SLEEP PARALYSIS AND ET ABDUCTION/CONTACT

 

     Having worked with many Experiencers, looking into ET abduction/contact as an investigator, exploring the function of the human mind as a therapist, and living through it as an Experiencer, I’ve come to some conclusions about the phenomenon that science refers to as Sleep Paralysis.

 

         If you are an Experiencer, you are probably all too familiar with waking up suddenly from sleep and seeing or feeling strange things going on in the room, beings standing at your bedside, moving around the room, touching you and possibly even verbalizing, and you being unable to physically react.  It’s one of the most real, frightening, and common, parts of the contact/abduction experience. 

     Science declares that what abductees/contactees believe to be a paranormal event is really sleep paralysis - a normal, physiological function that everyone with a human brain has experienced at least once, and in some cases more than once, even chronically. 

 

        So who's right, Science or Experiencers?   I think the answer is BOTH!

 

       Sleep Paralysis (SP) is a natural phenomenon in which a person wakens from sleep and temporarily experiences an inability to move, speak or react, and which is sometimes accompanied by strange and terrifying hallucinations, including sensory effects.  (Sound familiar?)
 

 

     Without going into a lot of boring detail, the scientific explanation is that SP is a transitional state between wakefulness and sleep that corresponds to the Theta level of brainwave activity (4-7 hz).  Since you pass through Theta when you fall asleep and again when you wake, it can occur at either point.  When that happens, somehow your awareness of sleeping and being awake can overlap – a state in which your mind thinks you are awake and your body thinks you’re asleep.  You are aware, but you can’t move.  Physiologically, that makes sense.

 

      So, based on that description, scientists are right - abductees probably are experiencing SP.  But just because an individual is in SP, doesn’t mean that it's not part of a contact/abduction scenario.

 

        While some Experiencers report being abducted or contacted during broad daylight, most such events occur at night. Why?  Maybe because the visitors don't want to be seen, but since their ships are nearly always reported as glowing or lit up, I don’t think that’s the answer.  Doesn't it make sense that if they wanted to sneak around, they would turn off the lights?  (But that's a topic for another discussion)

 

        I believe the logical answer is that they approach at night when they know the individual will be sleeping and unable to resist.  Their presence in the room may cause the person to begin to wake up, but not all the way - enough to be aware that something is going on, but not enough to resist.  Again, the body and mind overlap.  Are they actually using our natural brain function - SP - to their advantage?  I think the answer is yes.   

 

        Many Experiencers report that ETs manipulate their thoughts and emotions, using their technology or abilities to keep us at a brain level where we can see and hear, but not resist. 

      Some Experiencers have succeeded in resisting their night-time visitors by making noises or even striking out at them.  In such instances, what most likely happened is that the individual woke up partially - probably to Theta, where they were able to see their visitors - but didn't get stuck there (as in SP).  Instead, their body woke up quickly and responded with movement and when that happened, the beings seemingly vanished.  Whether they actually vanished or the Experiencer just could no longer see them, is a topic of discussion among contact researchers.

 

       Until science can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that ET abductions and contact don’t occur, then they must concede the possibility that they do, and that the visitors may be utilizing a natural human brain function - Sleep Paralysis.

 

 

 

Did That Really Happen?

 

          In Experiencer therapy, hypnosis is sometimes used to help individuals recall memories of ET contact experiences.  While hypnosis is a safe, natural state of mind, in some cases, an individual may wonder if what he/she recalled in a hypnotic trance was real or a fantasy. 

           A quick rundown of the function of the mind may help answer that question:

 
Conscious Mind (CM)
     ·       Makes up about 10% to 12% of your mind
     ·       Receives all the input from your senses
     ·       The cognitive part of your mind – thinks, reasons and makes decisions
    

 Subonscious Mind (SCM)

    ·       Makes up 80% to 90% of your mind

    ·       A huge storage area for memories (information that your CM wants to keep)

    ·       Keeps you safe and functional in the world

    ·       Does not think or make things up 

    ·       Accessed during hypnosis  

         

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Q:    So, back to the question - did you make up that memory you experienced in hypnosis or did it really happen?

