Paralysis.

[goodo.]

I have read about the sensation of paralysis of the physical body, but there was no heaviness or falling sensation... just my waking awareness of being in my body... laying on my back in my bed... and totally paralysed!

The purpose of my mentioning this... is because I COULD NOT BREATH...

It took place two times concurrently... the first time, with a fair amount of difficulty, I managed to mentally will myself to fight it off.. or move... or something somehow...!

Upon doing so... laying in the same position... I began to (or did?) fall asleep within one or two minutes... when the same thing took hold of me again ... but only this time was MUCH HARDER and TOOK A LOT LONGER to fight it off....!

I honestly thought I was about to suffocate to death... so I could not go along with it...!

This time, I rolled on to my side... and so it didn't happen again...!

I'd be appreciative of your opinion... or advice... 'cause this sort of scared me a bit.

[Celeborn]

Yeah...
This same thing happened to me the first two real times that I managed to get into a deep meditation. I think this is the real reason why a lot of masters emphasize that beginers send a lot of time focusing on following their breath when meditating.

I recomend that you do this as well. It will force a small portion of your awareness to control your breath, which will allow you to paralize yourself without losing control of your breathing. The downside is that you will not be able to go quite as deep at first. But after focusing in this way for a month or so during regular meditation you will train your body to breath automatically when you meditate so that you can let go of everything and trust that your lungs will keep taking in air without you.

Good luck!

[Matt]

Do you have sleep apnea? Sleep paralysis itself is no more dangerous than normal sleeping. The only difference is that you're actually aware that you're paralysed. However if your normal sleeping pattern involves apnea then you'll maybe become aware of it when you consciously enter paralysis for the first time. In that case the problem isn't paralysis itself but the apnea and you should probably go to a doctor to get that fixed

In normal paralysis it feels like it becomes harder to breathe because your body reduces the strength of your voluntary nerves' connections so that when you're dreaming you don't jerk your arms and wake up so easily. However, if you stay calm and breathe deeply you'll be able to get out of it. The main thing is to stay calm and keep your mental focus.

[goodo.]

No Matt... to the best of my knowledge, I don't have 'sleep apnea'...
In fact... to tell you the truth... until you just mentioned it, I've never heard of it before...

The time I mentioned it in my previous post is the first time I have ever experienced it... but since then, it has happened once again!
It's not as though it is 'difficult to breathe'... my lungs (like the rest of me) become totally paralysed... and admittedly, this does freak me out a bit...

I will concentrate on my breathing whilst in meditation mode, as Celeborn advised... and see how I go from there...

I appreciate your replies Matt and Celeron... Good health to you both.

[Matt]

Hi goodo, here's a page on apnea:

http://www.newtechpub.com/sleep/apnea/f ... tml#whatis

I am interested to hear how this turns out for you and to hear what you eventually find out works for you to make it easier to breathe when in paralysis.

I've found that some times I'll get into paralysis while laying on my side, I then project and explore a little bit but find that because of the way I'm laying it becomes hard to breathe. At that point I cut the projection short and change position.

This is one of the reasons that I think that OBEs are safer than normal dreaming because you're more aware of whether your body is getting enough air

Good luck!

[CFTraveler]

I've heard of the 'old hag syndrome' described as the feeling someone is sitting on your chest- Could this have been it? I get the version when you see stuff next to you- the telltale sign is red eyes (creepy) but thank god no difficulty breathing.

[Matt]

The old hag syndrome (dweller on the threshold) is based on sleep paralysis. Paralysis really can be pretty scarey, at least it was for a number of my early episodes. Here's a page on what I did to handle the hag syndrome

http://www.saltcube.com/?t=sp-fear

[Beekeeper]

When my sister was a child (we shared a room) she always complained of the vibrations when going to sleep (all three of us had them- my brother as well). For my sister, this meant that soon the hands would be around her throat and she'd see disembodied eyes. Often there'd be scratching sounds too.

There was another occasion (she was about 12) when I wasn't in the room but near it. I heard strange noises coming from within. Then she tore out of the room terrified. Something had been attacking her again.

She isn't bothered by it anymore. She left it behind when she left home. My parents were in the process of divorcing at the time and things were tense.

[goodo.]

Hey Matt.... thanks for the links...
That 'sleep apnea' page is interesting... pretty educational too... and there's a possibility I may suffer from it...?

I'm pretty sure I don't snore ewillison... 'cause I have a 'voice activated' micro-cassette recorder set next to me on my pillow... (to record Astral experiences/dreams upon awakening, without moving)... and it never seems to inform me of any snoring...?
It's interesting what else you say though.... as though maybe I was breathing... and to induce sleep paralysis... as to expect it... and use it as a springboard to the Astral...
I will be conscious of that, should it happen again!

I will have a closer read of those two pages Matt... and continue with my combination of experiments and practise!

Thanks everyone for your interest and advise! Good health to you all!

[goodo.]

Thanks for words of encouragement nnd advice Matt, celeborn and others....
Thankyou particularly Matt for the 'saltcube' links... I will definately be making use of them... and I would encourage others that may be following these words to do likewise...!

Getting back to this 'paralysis and breathing' topic... I find that on those occassions when I suffered breath paralysis, was when I was laying on my back... 'cause it has never happened whilst laying upon my side...
I'm not 'dead sure'... but it may have something to do with the back of my tounge and throat going into deep rexlation and closing my air passage off as I enter the state of paralysis?
This may be why (as you said Celeborn)... the Masters advise beginners to focus on their breathing (and breath work) whilst meditating...?

Last night ewillison, I became consciously aware of the rushing surge of paralysis whilst falling asleep...(upon my side) and welcomed it... (as against fighting it)... and became joyously aware of my successful projection...!
So thanks for your posts mate... simular to Matt's... I (and I hope others) found them very informative and interesting!

So thanks again my friends