Ever Experience Sleep Paralysis? [ Equanimity Is Hard To Find Here]

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Yes, once again it's gonna kick off with something personal. I actually enjoy it that way because it creates this avenue to say more, because with more personal experience, there's more lessons or thoughts to pass across.

So then, hello Brainers

Equanimity is just a state of being calm and composed especially under stress, and I suppose everyone knows that by now. However, despite having such a simple meaning to itself, it's actually something that's very difficult to acquire.

Down here in Nigeria there's quite a lot of superstitions, and growing up in such an environment is really difficult, scary to the most of it.

When I was young, I experienced something really weird. So, I was sleeping a certain night, if I can quite remember, this is something that either happens at the early stage of laying down or at about when I am supposed to be awake. So it occurs differently, I can't tell what hour it happened this time, but then, here's what occurred.

I was sleeping, no biggie, after I close eyes, am suppose to just wake up later on, as humans we don't know how it happens that we wake up, even though science tries to prove a lot of things, we still have to believe the process of sleeping and waking up is "actually" a miracle.

So, this time, unlike easily laying in bed and getting back up, I was trapped in something I'd call a terrible "dream state" . You could call it a nightmare but then, it's only a nightmare once you're able to actually free yourself from it.


Source

"Sleep Paralysis"

I really don't know the type of human I am. Am the type that has been through a lot when it comes to the short time world humans visit during the night hours. I've had dreams, lucid dreams, nightmares, false awakening ( story for another day.) Basically just so much that I only got to know of after a lot of research when it was getting out of hand.

Sleep Paralysis and I are like companions, it's not something I experience every night tho, but it comes often because of "stress"

While I was sleeping, I felt this urge in my dream state to get up, I tried getting out of bed but couldn't. It was like the weight of the world was on my chest, at this point, I couldn't feel my breathing, literally!

At some point I told my mom and she was like she's had similar experiences, but Dad took it as a joke. Actually, it was a laughable shit, because we had superstitions get to us, we believed it was supernatural powers, like witches and wizards trying to kill us, dumb right?

Well if you're in Nigeria not everyone will see it to be dumb, there's just a lot of shits going on here.

I got to realize that it was only the weakness of the muscles that caused this Paralysis, in other words stress!

There were no supernatural powers attached!

After a couple of research, I learnt to handle it whenever it comes, that's where the word "Equanimity" comes in!

Trust me, staying calm at the trap stage is hard, despite how much I try to compose myself, I always panic, I mean I am never able to breath at this stage. Muscles go so weak that I can't even move a finger, it's always that serious and scary!

Well, honestly speaking, I'd be fine with me not being able to move, but not breathing? Seriously? That's like me having 5 seconds away from being a dead person, because I'm not so good at holding my breathe.

Practicing Equanimity is never so easy. Under stress, people do a lot of crazy things, and panicking is just the first shit that follows. To most people, this may sound weird, or awkward, whichever, but if you have had people around that experience this, they can tell you that staying calm at this point it is really difficult, and actually making it out is like escaping death.


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Sleep paralysis can be a very frightening. Remember back then when I experience few episodes of it.

After reading more about it online, I also found out that being calm helps, ever since I practiced that, it helped me in snapping out.

I must admit that Being calm in such a situation is not however easy as many thoughts run through the mind


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Right?

When I first experienced it, I got scared that going to bed became really hard for me. It really took me a long time to be able to control myself, but notwithstanding, it's still pretty frightening because I could literally feel my heart racing at this point.


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(Edited)

Man, sleep paralysis, how I hate that stuff. The first time I experienced it must have been when I was a child of about 6. I didn't experience it again all my life till I got into adulthood. Like two years ago it used to come regularly but now it hardly ever does.

Like you, when it comes my first reaction would be panic but after that I then try to be still and achieve some calm, that's the best way to handle it usually.

Also I'm Nigerian and I know the talk about witchcraft😂😂
They say it is witches trying to 'press' you at night 🤣🤣


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Lol, the part of being pressed gets me laughing always
Like people here are crazy, top notch.


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Lol. I'm telling you. Some even pray about it when they wake up 🤔🤣


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Lol, which part of Nigeria are you from and where do you reside?


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I'm from Ebonyi State. I currently stay in Abakaliki. How bout you, bro?


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That's cool, am from Akwa Ibom, and based there mann


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I was actually born and brought up in Calabar. I can speak a little Ibibio because Calabar is filled with Akwa Ibomites, you know? Since they're so close and have a lot in common.


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That's very true, Akwa Ibom originated from Cross Rivers, that also contributes to it.


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They say it is witches trying to 'press' you at night

@nevies Lol..i guess the witches now have iron,and the person they are pressing is the cloth..


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In Akwa Ibom, we call it ‘uben'. It's often associated with witchcrafty and the likes. Maybe the world's more than the physical, maybe we're more than just flesh and blood, but I'd always resort to the scientific explanation of events over the paranormal


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Lol..the funny thing is that some people feel that sleep paralysis has to do with spirtitual powers tormenting someone..


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