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Sleep Paralysis & Hallucinations


ava1enzue1a

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I'm quite familiar with sleep paralysis, maybe even too familiar. (Perhaps I should undergo a sleep study?) Nonetheless, I know this topic might be clichéd nowadays but I'm still wondering what some of my hallucinations could have meant, what they could have symbolized? Is it even possible to attach concrete meanings to these kinds of things?

First off, one of my greatest curiousities is about a black snowflake. This happened a while ago (about 4 yrs ago) so it isn't to cause confusion between any indications/interpretations and my current life circumstances, with the exception of it possibly hinting a reference to the "future" of course (this applies to just about everything else I've mentioned below). At any rate, I was laying in bed one night, in a state of sleep paralysis of course and hallucinated a large, black snowflake hanging on my wall, about 2 feet in diameter. Tbh, it looked kind of cool lol. But what could this projection symbolize? Just curious.

I've many other hallucinations and experiences with sleep paralysis including OBEs, visual and auditory hallucinations, and at times even with being immersed in a different "realm"/space apart from the actual room or environment I was sleeping in. These hallucinations and experiences include:

  • Seeing a teal-colored design/pattern floating over me outlined with gold color, which seemed to be of Middle Eastern accent or maybe even Hindu in design. (This was one of my favorite hallucinations b/c it was actually quite beautiful)
  • Feeling/"sensing" an aggressive or otherwise angry mouse that scurried about my bedspread
  • Hearing a droning/ringing noise from a register/air conditioning vent
  • Seeing my bed sheets overlaid with a plaid texture (no, they're not actually plaid)
  • OBEs or "floating" out of my body, which in some cases I could actually "feel" my arms passing right through my blanket! (It actually wasn't an unpleasant sensation; more of a "soft" feeling and an interesting one at that)
  • Hearing a pack of dogs eerily howling and barking in the distance (in actuality there were no dogs in the distance)
  • Seeing a shadowy-figured hand hovering over my head

On the darker side, the scariest experiences were the following:

  • Seeing an alien-like figure, yet humanoid in appearance, short (about 3 feet tall) standing at my bedside, laying its forehead on my arm. I could actually "feel" it!
  • A projection of my intimate partner hovering over me in an evil/malicious manner. The expression on his face was scary as hell. (Again, in actuality, he was only laying/sleeping beside me the whole time)

I know some of these may sound strange or even "crazy", but nonetheless ─ what could any/all of these mean? Do any of these entities/themes have any significance, or are they just typical, random sleep paralysis hallucinations? Thanks for any feedback!

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Wow, I've been trying to experiance these things.. your not crazy btw.

The only thing I can relate to is the alien/humanoid figure. I've had two clairvoyant instances like this from an altered state of meditation. But didn't find them frightening at all.. Oh and the angry mouse thing too, but mine is physical/realworld and scurries up in the ceiling& walls, but only when I'm meditating? Hmmmm, maybe it's not of this realm..

Anyway, I'm unsure as to the meaning behind these visions.. Am starting to learn that these can be personal to you, so my interpretations would only mean something to me.

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Thanks :) I appreciate the feedback.

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I'm quite familiar with sleep paralysis, maybe even too familiar. (Perhaps I should undergo a sleep study?) Nonetheless, I know this topic might be clichéd nowadays but I'm still wondering what some of my hallucinations could have meant, what they could have symbolized? Is it even possible to attach concrete meanings to these kinds of things?

First off, one of my greatest curiousities is about a black snowflake. This happened a while ago (about 4 yrs ago) so it isn't to cause confusion between any indications/interpretations and my current life circumstances, with the exception of it possibly hinting a reference to the "future" of course (this applies to just about everything else I've mentioned below). At any rate, I was laying in bed one night, in a state of sleep paralysis of course and hallucinated a large, black snowflake hanging on my wall, about 2 feet in diameter. Tbh, it looked kind of cool lol. But what could this projection symbolize? Just curious.

I've many other hallucinations and experiences with sleep paralysis including OBEs, visual and auditory hallucinations, and at times even with being immersed in a different "realm"/space apart from the actual room or environment I was sleeping in. These hallucinations and experiences include:

  • Seeing a teal-colored design/pattern floating over me outlined with gold color, which seemed to be of Middle Eastern accent or maybe even Hindu in design. (This was one of my favorite hallucinations b/c it was actually quite beautiful)
  • Feeling/"sensing" an aggressive or otherwise angry mouse that scurried about my bedspread
  • Hearing a droning/ringing noise from a register/air conditioning vent
  • Seeing my bed sheets overlaid with a plaid texture (no, they're not actually plaid)
  • OBEs or "floating" out of my body, which in some cases I could actually "feel" my arms passing right through my blanket! (It actually wasn't an unpleasant sensation; more of a "soft" feeling and an interesting one at that)
  • Hearing a pack of dogs eerily howling and barking in the distance (in actuality there were no dogs in the distance)
  • Seeing a shadowy-figured hand hovering over my head

