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Sleep Paralysis: Is it the closest thing to dying?
Has anyone here had it?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
I've experienced this "terrifying" phenomenon at least SIX times in my life. The ordeal was frightening, but as I read more and more about it, I've come up with this theory:
Is it the closest experience to dying?
It certainly felt like my mind was separating itself from my body. I felt a sinking feeling, everything becoming darker and darker, as if everything I know, or thought have known, dissolve into the void.
I wonder if this is something similar to what advanced practitioners might visualize when meditating on their own death?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
I've experienced this "terrifying" phenomenon at least SIX times in my life. The ordeal was frightening, but as I read more and more about it, I've come up with this theory:
Is it the closest experience to dying?
It certainly felt like my mind was separating itself from my body. I felt a sinking feeling, everything becoming darker and darker, as if everything I know, or thought have known, dissolve into the void.
I wonder if this is something similar to what advanced practitioners might visualize when meditating on their own death?
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Comments
Regarding sleep paralysis, maybe you'll find this thread interesting.
No, a coma is the closest thing to dying.
And the 49 days of bardo are arguable, if you don't follow Tibetan/Mahayana Buddhism.
I personally don't feel such a long transition period actually exists.
Certainly, I'm not even Tibetan Buddhist, it's simply the closest thing I could think of that parallels what he was describing.
shift,
You wouldn't believe some of the nightmares my friend has had, once he was in a sleep paralysis state with a black figure over him that was choking him, then he woke up to discover he was actually choking himself. Strange figures and hypnagogia are common place with some of my friends, it's happened to me only a few times, but as you said, it has nothing to do with death.
Wow!!! I used to experience something similar as a child. Before fully waking up, I would be paralised usually face-down on the bed with the feeling of large powerful hands on my back holding me down. I was completely incapable of moving. The more I struggled, the tighter the feeling of being held down. Only when I relaxed would I slowly come out of it and be able to get up. Very frightening as a kid and being a xtian at the time, I always thought that it was the devil that was holding me down! Wow I never thought anyone else experienced anything like this.
My mum told me she had the same experience and so did my aunt. We actually reached the conclusion that the house must be haunted. I only found out about what it actually was about a year ago.
It would be a nice change to see reality though...
Kishitigarbha Bodhisattva Vow Sutra
"After death the Great Ghost of Impermanence will take the spirit of the deceased away without warning. At that time, nobody knows whether the spirit's future is good or bad. During the first forty-nine days after death, the deceased does not hear anything. At that time, he will be judged in a court arguing his karmic retribution. He will not be reborn until the trial. Before the trial in hell, the deceased has already felt distress, not to speak of suffering in the evil level. The deceased longs for help from his children or relatives during these forty-nine days. After forty-nine days, he will follow his own karmic retributions and suffer. These kinds of criminal persons usually cannot be released for hundreds or thousands of years. If the being has ever committed one of Five Endless Offences, he or she will fall into Endless Hell and suffer all kinds of pain for an indefinite time.