I've experienced sleep paralysis but this was violent..

[Clairity]

I've experienced "Old Hag" (i.e., sleep paralyis) before and was usually able to ride it out without too much fear or discomfort as I knew what it was.. but what I experienced this morning.. was different.. it was violent. First a little education on what Old Hag/sleep paralyis for those who haven't heard the terms before. ** Old Hag is caused by sleep paralysis lingering after waking. Sleep paralysis happens during REM dreaming, and prevents you from acting out your dreams by blocking motor signals from your brain. The classic symptoms are - unable to move, a feeling of weight on your chest and/or unable to breath, a sense of a presence, fear or panic, and some vague (usually greyish) object in the centre of the visual field which is often interpreted as a person (or nowadays, an alien). The "Old Hag" name arose from people putting the symptoms together to form the interpretation that an old hag was sat on your chest, pinning you to the bed. ** As I said I've experienced "Old Hag" before but this morning.. this morning really scared me. I woke up at 4:30 am and had gone to a couch in another room so as not to be disturbed by my husband. I had done my meditation on my back but since it takes me forever to fall asleep on my back, I rolled over onto my right side. I again continued my affirmations to realize when I was dreaming. I felt the familiar "shift" that let me know that I was on the bridge between mind awake and body asleep when things turned horribly.. different. I heard a screeching/scraping sound which I welcomed in a way as it usually meant the vibrations were coming and perhaps I could go oob or straight into a lucid dream. I remained focused and calm.. ready for the vibrations to start.. but suddenly I felt myself being lifted up into the air and SLAMMED back onto the couch! My first thought was WTF!! but I hadn't even finished that thought when I was lifted up, shaken and slammed again! I was violently slammed at least 5 times.. Once I even felt my body being "broken" over the arm of the couch! I tried to "wake" myself up but couldn't move! I didn't even think to scream.. I was just so shocked that this was happening. It felt like something incredibly strong was lifting me up by the back of my legs and was slamming me like a rag doll! Somehow the words "I am protected by pure white light" came into my mind and it all... just... stopped. Slowly in the black stillness I saw hypnagogic imagery of large luminous white snowflakes floating towards and past my eyes. They sort of reminded me of those large crystal snowflakes that you'd put on a Christmas tree. Even though there were many and moving, I could tell that each one was different. I thought that if I could stop them from going by and turn them into a landscape.. I could jump or merge into them as I have other hypnagogic images and begin a lucid dream.. but I lost concentration and they started to fade and I woke up. I lay there for a few minutes just trying to make sense out what had happened. I am so grateful for the snowflakes that I saw because if I had woken right up after the "astral attack", I might have gotten up, went back to my bed, hugged my husband and been too afraid to ever try LDing again. Instead, I calmed myself, asked again to be protected by pure white light and fell into a sweet very vivid non-lucid dream. I realize this is a very long post and I thank those who read it all the way through. I mistakenly thought that "old Hag" experiences only happened if you slept on your back and I was on my side - almost on my stomach. Through it all I felt no physical pain and I feel no effects from it as I type this. I also do not feel that there was anything "sexual" about this attack. I truly believe that sharing negative things like this with others takes away it's power (like lighting a candle in the dark).. you only truly "suffer" in silence. Thank you all for being my candle..

[Seeker]

I've never had anything like that happen to me. I concur though, old hag can occur from any sleeping position. I can't tell for sure, but I suspect you WILDed into an extremely vivid false awakening while lying there on the couch. At least that's all that makes sense to me right now.

[the beauty who sleeps]

Yikes that sounds terrifying! I've had sleep paralysis happen to me a couple times (actually it was at the start of a stretch of LD's I began having over the course of several months) but never anything that violent. Now I'm not certain if what I experienced was a true sleep paralysis, as I was dreaming it, and the ONLY way I know it was a dream, was the fact that I was wearing a different shirt in the dream, from what I was when I woke up and realized it wasn't real. In mine I'd been dreaming I was lying on my back, listening to the rain falling down hitting the roof. Listening to it, sort of put me into a trance of sorts, and I noticed that there were specks of lint glowing on my shirt, as if under a black light. I stared at the spots of light, mesmerized by them and they began to grow in intensity with the pounding of the rain. Than I heard the sound of the bedroom door opening, and heard someone come into the room. It was dark in the room and I couldn't see anything, and had assumed it was my husband. Next thing I know I can't move. I can't scream. I feel this increasing pressure of weight upon my chest, and what felt like distinct pressure points (as if hands) on my shoulder and arm. Than a voice whispered something into my ear. I can't quite remember what it was for sure, because I was panicking so badly, but it either said "You're awake." or You're awake?" It was either a statement/fact, or a question. I tried to wake myself up, convinced it must be a dream, but nothing worked, which led me to believe it must be really happening. And than the only thing I could think of was I was going to be raped by a ghost. I finally woke up to the realization that my body was struggling against something that wasn't there anymore and I had been trying to scream. I think it was my struggling which had woken me up. Although the second time it began to happen, I recognized the heavey feeling upon my chest and turned it into a lucid dream.

