Thread: Was this sleep paralysis?

I 'wake up' in bed, but I can hardly move. I try wiggling some fingers, which I can do, but other limbs, I don't even sense them there, let alone move them. I try to turn my head and my neck is absolutely immobile, I feel pressure there when I try to turn, but it doesn't move.

I open my eyes a little and can see my bedroom (it is already light), but keep them closed, knowing I might see something I don't want to see.

I can hear the sound of a washing machine and the sound of a crowd talking. In the crowd I can make out the voice of a person I know, but I don't remember what they said.

In this state, if I tried to visualize something, aspects of it seemed to appear by themselves. Like if I visualized a book, what the book said generated itself, without any conscious thought.

I did NOT feel pressure on my chest, nor was it scary in the least (although it no doubt helped that I knew about SP before, but there was nothing creepy). At the end the noise I heard was replaced by the sound of the fan I keep on for white noise, at which point I was free to move.

So, what do you think, was this what is typically called sleep paralysis (SP) along with hypnagogic hallucinations or imagery?

Sure sounds like it to me! It's not always scary, and there isn't always pressure on the chest.

Never tried it but from what I've gathered it definetly sounds like it. Also check this link if you wanna know more about it
http://www.dreamviews.com/dream-yoga...explained.html

Definitely sleep paralysis if you were awake and couldn't move. Dark matters is correct on this.

SP is the reason a lot of people stay away from LDing. Now you know what it is "actually" like.

Thanks for the opinions. I'm glad it was sleep paralysis, because it's easier to do a WILD if I know what this phase is like. It was so not scary, kind of cool to look back on, actually. I think the white noise helped, people talk about hearing creepy footsteps from their heartbeat, but what can be creepy from a continuous droning fan? And you can always keep your eyes closed.

That has always been my thought. People talk about seeing things, and I just think "close your eyes?" Haha.

BTW, you don't need SP to WILD. It is just one of the ways. Not sure if you knew or not.

Originally Posted by BrandonBoss

BTW, you don't need SP to WILD. It is just one of the ways. Not sure if you knew or not.

True, but I don't think I have a choice as to what I feel on the WILD ride?

Well it depends on the technique you choose, most here just require a WBTB. Find your own path to it though. To me inducing SP actually seems to be the easier way, people that can do it have more success. I haven't done it that way though.

Yup, sounds like SP, and SP is indeed usually not scary, more often we make SP scary by subconsciously suggesting things why we can't move, and sensations/hallucinations of it vary from person to person so yeah.