrifying experience. The fear can be so immense that I believe you could die of a heart attack.
You want to talk or to scream but you can't. You want to move but your body will not react on any order you give to him. Usually this situation comes together with the feeling of a strange and strong presence around you that is not visible but still clear and present.
Sometimes the ghost takes cover in the form of a dream and approaches you, but then again you start to awake but can not move.

If you believe in some kind of god in most cases the ghost will immediately disappear if you call your god. In case you are a Christian the call for Jesus or God will make the ghost disappear immediately if you truly believe in God. Only very strong and very bad ghosts will not vanish by this call. Although you can not speak you will yell the name of Jesus in your thoughts which will be enough to scare the ghost away. In your head you screamed at the top of your lungs but still no piep will leave your mouth.

If you experience that this does not work there are other, stronger measurements you can take but I will not talk about them in this forum.

What is really worrying about your experience is the fact that it did not happen once bur several times. This is quite unusual.
Please think about the times this happened to you. In some cases the attacks take place in certain rhythms like once a week every Sunday or so. If this is the case you can be sure that someone is attacking you on purpose. This would be a human that knows how to control such forces.

However, not all ghosts are bad and some of them are just as confused as you might be.

My personal experience taught me that ghosts usually appear in hot climate or during the hot season.
I once lived in Kenya in Africa and there people believed that the ghosts only "lived" in the coastal areas not in the highlands. There were certain form of protections the natives took when they traveled from Nairobi to Mombassa but I did not believe in the rather primitive precautions they carried out. It was quite amusing though.

I usually don't deal with these kind of things but since I was attacked too, I had to protect myself and I found ways to do so permanently.

Please think about what I said and try to use the measures I mentioned. If the measures show no effect and you find truth in my words you can contact me and I will let you know what further steps you can take.
_______________________________________________

Side-Note:

I already posted this comment to another member of this site yesterday. I was not aware of the fact that there are so many people out there suffering from ghost attacks.
Your western-orientated education make you search for explanations that can not be found without opening your mind for truth that lays beyond what you have learned in the western society.

It was not my intention to start a discussion about ghosts because I don't believe this to be wise and see negative aspects in doing so. But since my aim is to help I will write more if it can help.

After reading this forum last night I spent hours on writing a very long resume to describe what those of you who are suffering can do.
I have just decided not to post it.
Out of my experience I have certain reasons to refuse a discussion about ghosts and some things must be left unsaid.

On the other had I want to help and especially Geneve needs quick help. As far as I can say Geneve is under intended attack. Someone in her surrounding is calling the ghosts on purpose. Maybe this person just wants to scare her a little but the result can turn out far, far worse.

To all of you who really need protection read the following book:

Judy Hall, The Art of Psychic Protection

I strongly advise all others who are just curious NOT to read this book! I am not happy by naming it in an open forum like this anyway.
For those of you who might think there is some kind of secret wisdom you can find in this book – forget it.
This is simply about protection, learning about your aura and your chacras. Learning about visualisation and how and who to call for help in case you are attacked by ghosts.

Readers who have not experienced ghosts will not get the message in the book. Be grateful you never had to deal with these kind of things – I mean it!
All others will find the help they need to permanently protect themselves.
___________________________________________

'The horror, the horror.'
Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

Hi you will have to forgive me because I dont know anyone here but have ran across this and too am going through the "sleep paralysis"I have never ever heard anthing like it before and literaly thought I am going crazy.It only happened to me 4 times and I dont know when It going to happen or why it does but Its very frightning to try to call for someone thats right next to you and you cant.Its also been very hard to explain my look of shock because my eyes are open and my boyfriend thinks im just goofin off because I cant reply back to him for a few min.I know that none of you know who I am but this is very scary at times for me and I am happy to see Im not the only one.

Hi...looks like i am not the only one in the world who have experienced this.

I am aged 14, from Singapore, and i come from a highly stessful environment. I have a very strong body and strong heart. Recently, i juz lost my girl to a good friend, he backstabbed me. Yesterdae at midnight, before i went to sleep, i was thinking about how unfair my life was... and was so fed up of my friend who have backstabbed me. A few moments later, i decided to go to bed.

The dream started when i just fell asleep. At first it was only images of the girl and my friend together. However, suddenly it changed to another scene, where a flirtatious friend of mine confronted me. He started to insult me for being a failure in love. He said i gave in too much and I was an idiot to do so, and insulted me in some other ways, I couldn't remember everything clearly. I started crying in my dreams, and he turned into a black cloud, he came closer and closer, while i struggled to get away. I struggled hard to get awake, and fiinally, i managed to feel my presence in the reality.

However, the nightmare did not end there. This was the worst part. I was paralysed,i felt like dying. I felt tat i was going to die at the moment. I was lying on my bed, unable to move. I could feel the presence of the black cloud. He was laughing at me right above my face. He was floating extremely near me, such tat the my entire vision was all him. I tried to shout, nothing came out. I tried to move..but the more i struggled the more i felt i was pressed down. My muscles were all fully flexed. I fought and i fought to get out of the ordeal.