[Clairity]

Originally posted by the beauty who sleeps Yikes that sounds terrifying! It was pretty intense! As was your experience! It's nice to know that others have their share of \"frightening\" experiences. Thanks you so much for sharing! Originally posted by the beauty who sleeps Although the second time it began to happen, I recognized the heavey feeling upon my chest and turned it into a lucid dream. Would you please share how you were able to turn it into a lucid dream. I am going to attempt to lucid dream tomorrow morning and I know I'll be feeling a little apprehensive but I've got to "get back on the horse." :-) Any tips on how to turn sleep paralysis into a lucid dream will be MOST appreciated!

[adam has a dream]

Any tips on how to turn sleep paralysis into a lucid dream will be MOST appreciated! I find trying to lift my hands or arms works really well; trying to move the fingers might also be effective. The way i would break paralysis was by wiggling my toes so i wouldn't recommend that. Not doing the things that would break paralysis, and doing the things that wouldn't break paralysis are best to slip into a dream. Sometimes just picturing moving a limb will send you into the dream.

[Interested1]

Hi Clarity, This is just my belief, but I'll share it with you. I think there is more to dreams and AP/OBE than people think. I believe it is spiritual in nature, and not something to be toyed with. I've had a lot of really strange sleep experiences in my lifetime, but nothing quite like that. I find that prayer for protection while I sleep really helps in the dream state. Our spirits/souls are real and acitve during our dreams. I read one of your posts where you talked about the posibility of meeting your spirit guide, but keep in mind that not all spirits are benevolent. Just be sure that you're properly armed and protected when going in to the dream world, that's the best way to avoid a future occurance. Best of luck tonight

[Vance]

Wow, I really do feel bad for you. Seriously. SP I am not familiar with, but I can deal with any lucid/semi-lucid dreams. You just have to find out that you are literally the most powerful entity in yourself. Your subconscious and your soul obey YOU. If anyone was afraid of anything, they would be afraid of you. So whenever I feel that malevolent being with those long, silver claws, hooded face etc. I never let it touch me. I feel it behind me and I turn around and go "That's right, you want to test your skills again? Go ahead... I must warn you though..." This is probably the point where it attacks me, and this is also probably the point that I grab it's throat, shove it against the wall, hold it there with huge force while backing away, then completely slam it into the ceiling/walls/floor. While it struggles to get up, soundly deliver my kneecap into what used to be it's face, then, stepping on it's chest, draw out my clean, polished European longsword, inscribed "VERI," then plunge it into it's neck. Any further resistance is met by decapitation/dismemberment/disembodiment. You could even get someone to help you out with this (Just make sure he is skilled in swordsmanship, because swords seem to be the best way to do this) Burning the remains makes sure it is not coming back. I believe ritualising it in this way helps more, instead of saying "rain, rain go away" Maybe it is more of a man thing to try and shred whatever is stalking you. I know I certainly like the idea of mauling whatever comes at my with ill intent. I am sure also that you would be fully capable of dispatching said foe. Now, what happens when there is no physical form? Whatever you like. If it is a shadow, sprinkle holy water on it. If it is a force, stop yourself, draw the force into a single, glowing point, and implode it. Make sure it suffers too. Just make sure you tackle it as you would expel the most disgusting demon from the most sacred temple. Notice that I used the graphic illustrations to further emphasize how much this creature is not going to want to come back. I sincerely hope that this helped you, and remember, this doesn't have to even happen again. Lightning does not strike twice in the same spot. (And to those people posting their experiences, that's fine, just try not to post them to scare)

[Clairity]

Wow.. this posting was originally done almost 3 years ago! Thanks everyone for reading and for the advice. I have never had another episode of "old hag" since and hopefully I never will but, if I do, I'll try to remember what you guys have suggested.

