perzephone | Sleep Paralysis (Reply)

So last night we went to bed around 2am because we were supposed to go to the traditional 'Father's Day buffet' w/the in-laws. Rob left for his own bed around 3. At some point early this morning, I woke up because something was moving, and at first I thought we were having a fairly powerful earthquake. It's not unknown out here, and I've been awakened by early morning tremors before... but as I lay in bed, completely unable to move anything, I looked up & noticed that the overhead lamp wasn't swinging. None of my war shields or mandalas were clacking against the walls... so it had to be me. I had a spasm or something, and it was bizarre because I couldn't move a muscle, but I was shaking all over. I started thinking about that brain region in the back of the head that controls spatial relationships & the sense of movement & becomes over-active during sleep, and my neck was at a weird pillow-enforced angle. The first spasm passed, and I started to slip back asleep when it happened again. And again. I started thinking 'if I could just move my head' over & over again until finally, after one of the shaking fits stopped, I managed to push myself up on one arm. And I was fine. Drank some water, moved the pillows around & went back to sleep.

Sleep paralysis is perfectly ok w/me. It keeps one from sleepwalking & having somniatic murder sprees. And it scares the living daylights out of Jody because she always thinks some spirit is trying to kill her or possess her. I am a small-minded person and I get my entertainment however I can...