Has Anyone Been Visited By The Hag? Or Another Incubus?

[PiracyOfTheHead]

When I was 16, I began waking up with cold, "sickly" shivers running through my body, often times I would begin to feel the shivers in my dreams and would wake up from them, either way when I would wake up I would be frozen still, it would take all my mental (psychic?) energy to release myself from this hold, often I would have to fight 4,5,6, or even 10 times until finally it was gone and that sickly, cold feeling would remain. The strange part was that it wasnt physical strength that would cause me to break free from this "hold" it was a determination to do so, focused and intent, it seemed as if this power was seducing me to sleep, it was as if sleeping and giving up the battle of the will was so enticing, oftentimes I would play around with letting go and at the least second jump back into the game and will my way out of it, it seemed like something REAL BAD would happen if I gave in to sleep, I wasnt told so, it was just a gut feling.

 

One time while drinking a few beers, a close friend ofmine at the time heard my story and said to me in a low voice "Promise you won't laugh at me, or tell anybody about this...but I had soomething like that happen to me too"(Now obviously I am not betraying that confidence by telling about it here, since none of you will know who I am speaking of). He told me he experienced the exact same thing only when he woke he would see an old ugly woman and she would be caressing his genitals, he too would have to will her (it?) away, for him this only happened a few times and then ceased...later on he would tell me it happened again after our conversation, I believe about a year later.

 

We asked his brother if anythign like this had happened, it was an affirmative.

 

We confronted my father about this one night and he explained to us that this had happened to him many times before and that he believed it to be an Incubus spirit that is called the hag, I dont remember if there is just one hag or if the Incubii that do this to men are called "hags", I do believe there was one certain special lady though, but I dont want to eat my words so for now lets say I am not sure. Anyways, he told us the hag was very common, especially with Xtians, that it really had a thing for Xtian men, and that it had been reported all over the world from time immemorial.

 

 

When I was at the monastery, the non monastic visitors (males) stayed in the basement area of a large converted house, it was pretty much military style barracks, but with the iconostasis and the company it was real comfortable and pleasant. On average there would be anywhere from 4-20 guests staying at one time, based on the Church calendar and the time of year. Quite frequently, after lights out (quiet time) for the monks to sleep 8PM-12AM we would get into spiritual and philosophical conversations and huddle together in the kitchen area drinking frape or greek coffee, besides services this was one of my favorite times since the conversaiton would almost always end up turning towards spirits and ghosts, things of that nature.

 

One night I brought up the topic of the hag and the other 5 guys that were there with me all reported this had happened to them too, some seeing a being, others only feeling the sensations. Many claimed their prayers would cause it to end, some said they heard a shreak as it would leave. Over the next few nights about 15 people were asked about this, out of the 15 people 14 had experienced this thing and the one who hadnt was 14 years old or maybe 15 and he said that it may have happened one time to him but he wasnt going to say yes for sure because he couldnt remember exactly what had happened as he was a very deep sleeper.

 

While debating with Catholics a few years back, I created a Thread about this phenomenon on CatholicAnswers.com, the stories of the hag began to roll in with a lot of people saying they had never spoken of it before because they thought nobody would believe them, it became a "Hot" topic there was so many stories, a lot of different type stories but they all had the same basic themes. Men, being disturbed at night in their sleep, either during sleep and awaking or waking due to some eerie feeling and then being disturbed, being held down as if the whole body was frozen, needing to will oneself loose numerous times or else pray oneself loose, many felt a presence or saw a presence, it was almost always a black that was blacker than the dark, which by the way, I have seen this "blackness" far too many times in my life.

 

 

Obviously this is a free board, and anybody can say almost whatever they want, but those who have not experienced this, please do not try and tell us that it is merely the brain, we have heard this rationale ad infinitum.

 

The purpose of this thread is to speak with those that HAVE had this happen to them, and they may give whatever reason they have for their experience, but at last they have experienced it and know the reality of it, and the horror that comes with it.

 

I am asking this because I want people to open up about their experiences and not feel stupid about it, or feel like they are going to be told all their supernatural experiences are their clever little brains....there is too much consistency in the stories I have heard to justify a delusional brain theory.

 

Thanks in advance for your replies and your discretion.

 

Please, tell me your story!!

[florduh]

http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000a.htm

 

Please continue to the second page, which is the scientific explanation. I know you want spooky stuff to be real, but regardless, there is an explanation that doesn't use superstition.

 

Believe whatever you want.

[gypsy79]

This happens to me ALL the time, but I truly believe it really is the brain. I read about it in my abnormal psychology textbook. It said it was rare (not sure I believe that, but whatever).

 

Beware, the following is not necessarily a scientific explanation, but it's what it feels like to me: It seems like my brain takes a snapshot of the room before I go to sleep and then when I am trying to move from asleep to awake (and am not fully awake), my brain gives me that picture of the room to rely on as "proof" that I'm fully awake, but my brain distorts it or adds other "pictures" to it so sometimes I think there is something or someone in the room with me or even touching me. I am always paralyzed completely and cannot talk and always fight sleep like it is the most evil thing on earth, like you said. It took me several years to realize that I was not fully awake during these times although I would stake my life on it while it is happening.