It lasted for a minute, one entire minute. When i shouted god in my mind, he began to fade. After that i was able to move my left hand, followed by my right.

I guess this was the darkest moment in my life so far.
What should i do, even now images of the black cloud kept appearing in my mind.

Could i have been oppressed?

Guys, do you think sleep paralysis has something to do with poor blood circulation? I've been going to the gym now and have lost 15 pounds in two months and gained some muscle. I'm assuming this also improved my cardiovascular health. Since i've started, i've not had a single case of sleep paralysis. And before, there were certain sleeping positions i avoided because they increased my chances of experiencing it. But now, I can sleep in whatever position I want and and I'm still okay.

“To God, there is no zero. I still exist.” Scott Carey, The Incredible Shrinking Man

Does working it out reduces sleep paralysis? I am not sure about this, but i have been doing intensive weights at least 4 times a week, for the past one year. This is because, i am a national thrower for my age group. True enough, I have had less nightmares and sleep after i went for the regular weights training sessions. However, I feel that though a little exercise might help to reduce this problem, I feel that it usually happens to me when i am exhausted and spiritually and mentally down. As such i feel that the best way to conquer sleep paralyse is to remain optimistic and pray to god at every night. Worrying or thinking too much about problems, contributes a lot to the chances of getting sleep paralysis. For me, tunning on to the radio overnight does help too. I have never had sleep paralysis in such a situation before.

Yes. I had more chances of having sleep paralysis when I am sleeping on my front. If memory serves right, I don't think i had sleep paralysis while sleeping on my side before.

Hi i am new. I am 14 years old, and have been experiencing sleep paralysis from what I think is about 2 years now.
I have just recently found out about sleep paralysis, after all this time not knowing what I have been experiencing.

All the times I have experienced sleep paralysis, I am paralyzed and my body is shaking vigorously. Whenever I find myself like this, I used to panic causing me to struggle, which would jsut make things worse, and cause my body feeling like it was just vibrating more intensely. I would have to relax and get over my panic and wait until its okay to move again.

My first experience was qiute strange. It had a lot of dream and reality in it both.
I found myself in a cold dark building, and there were these group of people after me and they were yelling something, but I was supposedly "scrooge" from the book "The christmas carol" and meanwhile this is all happening, I am shaking intensely and it was really scary, because I couldn't move and these group of peopel were angry at me. So I kept saying (in my head) "okay okay I won't be selfish anymore"
Not specifically because I am in real life, just because Scrooge is a character of selfishness and an unloving man.

Other times, I am unable to move and find ghosts right beside me laughing.
Or a clown face right in front of me laughing.
Another time that wasn't relaly scary but quite weird, was when I was drifting off into sleep paralysis, techno music was in my ear , really loud. Sounded like a video game.

Anyway, so I've come to find out more about sleep paralysis, from my friend. He was into astral projection and lucid dreaming and all that, and sent me a link of a website about lucid dreaming, and in one paragraph it said something about sleep paralysis and when I read this I was ecstatic! I was so glad to have known that there is a name for this, and words put in to describe everything, for I had no idea how to explain this weird experience at night.

I still haven't told anyone about my sleep paralysis, not my family, no one. The only person that knows is the person that sent me the link about it. And I've read other websites that say that there are medication that can decrease sleep paralysis, and if this is true then I would tell my mother and go to the hospital. Because sleep paralysis happens a lot to me, at LEAST 2 times a week, and 4 tiems a week at the most. For the last two years.
If anyone can tell me if this medication thing is true, than I will tell my parents and ask them to take me to the hospital, but if it is false in not reducing any sleep paralysis at all, then I will not bother.