A:     If you made it up, you will know you made it up.  You might not want to admit it to your therapist or yourself, but if you make something up in a hypnosis session, you will know you made it up.  You will also know you weren't hypnotized, because hypnotic trance states happen at the level of the SCM, which isn’t capable of making things up. 

On the other hand, if you think you might have made it up, but aren't sure, it was probably real. 

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Q:    What I experienced in my trance was like a book I recently read. How do I know my experience was real or if I was just remembering the book?

  
A:       If a memory of the book is still floating around near the surface of your SCM, it may be part of what you recalled in the trance.  But it’s more likely that the reason you were attracted to the book in the first place was because of something real that happened to you similar to the book and the memory was still in your SCM.

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Q:      What about false memories?

A:       Technically, there's no such thing as a false memory.  It's a misunderstood term  that has come to mean inaccurate information that a person remembers.  Because of the function of the mind (explained above) everything that enters your SCM is stored there as a memory.  Your SCM doesn't know the difference between true and untrue information.  So a all memories are real memories.  Is it possible to make up something while in a trance?  Yes.  And could an unscrupulous hynotherapist lead you to certain conclusions about a memory?  Yes again.  But a qualified, ethical therapist will not. 

For more info on memory, see the post on this blog entitled "Why Don't I Remember My ET Visits?" 3/3/11. 

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     The truth is that recovering specific memories of ET contact/abductions, or anything, can be a tricky, lengthy process and may not even be possible.  But if you decide to go for it, you first need to let go of judgment, be patient and allow information to arise from your SCM at its own pace.  Then examine the information that came up and decide what it means to you.  If you need help, find a sympathetic, but objective friend or therapist to assist you. 

 

ET Contact and Phobias - A Case History

           

            A phobia is a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it.  At the present time, there is no accepted term for a fear of UFOs because UFOs are not accepted to exist.  But in everyday life, everyone has fears that lead them to avoid certain things.  A phobia, however, is a fear that leads to behavior detrimental to an individual’s everyday life. 

           Phobias have two basic parts – a traumatic initial or instigating event and a trigger event.  A phobia can arise immediately after the IE or years later when something happens to trigger the trauma and cause it to escalate into a phobia.  This can happen even though the individual may have no conscious recall of it.  To alleviate the phobia, it’s necessary to address both the initiating eveng and the trigger event  Therapy sometimes uncovers phobias rooted in ET contact experiences, and while not all phobias develop from ET contact, the following is an example of one that did.

 

 Client History

         C.H. was a 32 year-old woman who presented with claustrophobia - an irrational fear of closed spaces.  She had been uncomfortable in such spaces as long as she could remember, without knowing why.  However, in the past two years her discomfort had increased to the point where it was limiting her ability to live a normal, active life.  During therapy, this is what she recalled: 
 

Initiating Event 

            When she as around five years of age, her family lived in a rural area in Arkansas.  Behind their house was a large yard with a barn and storage building, and behind that a vacant lot bordered by trees.  One night the family was sleeping – her parents upstairs at the front of the house and she on the screened-in back porch near her cousin who was visiting for a few days.  During the night, she woke up and reached for her doll.  Not finding it, she got out of bed to search and noticed a bright light in the back lot.  Assuming that it was her parents, she went outside and walked toward the light.  When she reached the back of the yard, she saw that the light was a large round object with beings moving in and out of it.  Suddenly, someone stepped in front of her, blocking her path.  The being was much taller than she and its face looked “puffed up and squinty-eyed.”  In a panic, she turned and ran back to the house.  She tried the door to the porch, but couldn’t get it open and, despite her cries, her cousin failed to wake up.  There was a crawl space under the back porch that she sometimes played in, even though her parents had told her not to, and terrified, she crawled into the space and scooted as far back as she could, trying to hide.  She could still see the beings moving in and out of the lighted object as she cried herself to sleep.