 

This happens to my father a lot as well, so maybe it runs in families?

[Japedo]

Not to fear it's sleep paralysis. It's more common then you think. When everyone dreams (Rem) Sleep their bodies are parallelized, it's a way for your body to rejuvenate itself. The sleep paralysis happens when your conscious wakes up while your body is in REM sleep. It happened to me a lot as a child, my mother used to tell me it was demons attacking me. Just force yourself to go back to sleep and wake up right. It is scary when you don't know what it is. Here's an easy deff, or google Sleep Paralysis. Wiki

[xandermac]

I have sleep apnea. Sometimes I used to feel like I was falling in to a dark pit and I could hear a high pitched ringing in my ears. My dreams were so vivid that I would have to ask if they really happened. Once I talked to Satan! I went through this for years. I would wake up with the worst headaches and I was so tired and depressed all the time. I finally went for the sleep study and got a cpap machine and an oxygen machine. Oxygen was being cut off from my brain causing headaches and hallucinations. They said it was like someone putting their hand over my nose and mouth when I went to sleep. I have to wear a mask at night but I'm used to it. No more nightmares or headaches. Do you snore?

[PiracyOfTheHead]

http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000a.htm

 

Please continue to the second page, which is the scientific explanation. I know you want spooky stuff to be real, but regardless, there is an explanation that doesn't use superstition.

 

Believe whatever you want.

 

 

WTF??

 

No Florduh, I want reality to be real.

 

Neither all spooky nor all scientifically explained away to fit in your neat little box.

 

That was probably the most crass post you've ever made, at least that I've read, dismissing me entirely, telling me who I am, proposing to tell me how it all works, then throwing out "believe whatever you want" as if its what Florduh says or its bullshit.

 

You say you dont believe in God but I'm detecting a little bit of Megalomania here....you have me all figured out, sure you're not the deity??

 

But thats right, you thought you had me pegged in the Dawkins/Chopra thread, how you said I wanted to believe Chopra's mumbo jumbo no matter what, except you were dead wrong, I guess that hasnt sunk in yet.

 

I like to play devil's advocate with the supernatural because thats the only way to get to the truth, I don't like to simply go with the lab coat's version immediately before exploring the other possibilities, not because I'm a fool.

 

Spooky??

 

Yeah, apparently I'm Mulder and you're Scully

[florduh]

"Obviously this is a free board, and anybody can say almost whatever they want, but those who have not experienced this, please do not try and tell us that it is merely the brain, we have heard this rationale ad infinitum."

 

Brain activity is the answer, and you specifically asked to not be given the real explanation. It is not a rationale.

 

You can (after the fact) call your posts "playing the devil's advocate" but you take and defend the "spooky" side (like Chopra) and dismiss and challenge scientific and factual evidence presented.

 

Ask a question and you'll get an answer.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa112000a.htm

 

Please continue to the second page, which is the scientific explanation. I know you want spooky stuff to be real, but regardless, there is an explanation that doesn't use superstition.

 

Believe whatever you want.

 

 

Well, I read it.

 

THAT was the scientific evidence?? It was pretty poor Florduh, but since it came from a "doctor" its gotta be true. It leaves me with a lot of questions and didnt REALLY explain anything other than the mechanics of the brain/body while this experience transpires, yet the article itself claims they dont know why it occurs, explaining HOW something happens is not the same as explaining WHY, ok you can wake up during REM, can't you also wake up being attacked?? What if both are true??

 

The statement that they cant explain why the brain does this is intriguing, in theory, wouldnt a spirit affecting your person cause this to happen?? supposing these beings are made of energy and have "powers" and so on, thats a possibility.

 

Also, why are the accounts chock full of "malevolent" beings, footsteps, voices, feelings of evil and not pink unicorns, angelic singing, rainbows, puppies and faces of loved ones??? If these images are being superimposed from your dream state into your partially awake state, why are they always an exact resemblance to what you would expect from a sinister being and not any other gooey, goody, lovey dovey, dreamy stuff?

 

Furthermore, why do I begin to dream these horrible felings sometimes AND THEN wake to them if they are CAUSED by the waking itself while in REM??

 

I know you will say, "see, you want it to be spooky", but in reality that article didnt prove anything one way or the other, and the answers I still have are perfectly valid for a skeptical mind.

 

You CHOOSE to see it your way based on your life experiences and the knowledge of things you have acquired and other factors.

 

Just as I am choosing to not be satisfied with a very weak explanation from that article, my first instinct is to assume the possibility that both can be happening, I am not convinced its only the sleep paralysis, but that doesnt make me anything other than a skeptic, this is an amazing universe with a ton of shit that cant be explained, interesting and wild things, I am not ready to cash in and give up entirely and relegate my beliefs to whatever some doctor or scientist says, we would never make progress in the medical field or in science if people hadnt challenged what appeared to be solid fact and "reasonable" and "proven".

 

I choose to keep searching, and I will believe whatever I want, thanks.

