Sleeping Paralysis that Affected My Life
I cannot explain my experience of sleep paralysis. 😭 I was about 12 when I first had the experience. Since then, it has troubled my entire life, including my studies and sleeping habits. I couldn't sleep for four nights due to this dreadful problem. I was unable to explain my problem to my parents. One day, my mom noticed that I was going through such an experience. She told me that I had a nightmare (ऐठान) and applied a tika on my forehead made of spit (थुक) and dust from a big toe (खुट्टाको बुढी औँलाको धुलो), saying that a witch (बोक्सी) was playing with me. After applying the tika, I felt relief for the whole week. I was very thankful to my mother.
I cannot explain my experience of sleep paralysis. 😭 I was about 12 when I first had the experience. Since then, it has troubled my entire life, including my studies and sleeping habits. I couldn't sleep for four nights due to this dreadful problem. I was unable to explain my problem to my parents. One day, my mom noticed that I was going through such an experience. She told me that I had a nightmare (ऐठान) and applied a tika on my forehead made of spit (थुक) and dust from a big toe (खुट्टाको बुढी औँलाको धुलो), saying that a witch (बोक्सी) was playing with me. After applying the tika, I felt relief for the whole week. I was very thankful to my mother.
However, after a week, it happened to me again. She told me to use weapons made of iron (हसिया/खुकुरी/बन्चरो), and it provided relief for a few days. Additionally, I followed various spiritual guidelines and rituals suggested by religious gurus, pandits, lamas, purohits, and others. These included putting lines of ash (खरानीको लक्ष्मण रेखा) around my bed, placing blessed rice on my pillow, and applying blessed vaccine (मन्त्रेको टीका) made from ash, etc. I even wore a Jantar around my neck, but after 2/3 months, these remedies also failed. Eventually, I failed in one subject (Major English) in grade 11. However, after taking a chance exam, I was able to complete my back papers. Unfortunately, such evil occurrences continued to happen in my life during my bachelor's studies.
I felt completely isolated and helpless as I was far from my home in Syangja, Malyangkot, studying at Bhanubhakta Campus in Belchautara, Tanahun, at Khairenitar. I want to emphasize that I am not sharing a false or fictional story, but I reached a point where I considered suicide. However, the thought of my upcoming responsibilities and the love of my family members prevented me from doing so. I was truly in a state of mental distress.
During that time, I began excessively using my mobile phone at night and sleeping during the day. Unintentionally, I started becoming absent-minded in class, talking to myself unknowingly, and feeling drowsy or staring off during lectures. I pretended to be happy in front of my friends, but inside, I was slowly losing my grip on reality. I didn't have an interest in games, so I spent a lot of time on my phone, chatting and flirting with strangers to pass the nights.
I feel ashamed to admit that I went to college on five occasions forgetting that it was a holiday during my college life, all because of my disrupted sleep pattern. I became a failure, failing one subject in the first year, two subjects in the second year, and one subject in the third year.
After completing my college education, I started working the night shift at Yodha Astrology, a prominent astrology service provider in Nepal. Working there exposed me to various spiritual aspects, including understanding nightmares, which significantly transformed my life. I earned a good income by providing psychological and astrological advice to others, with the guidance of an astrologer. After working there for six months, I returned to my village to serve as a teacher for the public.
Currently, I am employed as a teacher at Khadgakali Secondary School. Sometimes, thoughts of fame, a good reputation, and financial stability cross my mind, but I am content with my current profession. After experiencing the fear of sleep paralysis for nearly nine to ten years, it eventually stopped occurring. However, nowadays it still happens occasionally, but I can handle the situation much better. I can predict when sleep paralysis is likely to happen as I can sense the isolation of my body and mind while lying in bed.
Here are some suggestions to improve your sleep paralysis experience:
- Avoid sleeping with your hands on your chest.
- If you anticipate sleep paralysis, try joining your index finger and thumb together or consider keeping your toes from both feet together. This may help you wake up during a nightmare.
- Drink a glass of water and engage in yoga or reading activities before bed.
- Place iron near your bed to reduce the impact of gravitational forces, which can contribute to sleep paralysis. Additionally, avoid using excessively large or flat pillows.
- Refrain from indulging in superstitions such as witchcraft, ghosts, and spirits, as they can lead to psychological disorders.
- Seek guidance from a medical professional, such as a psychiatrist or therapist, to discuss your sleep paralysis problem.
- Incorporate regular exercise into your routine and establish a consistent sleep schedule.
Thanks for reading my experience.
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