[the beauty who sleeps]

Would you please share how you were able to turn it into a lucid dream. I am going to attempt to lucid dream tomorrow morning and I know I'll be feeling a little apprehensive but I've got to \"get back on the horse.\" [/b] The first episode and the second time it happened were about 3 weeks apart. But because the first time it put such an impression upon me, that it always seemed to be at the back of my mind, wondering what exactly it was. The second time it happened, I recognized the same feeling of heaviness upon my chest. And I knew immediately that I was dreaming. There was no doubt. I still felt paralized, but instead of fighting against the heaviness, I went with it and even tried to increase the feeling. Than I imagined rocking back and forth from side to side on my bed. I think I was trying to astral project at the time. At one point I rolled over suddenly on the bed and thought it hadn't worked, and had only woken me up, but I realized as soon as I moved again, that I was dreaming and from than on it was easy to control everything else. I than flew, but kept flying higher and higher in this lucid dream. This was around the time that all I ever did was really fly. I can't remember exactly where I flew, but I continued to fly so high I reached outerspace (or my version of it anyways lol) Good luck with trying to get back into it. Hopefully it works out for you.

[Alric]

Yea I think you might have been dreaming. Not that it really matters either way. Crazy things happen all the time when you try to have lucid dreams. You shouldn't let it stop you, as you said it didn't really have an effect other than being a little scary, so theres no harm done. I have never had sleep paralysis before, when I try WILD's and stuff I got straight into dreams and when I wake up its instant. I have heard if you have it though, you can enter a dream by trying to get up, or how you where laying down trying to roll off the couch would be good. Well thats really for oob stuff but a lot of people say thats just dreaming anyway.

[sensi]

I've had violent attacks in that state. I've had many experiences with 'old hag' and like you too I just concentrate on white light and it is not too bad. The three worst I can think of was having the breath sucked out of me until it felt like I was lifeless and also being strangled once again to the point of having almost nothing left. This happen in an old TB hospital that had been converted into flats. I never stayed in that room again. I only slept in there twice and both times it freaked the fuck out of me. I just focused on white light tho and eventually I woke up. The third was most bizarre and not too violent and I have not experienced and old hag or violence since then. I was lying on my stomach I was hit with the color red, I felt a negative energy near me but passed it off as being nothing. Next thing the energy lays on top of me and my whole body tingled, not in a positive way. This time I acknowledged its presence in a calm manner. I was not too threatened. I just said who are you and what do you want to it telepathically. It got straight off me and I woke up. Now I have had nothing else like that happen again. Old hag use to be quite regular for me but not anymore. Now reading over all that just sounds wacky but it did actually happen, what it was I do not claim to know. Anyway, white light works as you know and being calm and not threatened works too. You have power in that realm too; you just have to believe it. Peace Sensi.

[TheThinMan]

sleep paralyis. Sitting in a chair at work during midnight shift. drift drift dift.... off. Oh my god, I feel asleep at work, what is that evil presence, have I been abducted? Its worse, I cant move. Must use WILLPOWER... ok, I got my fingure to move. Go away evil spirits! Am I in a coma? Slowly gaining control. Ok, I'm better now. I am awake and I can now move. No more evil spirits or aliens, back to reality. Can you tell that I have experienced it?

[lilacsky]

Hi clarity, Im just replying to all your posts you pmed me, all very interesting, Im enjoying the reads. I presume you were stuck in the hypnogogic state, unable to move, somehow when this happens our awareness is lost and even sometimes while leaving the body, the astral body can be half way out causing such violence and disturbances to the body, due to energy conflicts and not having control at the same time.. its good you remained calm and I think you handled it very well!! I have found myself in this state where I could hear and feel things around me, normaly in this state, people are very afraid for some reason, in my own opinion I think that some how during the process we end up in the inbetween life and death state, which usualy happens in the hypnogogic state... I have read that even people who have obed many times and are masters at it, are even afraid in this state, I have spoken with my group about this several times, and it is now my theory that we can access a much more dominant layer of consciousness perhaps where we are not as strong, and the physical mind is weak due to the energy levels.. though I don't think anything can harm you, I still think it can be a fearful experience, and I have had feelings of overwhelming energy in this level or state..

[Tillerman93]

Hi there, Im a 37 year old man, and i've been having this reoccuring 'old hag' for many years, since I was a young teenager. Sometimes, the woman sweeps in and swoops out without any violent ending, but lately, the ending has been getting very bad. She floats around the room, in her cloak, cant see her face, but something is telling me she is a woman. Then from nowhere she is on top of me, cant breath, and her hands slide gently around my neck to begin the strangle process, which, as soon as this begins, i wake up. Now, people can draw their own conclusions from these nightmares, and I have always kept an open mind. For many years I have suffered from depression, alcohol abuse and smoking. Recently, I have been diagnosed with a gastro problem, which has led me onot a new road of clean living and healthy lifestyle. I have quit the cigarettes, started jogging, and really started to shape a new life of all round happiness. Its not for everyone, and dont get me wrong, im finding it very hard to maintain it, but im determined to live a more healhier lifestyle. Since i started the new regime, the dreams have stopped! I sleep more soundly and wake in a more positive persona. 'Old Hag' is a horrendous situation to have to suffer, and im still unsure as to what it was all about...was it just my health, or is she something that appears to warn us. Like i said, i keep an open mind. Good luck everyone and God Bless.

