Misunderstood Sleep Paralysis And Astral Projection

I would like to discuss a phenomena which is widely misunderstood. Feared when it need not be. And this misunderstanding creates the very thing which has been ill-conceived. I speak of sleep paralysis. It seems to be commonly believed that this is some sort of a terrifying, almost evil thing. People speak of seeing and/or hearing demonic figures. Some say this is where experiences of alien abduction come from. But I'm here to tell you, it is in no way inherently scary or evil. In fact, I think it is a wonderful tool for us, and potentially a spiritual gift.

First of all, let me explain. Sleep paralysis is most common among lucid dreamers. There is an association between the two. I have regularly lucid dreamed throughout my life. And thus, I have experienced sleep paralysis many times. I have never experienced anything like these terrifying experiences people report. I have learned, that while in the sleep paralysis state, your perceptual projection mechanisms, like those that produce dreams, are still in effect. Yet you can perceive your actual environment. The issue is that people become frightened, even terrified, when they wake up and are unable to move. Out of this fear, you create fearful perceptions. You then characterize sleep paralysis as demonic. Your perceptions are reflections of your feelings and your mind. I have found that you can create any perception you would like. All you have to do is focus your mind on the perception you want, sight, sound, feeling, whatever. Essentially imagine it in a focused way. If you do this, you will create the actual perception of it.

There is something else that needs to be said of this state of sleep paralysis. It is the easiest gateway into astral projection. I have only really astral projected one time, but the time I did it was out of sleep paralysis. That is definitely the time to do it. While I was theoretically interested in the ideas involved with astral projection, and believed it to be possible, I was also somewhat skeptical, especially of any old person who claimed to be able to do it. Eventually however, while in sleep paralysis I came up with and tried a method I thought might allow me to astral project. And, I did. Even after consciously exiting my body, I was still somewhat skeptical that it was a dream. After journeying a bit, I began to notice that I could feel my body lying simultaneously to feeling myself astrally. I wondered if I could just sit up in my body. I tried, and I did. This, to me, was proof that I was really astral projecting, and that it was not a dream. So, in addition to sleep paralysis, I would also be interested in thoughts, experiences, and questions related to astral projection and my experience of it.

I think definately that if you find yourself unable to move upon awaking that it creates fear. Then you automatically think the worst scenario and create it for yourself. I agree that positive thinking might change the experience of sleep paralysis. I myself have never experienced sleep paralysis, and I think I would also be a little scared by the experience. Thanks for sharing your experiences, which can help alot of people who go through this.

a reply to: TheJourney

I Believe Your theory may be in fact correct! I have been able to Astral Project on different occasions as a result of telling my body to go to sleep but not My mind. Sleep Paralysis. In this way I was able to "go out". OOBE is a wonderful experience! By using a breathing technique of slowing down the breathing and eventually reaching a Trance state, Sleep Paralysis, one is able to Project themselves "Out" into the Astral Plane/Realm. Good Thread! Thanx for The share here! Later, Syx.

Except that there is no such thing as the astral plane and sleep paralysis is just a mis function of two chemical neuro transmitters.
m.livescience.com...

And the astral plane? Come on...... You can actually earn $1,000,000 if you can prove it exists and your not just using your imagination to pretend.

Please save the fiction for creepy pasta.

Denying ignorance means proving your claims when asked too.

a reply to: TheJourney

a reply to: TheJourney

I completely agree with you that fear is the catalyst for a bad experience. I have experienced sleep paralysis for most of my life although not as regularly as I used to. What characterised it for me was what I call the buzzes. A very unnatural sensation as if a powerful energy had entered into my body somewhere at the stage of falling to sleep. A rushing sensation that sort of shakes your consciousness awake.

I think I had the same sensation as you when I decided to experiment. Lucid consciousness when your body is asleep is enough to give anybody the terrors, and you feel as though you are in a very strange place, very surrealistic.

