Meaning of a Dream

Sleep Paralysis Kit is a breakthrough course that explains step-by-step how to stop sleep paralysis nightmares once and for all.

It's written by Ryan Hurd, a long term sufferer of this horrendous sleep disorder and a proficient lucid dreamer himself. I'm excited about this book because it's an absolute first; for this is a subject matter that has been shrouded in mystery for years.

Here, Ryan delivers a holistic approach to journeying past the fear and the nightmarish terrors, and transforming the phenomenon into visionary experiences like lucid dreams, out of body experiences and creative hypnagogia. That is nothing to be sniffed at: for chronic sufferers, Ryan literally offers a way to turn your worst nightmares into your greatest lucid fantasies...

Sleep paralysis is a troubling sleep disorder characterized by the feeling being unable to move while waking up or falling asleep. Sometimes this state comes with terrifying hallucinations of someone in the room, who approach the bed and hurt or molest the victim. While it sounds like something out of a horror story, the underlying paralysis mechanism has been felt by about 40% of the world's population at least once in their lives. But for some people, the sadistic creatures come night after night.

The good news is that sleep paralysis nightmares are not a curse but a misunderstood kind of dream state. They have biological causes that are triggered when we are sleep-deprived or under stress. Still, knowing that SP and its visions are "normal" does not stop the fear which can induce your worst possible living nightmares.

If you suffer from this condition medically known as isolated Sleep Paralysis (iSP), then you need to read Ryan's book. It has practical solutions you can apply to your SP episodes to rid you of your night time ghouls and restore peace to your bedroom.

Ryan Hurd presents a practical how-to guide to successfully:

Identify your SP triggers, including food and drinksLearn about herbs and supplements to quell your anxiety Create a more restful bedroom environment for fewer nightmaresRecognize the warning signs and learn how to quickly ground yourselfDevelop your own safe ground when those creatures sit on the bed

And that is only the beginning. Ryan is a tenacious researcher who has personally experienced sleep paralysis nightmares for 20 years. Then, some five years ago, he taught himself how to transform his SP terrors into positive visionary states. He goes on to explain how sufferers and explorers of borderland states can:

Face the SP attacker with courage and ask for what you wantMeet helpful dream figures, such as ancestors and angelsTransform your paralysis into an out-of-body experience or lucid dreamDiscover supplements that help induce vivid dreamsExperience healing dreams and spiritual ecstasyInvite sensual dream encounters after sleep paralysisUse these dreams to problem solve other aspects of your lifeDissolve fear and build courage in your dreams and waking lifeBeautifully illustrated, this 100+ page sleep paralysis guide also comes with a practical worksheet for establishing your own SP management plan. An added bonus is the one-hour interview with Jorge Sevilla, PhD, author of Wrestling With Ghosts: a Personal and Scientific Account of Sleep Paralysis.

Ryan's sleep paralysis guide also contains valuable insights for anyone who induces lucid dreams and out of body experiences. As explorers of the sleep-waking border, we are all more prone to encountering the sleep paralysis phenomenon from time to time. This is not a bad thing. As Ryan explains, your beliefs and attitudes to SP directly affect the outcome... Bring your fear along and it will predictably turn into your worst nightmare. Bring courage, and you can turn it into amazing lucid dreams and unimaginable states of bliss.

Such is the importance of this book that it contains a foreword by lucid dreaming pioneer Scott Sparrow whose book, Lucid Dreaming: Dawning of The Clear Light, was the very first book published on lucid dreaming in the US in 1976. Scott explains that after 40 years in dream research, he never had an answer to the sleep paralysis riddle. "After reading this book, I can finally say that someone has finally lifted the veil on this strange and often disturbing experience," he says.

"Most importantly, this book is the product of Ryan's own struggle to understand and benefit from his SP experiences. Through his own extensive experience with sleep paralysis, Ryan Hurd has turned lead into gold, and now has gold to share."