Well thanks for taking your time reading this. <3

Lately in my life i have been under alot of stress and got very angry alot. I have always been very interested in the supernatural, and since the past month or so i have been reading and watching tv shows about aliens. One i saw the other day stated that most 'abductions' were occuring during the state of sleep paralysis. I thought i had experienced this before, but it was not until last night that i actually realised that i havent. Before when lying in bed, i had been suddenly awoken with a shock. A woman was directly infront of my face staring ta me. She looked expressionaless, perhaps saddened, but she faded before i could get a long enough look. I thought it was a ghost. This event was about 4 weeks ago. Last night, i awoke in the middle of the night thirsty. I tried to get back to sleep, but as i was laying there, eyes shut i was thinking about how good it would be to be abducted by aliens. After what was literally 1 minute of my eyes being shut, my body shuddered. It locked up, and i knew exactly what was happening. I was REALLY scared, the most scared i had ever been. I heard the famous buzzing that occured with these *abductions*. I knew i had to get out of it, i tried so hard, but the buzzing got closer. I wanted to shout to my dad to help me, but i couldnt, none of my body could move. I was helpless. I felt sort of relieved when i realised it was a fly. It buzzed in my ear twice, but i hate it whhen flys do this. After the second buzz i managed to overpower the paralysis. I snapped out but felt so numb, my whole body tingling. My mouth was all over dry, drier then it has ever been. It took me a while before i could get up and stumble to my dad to tell him. It was about 4 in the morning. I couldn't sleep again for the rest of the night, for fear of going back into it. I now realise both incidents are related, and after researching i realise that STRESS is a major cause of these images. I totally relate with you, even after my first encounter. I hope it doesnt happene ever again, as it is the worst thing i have ever felt. I still shake now. I also learnt that it can be caused by sleeping on your back (i normally sleep on my side, but lats night i slept on my back). I am almost 16, and i do not want my whole life to be like this. Perhaps we should try not to be so stressed out. but it is really hard at the moment not to, with thigns going on at home and exams at school. I would really like to hear from you guys with any help we can give each other. Thanks

I am so happy to find this page. Im not sure if Im happy or scared. I have been having these nightmares since I was about 13. Im 21 now. I used to be into drugs pretty bad, I started when I was 13, and believed deeply that I had opened the doors to some kind of lucifer conciousness. I believed I had demons around me at all times and when I was on drugs they were inside me and giving me visions. I started having these nightmares way back then.
I was never raised to bellieve in spirituality in any way. My visions came to me on their own. The night mares would happen when I was falling asleep, I would think I was awake, and feel or see a dark presence looming around me, I become frightened and try to scream or move but I can't. Im being suffocated, and sometimes my soul is being pulled from my body. These nightmares used to happen at least once a week. I think Im awake several times, only to realize Im paralized again and still stuck between dreaming and being awake.

the last year I got into recovery from drugs, last march I had the nightmares then I just begun having them again this week march/04. When I finally pull myself out of it I turn on all my lights and walk around trying to stay awake but still feeling shaky and scared like there is something in the room with me. I feel silly when I talk about it.

If any one has any comments or suggestions feel free to email me Brandi_ring@hotmail.com and use the subject sleep paralysis so I dont think its junk mail

Hi everyone!
I would first like to say that I have never personally experienced sleep paralysis nor seen any visions exactly. From time to time I get a strong feeling that something is in the room with me, observing me, but I cannot see it. I generally force my mind away from the feeling, but it will usually persist.
Recently, I have been reading up on Wiccan and Pagan culture, Demons and other supernatural presences. I do believe that these things happen to normal people mostly, not insane maniacs. The similarity of these experiences encountered by different people in this forum are too disturbing to be disregarded completely. I sympathize with you all, and hope I never encounter the Black Cloud, or any other visions. In my research of the Wiccan and Pagan cultures, however, these groups of people would probably approach these visions as messages with hidden meanings. Perhaps the way to make them go away is to try and understand and interpret the message. This is my thought on the matter.
I wish you all good luck with your endeavors towards countering supernatural visions and sleep paralysis.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

Perhaps the way to make them go away is to try and understand and interpret the message.

I want to specify that last message a little more clearly. I urge you NOT to try and listen to these demons and do as they say, but, with a spiritual guide, psychologist, or other such expert, understand why or what is happening.

Regarding Sleep Paralysis, I have some scientific/medical information that might interest you guys.

From a website associated with Stanford University:

"Sleep paralysis consists of a period of inability to perform voluntary movements either at sleep onset (called hypnogogic or predormital form) or upon awakening (called hypnopompic or postdormtal form)."
Symptoms:
-A complaint of inability to move the trunk or limbs at sleep onset or upon awakening.
-Presence of brief episodes of partial or complete skeletal muscle paralysis
-Episodes can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations or dream-like mentation (act or use of the brain)"

The information so far would confirm basically what everyone has said so far...however...

"Sleep paralysis is most often associated with narcolepsy, a neurological condition in which the person has uncontrollable naps. However, there are many people who experience sleep paralysis without having signs of narcolepsy. Sometimes it runs in families. There is no known explanation why some people experience this paralysis. It is not harmful, although most people report feeling very afraid because they do not know what is happening, and within minutes they gradually or abruptly are able to move again; the episode is often terminated by a sound or a touch on the body.
"In some cases, when hypnogogic hallucinations are present, people feel that someone is in the room with them, some experience the feeling that someone or something is sitting on their chest and they feel impending death and suffocation. That has been called the “Hag Phenomena” and has been happening to people over the centuries. These things cause people much anxiety and terror, but there is no physical harm."

Aha! Apparently, according to this research, the Sleep Paralysis cause the hallucinations, rather than the spirits/demons causing the paralysis.

