So I recently got back into LDing. I started keeping a dream journal about 3 weeks ago knowing that it would help me have LDs more frequently. Last night, I was having a pretty rough nightmare. Right when a creepy floating head and hand were about to get me, I realized that I was dreaming. I became so elated that I shot myself right into sleep paralysis. I have had more than my fair share of SP experiences and false awakenings, but this time I came a little more prepared and had promised myself to let go of any fear and use it as a bridge to a LD.

The gripping fear that normally seems to occur by default with my SP was not fully present. It was still a bit creepy, but nothing compared to past times. So, I just fully let go and allowed whatever was going to happen to happen. As usual with most of my SP, I heard voice chatter, whispers, and a buzzing sound. The more I relaxed, the more intense the sounds became. It was clear that I was approaching a threshold point. It was as if the more that I let go, the more brain chatter I could hear. I felt like I was hearing the audio of countless mazes of neurons firing in my brain. Suddenly it stopped and I felt myself rotate upright, out of my sleeping body, and into a tunnel. I have experienced the tunnel once before and it led to a lucid dream, so it seemed as though I was clear of the SP experience. I quickly found myself back in SP again though. I tried to relax again. I attempted to take a slow deep breath to help, but realized that there was no air movement when I breathed. It did not feel like I was unable to breath, but more like I was in my dream body which did not need to. I tried to just let go again, but as the brain chatter and number of voices increased, I opted to wake up.

The great part about this SP experience is that I was actually able to just wake up. With many SP experiences in the past it often takes what feels like ages to be able to move my body or to escape the pattern of false awakenings. This time, I was much more relaxed though and just decided to wake up. It did take some strong effort to get my eyes to fully open, but it certainly didn't compare to the agony of trying to wiggle a toe or a finger while hearing creepy footsteps and voices around me.

SP has been an battle for me for many years, so staying calm and letting go was a big victory.

I need to find a way to stop throwing myself into SP once I become lucid. It normally happens when I become overly excited at becoming lucid or when I have tried to use my arms or legs too much to control flying. I feel like I need to relearn how to exist as a dream body. Something that I am doing or thinking seems to boot me from my LD into SP... and that just sucks.

Any input or thoughts would be great.