On the darker side, the scariest experiences were the following:

  • Seeing an alien-like figure, yet humanoid in appearance, short (about 3 feet tall) standing at my bedside, laying its forehead on my arm. I could actually "feel" it!
  • A projection of my intimate partner hovering over me in an evil/malicious manner. The expression on his face was scary as hell. (Again, in actuality, he was only laying/sleeping beside me the whole time)

I know some of these may sound strange or even "crazy", but nonetheless ─ what could any/all of these mean? Do any of these entities/themes have any significance, or are they just typical, random sleep paralysis hallucinations? Thanks for any feedback!

I can't comment on your symbolism. In fact I use a strategy of asking other people to comment on their own, and more often than not their analysis says more than than the visions themselves.

I suggest you learn to control your talent, things are less random, and you can learn more when you induce rather than simply receive. Let me know how I can help. Don't consider your talent as something bad... As proff T mentioned, there are many trying to achieve what you have naturally. Embrace it. There is no limit to what you will drscover.

With that said. Have a sleep study done to check for:

Apnea

Narcolepsy ( probably not)

Low iron or bad iron obsorbtion

Couldn't hurt ;)

Edited by Seeker79
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  • 2 weeks later...
Seeing a teal-colored design/pattern floating over me outlined with gold color, which seemed to be of Middle Eastern accent or maybe even Hindu in design. (This was one of my favorite hallucinations b/c it was actually quite beautiful)

umm... how did you attribute the cultural references to that? ..patterns?

i saw a purple dirty mist flecked with gold. it communicated with me and imitated my father.

reading what you've wrote just now kinda unnerves me a little... how did we see something very similar?

*sigh*

when i was very little, i used to have nightime visitations, my dad ended up putting me in his room, i even remember drinking a baby bottle at this time? ..he went to the extent of putting a jesus stattue holding a baby in the room for me (he is not religious at all) i used to see that stattue of jesus punch that baby. if i'm crazy, then this is something genetic and i've had it since i was a kid.. if i'm not crazy.. then something really really ****ed up is going on here.

these experiences have never completely stopped, although it's been some time since i've had one now. because of this my life is constantly focused in paranormal and religious research & study. the things that have happened lead me to believe in the God of the bible, but even there is a lot of stuff i'm still clearing up.. the bible tells me to test all things and hold on to what is good and true.. good advice i think, and i will never stop looking.

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I have had several sleep paralysis episodes all my life, starting from when I was 12 but have never halucinated. I just get very tingly and can't yell or move. It lasts for a few minutes to several minutes. I have also started lucid dreaming, I find that fascinating. I can't, however, do it all the time. It's hard to make yourself realize that you are dreaming lol. I read once that the two are connected in some way, but I can't remember the connection. I guess I just wonder if it's normal to have sleep paralysis with no halucinations?

Edited by Kahlan23
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I've had similar experiences with sleep paralysis, starting from when I was only 5 which was terrifying.

I had drempt that I was in some kind of other world where the electiricy was being drained by these batteries (literally massive black duracell bateries). I ran in to my room and climbed up in to my bunk bed then the batteries followed me and held me down, I screamed as loud as I could but I was completly paralysed and couldn't move. I was stuck in between my terriying nightmare and the real world. When I eventually did wake up my bed side light was on, but turned out there had been a power cut that night. It took me years before I could sleep with the light off again.

I still experience sleep paralysis atleast a few times a month, sometimes occuring multiple nights in a row. These days when I experience sleep paralysis it usually comes with this static noise that rushes in and out. If I stay still and continue to try to sleep it feels like there are forces running through my entire body and it gets loader with each woosh. Once I experience that I won't be sleeping for the rest of the night as the noise comes back each time I start to drift to sleep.

I also experience lucid dreams and occasionally have woken up sweating, not because it's hot but because I'd experienced something so real my heart was racing.

It's not all bad though, I have had some great lucid dreams where life is just perfect. It does make me wonder though, how much meaning is attached to these dreams and sleep paralysis hallucinations. Is this our sub conscience trying to send us messages?

Edited by Exodus87
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I've had similar experiences with sleep paralysis, starting from when I was only 5 which was terrifying.