Finally, How to Treat Sleep Paralysis:

In severe cases, where episodes take place at least once a week for 6 months, medication may be used. (See your doctor about this.)
You may be able to minimize the episodes by following good sleep hygiene:
-getting enough sleep
-reduce stress
-exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime)
-keep a regular sleep schedule

so it seems that working out does help, as well as reducing stress...good intuition, guys!

Anyhoo, that's all for now, maybe I'll find something else to post that goes more in depth about the spirits/hallucinations. I hope my help is appreciated.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

I've had sleep paralysis for a long time. I used to have it often when i was younger. Nowadays i have one once in a while. Sometimes it's when i'm stressed and other times it just happens. It still freaks me out. This is what happens to me, i feel paralyzed, i feel myself breathing really shallow breaths, then i try to scream out and see if anyone who hears me can come help me move, but i can't scream. I start to get scared. Before this went on for what felt like a few seconds, but lately it's been feeling like it's longer. I'm afraid that one day i'll not get up from my sleep.
One time i felt like i got up from my sleep and had gone into the kitchen to make some breakfast for my son, but then realized that i was still dreaming. I had to wake myself up to get out of it.
Sometimes when i get myself out of paralysis, and i lie back down on my bed, i fall back to paralysis. That pisses me off. Sometimes it goes on and on unless i move into a different sleep position. A couple times i've even had to get up and not sleep anymore.
I've read other things, that this is something called 'awaking sleep paralysis' and that it's a stage before 'out of body experiences' but i don't really know what it is.

Hmm...Dr. Wojo (heh heh not really) is here...

I've returned after reading some more about Sleep Paralysis...
Alorna, do you have Narcolepsy? It is often associated with sleep paralysis.

I have to go, but I'll post more later. Ta ta for now.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

Narcolepsy

i don't know what i have...i don't think i know what narcolepsy is...i'm here to find answers if anyone might have one.

Hi again. Now that I have more time, I'll go more in-depth on what I've read about this topic.

Sorry to confuse you before :-( Narcolepsy and Sleep Paralysis are often closely related:
"Sleep paralysis is often associated with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a condition in which people are overcome with irresistible sleep attacks that occur unpredictably and at any time of day. These sleep attacks may occur at any time of day, while engaged in conversation, working at a desk, during meals, or while driving. These involuntary naps last for about 10 to 20 minutes after which the person will wake up feeling quite refreshed. The other major, and perhaps most distinguishing, feature of the condition is cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone during excitement or arousal, such as laughter. The loss of muscle tone may be partial or complete. In the latter case, the person may even collapse. Although individuals remain conscious during a cataplectic episode, they may experience hallucinations during prolonged attacks and subsequently fall asleep."
However, having narcolepsy does NOT mean you will definitely have Sleep Paralysis, and experiencing Sleep Paralysis does NOT mean that you have Narcolepsy (Between 20-40% of the population experiences Sleep Paralysis in their lives, yet only 0.02-0.05% of the population is narcoleptic; however, 40-60% of narcoleptics experience Sleep Paralysis.)

Besides being unable to move or speak, people may "sense" a presense when they experience Sleep Paralysis; it may be perceived as an indifferent presence, and observing presence, or an evil presence. Sometimes the person hallucinates a real person or being that may attack them, etc. This is from where ghost stories and alien abduction stories come. It is important to note that there is NO SUCH presence; it is often generated by the brain, which may still be partially in that REM state of dreaming while part of it has awoken. I personally shouldn't pretend to know what the heck is going on in the brain during these hallucinations. However, some accounts of incidents have the hallucinations knocking over objects, or causing a change to the surroundings of the subject, yet when the person is able to snap out of it, nothing in the room has been changed.

"Among the best-known experiences associated with sleep paralysis is the sensation of a strong pressure on the chest or back. Most often it is on the chest since sleep paralysis is also associated with lying in the supine position. Often it seems that there is someone or something sitting on one's chest. Sometimes this entity may also be experienced as choking the victim, or just pushing forcefully on the chest, or even biting into the shoulder, or twisting limbs." The chest pressure may contribute to an attack by the 'sensed presence' that was mentioned earlier. "Sometimes the pressure or pushing on the body is felt to be so intense that the person feels as though s/he is being pushed/pulled into the bed."

Something interesting that I've noticed from all the accounts/research I've been reading on this subject is that many victims ARE able to control their breath despite feeling paralysis in the rest of their body. The only case that this does not apply is when they feel pressure on their chest.

Okay, this post is long enough for now...ask any questions if you have any, I'll be happy to answer them. :-) Cya later

All text in quotes was material written by:
Diagnostic Classification Steering Committee, Thorpy MJ,
Chairman. International Classification of Sleep Disorders:
Diagnostic and Coding Manual. Rochester, Minnesota: American
Sleep Disorders Association, 1990.
Or:
Kryger, Meir H., Roth, Thomas, Dement, William C. Principles
and Practice of Sleep Medicine, 2nd Edition. Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania: W.B. Saunders Company, 1994.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

What's different with me is that i don't sense or see a presence. It's just shallow breaths and paralysis. Only once did i feel pressure on my chest but i did not feel scared or that i was in danger...

