I recently received inquiries about two separate but related subjects.

 

One is from Nicole, a second year Psychology student who has been experiencing “astral projection.” The other is from Rafael, who has been experiencing what he terms “sleep paralysis” and seeing a figure of a woman covered with a white sheet decorated with black roses while in that state of paralysis.

 

Nicole and Rafael said they had been experiencing waking up and being unable to move since they were children.

 

Rafael wanted to know what he saw; he said their house is not haunted, since he has lived there since birth and never experienced seeing a figure like that.

 

First, let us distinguish the two terms. Although the symptoms or experiences appear to be the same, there are important differences.

 

Sleep paralysis is a medical condition or term that refers to a person’s “being conscious or awake but unable to move or speak.” This usually happens, according to scientists, “upon waking up or when about to go to sleep.”

 

Two possible theories have been advanced to explain sleep paralysis. First, it happens “when hormones produced by the body to help you sleep do not wear off as you awake, and therefore you remain temporarily paralyzed but conscious.”

 

Nightmare

 

The other theory says that “sleep paralysis is nothing more than part of a dream or nightmare. You are dreaming but think you are awake.”

 

According to this theory, “During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the brain is very active, and dreams are at their most intense stage. But the voluntary muscles of the body—arms, legs, fingers, anything that is under conscious control—are paralyzed.” That’s why you can’t move.

 

To neuroscientists, two chemicals in the body are responsible for sleep paralysis: one is a neurotransmitter called glycine and the other is the receptor called Gaba. When those two are suppressed, sleep paralysis happens.

 

Such theories do not adequately explain all cases of so-called sleep paralysis. And since it usually lasts for only a few minutes, with no known serious or life-threatening consequences, sleep paralysis is not given much attention by scientific medical researchers.

 

Scientists use the word “paralysis” to describe this sleep condition because, really, it is similar to paralysis, which is the inability to move one’s body or limbs. But sleep paralysis is definitely not the same as paralysis that happens, say, to a stroke victim, where recovery takes months or years, if at all.

 

Sleep paralysis, on the other hand, is very brief, with no ill effects afterward. So, it is not an ordinary or usual paralysis.

 

Then what is it? Medical science has absolutely no idea that there may be another possible explanation for this condition. But since this cannot be subjected to physical analysis or seen by normal human senses or perception, it is totally ignored.

 

For me, so-called sleep paralysis happens when one’s astral body (one of the seven subtle bodies that envelop or interpenetrate the human body), dissociates or detaches itself from the physical body. This is why it is also called an “out-of-body experience” or OOBE.

 

But what is this astral body?  It is one of the seven subtle energy bodies of man, and is invisible to the naked eye, except to clairvoyant vision. It belongs to a nonphysical dimension, and therefore can be considered part of the spiritual dimension or plane of existence.

 

That’s why science has neither knowledge of nor interest in it.

 

Desire body

 

The astral body is also called the “desire body,” because it goes where one consciously or unconsciously wants to be.

 

During sleep, or when tired or physically under stress, the astral body may involuntarily detach itself from one’s physical body to recuperate, or give the body a chance for complete rest. When a person wakes up while the astral body is outside his physical body, he may find himself floating on the ceiling, looking down on his physical body, sleeping on the bed.

 

The usual reaction, if it happens to you for the first time, is to panic and try to get back to your body quickly. But the more you try to do so, the more you can’t do it. That’s because when you panic or get nervous, there is non-synchronization of the vibrations of your astral and physical bodies.

 

But if you remain calm or relaxed, you will naturally, easily and smoothly go back to your physical body without any effort at all.

 

The reason you can’t move your physical body is because the driver, you, are out of your physical vehicle. Try to drive your car while you’re outside of it, and see if you can do it.

 

By the way, the woman figure that Rafael saw while out of his body or while in a state of sleep paralysis could be one of the astral beings that people sometimes meet when they go out of their body or have OOBE.

 

Of course, such an explanation sounds preposterous or nonsensical from a rational, scientific point of view. But what alternative explanation does science have which will cover all cases of astral projection or sleep paralysis?

 

For example, when I had my first experience with sleep paralysis, I was not in bed asleep. I was very much awake, sitting comfortably on a chair surrounded by about a dozen participants in a seminar conducted by an American psychic or clairvoyant.

 

She saw my astral body up in the ceiling, while my physical body was sitting in the chair, apparently asleep or unconscious, but I was fully conscious and knew everything happening in the room, including the thoughts of the participants.

 

No scientific theory can explain this. It was an out-of-body experience, and not paralysis or a fainting spell.

 

The next “How to Heal Yourself Through Visualization” seminar is scheduled on March 8, from 9 a.m. to 12 nn. And the next “Basic ESP and Intuition Seminar” is on March 15-16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; topics include telepathy, remote viewing, psychic diagnosis, psychic reading, chakras, human aura, use of pendulum, psychometry and telekinesis. Learn all these scientifically in only two days. For reservation and other details, call tel. nos. 8107245 or 0908-3537885.

 

Good news for Davaoeños!  I will be conducting my popular seminar “Soul mates, Karma and Reincarnation” in Davao City on March 15, 1-7 p.m.; for details, contact Melissa Roales at 0917-3268306.