I used to have occasional sleep paralysis, starting very young. I remember seeing shadows and hearing noises, then having them quickly gain resolution until I was actually hearing whispering and walking, and seeing something between a traditional western demon and an oni mask. Years later, before I learned not to sleep on my back but after I had a more materialist outlook, I would notice the process of forming images and usually be able to mentally halt the pareidolia.
I can easily believe that a more powerful such process would leave the formative steps imperceptible, especially to someone who had no experience.
I’ve had sleep paralysis numerous times, and I instinctively knew that it was something wrong with my body, even whilst it was occurring. The hypothesis that there was some demon or agent involved just never occurred. It felt like my whole body was just not responding.
Never having had sleep paralysis, I bow to your superior expertise on the subject.
I used to have occasional sleep paralysis, starting very young. I remember seeing shadows and hearing noises, then having them quickly gain resolution until I was actually hearing whispering and walking, and seeing something between a traditional western demon and an oni mask. Years later, before I learned not to sleep on my back but after I had a more materialist outlook, I would notice the process of forming images and usually be able to mentally halt the pareidolia.
I can easily believe that a more powerful such process would leave the formative steps imperceptible, especially to someone who had no experience.
I’ve had sleep paralysis numerous times, and I instinctively knew that it was something wrong with my body, even whilst it was occurring. The hypothesis that there was some demon or agent involved just never occurred. It felt like my whole body was just not responding.