What's different with me is that i don't sense or see a presence. It's just shallow breaths and paralysis. Only once did i feel pressure on my chest but i did not feel scared or that i was in danger...

Apparently, you're one of the luckier people with Sleep Paralysis, if that's the case. Although I won't go as far as to say that you're lucky, given that you have it in the first place. :-(

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

I have defenitely experienced this type of rude awakening. In fact, I experience it on a daily basis. In korea they have a name for it even ,it happens so often, although I cant think of it off the top of my head. It is explained scientifically that your body is still asleep and your mind is awake, trying to force your body from its state of slumber.

just thought youd like to know, you seemed a little freaked out by the whole thing. :)

"Wishing on a star that's already burned out..."

Well, if you experience hallucinations with your sleep paralysis, you have good reason to be scared. (scroll up for all the info I posted about it).

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

By the way, I was reading a post by someone earlier in this topic, who said, "I don't want the rest of my life to be like this." (Regarding being afflicted with Sleep Paralysis) I can't remember who it was, but you do not need to fear. I remember reading that generally, Sleep Paralysis does not occur past the age of 30, usually sooner. (At least, I'm pretty sure I read that...) Hopefully, this is good news.

This Loneliness won't leave me alone.

This experience happened to me around 3 years ago. I had phoned my wife from work on my lunch brake and she said the weirdest thing had happened. About an hour after I had left for work she heard voices coming from the kitchen and she thought I had come home or someone had broken into the house and that she was terrified. I thought nothing of it and didn’t think about it again throughout the day. That night I discovered what sleep paralysis is.

I have never felt pure terror like this before and still have the image of looking through my bedroom doorway into the kitchen burned in my brain. I can’t say I saw anything but I definatly felt and heard it. The voice of a man and woman talking and laughing seemed to be coming from the kitchen. I’m not sure on what they were saying. I was just frozen to the bed staring into the kitchen wanting desperately to wake my wife and snap out of this state.

This terror must have gone on for 2 hrs or so until finally I felt the presence very close to me. I did not here voices anymore, just this very loud humming, coming in waves and I could feel an energy flowing throughout my body corresponding with this sound. At this point it was too much to handle the fear was at its peak. Something made me say "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you out of this house”. Instantly, the noise and vibrating stopped and I heard the most evil laugh, HA HA HA HA HA slowly fade away.

This laugh sounded like it came from the devil. When I told my wife what had happened she said she too was paralyzed to the bed during her experience. In the coming days I was thinking why would this happen to us. I then remembered 2 nights before the attack we had a party and one of the girls there was into witchcraft. She was a strange girl, someone recalled her at one point lying on our kitchen floor mumbling something.

This is where the voices were coming from during both experiences. It’s really quite simple to see why this happened. People who mess around with witchcraft have opened doorways to hell. Satan saw a struggling Christian, not living under Christ's protection and he jumped at the chance to attack.

Satan’s main target are those who are close to coming to god and his full protection, as they are now a threat to his agenda on this planet. If this is happening to you, I would seek spiritual advice. A psychologist won’t understand what has happened. I would stay away from any books on "psychic protection". Psychics don’t realize that they have no special gift other than the ability to let demons use them as a tool to deceive. They are talking to demons! That may take care of the problem, only because you may no longer be on your path to God. This is his objective. God is the only protection in this life and the next.

I believe that these attacks are wakeup calls as Satan will not usually reveal himself to people who are of no threat to him. This is very real! You have been visited by a Dark Angel "Demon" and who knows what there up to? Probably just to put fear into you. This is what most of these experiences have in common is the intense fear. It’s a presence of fear not just that you can’t move or you see or hear things. It is definatly an evil encounter and you need god’s protection. Do you really want to face this reality upon death?

This can be a very positive turning point in your life as it is written "god empties his people before he can use them". So that they can appreciate how much we really do need a savior in this world of sin. Trust me, when you are truly saved and the Holy Spirit resides in you there is no such thing as fear. Only joy!

I would be careful on where your research takes you on this issue. These are the days of missinformation. Just go to any bookstore and compare the Christian section to the Occult. Anyways I hope this helps someone out there. I know what its like to live in fear of demonic activity around you and have had many encounters, seems like every house Ive lived in has been haunted. Since I became saved I have felt no fear. I used to never dream. Now my dreams are full of lessons and visions.
It is written God will teach us in our sleep.

