Sleep Paralysis and Lucid Dreams: My Personal Experiences

Many strange things happen when we sleep. Sometimes, we can have dreams that are so terrifying that they paralyze us, making us unable to move for a time. At other times, we can experience sleep paralysis without any apparent explanation. Then there are lucid dreams. When one is having a lucid dream, the dream may still be terrifying, but there person realizes that it is only a dream, they are safe in bed, and will wake up soon. I've had both experiences.

Sleep Paralysis: The Terror

I've had many experiences when I've endured sleep paralysis for one reason or another, but one particular experience was terrifying. It was terrifying enough to me that I still vividly remember the dream that caused this particular case of sleep paralysis to occur.

I was having a terrible dream where my mom and grandmother were plotting to kill my younger brother for being disrespectful. They stated that they were sick and tired of the trouble that he put they through day in and day out, and they wanted to put an end to it in order to finally have peace.

In the dream, they were talking about how they'd finish my brother off. They stated that they'd make him something to drink and put a tasteless poison in the drink. The poison would cause him to die a miserable death. The both of them laughed heartily at their plan, and they were eager to carry it out. They could not wait to get rid of my brother.

I was easedropping on their conversation. They were sitting at the kitchen table, and I was pretending to pour myself a glass of orange juice. I was standing in the fridge, and I was putting the orange juice away slowly. Because I was being to slow about it, I was caught easedropping.

Of course, they knew that being the kind of person I am, I'd warn my brother of his impending danger. I went into my room, locked the door, signed online, and I wrote him a frantic email. I had just enough time to do it because they had no sooner banged on my door violently. They demanded I open the door, and I did out of fear. I was told to pack my overnight bag, for I'd be staying at my grandmother's. I felt like they were doing this, so they could get me out of the picture and not get in the way with what they had planned. I was so wrong because they had worse plans for me.

The forty-five minute ride to my grandmother's house was silent. Neither of us spoke. I switched the radio to my favorite Christian radio station'"WGTS. My grandmother did not mind the radio being on that station and just left it alone.

When we finally arrived at her house, she warmly told me to put my things in my room. I thought it was strange for her to be so nice to me, since both her and my mom were angry at me for easedropping on their conversation earlier that night. I did as I was told. Then, she drew me a bath. I also thought that was strange, since she had not done that since I was little. She even put my favorite bubble bath into the tub.

I soaked in the tub for an hour. When I got out of the tub, dried off, and got dressed, I was presented with a cup of mint tea. Normally I'd have drunk the tea without thinking about it, since mint tea is one of my very favorites. However, I was suspicious about the cup I was being presented with. Something told me not to drink the tea and that it was not safe. I politely refused, but she was not having any of it. I continued to politely refuse, and then, she went into a violent rage! She stated that I'd better drink that cup of tea if I knew what was good for me. I shouted that I'd not, and before she could wrestle me to the ground and force me to drink it'"I'm a pretty small individual because I'd not grown since fourth grade'"I woke up.

The terror I'd experienced was so great that I was paralyzed in fear for approximately thirty minutes upon waking. I could not move, cry out, or speak. I finally snapped out of it when my dad called my name. Boy, I was so glad he was only in the next room and wanted my attention. He broke the spell. I then called my friend and relayed the story. I shudder when I think about how long the paralysis could have lasted. After all, the terror was immense. That was the worst experience with sleep paralysis I've ever had.

Lucid Dreams: The Reassurance of Knowing I was Safe in Bed and It Was Just a Dream

I have these kinds of dreams quite often. Most of the time, these dreams are pretty bad; however, there comes a point somewhere in the dream that I become aware of my reality. I realize that I'm safe and comfortable in my bed. Many times, I won't hurry to wake up because I want to see what happens. I'm willing to do this because I know it is not real. These types of dreams are far better than the terrifying sleep paralysis that I face from time to time.