I had drempt that I was in some kind of other world where the electiricy was being drained by these batteries (literally massive black duracell bateries). I ran in to my room and climbed up in to my bunk bed then the batteries followed me and held me down, I screamed as loud as I could but I was completly paralysed and couldn't move. I was stuck in between my terriying nightmare and the real world. When I eventually did wake up my bed side light was on, but turned out there had been a power cut that night. It took me years before I could sleep with the light off again.

I still experience sleep paralysis atleast a few times a month, sometimes occuring multiple nights in a row. These days when I experience sleep paralysis it usually comes with this static noise that rushes in and out. If I stay still and continue to try to sleep it feels like there are forces running through my entire body and it gets loader with each woosh. Once I experience that I won't be sleeping for the rest of the night as the noise comes back each time I start to drift to sleep.

I also experience lucid dreams and occasionally have woken up sweating, not because it's hot but because I'd experienced something so real my heart was racing.

It's not all bad though, I have had some great lucid dreams where life is just perfect. It does make me wonder though, how much meaning is attached to these dreams and sleep paralysis hallucinations. Is this our sub conscience trying to send us messages?

Exodus, you have a talent, you can easily create an OOBE when you hear the noises and feel the energy.

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Exodus, you have a talent, you can easily create an OOBE when you hear the noises and feel the energy.

I used to beleive very strongly about the spirit and energys, but as I've grown older I've come to beleive more in what can be prooven by science. I still have a very open mind towards this topic and have some very symbolic dreams from time to time, which I can't help but attach some meaning to.

Then again, may be I'm just crazy. It probably doesn't help that my mum beleives she's a witch, when I've mentioned some of my dreams she beleived I was venturing on to the other side (OOBE).

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I used to beleive very strongly about the spirit and energys, but as I've grown older I've come to beleive more in what can be prooven by science. I still have a very open mind towards this topic and have some very symbolic dreams from time to time, which I can't help but attach some meaning to.

Then again, may be I'm just crazy. It probably doesn't help that my mum beleives she's a witch, when I've mentioned some of my dreams she beleived I was venturing on to the other side (OOBE).

Regardless of what the reality is behind it, it's quite an adventure. You also learn a lot about yourself, and you can cure yourself of any chronic fear issues during altered states. Just a suggestion :)

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Regardless of what the reality is behind it, it's quite an adventure. You also learn a lot about yourself, and you can cure yourself of any chronic fear issues during altered states. Just a suggestion :)

I've never looked at it that way before, to be honest the experience tends to be quite a scary one which is why it's often stopped me from sleeping. The fear of the unknown tends to amplify it, making both the sounds and the feelings stronger to the point that I can still hear the sounds in the background while I'm awake.

It doesn't scare me in the same way as it did when I was younger, but has still never been pleasant. Given what you've said I may try a different approach, I can bring it on myself if I have too much sleep. It's usually stronger when it comes during the middle of the night, which I can't control but is often brought on by a very powerful dream.

Edited by Exodus87
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I've never looked at it that way before, to be honest the experience tends to be quite a scary one which is why it's often stopped me from sleeping. The fear of the unknown tends to amplify it, making both the sounds and the feelings stronger to the point that I can still hear the sounds in the background while I'm awake.

It doesn't scare me in the same way as it did when I was younger, but has still never been pleasant. Given what you've said I may try a different approach, I can bring it on myself if I have too much sleep. It's usually stronger when it comes during the middle of the night, which I can't control but is often brought on by a very powerful dream.

Just adopt a relaxed go with the flow attitude. When the rushing noises and vibrations come let them take you, don't fight.

At the heighth of it, try to lift one arm and stand up, or try to get your body to float straight up. You may exit to an OOBE. Then start exploring. Learning how to fly is tricky but fun.

If you bump against shadow and you probably will, let me know, and I'll help you set a plan to take care of it once and for all. Once you are successful at all this you will never be afraid again, I promise. It will literally feel like a weight has been lifted off you. Let me know how I can be of assistance.

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My boyfriend has had night terrors/paralysis like that ever since he was a little kid... he doesn't really like to talk to me about them, but I was shocked with what he told me because he's the most level-headed person I've ever met. He said that his night terrors began soon after screwing around with a Ouija board with some friends when he was around 7 years old. He mentioned a few other things going on with those friends, but wouldn't get into it... the weird thing is that he's out of college and he still has them. It seems to me that he thinks it's some sort of negative presence thing going on with him because they're never good and they always terrify him. His family is very strongly Catholic, and his mother is actually involved in a special ministry. She's told me some really amazing things, and has definitely had amazing/terrifying experiences with the Paranormal. And they both tell me that because of the work for the Lord that his mother is doing, she and her family are often spiritually targeted...