Well, I had another round of sleep paralysis. It happened this morning. My 5 month old son was in bed with me and my SO. My son had woken up and crying. I took care of him and he went back to sleep. Somehow he ended up sleeping on top of my hands while I was lying on my side facing him. I started to feel paralyzed. I couldn't move. I felt my son on my hands. I started to get scared wondering how I could get my body to move if my son was on my hands. It felt like a few minutes, until I finally jerked my body and stopped feeling paralyzed. I readjusted my son's sleeping position and tried to go back to bed. I still had the feeling that if I lay back in bed I'd start having sleep paralysis again. Sometimes I had to shake my head a few times then I could sleep with no paralysis.
For some reason, sometimes when I wake up from sleep paralysis my head feels like my brain has swollen up or feels heavy. I get it to go away if I shake my head a few times.
I read one of the earlier posts about sleep paralysis stopping around 30 years of age...I wish it was sooner. I'm tired of experiencing sleep paralysis.

I'm New to this site and already I see I'm going thru the same stuff alot of you are. Just yesterday I had about a 20 second paralizing (not so happy) experience. At first It was my conclusion that it was some sort of nerve pinching or somethng of the sort. Later I would get those Dreams, half asleep half awake. With these dreams I begans to wonder is it perhaps something more? perhaps something malevolent such as a demon toying with me.

I recall one dream of terrible pounding outside my room door, the kind that you have to answer because it sounds urgent. I open the door and nothing was there but I sensed a presence. And this presence paralized me. I couldnt retreat from it nor could I walk forward. And all the while as I look out at the slightly opened door I knew there was something there, something I couldnt see. Vision was hazy as well, with hardly any focus. I get these about a few times a year and Im glad there is a name for it. Ill try to stick with the more realistic side of this until more research has been done. Nevertheless I'm open to possibilites that this could be something of both, still its too early to say. My mother seems to have the same condition but believes it to be demons as apposed to the other alternative. I look forward to reading other experiences and opinions.

Dreams can be from your mind, a scary one to wake you up so you will not wet the bed. A lot of times when you figure this out it will stop and you may have a different one each time. Actually it is a nice safeguard!
The bible says there are spirits out there and you are supposed to test them. Many people see "Ghosts" and think they are the deceased. More than likely they are devils. They could be a person with astral projection.

A lot of folks rather think they are going crazy than to believe there is a spirit rhelm. We don't see a lot of this type of happenings in America because this is a Christian country and if we walk with the Lord Jesus we have a hedge of protection around us. To know if they are not from the Christ Jesus, you ask them to say Jesus is Lord and if they can't then they are "not on his side." This is in a case where an actual demon comes to you and tries to pursuade you into doing something or believing a doctrine he tries to teach you.

The Blood of Jesus is your most powerful weapon. The bible says we have authority over the spirits when you have been born again.
A vampire is a cool allegory of the walk in your life. He comes to take your lifeblood and you use the cross against him. Study of the bible will help your walk in your life. It is the human instruction manual. Most folks just go to church and never read the bible. The info you can gain from it may knock the socks off you.
You may be getting these experiences to get you to seek your spiritual life and the reason why you are here.
If you are a Christian and letting your children do things that are spiritual and not Godly (like witchcraft and even some "Christian religions," you can get these devils living in and around you. You need to clean up your spiritual life and take authority. You can get devils from some of the music in the system.
As we let more and more people with their cults and religious activities that are not of the Lord Jesus Christ come into our country we will see more and more scary spiritual happenings in America. Not only in ghosts but also in the weather.
The bible says in the last days that Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
So don't be afraid, be educated.
Make sure you are eating food good for you. Processed foods fill but don't nourish always. Paper accepts ink. Know your food. Spiritual and physical food.

So sleep paralysis is Jesus punishing me for eating McDonalds? It all makes so much sense now.

Here I was looking for a reasonable, logical and rational explanation when all along, right in front of me, was Jesus.

Now that I've discovered Jesus in my life, I no longer have any need for reason, logic or rationality. In fact, I've even lost my sense of curiosity. I used to ask questions like, "Hey, daddy! How do cars work?" Now I know: Jesus Power!

Thank you, Penny. And thank you, JESUS! Life is so much easier now.

:D Well said!

But I can't find no place or nothin', where thrills are cheap, and love is divine

I think that your taking the religious aspect a little too serious. Most of the events and occurences that happen to us are more physical as apposed to manifestations of demons appearing before us to do their bidding. Perhaps believing in God may do something, but how can you prove that it is doing anything? It may only be mentally uplifting you to try to overcome the paralysis or could very well be doin nothing. Im personally trying to take the scientific approach towards the dilema and may take a religous one if all else fails. Currently Ive had no paralysis occurences since my last post.

This post was edited by JEDISTORM on Jul 22, 2004.

Hey there.

I pity everyone who suffer from this evil torment.

I have been studying these phenomena for many years. Most of the victims are unreligious. This fact blinds the victims from seeing the cause of this evil occurance. If this was to happen to a religious Christian, He would automatically pick up on the sheer Evilness of it and know exactly what causes it. But because most victims of this torment are unbeleivers of God and for that matter unbeleivers of evil existence, they fail to understand the cause. Naturally, they also fail to find cures.