 

 

             Sometime later she awoke to the sound of her father’s voice calling her name.  She was cold, confused and noticed that it was daylight.  Her father helped her out from under the porch and took her inside the house.  She had a few bruises and scratches, but no other injuries.  Her parents lovingly reprimanded her for crawling under the porch, but nothing more was said about it and, after a while, the incident was forgotten.  Despite the fact that she was never really comfortable in small spaces after that, she didn’t link that discomfort to the childhood incident.
 

            Her fear of closed spaces didn’t become a problem until she was about 30 years old, when her discomfort began to accelerate into full-fledged claustrophobia so serious that she couldn’t step into an elevator, ride in a car for more than a few minutes or travel on an airplane without experiencing panic attacks.  When I first interviewed her, she reported having some knowledge about UFOs and ETs, but didn’t think she had ever had contact with them.  However, during therapy, she recalled the event from so many years before and identified the beings she had seen as ETs.  In addition, she came to understand that the trauma she had experienced at that time was the cause of her fear of closed spaces.

Trigger Event

            The next question was what caused the fear of closed spaces to escalate into full-fledged claustrophobia.  A review of her more recent history revealed that her fear began escalating about the time she started dating her soon-to-be husband, a UFO researcher, and became involved in his work.  Even though she had no recall of her childhood event at the time, her exposure to material about UFOs and ETs began to trigger the trauma she had experienced so many years before, eventually becoming a crippling phobia.  After recalling the initial event and understanding the trigger, she was able to overcome her claustrophobia and get on with her life. 

            Of course, it’s normal to feel fear or discomfort around certain places, activities and things, and in most cases, they don’t affect our everyday lives.  However, when they do, a qualified therapist or mental health professional may be able to help.  Certainly not all phobias are the result of ET contact.  However, some appear to be, and, as in this case, exploring the possibility may help resolve the problem.

Bad ET Trips - How to Get Over Them

          Some people have good experiences with ETs.  They describe their ET contacts as blissful, uplifting, and fun - a really Good Trip.  Others describe their ET contact as terrifying, painful and traumatic - a really Bad Trip.  Here are some tips that can help turn a Bad Trip into a Good Trip.

          Take a cue from Alcoholics Anonymous – accept the things you cannot change, change the things you can, and have the wisdom to know the difference.  It’s not just a mantra for drunks and druggies, it’s a point of view that has helped millions of humans take control of their lives.  And since you are a human, if it works for the drunks and druggies, it’ll work for your Bad ET Trips.

 

 

Accept the things you cannot change -

 

          Accept the Bad Trip you had as something that’s over and done with - stop fighting the past.  If the Bad Trips are still happening, accept that they are happening.  Acceptance doesn't mean giving up and saying that the ETs are right.  It means taking your personal power and stepping back from the situation long enough to figure out what your next step will be. 

Change the things you can -

          Stop being a victim.  Change the rules of the game.  Stop being afraid of what happened.  Look at it, analyze it and find a way to turn it to your advantage.  ETs are only interested in you when they can get something from you that they want.  When they find out that you are no longer their victim, they’ll either leave you alone or they’ll show you some really cool stuff.  Whether you are a victim or not is completely up to you.
 

Have the wisdom to know the difference -

          You can't change the past, but you create the future every day.  Worrying about and feeding off negative past experiences only gets you more negative experiences.  What is done is done.  Let it go.  You have the ability to change any experience from bad to good by changing your mind.  But you have to do the work yourself.  There are no quick fixes, but it is doable. 

        Try to remember that ETs wouldn’t be travelling all the way to Earth from another planet or dimension if you weren’t very valuable to them.  Whether you like it or not, this makes you very special.  They need you.  You don’t need them.  You are in a position of power.  Yes, you are.  If you can come to accept that, then you can turn your Bad Trip into the Best Trip Of All Time.  If not, then at least you’ll get a good night’s sleep.