Just a few weeks ago my experience was so real, and because it is difficult at the time to know if I was asleep or awake, I swung my legs out of the bed and stamped the floor a few times and heard the noise and felt vibration through my legs of the impact. I convinced myself I was awake but that something very odd was happening because of the eerie feeling that accompanies that condition.

I sensed I had got up and was going about my day when I suddenly woke up and it was still nighttime. It really does seem that real. For me it usually ends in sleep and I cannot recall what happens next.

Having said that, I used to have very nonsensical dreams very fragmented, but what dreams I recall these days I am usually having conversations with people. What I find fascinating is at some point during that early sleep stage I find myself listening in on mundane conversations such as general banter between family members that I don't know or a street scene with people going about their day. but I swear it is as real as if I where there.

I never sense a transition such as looking back at my sleeping body, or anything that seems to be the normal account of people who astral travel, and when It happens it just seems normal, as though I where a fly on the wall just looking in on life happening around me.

Last night I was watching and listening to an old girl who used to be in showbiz showing off her skills to her old friends chuckling and thoroughly enjoying herself. Seriously strange I know.

Go figure!

originally posted by: TheJourney
I would like to discuss a phenomena which is widely misunderstood. Feared when it need not be. And this misunderstanding creates the very thing which has been ill-conceived. I speak of sleep paralysis. It seems to be commonly believed that this is some sort of a terrifying, almost evil thing. People speak of seeing and/or hearing demonic figures. Some say this is where experiences of alien abduction come from. But I'm here to tell you, it is in no way inherently scary or evil. In fact, I think it is a wonderful tool for us, and potentially a spiritual gift.

First of all, let me explain. Sleep paralysis is most common among lucid dreamers. There is an association between the two. I have regularly lucid dreamed throughout my life. And thus, I have experienced sleep paralysis many times. I have never experienced anything like these terrifying experiences people report. I have learned, that while in the sleep paralysis state, your perceptual projection mechanisms, like those that produce dreams, are still in effect. Yet you can perceive your actual environment. The issue is that people become frightened, even terrified, when they wake up and are unable to move. Out of this fear, you create fearful perceptions. You then characterize sleep paralysis as demonic. Your perceptions are reflections of your feelings and your mind. I have found that you can create any perception you would like. All you have to do is focus your mind on the perception you want, sight, sound, feeling, whatever. Essentially imagine it in a focused way. If you do this, you will create the actual perception of it.

There is something else that needs to be said of this state of sleep paralysis. It is the easiest gateway into astral projection. I have only really astral projected one time, but the time I did it was out of sleep paralysis. That is definitely the time to do it. While I was theoretically interested in the ideas involved with astral projection, and believed it to be possible, I was also somewhat skeptical, especially of any old person who claimed to be able to do it. Eventually however, while in sleep paralysis I came up with and tried a method I thought might allow me to astral project. And, I did. Even after consciously exiting my body, I was still somewhat skeptical that it was a dream. After journeying a bit, I began to notice that I could feel my body lying simultaneously to feeling myself astrally. I wondered if I could just sit up in my body. I tried, and I did. This, to me, was proof that I was really astral projecting, and that it was not a dream. So, in addition to sleep paralysis, I would also be interested in thoughts, experiences, and questions related to astral projection and my experience of it.

Not sure of the connection. I experience sleep paralysis on a much more random basis than I used to. It used to happen once or twice a month in my twenties and now in my thirties it might occur every 6-9 months. I never experienced the "visual" version, mine has always been the audible one. Frozen and unable to move yet hearing all manner of sounds, overwhelming fear and constantly repeating "get up" in your head for what seems like an eternity. Not sure how someone is supposed to "project" themselves in that state of fear.