You will never escape this torment. Not unless you beleive. Beleive in God, Jesus Christ, and understand that Evil is out there to take souls to hell. Do you think this evil torment will end when you die? No. Something much worse will be waiting for you. Hell... What you are experiencing is only a small gimpse of Hell. You haven't even seen it yet.

You won't beleive me if you don't beleive in Jesus Christ. And you won't beleive Devil either. But tell me this. Are you going to deny your evil experience? Close your eyes and ignore it, hope it is just a dream. Does that change the reality?

You know better than anyone what you experience is real.

And you should know by now Devil is real.

Hell is real.

What's you gonna do?

If you have any faith at all, it is about time you reached out and seeked the truth.

Truth will set you free.

Go get baptised. Confess your sins in Jesus Christ. Pray for salvation and deliverance from the evil one. Get Holy Water from Catholic Church. Spray it in your house. Hang a Crucifix over your bed. Read bible and pray before bed.

Then, come back and tell us what happens.

May Peace be with you.

st_michael

Im happy that for you the matter is so simple, but surely you accept that it is not so for others.

I was a devout Christian for many years. A sufferer of insomnia as well. the few occassions where i could sleep i was tormented by horrific figures, they were generally burning me alive. i could see and felt sure that i was awake. i would findmyself in my bed suddenly, drenched in sweat and shaking. there were remnets of tears around my eyes.

i did pray. i wore the gold crucfix that i had recieved when i took my First Communion. i read the bible (Well, part of it) everyday and was a firm believer in Christianity.

I was eight at the time. I started to wonder why God didn't save me from this. I was afraid to go to bed so for night after night i stayed awake as long as i could praying that when i fell asleep God would protect me. but he didnt.

after a year or so with these dreams or whatever they were coming in patches every few weeks i stopped believing. Either God couldnt be real, or he didnt care about me.

Either way. It was at the age of nine where i realised that I was on my own, through this situation and others. Since i came to that realisation it never happened again. In fact, i havent remembered a dream of any sort, with very few exceptions that were trauma related.

So you see, there are numerous reasons we could attribute to these dreams/demons/whatever leaving me. perhaps God wanted me to be stronger so he forced to me to take a step on my own. perhaps i grew too old for nightmares. perhaps it was coincidence. perhaps i found strength in my new resolution and way of life that i used to combat the dream. perhaps something that i have long since forgotten about hapened that aleiviated my fears about something.

there are many different reasons why this could have happened. i think it is foolish to say that it is because I must have been plagued by evil and that i must be an ignorant fool not to recognise this.

like i said before, im pleaseed that life is so simple for you. you can simply trust that whatever happens around you is the will of God. you dont have to accept responsibility. and God can forgive all your sins. But some of us feel the need to ask questions, first innocently to our Lord, but then more cynically to ourselves as we recieved no answer.

I guess what I'm objecting to in your post is your tone. you are convinced that you are correct, which is fine. but i think you need to accept that others may be also convinced that the are correct and hold a different opinion to you.

By the way, i object far less to this post than to you other one. I found your other one rude, this one im more inclined to simply find interesting.

but like i say, you may want to watch the tone a bit. it can come off a little patronising. just my $0.02

-Mel

Look at me! I'm a prostitute robot from the future!

I will make sure i watch my tone. thank you for your advice.

st_michael

St. Michael: night terrors don't come from demons or witches or the Devil (who I'm rather sure doesn't exist, come to think of it, unless he resides presently in the White House), but if night terrors and sleep paralysis are divinely inspired, then God has a funny way of telling people to sleep regularly and not eat spicy foods before they sleep (less'n, of course, he's punishing people for their genetics, as some scientists seem to think that could be a cause). In any case, the theory is just silly.

Thbbbbt

For as long as I can remember, I have suffered from Sleep Paralysis and I do believe in God. And I don't think it is "sleep paralysis" I think it is a true fight between good and evil for your soul... It's not evil that I see, it's a feeling of evil all around. Everything turns red, everything is very heavy, and the voices and dark figure standing above, holding me down and you can't move but your eyes are wide open and you can't speak no matter how hard you try-- I've even slept with a bible in my bed and it still has happened so finding "absolution" doesn't make it end... Some people say you are stressed and tierd and that is what causes it, but I don't believe that-- It's the scarriest thing I have ever experienced and it is very very real.

This post was deleted by request of the author.

"you're mighty brave in cyber-space, flame boy!"

Uh... have you made sure it's not a real person breaking in to your house and drugging you?

But I can't find no place or nothin', where thrills are cheap, and love is divine

Actually, that kind of experience is commonly associated with sleep paralysis.

That would be where incubi and succubi come from.

I consider myself lucky to not have ever had an experience such as that myself.

The worse hallucination I ever had during a bought with sleep paralysis was seeing an alien.

