I help folks play with their dreams (the sleeping kind) for self-knowledge, healing and spiritual growth. With a background in consciousness studies and archaeology, my expertise is in dreams at the intersections of culture, cosmos and ecology. Let's court the mysteries together!
Visionary Hypnagogia: moving beyond sleep paralysis
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This morning, I woke up from a dream and then closed my eyes. I felt the energetic rumbles take hold and "I" slipped through the mattress into a cool dark space. I was immersed in unseen water, and I felt the waters healing me. Relaxing into it, I then felt like I was drawn by a current of water, like drifting down a river. I woke up to the sound of morning world (honking horns) and despite my annoyance of the wake up -- I felt absolutely refreshed. Ok, time to get to kids to school. This is what visionary hypnagogia can look like in the midst of regular life. If you want to know how to navigate dream spaces like this, my online workshop Visionary Hypnagogia: sleep paralysis to sacred encounter is now open for registration. You can check out the course page here. Here's the main info: Class starts Tuesday March 3rd, and runs through the month of March. This course is dedicated to my past self, who suffered terribly with the nightmarish symptoms of sleep paralysis.
Sleep paralysis and its visions are creepy. It tests you. The nightmare images are tailor made to induce our worst fears. That's OK: It takes time, courage, and some self-knowledge to figure out what works best for you to work with the gift of this unique altered state of consciousness, on your own terms. That's why for a lot of people, reading some online articles, or even my book, is not enough. Sometimes people need more support, because managing sleep paralysis is more than mastering the information; it takes a commitment on deeper levels to get through the fear blockades that were baked into our psyches decades before. The support I’m talking about is:
I have come to see that sleep paralysis symptoms can be managed by attending to some key indicators in my daily life as well as picking up some easy habits to add to my nightly sleep routine. And once managed... well, then sleep paralysis can actually can be enjoyable. That may sound strange! But actually once you learn to control for your fear during this misunderstood altered state of consciousness, you'll be able to use sleep paralysis as a gateway into extraordinary dreaming. What is visionary hypnagogia? I am talking about:
The way I see it, sleep paralysis is getting stuck in the threshold of this doorway to extraordinary dreaming. This is next level dreaming: The missing manual. If you already have sleep paralysis occasionally or you are a caregiver (therapist, minister, spiritual director, or dream worker) wanting more of an understanding of this fascinating state of consciousness, this course is for you. Here's how it works: 5 Live Webinar Presentations with Ryan Hurd (Q&A enabled, Mobile friendly) Miss a workshop? All presentations will be recorded for listening whenever Dedicated Forum (moderated by myself) Downloadable Worksheets and Resources Bonuses include: a sleep paralysis kit mailed to your door, including my book Sleep Paralysis and a Lucid Keychain amulet. We begin March 3rd -- secure your seat here. I am limiting this course to 25 participants so we get the most out of this transformative program. Yours, Ryan Hurd Author of Sleep Paralysis: A Guide to Hypnagogic Visions and Visitors of the Night |
Dream Studies Newsletter
I help folks play with their dreams (the sleeping kind) for self-knowledge, healing and spiritual growth. With a background in consciousness studies and archaeology, my expertise is in dreams at the intersections of culture, cosmos and ecology. Let's court the mysteries together!
Hi Reader, How's your dreamlife? I was a guest on Coast to Coast radio last week, talking about sleep paralysis night-mares and visionary hypnagogia. The phones really lit up. Even after an hour of taking callers, we barely dented the requests and George Noory had to apologize to listeners that we were out of time. I heard some incredible first-hand accounts. I was blown away with how many people have had this experience -- and how many are just at a complete loss of how to interpret what...
It's dang cold here in Philadelphia. And it's also St Brigit's Eve, the day before the first day of mid-winter, as celebrated by my Irish and Scottish ancestors as Imbolc. There's an old story in Ireland that this is the time when the winter goddess the Cailleach gives her power over to Brigit and her warming ways. As the winter goddess, the Cailleach is a powerful being. She often is depicted as an old woman who lives in a small hut in the forest. Sometimes she is depicted in terrifying...
Hi Reader, How's your dream life? Here's the info on my winter quarter workshops in the Dream Portal. Members in the Inner Sanctum level get access to all three of these courses; it's a killer deal. And because you're a subscriber to my newsletter, you can use a 15% coupon off on membership. that coupon is: NEWSLETTER Starting January 27th, I'll be leading a three week exploration into ancestral dreams. This workshop series focuses on inviting ancestral wisdom through our imaginal portals of...