Sleep paralysis.

[Randi193]

I've often had this happen to me, where my body is locked up, and there is a poultergeist, or some other menacing figures trying to break in my room.  One time there was a ghost standing at the foot of the bed.  Always accompanied by extreme terror.  Does this happen to people regularly??  I've heard of sleep paralysis, but don't know much about it, or if it's real or not. 

Also, I don't really know how to describe this, but I've had sensations while sleeping where my jaw feels thrust out and stuck like that, almost out of joint, where I feel like I will have to break it with my hands to get it back in....so weird.  Although I think I'm dreaming all of that....

[Tony Crisp]

Randi – This is a normal function of dreaming. It occurs because as we dream all our voluntary muscles are paralysed so we cannot make any conscious movements. Of course it  happens to everyone who dreams, but it only is felt as a problem as we begin to wake up in our dream. In fact that is a wonderful opportunity to explore sleep and dreams. But of course we often feel terrified that something is taking over, and because of our fear we see it, as you said, as a poltergeist or menacing figures. 

The fact is that our conscious will and personality are only a tiny part of us, and when we sleep and dream our greater will – our Life Will - takes over. And this greater will is what keeps our heart beating and all the necessary life functions working. So in fact you are terrified of what give you life, because you feel fear. In fact we ought to surrender to that greater will. It is too lengthy to properly describe this, so see http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/the-lifestream/

And also read this longer feature http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/sleep-paralysis/

Tony

[Leswan]

Hi Randi,

As a teen I used to suffer from sleep paralysis - and was terrified by it. Then in my mid 20's I began to have spontaneous out-of-body-experiences that would often start with sleep paralysis and other bizarre sensations, vibrations and noises.

Now, whenever I get sleep paralysis or similar, most of the time I'm more excited than I am scared because I know an intruiging adventure is about to unfold.

You may wish to read some OBE literature which may help dispel the fear around what you are experiencing.

When Tony writes:

The fact is that our conscious will and personality are only a tiny part of us

I really couldn't agree more. Reality is more than mind-bending!

[Tony Crisp]

YES!! YES!! YES!!

  Tony

Sorry - I get so excited - I am half Italian, and some times hard to contain it.

[Tony Crisp]

By the way, the business about the jaw is usually what I call the Life Will trying to take over, but because you are aware  of it your are frightened and block it.

In life and sleep we have two powerful actions working in us. The first is our waking experience based on having a body, its limitations, vulnerabilities and a particular gender. Our second is the power that gave us life and continues to express as dreams.
While we sleep our conscious self is largely or totally unconscious, and while we sleep our voluntary muscles are paralysed – so another will or motivating force moves our body. So we have a Conscious Will, and what I will call a Life Will. The first one we have experience of as we can move our arm or speak; but the second will takes over when we sleep
.
This Life will can move us to speak, to move our body, and in fact do things that we cannot do with our Conscious Will. As Freud pointed out this inner will has full access to our memories. It can do so many other things that are described else where.

This Life Will or motivator has been active for millions of years and we see it working all the time in animals. We are partly split in half because we are often opposed to what our Life Will in us wants. So the only way to express what is good for us is in dreams when our conscious will is largely passive.

Life Will created your body and pre-existed you as a person you know today. It was working in you prior to your ability to speak or know in the way you do now. But of course it has fantastic wisdom and skills, as can be seen in animals.

As the life will causes all the spontaneous movements of your body, so when you are passive and usually asleep it tries to release tensions and heal you. So if you relax and allow it it will start this and you can witness it in a wonderful way. Allowing it consciously is what I call http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/the-lifestream/.

Tony