Lehal Library

A projected double is floating about in real time, having fun and minding its own business, when it suddenly has a fright. It sees some bushes moving in the shadows and its imagination plays tricks on it: an ominous shape reaching for it. It freezes, not knowing quite what the shape is or what to do about it. It tries to flee, and suddenly senses a very tangible fearsome presence right behind it. An irresistible force starts dragging it backward. It tries to move away, but suddenly feels weak, as if its very life force were being drained. It now feels trapped and has extreme difficulty moving. The dream mind, throughout this, feels the initial fear surge from its projected double, but does not know the cause. The fluid dream state changes at this point and takes on a more sinister aspect. The dream mind may even slip into a nightmare. The dream mind does not awaken inside its physical/etheric body, so it doesn't actually experience true waking paralysis. It will, however, experience a dream-state version of waking paralysis or a slow-motion type of bad dream. The projected double feels trapped, snared by some powerful unseen evil foe. Now so weak it can barely move, it feels like it is wading through rapidly setting concrete. No matter how hard it tries, it cannot seem to break the grip of its unseen assailant. Weak, trapped, and afraid, it moves one step closer toward absolute terror. The fear increases and the projected double fights in vain, growing steadily weaker. The sense of dread increases, and fear builds into mindless, paralyzing terror. It cannot move at all now and feels a cold weight spreading through its chest. The dreadful thing behind it is getting closer and closer, dragging it heartlessly backward toward its evil clutches. The monster almost has it now and is ... just... about... to ... grab it! The projected double can almost feel the monster's fetid breath on the back of its neck. The unseen monster has it now, and is raising its dreadful ax, when, suddenly, the projector wakes up in a pool of sweat, heart pounding, gasping for breath, and shaking with terror. Memories of the projection (just a bad dream?) flood the projector's terrified mind. Paralysis Memories The dominant memories retained after any waking-paralysis episode always come from the strongest and most memorable side of the experience, the side most traumatized. This is usually the physical/etheric side, as that side of the mind-split has a much more direct effect on the physical brain than shadow memories generally do. If the dream mind does not awaken inside its physical/etheric aspect before the end of the paralysis episode, these memories will be from the projected double's side of the mind-split instead. Sometimes, because of the complex and unreliable nature of shadow memory downloading during reintegration, these memories will become mixed. Memories of a bad dream, plus a terrifying projection experience, plus waking up paralyzed and terrified, blend into a uniquely compounded shadow memory download. Ways to Break Paralysis Learning and practicing conscious-exit projection reduces the frequency of paralysis episodes. Projection attempts encourage the energetic development of the projection mechanism within the etheric body. If projection is unacceptable due to fear of OBE, short daytime projection attempts are advised. Energetic development work, like meditation and energy work, as well as developing other core skills, will also help resolve projection-related energetic and mind-split conflicts, which are the underlying causes of waking paralysis. Many people advocate giving into waking paralysis and attempting to convert it into an OBE. I would advise doing this only if vibrations or other projection symptoms are present; otherwise it seems a pointless exercise. If paralysis is frequent, this would definitely be worth a shot at least once. If the conversion continually fails, and no reliable way is found to stop paralysis episodes, a progressive course of energetic development and meditation becomes the most viable option. The simplest and most direct approach, the one most people prefer, is to clear the mind (refuse to fear) and concentrate on moving a single big toe. For some reason, a big toe is the easiest body part to reanimate during a waking-paralysis episode. Once a big toe moves, even slightly, waking paralysis will end. To increase the effectiveness of the above technique, I also recommend using the brushing awareness action (see chapter 12) on the big toe to break paralysis. This helps by strengthening body awareness there, making it easier to force movement. Paralysis, like spontaneous projection, is more likely to occur in certain resting and sleeping positions. Lying on the back, for example, tends to promote both projection and waking paralysis 38