Sleep Paralysis Kit is very easy to follow, divided into three clear sections. I have never suffered from iSP as a chronic sleep disorder but have of course run into it occassionaly through my quest for lucid dreams and OBEs. I found all three parts immensely useful - never again will I worry about encountering fearsome Strangers on the sleep-wake border. Indeed, the final chapter explains how to induce sleep paralysis deliberately, so you can enjoy visionary dream states on demand...

Part I is a practical guide to stop having sleep paralysis nightmares and take control when it does happen. It contains tips that will help you break SP tonight. Next, it turns to lifestyle changes that can lessen your susceptibility, which takes most people about two weeks to cement into practice. Finally, it addresses the psychological aspects of SP, including how to let go of your fear.

Part II is a focused study on the apparitions that occur in 1 in 5 SP experiences. First, it reviews the latest theories about how apparitions form; these terrifying visions are the most misunderstood aspect of SP. Next, it provide some concrete strategies for preventing them from escalating into nightmares. Sometimes, the SP apparition can lead you on a journey to self-discovery. In fact, this "Stranger" is also connected to a long history of helpful figures such as spirit guides, angels, and ancestors. This section thoroughly explores these intriguing possibilities.

Part III is a guide to thriving with SP. This section includes advanced dreaming techniques that are possible once you have mastered the lessons in Part I and II. Effective tactics are covered for inducing out-of-body experiences, lucid dreams, and hypnagogic reverie, all of which can be accessed from a sleep paralysis state. The last chapter teaches how courageous dreamers can increase the odds of SP in order to access extraordinary lucid dreams and visions.

A very fascinating part of this book is the explanation behind sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Scientists have had little to say about these night time apparitions until recently... and so Ryan pieces together the theories of these waking nightmares. From the threat vigilance system, to neurotheology and spirits, to cultural influences, to psychic dimensions. No stone is left unturned.

Ryan explains: "REM dreaming is, neurologically speaking, a visionary state of mind. Activation of the limbic system brings strong emotions, combined with an enhanced access to long-term memory - and a depression of short-term memory so we don't tend to question who or where we are. Add the intense firing of the parts of the brain that brings mental imagery, and you have dreaming: a potent mix of visual-emotional metaphors that link to our deepest memories and experiences." Few writers have the ability to take such an abstract concept and explain it so succinctly, but this is what Ryan does.

The book goes on to reveal the connection between sleep paralysis nightmares and lucid dreaming, out of body experiences, near death experiences, alien abductions, angel visitations and other vision states. You will learn exactly how to develop an SP episode into a lucid dream or OBE, as well as communicate with your Stranger and watch them evolve into a helpful ally.

As Ryan so eloquently puts it: "Sleep paralysis is a portal to all the dreaming worlds. The question is not so much, Which world do I want to enter? but Which one do I want to explore first?"

Here's what the dream research community has said about this book:

"People who suffer sleep paralysis inevitably focus on their fear and discomfort, but rarely do they recognize that this strange experience also holds a huge potential for mind/body growth and enlightenment. Ryan Hurd, a brilliant researcher and emerging leader in the field of dream studies, offers a brand new perspective on sleep paralysis that provides both practical help and inspirational guidance. Hurd's excellent new book gives clear and effective advice about how to diminish the painful symptoms of sleep paralysis, while leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the incredible power of the dreaming imagination - a power that can promote greater health and conscious awareness in all of us."

- Kelly Bulkeley, PhD, author of Dreaming in the World's Religions: A Comparative History

"If you suffer from sleep paralysis, buy this book. Inside it are powerful techniques, real knowledge and experienced advice from a former sleep paralysis sufferer. Using practical techniques, insightful advice and scientific research, Hurd takes the SP sufferer on a journey from intense fear to real hope and empowerment. Benefit from his insight, and learn how to resolve your sleep paralysis for good."

- Robert Waggoner, author of Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self