Sleep paralysis is nothing to take lightly. It is an indicator of other much more harmful maladies such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
If you experience this state often, you should visit your doctor and run the appropriate tests.




a reply to: TheJourney

a reply to: Woodcarver

I keep telling myself I need to do this, but the next day I completely forget about it.

originally posted by: Woodcarver
Except that there is no such thing as the astral plane and sleep paralysis is just a mis function of two chemical neuro transmitters.
m.livescience.com...

And the astral plane? Come on...... You can actually earn $1,000,000 if you can prove it exists and your not just using your imagination to pretend.

Please save the fiction for creepy pasta.

Denying ignorance means proving your claims when asked too.

a reply to: TheJourney

You believe you can feel yourself laying down in bed, and make a decision to sit up in your bed and then instantly do it, while dreaming?

originally posted by: Woodcarver
Sleep paralysis is nothing to take lightly. It is an indicator of other much more harmful maladies such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
If you experience this state often, you should visit your doctor and run the appropriate tests.




a reply to: TheJourney

Actually it's common for lucid dreamers. You're exposing your ignorance.

originally posted by: Woodcarver
Sleep paralysis is nothing to take lightly. It is an indicator of other much more harmful maladies such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
If you experience this state often, you should visit your doctor and run the appropriate tests.




a reply to: TheJourney

Consensus reality is such a comforting thing isn't it?

originally posted by: kennyb72
a reply to: TheJourney

I completely agree with you that fear is the catalyst for a bad experience. I have experienced sleep paralysis for most of my life although not as regularly as I used to. What characterised it for me was what I call the buzzes. A very unnatural sensation as if a powerful energy had entered into my body somewhere at the stage of falling to sleep. A rushing sensation that sort of shakes your consciousness awake.

I think I had the same sensation as you when I decided to experiment. Lucid consciousness when your body is asleep is enough to give anybody the terrors, and you feel as though you are in a very strange place, very surrealistic.

Just a few weeks ago my experience was so real, and because it is difficult at the time to know if I was asleep or awake, I swung my legs out of the bed and stamped the floor a few times and heard the noise and felt vibration through my legs of the impact. I convinced myself I was awake but that something very odd was happening because of the eerie feeling that accompanies that condition.

I sensed I had got up and was going about my day when I suddenly woke up and it was still nighttime. It really does seem that real. For me it usually ends in sleep and I cannot recall what happens next.

Having said that, I used to have very nonsensical dreams very fragmented, but what dreams I recall these days I am usually having conversations with people. What I find fascinating is at some point during that early sleep stage I find myself listening in on mundane conversations such as general banter between family members that I don't know or a street scene with people going about their day. but I swear it is as real as if I where there.

I never sense a transition such as looking back at my sleeping body, or anything that seems to be the normal account of people who astral travel, and when It happens it just seems normal, as though I where a fly on the wall just looking in on life happening around me.

Last night I was watching and listening to an old girl who used to be in showbiz showing off her skills to her old friends chuckling and thoroughly enjoying herself. Seriously strange I know.

Go figure!

Those vibrations are what you use to astral project. I can only tell you what I did that worked, it is not a technique I read anywhere. Basically, when you begin to feel that energy, you cycle it with your breath. Push down with out breath, pull up with the in breath. Use this cycle as a means of building momentum for this energy, as you cycle it. You will feel the energy getting more intense, almost incomprehensible intense. When it gets to this point, use the momentum of an out breath to throw yourself out of your body. When I did it, my first 4 or so attempts it felt like I had a rope of limited length tied around my mid-section, and I was hitting the end. So, I got yanked back into my body. On the 4th or 5th attempt, I successfully threw myself out of my body.

a reply to: Woodcarver

Sleep paralysis is nothing to take lightly. It is an indicator of other much more harmful maladies such as Alzheimer's and dementia.
If you experience this state often, you should visit your doctor and run the appropriate tests

If you read your article correctly it explains that sleep paralysis is a normal bodily function. What is not normal is the few people that do not trigger the paralyses when they are asleep and flail around while unconscious.