Take that as you may. In any case, I've never never in my entire life had night terrors. I've had really vivid and complex dreams before, a few even having a touch of "sight, but I'd never had a terror or hallucination until about 9 months after I started sleeping in his bed. I've had about 3 or 4 since. They're not as scary as his. The first one was scary because I was paralyzed and I felt like there was someone in the apartment trying to rob/injure us, and when I finally shook off the delusions I still had to sit there for 5 minutes and will myself to move. I was panicked because I don't know what I would have done if I had started to see the things he's told me that he has seen. The second one wasn't paralysis, I just woke up, startled, and saw a swirling ribbon of red/pink light dancing in a corner of the room I was staying in during a study abroad trip, and it sort of exploded/dissolved toward me. The only other one I can remember was in bed with my boyfriend and I perceived that he was staring wide-eyed, terrified and silent, at the ceiling and I screamed, "Oh my god, I don't even want to know what that look is!" My boyfriend was actually on his iPad next to me, and told me that I did actually scream that, terrified.

He and I are both MAJOR sleep-talkers and will have full conversations with one another at night. I've always been like this--my dad said that my grandmother used to have conversations with me when I was asleep and she wasn't aware that I'd dozed off. He and his father were also notorious sleep-talkers.

Something that interests me is... is there a correllation between sleep activity and psychic activity? As in, sleep talkers are more in-tune with the psychic wavelength? Because somehow it would make sense to me if there were...

Edited by moonmoney
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  • 1 month later...

Exodus, you have a talent, you can easily create an OOBE when you hear the noises and feel the energy.

I hadn't experienced anything unexplained up until this week, the only thing that's changed is I've had slightly less sleep 6 hours rather than my usual 8 hours. I've been hearing a light rining noise through-out this week (26\11\12 - 30\11\12) during the day.

On the night of the 29\11\12 I switched the light off before going to bed at 22:30 and paid attention to the ringing noise as I feel as asleep. I drempt that the backdoor in the house was wide open despite being locked and envisioned that this would have likely been my brothers doing. I awoke at 04:50 to find my light on with the door still closed and the downstairs bathroom light was now as I could hear the fan running. I layed in bed for a short while, then heard my dad awaken to get ready for work. Once he was downstairs I heard him switch the bathroom light off before leaving, I checked the house but found nothing suspicous.

I slowly drifted in and out of sleep while having vivid dreams about various locations in my room until 06:00 I then closed my eyes once more, I heard the ringing noise and as I relaxed it would get louder until I was in a trance unable to move. At this point the ringing became a bright lightening storm with thunder and I fealt my legs moving up and down but I was also unable to breath. I immediatley forced myself to awaken and was out of the trance with-in a few seconds.

I can still hear the ringing noise slightly loader than normal even now, as I perform normal morning tasks I notice that everything sounds much loader. There are a lot more random noises in the house this morning (crakes and creaks) as my hearing is so much clearer I hear them all. It's strange I feel almost scared like something is in the house with me, I can see things that aren't there in the corner of my eye but when I check it's nothing.

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Be glad you didn't have the scary hallucination from sleep paralysis about Heaven and Hell....

I was in a paralyzed state and I saw -the hallucination- of heaven and hell right next to each other,

The colors of gold and white, were the colors I saw,I saw a gold gate, clouds and sun, I felt happiness, pure, joy. it was beautiful!

Now Hell was right next to heaven and I remember a dark room, a red figure standing in the dark room, I felt scared and possessed by negativity.

While in this state of Sleep Paralysis I hear -From somewhere- , "Obey me or you will go to hell/die"

That scared me and after I heard that, I tried everything i could to wake up, AND FINALLY I DID.

For a while my sleep paralysis stopped but now it started back up again.

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I hadn't experienced anything unexplained up until this week, the only thing that's changed is I've had slightly less sleep 6 hours rather than my usual 8 hours. I've been hearing a light rining noise through-out this week (26\11\12 - 30\11\12) during the day.

On the night of the 29\11\12 I switched the light off before going to bed at 22:30 and paid attention to the ringing noise as I feel as asleep. I drempt that the backdoor in the house was wide open despite being locked and envisioned that this would have likely been my brothers doing. I awoke at 04:50 to find my light on with the door still closed and the downstairs bathroom light was now as I could hear the fan running. I layed in bed for a short while, then heard my dad awaken to get ready for work. Once he was downstairs I heard him switch the bathroom light off before leaving, I checked the house but found nothing suspicous.