        Don't forget -

 
 

 

 

A.D. - After Disclosure

          A.D. is the designation used by some Earth humans to refer to the years after the traditionally reckoned year of the conception or birth of Jesus of Nazareth - the epoch of time in which we are currently living.  It stands for the Latin term anno domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord.”  For the approximately 2.5 billion Christians in the world, AD is more than just a way to label the passage of time; it is a representation of their faith.  (Some people use C.E., which stands for Common Era, in order to avoid Christian references to refer to the same epoch of time.)

          A.D. also has an important meaning for ufologists.  To us it stands for “After Disclosure,” meaning the period of time after Earth governments and powers-that-be finally admit that ETs are real and from somewhere other than Earth.  For ufologists, Disclosure is a very big deal – something most of us eagerly await.  With every new presidential administration, there is hope that it will happen.  But so far, no Big D.  While we are all eager for it’s unfolding, there’s a lot of disagreement about Disclosure - when it will occur, who will do it and what the aftermath will be.  Like most UFO/ET investigators and researchers, I have my opinion.  However, unlike many of them, I’m honest enough to admit that I don’t really know the answers.  Herewith, I present my point of view - worth as much or as little as anyone else’s, and more optimistic than most.

Full Disclosure will not come from Us alone

          It takes two to do the “ET tango.”  There are two sides in the contact process – us and “them” - and full Disclosure won’t be accomplished until both sides come clean.  Once the existing Earth powers-that-be decide that it’s to their advantage to admit the existence of ETs and their history of contact with Earth, the groundwork for Disclosure will be laid. But we Earth humans are a notoriously skeptical of governments, so even if the President of the U.S. stands in the White House rose garden and tells us that there are ETs living in the Capitol basement, doesn’t mean we will believe him.  It's gonna take more than that.  The ETs are gonna have to come clean publicly in a manner that will leave no doubt to even the most skeptical of us.  There are a lot of unknowns regarding Disclosure, but one thing is certain - ETs will disclose their presence openly only when they are ready – not before.  And until the ETs make themselves openly and undeniably known, full Disclosure won’t exist.
 

We probably won’t live to see A.D.

          After my years of contact with ETs and Experiencers, and as unhappy as it makes me, it’s my belief that those of us who are alive today will most likely not be around to see full Disclosure.  ET groups have been interacting with humans on Earth since before recorded time, and more openly for the past few decades through the media, arts, and technoloogy - gradually building acceptance of their presence on Earth.  But no ET in his right mind will make a public entrance anytime soon; until he knows that he’s not gonna get his head blown off.  Judging from the current state of life on the Earth, it’s gonna take several more generations of humans, under the influence of ETs, before we are ready to openly and safely receive them.  When human society has progressed to the point where ETs can safely land in the middle of Central Park and cause only minor curiosity, that's when they will come; and not before then.  So, maybe our great great grandchildren will be on the welcoming committee – but not you and me.

Disclosure will not bring about the destruction of the human species or the planet

          Disclosure theorists have different ideas about what life on the Earth will be like post-A.D.  Many believe there will be periods of chaos and disarray, martial law, and general hell-in-a-handbasket stuff.  Some say that the churches will be empty; some that the churches will be full.  Others believe certain “ascended” humans will be taken, rapture-like, off the Earth to other planets and spiritual planes, while the rest of humanity will be left behind.  Will A.D. be accompanied by chaos, upheaval and destruction?  Perhaps, but if it is, the ETs won’t cause it.  They’re not here to destroy us.  And they're not here to save us either.  We'll sink or swim on our own.  They'll merely be watching and waiting.

 There’s no place like home

          The universe possesses an immense variety of intelligent life, but I guarantee that there is no other race in the universe like Earth humans.  ETs have been interacting with us and our world for millennia because we are so unique, and as long as we are interesting to them, they’ll keep coming.  They aren’t gods, caretakers or mentors.  They are intelligent beings motivated by their own needs and desires.  When the time is right for them, Disclosure will happen.

          So, basically, I believe that A.D. is not going to be an event, but a process; a process of change for the Earth and her inhabitants.  Whether that change will occur as a result of some natural or manmade calamity, or just the slow, inexorable creep of evolution, when the ETs do finally land on the White House lawn, it'll be the right time, and our great great grandchildren will have only one thing to say to them -

“What took you so long?”

