From: todd@cl-next4.msu.edu (Todd E. Van Hoosear)
Newsgroups: alt.out-of-body
Subject: My own experience (Formerly Re: BODY POSITION and SLEEP PARALYSIS)
Keywords: paralysis, sleep, dreams
Date: 6 Jan 93 18:56:29 GMT
Organization: Michigan State University
NNTP-Posting-Host: cl-next4.cl.msu.edu

On Sun, 27 Dec 1992 11:38:15 GMT, dbsbanka@solomon.technet.sg (Teo Pit Koon)  
wrote:

[Forwarded message deleted]

>Greetings :-)-   (tongue-in-cheek Polynesian Maori-style)
>
>	Guess I could contribute to this thread, so here goes ...
>
>	For the sake of discussion/arguments, let us consider that there
>are two types of "paralysis" condition (goodness knows how many more types
>there may be :-)).
>
>	The first type, known as type A paralysis, is a condition encountered
>when approaching a deeper layer of consciousness from a light trance state,
>in the performance of magick, OOBE, LD etc.
>
>	The second, type B paralysis, is the reverse of type A, in that it
>happens during the return home to physical reality, assuming, of course,
>the experient has a physical body to return to in the first place :-).

[Paralysis sequences deleted]

>	Your question seemed to relate to type B paralysis. It would appear
>that type B paralysis did not serve much purpose except to scare the s___
>out of the experient. Anyway, if there are people who could not wake up
>from sleep, they wouldn't be writing to this net and nobody would be wiser
>about it, isn't it :-). Type B paralysis is rarely, if ever mentioned, in the
>literature, (at least not those that I could get hold of).
>
>	However, type A paralysis is the type that should not be resisted;
>(I wished somebody told me this earlier) if the experient can allow himself 
>to "go with the flow", then some kind of altered state of consciousness is 
>bound to happen, which is what the experient is hoping to achieve anyway. 
>BTW, type A paralysis is the one mentioned by Robert Monroe, Sylvia Muldoon 
>et al.
>
>The star gazer ***

I have indeed encountered something very similar to temporary paralysis while  
leaving a dream state (not an intended, self-induced OOBE).  I found myself (on  
several but infrequent occasions) apparently waking from sleep and being unable  
to move, or do much of anything.  Let me tell you, it was a VERY scary moment.   
I have done much reading in the realm of OOBE and astral projection, but  
haven't practiced it at all.  I have heard conflicting opinions on what to do.

The circumstances would lead one to believe, according to your classification  
schema, that I was encountering a type B paralysis.  Should I NOT resist this?   
Is my physical life in jeopardy during this type of paralysis?

Also, I have heard, but do not remember much, of a chemical that is released  
during the body's journey toward REM sleep that does just that: paralyzes the  
muscles so that, as we realistically dream, we don't carry out the actions in  
the physical world as well.  Does anyone out there have any more information on  
this?  What is this drug?  Has it been linked to sleep walking?  Paralysis?

Thanks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                  - The Dual Lives of Todd E. Van Hoosear -
``'''
(._.)          Graduate Assistant,     |      Graduate Student,
 (_)      Hypermedia and Instructional | Department of Communication,	
`---'      Computing Support Services, |  Michigan State University
             MSU Computer Laboratory   |    East Lansing, MI 48825

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