[Clairity]

Originally posted by Tillerman93 I have quit the cigarettes, started jogging, and really started to shape a new life of all round happiness. Its not for everyone, and dont get me wrong, im finding it very hard to maintain it, but im determined to live a more healhier lifestyle. Since i started the new regime, the dreams have stopped! I sleep more soundly and wake in a more positive persona. 'Old Hag' is a horrendous situation to have to suffer, and im still unsure as to what it was all about...was it just my health, or is she something that appears to warn us. Like i said, i keep an open mind. Good luck everyone and God Bless. Tillerman93, first, welcome to the forum and second, congratulations on your new healthier lifestyle (an added bonus being no more bad dreams)! Good luck and God's blessings to you as well.

[Leo Volont]

Originally posted by Clairity Somehow the words \"I am protected by pure white light\" came into my mind and it all... just... stopped. .. Here is one essay I found on the White Light: http://deoxy.org/annex/cwl.htm This second essay is very long, and so I recommend search-finding to the 'white light' section. http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/download/kun...i.htm#_VPID_133 In perhaps my most powerful Lucid Dream, I had intoned an AUM and levitated up into the air to simply hoover and meditate. The air around me turned a violet hue and began to shimmer in waves, and then, about 10 meters in front of me, the fabric of space simply tore open and out poured the White Light. It was very intense. It looked like the light of burning magnesium being reflected from a chromium mirror. It formed up into a Paramahansa Swan (the trademark symbol of both the Ramakrishna Vivekananda Missions, and the Self Realization Fellowship founded by Yogananda) and then it, despite its large size (a meter tall, a meter wide), it zapped into my forehead. And then again and again and again. The Swan would reform out of the White Light -- at first very ornate -- artifically ornate and very elaborate in a statueques way. But with each repetition the Swan became simpler and simpler and the repetitions more rapid, until the Birds were coming into my head many times each second and the Birds were like simple 'Vees' -- just two wings the way that small children draw flying birds. Also, years before I had a vision of a Mystical Cross. Instead of being a two dimensional cross, it was 3 dimensional, with another set of perpendicular arms coming out to the side... and front and back. The Cross turned slowly. It was very ornate. Jewel encrusted -- rubies, sapphires and emeralds. But whenever one of the arms turned to face me and I could look straight down into it -- out shown that same pure White Light -- like magnesium light being reflected by chrome.

[Distant Clone]

I think when we reach a higher vibrational state, it's like we can interact with non-physical entities. I've had an experience where I was in my bed with overwhelmingly strong vibrations and something was rolling me around. I wanted to move my arms, but they were in sleep paralysis. I knew I was awake because my dad slammed his truck door shut and that startled me and stopped this from happening. From there, I turned on the radio and figured out it was reality. Your description of the initial "attack" make it not quite clear whether you had intense vibrations or not. Were there strong vibrations?

[Clairity]

Originally posted by DistantClone Your description of the initial \"attack\" make it not quite clear whether you had intense vibrations or not. Were there strong vibrations? Nope..I heard a screeching/scraping sound and I thought that vibrations would soon start but instead the "attack" occurred.

[Zoggy]

Originally posted by Leo Volont+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Leo Volont)</div> <!--QuoteBegin-Clairity Somehow the words \"I am protected by pure white light\" came into my mind and it all... just... stopped. .. Also, years before I had a vision of a Mystical Cross. Instead of being a two dimensional cross, it was 3 dimensional, with another set of perpendicular arms coming out to the side... and front and back. The Cross turned slowly. It was very ornate. Jewel encrusted -- rubies, sapphires and emeralds. But whenever one of the arms turned to face me and I could look straight down into it -- out shown that same pure White Light -- like magnesium light being reflected by chrome.[/b] I had a similar experience. Jesus told me that I was going to see something Ive never seen before, and there was the cross with white light coming at me.