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How Belief Systems Affect ET Experiences

          In my hypnotherapy practice over the years I’ve spoken with many Experiencers about their ET abduction and contact experiences, and although each experience is different, they do have similarities.   I have found that Experiencers can be separated into two distinct groups – the group of people who can’t wait to tell me about their wonderful ET abductions and the group who want me to help them forget their experiences.  These two groups of people represent one of the most puzzling aspects of the ET Experiencer phenomenon:  why some abductees enjoy their contact with ETs and actually look forward to future events while others hate every second and desperately want to purge the memories from their mind.  Considering that in some aspects we human beings are as different from one another as if we came from different planets, it isn't surprising that our ET experiences are different.  But in cases of alien abduction, it’s more than that.  Based on the ET contact events reported to me and theories propounded by other therapists and researchers, there seems to be a plausible explanation for this conundrum:  that our basic belief systems affect our ET experiences and may even determine whether an abduction event is positive or negative.

          This theory boils down abduction experiences into two types, which I refer to as the rollercoaster ride you can’t wait to get back on and the one that made you so sick you’ll never be able to look a corn dog in the face again.

  

          Individuals in the first group tend to use effusive phrases like “I felt unconditional love,” It felt like home.” “They showed me the entire universe – it was really great!” “It was the best sex I’ve ever had!” etc., when describing their ET experiences.  They also speak of being singled out, blessed, guided, protected, etc.  I suspect that if most of these individuals had their way, the next time they were taken, they would choose not to return.  And while I think luck has very little to do with it, for purposes of this discussion, I will call them the Lucky Ones.

          Experiencers in the other camp see things quite a bit differently.  Words like rape, torture, terrified and helpless tend to pepper the play-by-play description of their ET visits. These are the people who frequently end up in a therapist’s office looking for the means to deal with what has been done to them or a way to forget it.  I call these people the Unlucky Ones, even though, again, I don’t think luck has much to do with it.

          As a therapist, I’ve spent a lot of time wondering how some Experiencers seem to get rainbows and cotton candy, while others get broken glass and the fuzzy end of the lollipop from their experiences.  I wish I had a solid answer to give them when they ask.  But since their abductors don't usually offer an explanation, the only place I can look for an answer is the human side of the equation – specifically, the human mind. So whether you are a Lucky One or an Unlucky One, if you are a human, with a mind, I believe your mind is where the answer to the question lies.

          Psychologists tell us that our perceptions of the world are colored by the things we learn during our lifetimes - in our mother’s arms, at church, in school, in the back rows of movie theatres, at work, etc. These everyday events shape our basic world view and beliefs.  And this world view is the lens through which we see reality.  What you see on the street is colored, shaped and conditioned by the lens (beliefs) through which you view it. Rose-colored glasses do, indeed, create a rose-colored world for the viewer.  So, what if that applies to ET experiences as well?  What if the positiveness or negativeness of an ET experience is determined not by the actions of the ETs, but by the perceptions of the Experiencer?  This may not be easy to accept, especially if you happen to be an Unlucky One, but once accepted, it can be liberating and even empowering.

          “If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it, will it make a sound?”  This old question has been revived by the new scientific religion of our time - quantum physics - and the question it poses is a head-scratcher for even some of our biggest scientific brains.  It asks, can something exist without someone there to perceive it?  And it expresses a dichotomy between perceived existence and intrinsic existence, by implying that reality is colored, if not wholly created, by our individual perceptions.  Taken in the context of ET-human interactions, what it boils down to is this - if my basic belief system supports positive experiences, my ET visits will be positive; if my belief system supports negative experiences, I'll get the fuzzy end of the lollipop every time.

          Like attracts like in the realm of the mind.  This law is accepted by the many psychologists and counselors who use it every day to help their clients conquer a host of problematic life issues.  It seems to apply in the realm of ET-human contact as well.  Our positive beliefs cause us to perceive whatever ETs do to us as positive. Likewise, negative or fear-based beliefs cause us to perceive our ET experiences as negative. 