That is the REM disorder that is an indicator of something wrong.

I can see your point in linking the two together as i have had both but that's where it ends for me. However there is a very real aspect of sleep paralysis all suffers have in SP "fear at a level of being almost catatonic" and the worst part is what ever is causing it is just out of eyesight. You feel the presence of something so horrid it causes paralysis! I don't believe in the people who say they witness it manifested and give detail to what it looks like. The body not being able to move is frightening but nothing like "the presence" which cannot be accurately described in words. I know the scientific explanation and it's a bunch of crap because everyone who had SP would have such wildly different situations in their SP episodes however they don't and its been documented throughout human history the same way for thousands of years spanning many cultures.

you feel drained or at lest I did for a month of any type of positive energy.

a reply to: TheJourney

Those vibrations are what you use to astral project. I can only tell you what I did that worked, it is not a technique I read anywhere. Basically, when you begin to feel that energy, you cycle it with your breath. Push down with out breath, pull up with in breath. Use this cycle as a means of building momentum for this energy, as you cycle it. You will feel the energy getting more intense, almost incomprehensible intense. When it gets to this point, use the momentum of an out breath to throw yourself out of your body. When I did it, my first 4 or so attempts it felt like I had a rope of limited length tied around my mid-section, and I was hitting the end. So, I got yanked back into my body. On the 4th or 5th attempt, I successfully threw myself out of my body.

I must try that, I usually find much of the time i'm trying to compose myself and calm myself down as it is quite traumatic at the time. I will give that technique a go when it happens again, which I know it will.

originally posted by: In4ormant

originally posted by: TheJourney
I would like to discuss a phenomena which is widely misunderstood. Feared when it need not be. And this misunderstanding creates the very thing which has been ill-conceived. I speak of sleep paralysis. It seems to be commonly believed that this is some sort of a terrifying, almost evil thing. People speak of seeing and/or hearing demonic figures. Some say this is where experiences of alien abduction come from. But I'm here to tell you, it is in no way inherently scary or evil. In fact, I think it is a wonderful tool for us, and potentially a spiritual gift.

First of all, let me explain. Sleep paralysis is most common among lucid dreamers. There is an association between the two. I have regularly lucid dreamed throughout my life. And thus, I have experienced sleep paralysis many times. I have never experienced anything like these terrifying experiences people report. I have learned, that while in the sleep paralysis state, your perceptual projection mechanisms, like those that produce dreams, are still in effect. Yet you can perceive your actual environment. The issue is that people become frightened, even terrified, when they wake up and are unable to move. Out of this fear, you create fearful perceptions. You then characterize sleep paralysis as demonic. Your perceptions are reflections of your feelings and your mind. I have found that you can create any perception you would like. All you have to do is focus your mind on the perception you want, sight, sound, feeling, whatever. Essentially imagine it in a focused way. If you do this, you will create the actual perception of it.

There is something else that needs to be said of this state of sleep paralysis. It is the easiest gateway into astral projection. I have only really astral projected one time, but the time I did it was out of sleep paralysis. That is definitely the time to do it. While I was theoretically interested in the ideas involved with astral projection, and believed it to be possible, I was also somewhat skeptical, especially of any old person who claimed to be able to do it. Eventually however, while in sleep paralysis I came up with and tried a method I thought might allow me to astral project. And, I did. Even after consciously exiting my body, I was still somewhat skeptical that it was a dream. After journeying a bit, I began to notice that I could feel my body lying simultaneously to feeling myself astrally. I wondered if I could just sit up in my body. I tried, and I did. This, to me, was proof that I was really astral projecting, and that it was not a dream. So, in addition to sleep paralysis, I would also be interested in thoughts, experiences, and questions related to astral projection and my experience of it.

