Thread: So what's with this "Old Hag" I'm reading about?

Originally Posted by Shift

I don't even know why people mention the damn old hag when talking about sleep paralysis, because it puts SP into such a negative light.
I experienced it a lot before ever LDing, and it was always scary because I had no clue what it was, and of course in my panic I would think scary thoughts and materialize them. It's all about what you expect the experience to be.

Ever since learning about LDing and how SP can be used to get into a lucid dream, I have looked forward to them! Whenever I feel it, I think positive thoughts and just keep thinking about how I would like the dream to materialize and begin, and what fun I'm going to have. This has worked, knowledge about it has made it a VERY cool experience, and also ironically (probably since this is how my lding works too ) the more I want to experience SP the less often it happens.

Now keep in mind that there is a difference between lucid dreaming and sleep paralysis. If all you do is have DILDs, you'll have already unconsciously gone through SP and will simply realize it is a lucid dream and start having a blast.

Not to mention LDing is so damn cool that it far outweighs that infinitesimal chance of a scary SP experience. And this is coming from the 20 year old who can't watch horror movies, can't look at pictures of horror movie badguys, and who still sleeps with a light on. Sometimes all lights on. I wouldn't be caught dead in the dark, I have flashlights all over my house. But now in the back of my mind I hope for scary monsters to appear, because it means I'm in a dream!

You could try to think of some cute cuddly creature or something that makes you happy every time you think about, hear about, read about, or write about SP and then maybe when you experience it that association will dominate and/or materialize, making it less scary. Just a thought. I really don't think you should even be concerned about SP though! And just in case you find yourself in SP and want to get out, I've read that wiggling is the best way to get out of it. So, no worries!

Being totally honest, you should post that in EVERY "I'm scared of SP" thread, then make your own thread with that as the header.

Brilliant.

Originally Posted by Snowy Egypt

Being totally honest, you should post that in EVERY "I'm scared of SP" thread, then make your own thread with that as the header.

Brilliant.

Absolutely agreed.

Originally Posted by Snowy Egypt

Being totally honest, you should post that in EVERY "I'm scared of SP" thread, then make your own thread with that as the header.

Brilliant.

Originally Posted by Scarhand

Absolutely agreed.

Thanks guys! Well I almost didn't post it, I'm always hesitant about posting my opinions but that is something about SP that has always baffled me. I was reading a post just last night and some noob asked about SP, and the first response was "Oh people also call it the OLD HAG! DUNNN DUNNNN DUNNNNNNNNNNN! *cue shriek/horror movie soundtrack*"

Atleast that is how I interpreted it. Just a nightmare. Maybe I will fix it up and write either one whammo post about SP or just respond it to every single one I see about SP like you suggested. Shit, maybe I'll revamp the damn wikipedia entry with the scary picture. Good god! It turns so many people off and makes it into such an awful experience (without even occurring !!) when it is really such an amazing, positive thing! I remember the first times it happened, I was like "Whoa I'm falling through the bed!" Or "I can't move!! Oh god... oh no wait now I can. That was weird." After reading about SP and hags and etc. on the forums and on other webpages, they took a decidedly nasty turn until I realized how incredible they really were!