[Vivid]

I've not experienced/ seen/felt the "Old Hag".. I've heard these strange sounds before, though. To be honest, it really frightened me. I've been a bit skeptical of WILDing and such now. I've not really tried it much since. I guess I let it have the better of me.. v_v. I know I should try it again, but after reading what has happened to all of you, I realized this could happen to me, which frightened me even more. I'm not much for horror movies. I usually try to avoid them. And, like a horror movie, I find myself avoiding WILDing and any method of lucid induction, except DILD. I think I need to will myself to try again, though. I might try tonight, but I can't be sure.

[Clairity]

Vivid, just remember that it's all in your head. Your mind is just trying to make sense out of the sensations that your body is experiencing.. there is no real physical danger. You just need to "breathe" your way through it.

[mylucidworld]

I heard this can happen when expriencing sleep paralysis but it is rare. Sometimes you will see a figure standing over you and sometimes it will attack you.

[Ivy]

I heard this can happen when expriencing sleep paralysis but it is rare. Sometimes you will see a figure standing over you and sometimes it will attack you. I dont know about attacking you, but I have seen a figure right next to me while in SP, I WAS laying on my side, and I did feel like it was trying to take the pillow I had between my legs, and I was holding on to it tight, thats all I could do since I couldnt move. Another time, right when I felt I was just about to fall asleep, I was interrupted by the sound of my bed hitting the floor, and feeling like I slid down a little, I immediately sat up, and freaked out, all my lights where on, but THAT was VERY vivid

[Dream Catcher NYC]

I had a similiar encounter. It’s about 11pm. I’m in my apartment in Lower Manhattan. I’ve been cleaning my house and sort of throwing all stuff that I really don’t need in a spare room next door to my bedroom; ex: spare bed frames, mattresses, stereo system, boxes, books, clothes etc… When I’m about ready to turn in for the night, as I’m laying in bed, I begin to hear jitter jotter come from the next room, sounded like something moving, I assumed it was a mouse moving around the plastic bags looking for food, being that I lived on the ground floor of a building and it was winter, I made my self believe it was a mouse and nothing more. Upon falling asleep I heard it again and wanted to go investigate it but was too tired and fell asleep. Hours later I awoke from sleeping on my facing the west wall of my room. My eyes were already adjusted to the dark and I saw everything clearly though it was pitch black I saw a sort of fade light on the room which helped my eyes see in the pitch black of darkness. And heard the sound even louder, I immediately tried to turn over to face the east wall of my room toward where the door of my room is located, and found that I was paralyzed, couldn’t move my arms and barely jiggled my body and toes around, I was like a dying squirming fish and was stuck on my side facing the wall not able to see what was in my house, it really bothered me that I was stuck in such a vulnerable position at this time, I glanced at my digital clock on my radio and saw it was about 4am. I then felt the presence of an entity in my apartment coming towards my room door from where I heard the sounds. The strange feeling became greater when I then felt someone in my room. Still trying to squirm over to see who it was, the presence was strong and I was sure that an entity or person was in the room walking I heard the footsteps in my room and immediately began sweating profusely and my heart racing. All I could use was my ears to determine where in my room this thing was and this was quite a vulnerable feeling I felt and heard the being walking around my bed coming towards my sight of vision at the west wall of my room, waiting desperately to see what this was I had my eyes fixed on the side where this being would approach me, and went into extreme panic when I saw a silhouette pure black of a person the being then quickly went towards my face and stared at me, no eyes, no features, just a black silhouette, then the being grabbed one of my pillows and smothered me and suffocated me. I moved about to no avail and went unconscious smothered to death by a pillow. Hours later I had a FA, False Awakening, and I saw myself sleeping in bed, I actually woke up from my body and left it and stood beside my bed watching my lay there still, I then saw an Indian figure and it told me to contact someone in the real world to wake me up, I tried calling my girlfriend at the time to tell her to wake me up, what ended up happening was she appeared in my dream and I wasn’t able to contact her in real life. I then felt like I would be stuck in the dream for eternity as the Indian told me I would if no one ever woke me up and I lived alone! Hours later I woke-up soaked in sweat, still thinking for about 5 minutes that a figure would come in a suffocate me with a pillow, I got up and searched the room with a fine toothed comb and found nothing to prove a being was actually there. That was the most vivid recollection I have in SP and I won’t ever forget it, to this day I tell people this and they really get freaked out and scared. Was I lucid or not? If I was dreaming and was Lucid I couldn’t move due to SP.

[Clairity]

That was the most vivid recollection I have in SP and I won’t ever forget it, to this day I tell people this and they really get freaked out and scared. Was I lucid or not? If I was dreaming and was Lucid I couldn’t move due to SP. I don't blame them.. I got freaked out just reading about it. If you realized that you were dreaming and believed that you were.. then you were having a lucid dream.