Not sure of the connection. I experience sleep paralysis on a much more random basis than I used to. It used to happen once or twice a month in my twenties and now in my thirties it might occur every 6-9 months. I never experienced the "visual" version, mine has always been the audible one. Frozen and unable to move yet hearing all manner of sounds, overwhelming fear and constantly repeating "get up" in your head for what seems like an eternity. Not sure how someone is supposed to "project" themselves in that state of fear.

You project based on how you feel. Next time you're in sleep paralysis, imagine a sexual scenario. Just as an example that would be easy to get into it. If you focus your mind in the fantasy, you will see, hear, and/or feel what you are experiencing. You can do this with anything. I have read that there were sacred spaces that they used to make, that were designed to be slept in...here, with the holy symbolism as cues, mystical and religious experiences would be induced out of the sleep paralysis state. It's the same effect as the fearful experiences, instead focused positively towards their spirituality. Your mind projects itself, like in dreams. If you are fearful, you'll project fearful things. I have done tons of experimentation in this state, I know from experience.

originally posted by: slacker007
I can see your point in linking the two together as i have had both but that's where it ends for me. However there is a very real aspect of sleep paralysis all suffers have in SP "fear at a level of being almost catatonic" and the worst part is what ever is causing it is just out of eyesight. You feel the presence of something so horrid it causes paralysis! I don't believe in the people who say they witness it manifested and give detail to what it looks like. The body not being able to move is frightening but nothing like "the presence" which cannot be accurately described in words. I know the scientific explanation and it's a bunch of crap because everyone who had SP would have such wildly different situations in their SP episodes however they don't and its been documented throughout human history the same way for thousands of years spanning many cultures.

you feel drained or at lest I did for a month of any type of positive energy.

That's what I'm saying, I have experienced sleep paralysis so many times, and I know fear doesn't have to accompany it...or any of the negative stuff...and I know what you perceive is projected by your mind, because you can actively manipulate it...

a reply to: slacker007

I don't believe in the people who say they witness it manifested and give detail to what it looks like.

I saw it once, and it was unimaginably scary about 12 inches from my face it was black with blooded eyes long teeth and a ridge along its face which was red. I personally feel protected and I sent it away and as soon as I did that it disappeared.

Another occasion I sensed something and almost immediately a blackness darker than the dark room I was in rushed me and I felt it was smothering me. That was a bit unsettling and I woke up in a sweat.

OP is spot on and it was the same when astral projection happened to me.

Especially the first time when I consciously tried to project, there was sleep paralysis present, strong vibrations all over my body and scorching noise getting louder and louder.
If you want to successfully project than this experiences are welcomed and when they happen, the right way is not to fight it and just let go of ALL thoughts and fear, just try to stay conscious and have the eyes closed all the time!
Then you will feel like you are starting to move. For me it is like I start lifting from my bed and it seems at that point that awareness is leaving the body. And then viola! after a few moments you should be standing near your body in astral plane.

But in my case I was prepared and knew that this transition to astral word would be wired due to a lot of different opinions from people who had the same experience.

So this is just natural process for me when I start consciously leaving the body. But I can imagine if that would happen to me a few years ago then I too would be scared. Very scared!
My advice to anyone who is experiencing sleep paralysis in fear, just let it go. Have your eyes closed for a few moments and it will quickly pass.

But anyway this stuff is real! If anyone wants to experience astral travel consciously and not just ordinary dreams, you can! It is our inherent ability which sadly gets overlooked due to materialistics ways in current society.

So to all all sceptics I say. Try it yourself, everybody can do it you just have to have open mind or even better no mind! - dont bother with beliefs,faith - these are just unnecessary thoughts which clouds the reality and make it harder to succeed!
That and you must know how to get 100% relaxed like when you are sleeping, the only difference is that you must stay conscious/aware. Don't doze of to sleep!

I understand that sleep paralysis is real and that lucid dreaming is real.

What i disagree with is astral projection. If you can't prove it is really happening outside of your imagination, then i have no reason to believe you.


a reply to: TheJourney