          Unfortunately, belief systems that have developed throughout a lifetime may not be easily changed, so it may be difficult to transform the fuzzy end of the lollipop into cotton candy.  But the good news is that it can be done.  By learning to recognize and understand how their own beliefs control them, Experiencers can change their perceptions - and thus, their reality. Can it really be that simple?  Simple, yes; easy, not necessarily.  But the human mind is very powerful, and the truth is that the only individuals in the universe who can turn us into victims are ourselves.  Like everything else in life, good things happen and bad things happen, and the difference is how we accept them and live with them.

          Beginning to look at our ET visits from a different point of view can make a huge difference in how they affect us, and can turn us from victims into victors.  It has nothing to do with whether we agree with what ETs are doing or not.  It’s about us, not them.  If you are an Experiencer having problems with the aftermath of an ET contact or abduction event, talk to a supportive friend or a therapist.  Get away from negative media and opinions that support your fears.  Surround yourself with positive people and activities.  Have fun. Volunteer to help someone who has more problems than you. And, most important, realize that whether you are a victim or not is up to you.  As long as you take your power, you can get on with life and face past and future abductions and contact events without fear and anger.

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BIRDS OF A FEATHER . . . (or will sharing my ET experiences in a group help me?)

 

          Experiencers are individuals who have been abducted or had first-hand contact with extraterrestrial (ET) or inter-dimensional beings, aliens or UFOs.  This contact may manifest in various ways, including physical abduction and psychic contact, only once or repeatedly over the course of lifetimes.  Some Experiencers have conscious memories of these events and respond with joy and a feeling of privilege or blessing, even eagerly anticipating the next experience.  However, many react with fear, dread or confusion and find themselves alone and doubting their own sanity.  In most cases, there is no conscious memory or, at best, vague partial recollections or recurring dreams of something that they don’t understand that fill them with dread and confusion. 

          Many Experiencers seek hypnotherapy for help in retrieving repressed or partially-repressed memories related to ET experiences and in understanding and coping with their aftermath.  (See "Should I Get Therapy for My ET Experiences?" on this blog) 

          But for many Experiencers, private therapy isn’t necessary.  Experiencers who are comfortable sharing their memories and experiences with others and are open to the ideas of others often benefit from attending an Experiencer support group rather than private therapy. 

           Experiencers often feel some form of isolation, and sharing their experiences in a group, with people who are experiencing the same issue and isolation, combats that problem, and can eventually help them to overcome their sense of isolation, validate their experiences, raise self-esteem and successfully integrate the ET contact experiences into their lives.  Support groups can also be helpful in recalling and working through abduction/contact experiences on a light level, and they are less expensive than private therapy, but they are not usually as effective at working on individual issues and don't provide the individual guidance and personal support that may be needed.

           There are different types of support groups that Experiencers might want to check out.
 

Meet-ups or UFO, ET, abduction or paranormal interest groups -

          These groups are open to anyone who’s interested in the subject.  They are usually casual and tend to be larger than private groups.  They can be fun, but if you need to ask questions or get information about a personal issue, you might not have the opportunity in a large group, or you might not be comfortable doing so.  Usually, there are no requirements needed to attend these groups, but there may be an entry fee or requested donation.

Private Experiencer support groups -

            These groups are open to Experiencers only.  They are usually led by a counselor or therapist, but group members are encouraged to share their experiences and participate in discussions.  The group may contain people who have had private therapy and some who have not.  You may need to have an interview or session with the therapist before attending the group, and there may be a fee for the group or a requested donation.  Unless you are attending the group as part of private therapy, there is no obligation to stay in the group if you don't like it.  Contact the group leader for info. 

            If you are interested in a group, I encourage you to attend one, whether it's a meet-up or private group.  Not all Experiencers are interested in learning or working on their issues in a group environment, but they can be a good place to start.  You can meet people you share a lot with and who won't think you're nuts.  ET contact experiences are quite varied and unique, but they are all valid.  If you attend a group, you will need to keep an open mind and not judge anyone else or their experiences.  Have fun!