What is Sleep Paralysis?

Have you ever woken up unable to move? Your entire body feels paralysed—and to make it worse, an overwhelming sense of dread washes over you?

I have had this repeatedly all my life, and it is not a pleasant experience.

So what exactly is it?

The accepted answer is that you regain consciousness entering or exiting REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. So basically, your body wakes but your brain tells it not to move to protect yourself from acting out the current dreams and there-fore causing injury. The fear is due to the dreams or hallucinations.

references: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21974-sleep-paralysis

       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

To me personally, this does not make sense. Physically it may be that your body is not fully awake, but why the feeling of dread? In all of my many experiences, I vividly remember my dreams/hallucinations whilst the paralysis begins, and they were always pleasant, until the terror came about. It was also always accompanied by a very high frequency piecing sound.

Many spiritualists believe that sleep paralysis is often interpreted as an encounter with a malevolent spirit or as a sign of spiritual awakening, with various cultures attributing the experience to supernatural entities like the Jinn, the Old Hag, or other demons who target or attack the soul. Some beliefs suggest it's linked to a soul's vulnerability during sleep, while other perspectives see it as a form of spiritual warfare or a necessary catalyst for spiritual growth and heightened awareness.

There are many beliefs culturally as well, including:

"Pan ephialtes," a horned god of ancient Greece who would pounce upon someone in their dreams, while early Mesopotamian and Jewish texts mention the "Lilitu" or "Lilith," a she-demon associated with the phenomenon.

It is also known as "Ogun Oru" in Southwest Nigeria, "Ha-wi-nulia" in Korea, and the "Pesanta" in Brazil.

So, sleep paralysis: fear due to hallucinations, spiritual awareness or spiritual attack?

Or something else?

The truth seeking journey continues……..