Crazy dreams and possible meanings

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by June

Ciaran -- I've been meaning to ask you about the sleep paralysis, you had mentioned it to me before.

I had something like that happen a couple of months ago, I was napping in the middle of the day, kind of laying on my side when I felt like someone was leaning over me, pressing down with their upper body so I couldn't move. I was trying to call out for help, but of course, no sound would come out, it felt very real to me, like I was awake and could feel the pressure acutely.

Is that similar to what you have experienced? Or does yours not manifest with a "being" pressing down on you?

June - yes, that very definitely sounds like sleep paralysis to me and is often very similar to what I would experience. I usually feel like I am being held down and, although I struggle, I just cannot move. I assume that this is where the term "paralysis" comes from. I do try to call out but, again, am unable to.

Of course, I never see the person holding me down, other than a dark shadow. Occasionally, I do not have the "held down" feeling but still feel a sinister presence in the room and am unable to move. All-in-all, it can be very frightening as it all seems so real and, in at least some senses, it is all too real.

I'm interested in sleep paralysis and trying to understand why I suffer from it, esp. as it seems much more prevalent in some cultures than in others and, also, that the person / force that people belive is holding them down differs, presumably depending upon their own belief system - probably why I always assume / perceive a demonic presence whereas it may be different to those with other beliefs.