I slowly drifted in and out of sleep while having vivid dreams about various locations in my room until 06:00 I then closed my eyes once more, I heard the ringing noise and as I relaxed it would get louder until I was in a trance unable to move. At this point the ringing became a bright lightening storm with thunder and I fealt my legs moving up and down but I was also unable to breath. I immediatley forced myself to awaken and was out of the trance with-in a few seconds.

I can still hear the ringing noise slightly loader than normal even now, as I perform normal morning tasks I notice that everything sounds much loader. There are a lot more random noises in the house this morning (crakes and creaks) as my hearing is so much clearer I hear them all. It's strange I feel almost scared like something is in the house with me, I can see things that aren't there in the corner of my eye but when I check it's nothing.

I remember those days. :) when everything was strange, and those feelings scary. Try and relax and accept everything without judgment.

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Sleep paralysis sucks lol its happened to me a few times but I never really experimented with it. It only happened to me in a span of 2 weeks, about 2 times each week. Scared me, but it does happen.

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I remember those days. :) when everything was strange, and those feelings scary. Try and relax and accept everything without judgment.

That's a very interesting watch, there are a lot of possible explanations mentioned. It's relieving to know that I'm far from alone in my experiences, thanks for sharing.

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Hello all,

I also experienced sleep paralysis constantly. I tried to understand why this was happening, and how i can make it go away. After much researching i came across a website that helped me understand that this problem had a spiritual root cause. I will like to share this article you can also find it beneficial.

http://spiritualresearchfoundation.org/blog/spiritualitynews/2168/sleep-paralysis-causes/

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Hello all,

I also experienced sleep paralysis constantly. I tried to understand why this was happening, and how i can make it go away. After much researching i came across a website that helped me understand that this problem had a spiritual root cause. I will like to share this article you can also find it beneficial.

http://spiritualresearchfoundation.org/blog/spiritualitynews/2168/sleep-paralysis-causes/

Sigh..... The event is a challenge like all difficult events rise above it and master it.

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i have had episodes as a child awaking and not being able to move. of course the grownups never believed me.

fast forward 30 years, i am a physician with a family. two nights ago, i had an unsettling yet interesting experience. i had awoken around 4 am, annoyed that the damn kids woke me up again. Indeed, I felt my daughter's hoping movements on the bed. my face was turned to the side with a pillow partially covering it. When i couldn't see my daughter from the angle, i tried to turn my head and couldn't. that proved that i was in a sleep paralysis episode and actually made me at ease. i think i would have been more upset if i could move. i look again and saw my infant son had fallen asleep on my chest. i felt an impish and uneasy sense and then while wide awake saw a fuzzy figure emerge next to him. it was white and hazy and about his size, the face was fuzzy like a bad reception, but did differ from his, it was more tapered. it vaguely smiled at me. couple more moments pass, i slip back into sleep and awake again this time able to move and my son sleeping soundly on my chest.

it is definitely unsettling, and i hate for anyone to have to go through this. everything was real. i had all my senses. not being able to move actually helped me confirm that it was a sleep paralysis episode and comforted me. paralysis rather than a cause of panic is actaully your body's way to protect itself. whether it is our medical way of explaining ghostly or alien encounters, reality testing within a sub reality sandbox is definitely interesting. in the end it felt kinda interesting, like putting on 3d glasses to watch Avatar.

Edited by dochumanoid
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i have had episodes as a child awaking and not being able to move. of course the grownups never believed me.

fast forward 30 years, i am a physician with a family. two nights ago, i had an unsettling yet interesting experience. i had awoken around 4 am, annoyed that the damn kids woke me up again. Indeed, I felt my daughter's hoping movements on the bed. my face was turned to the side with a pillow partially covering it. When i couldn't see my daughter from the angle, i tried to turn my head and couldn't. that proved that i was in a sleep paralysis episode and actually made me at ease. i think i would have been more upset if i could move. i look again and saw my infant son had fallen asleep on my chest. i felt an impish and uneasy sense and then while wide awake saw a fuzzy figure emerge next to him. it was white and hazy and about his size, the face was fuzzy like a bad reception, but did differ from his, it was more tapered. it vaguely smiled at me. couple more moments pass, i slip back into sleep and awake again this time able to move and my son sleeping soundly on my chest.

it is definitely unsettling, and i hate for anyone to have to go through this. everything was real. i had all my senses. not being able to move actually helped me confirm that it was a sleep paralysis episode and comforted me. paralysis rather than a cause of panic is actaully your body's way to protect itself. whether it is our medical way of explaining ghostly or alien encounters, reality testing within a sub reality sandbox is definitely interesting. in the end it felt kinda interesting, like putting on 3d glasses to watch Avatar.

Nice story... From a physician non the less. So what do you think? Obviously the paralysis itself is a necessary biological function but what about the rest?

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