It was standing in a door way pointing at me. I could hear my friends out in the kitchen, just through the door way in which is was standing. I tried to move and call for help, but no luck. The alien was basically your run of the mill, stereotypical alien. Skinny, kinda greenish, but more grey.

So there it was pointing at me in the doorway, starring me down. And I couldn't move. All I could do was move my arm up to point back at it. Very odd.

Then a flash of black.

Suddenly the alien's head is shaking violently. Back and fourth like someone saying "no" except so fast, it's face became a blur.

Then another flash of black.

The alien is still pointing at me. It’s now completely still again. It’s face is melting off into this kind of black ooze.

And finally I snap out of it. The whole experience must have lasted under a minute, but it seemed like forever.

This post was deleted by request of the author.

"you're mighty brave in cyber-space, flame boy!"

Well, sleep paralysis is (at least from my experience and what I've read) caused by lack of sleep and/or stress.

If you don't get enough sleep, or you're working too hard, then you can probably ease up and take a rest and your sleep paralysis attacks will be less frequent.

Also, I was reading up on caffeine lately. Apparently caffeine has a half life of 6 hours in your system. If you have a large cup of coffee (about 200mg of caffeine) at 3pm, you'll still have 100mg in your system at 9pm.

Having caffeine in your system can prevent you from entering the deep sleep your body needs. And thus, cause more frequent sleep paralysis attacks.

So basically, you can prevent sleep paralysis by getting lots of rest, cutting back on your caffeine intake and basically, relaxing every once in awhile.

Also, I was reading up on caffeine lately. Apparently caffeine has a half life of 6 hours in your system. If you have a large cup of coffee (about 200mg of caffeine) at 3pm, you'll still have 100mg in your system at 9pm.
Having caffeine in your system can prevent you from entering the deep sleep your body needs. And thus, cause more frequent sleep paralysis attacks.

That certainly explains it for me. I'm a terrible caffeine addict.

Thbbbbt

I suffer from a somewhat interesting sleep disorder where I will sometimes become conscious while still in a state of sleep paralysis

This is not a sleep disorder, anyone can experience this. I have on multiple occasions.

Okay so this is in 2007 and the thread started in 2002 but I think Sleep Paralysis(SP) never went away so I'll relate my experience with it. I've had SP ever since I was a kid. I used to be very scared when it happened. I would wake in total darkness unable to see or move and I had sensations of pressure all over my body and pressure pain in my male genitals as if someone was squeezing me hard. Over the years I have grown to be less panicked by SP episodes. A couple of years back I was singularily capable of taking command over the situation. I had just read something on the net about how one could use SP as a means of achieving Out of Body Experiences (OOBEs) and I woke to find myself in SP. As I had read only maybe an hour before I said aloud "I want there to be light! I want to see!" and I tried to get up. Poof. (No better word here to describe it except maybe for "all of a sudden"). I was in a hospital gown sitting on an examination table staring at the linoleum floor. I looked up and there was a huge and broad glass window in front of me, the kind where they can see you but you can't see them. It was black. To the right was a hospital bed complete with equipment. It felt real. Everything was real. Just as real as me sitting here and typing this. It was real and if you protest it wasn't, hell you weren't there. I approached the dark window and tried to look through it but I couldly see blackness. I touched the glass with both hands and it felt like it should, it felt like cold glass. Not too cold, but cold. Then I remembered this is the astral and I can go through things if I want to. I willed my hands through the glass and then my hands did go through the glass. Just like that. I then however immediately "lost control" and then woke up seconds after in my bed. I was never able to this day to repeat this but I sure will keep trying. I have since had SP episodes and during a more christian
mental era of mine I invoked the name of JC to fend off what
I perceived evil spirits. During that time I had an episode with
what I believe to have been an entity that wanted something from
me but didn't get it because I fended it off. I felt this burst
of vicious-hate-of-not-getting-something which I have felt very
often in earlier times. I am saying I have SP episodes, I'm not
saying I'm a nice guy. Anyhow I knew exactly what that entity
had felt and I saw some demon kind of apparition flash up in
front of me when that jolt of hate hit me. Oh and yet another
time I woke to see the static in front of me and the white
noise hissing off an analog TV when it is not tuned to a station. All of the sudden I heard "data", that distinct buzzing
sound made by modems or what you could hear on compact cassettes
used with early 1980 home computers. Maybe my implants were
getting an update :-) ? And finally yet another notable event
was the SP when all of the sudden there was a "hole" in the
darkness and a white large figure came through with red eyes
walking briskly towards me. I suddenly just knew I didn't want
to mess with that and snapped out of it as fast as could.
There are the more notable things I've experienced under SP,
most of the SP's were more like "torture sesssions" for my balls, sorry if you find that offensive but that's what they
were and invoking the name of JC or hell nowadays just telling
them to _FUCK_OFF_ (I don't care if it offends you really)
works. Hope you found it interesting, thought you might like
to know.