[Vigile]

POTH, lose the attitude will ya? This board encourages healthy debate but you just come off like an asshole with a huge chip on your shoulder. This is the second thread I've read you ask for input and when you get it you just go off on abusive rants. Being a recent deconvert is no excuse for acting like a dick. We're all friends here so just chill, alright?

[PiracyOfTheHead]

"Obviously this is a free board, and anybody can say almost whatever they want, but those who have not experienced this, please do not try and tell us that it is merely the brain, we have heard this rationale ad infinitum."

 

Brain activity is the answer, and you specifically asked to not be given the real explanation. It is not a rationale.

 

Are you trying to be a sophist?? What I said was, I have heard the brain theory before, I wanted new information, moreso I wanted to hear from people who had experienced it.

 

I didnt say "Dont give me the real explanation", so dont make it sound that way, its YOUR real explanation, that doesnt make it the truth.

 

 

You can (after the fact) call your posts "playing the devil's advocate" but you take and defend the "spooky" side (like Chopra) and dismiss and challenge scientific and factual evidence presented.

 

I knew you would pull the Chopra card, apparently you missed the conclusion I came to in that thread, I said I found Chopra entertaining but that I was more interested in Dawkins' information.

 

BESIDES THAT..I was criticizing Dawkins' behavior and not his beliefs, that was never the quesiton, YOU insisted upon it being about who was right and who was wrong and how that was relevant to Dawkins' behavior, not me. I didnt start the thread to discuss whether Chopra's world was reality or Dawkins' world was, I think I explained that a dozen times in the thread,mainly to you because you were clinging to it.

 

 

Ask a question and you'll get an answer.

 

Yeah, normally, when the person being asked actually understands the question, lately that person hasnt been you.

 

And the way you're twisting my words around is showing your absolute bias on these matters, you're closeminded so that makes me spooky??? thats a load and you know it, and that is EXACTLY how you're playing it.

[The-Captain]

Also, why are the accounts chock full of "malevolent" beings, footsteps, voices, feelings of evil and not pink unicorns, angelic singing, rainbows, puppies and faces of loved ones???

 

That's an interesting question, though it goes beyond me in the answering. It seems that this trend extends beyond dream phenomena, to just about every other thing we'd call "superstition".

[Ouroboros]

To answer the OP, have I every had any supernatural experience like this? Nope. Not one single time. I wanted to have any kind of experience. I begged. Prayed. Tried. Asked for it... nothing. I guess you have to not only believe it to get it, but you have to be chosen. Or, it could be simply another explanation.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

POTH, lose the attitude will ya? This board encourages healthy debate but you just come off like an asshole with a huge chip on your shoulder. This is the second thread I've read you ask for input and when you get it you just go off on abusive rants. Being a recent deconvert is no excuse for acting like a dick. We're all friends here so just chill, alright?

 

Vigile, you only appear when you feel the need to chastise me, you have no input in any of my other threads, stop policing me, you act like a complete prick to me whenever you claim I'm being a prick, start practicing what you preach and maybe you'll make a difference.

 

Ive only ever had problems with you and your two buds...and once in a while me and Florduh get heated, I have NO PROBLEMS WITH ANYBODY ELSE, see a pattern here??? Could it be your part in the matter??

 

So stop placing all the blame on me, I dont take kindly to being told how I think and that Im spooky and being misquoted, you dont like that either, so give it a rest.

 

I truly doubt you showed up to help us be all friends, just another excuse to call me names....I opened your post from ignore because I thought PERCHANCE you would have had something to say about the thread, I was foolish to do so, same old Vigile.

 

Just leave me alone, you're on ignore anyways, I wont make the same mistake again

[Japedo]

On the link I provided in my first answer.

 

In Newfoundland, it is known as the 'Old Hag'. In island folklore, the Hag can be summoned to attack a third party, like a curse. In his 1982 book, The Terror that Comes in the Night, David J. Hufford writes that in local culture the way to call the Hag is to recite the Lord's Prayer backwards. It is also common for believers to claim that those who are not wakened from this paralysis will die.

 

There is an explanation. People who believe in UFO's believe they are captured by aliens when they experience sleep paralysis, People who fear Witches think it's the hag, People who fear Demons see Demons, it's all about how your mind is conditioned.

 

ETA:

 

From the same Link:

 

In Ireland it is also known as "the hag". The expression originates from reports of an old woman that was believed to be seen near the sufferer during paralysis.

 

In Greece and Cyprus, it is believed that sleep paralysis occurs when a ghost-like creature or Demon named Mora, Vrahnas or Varypnas (Greek: Μόρα, Βραχνάς, Βαρυπνάς) tries to steal the victim's speech or sits on the victim's chest causing asphyxiation.

 

# In many parts of the Southern United States, the phenomenon is known as a "hag", and the event is said to often be a sign of an approaching tragedy or accident.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

To answer the OP, have I every had any supernatural experience like this? Nope. Not one single time. I wanted to have any kind of experience. I begged. Prayed. Tried. Asked for it... nothing. I guess you have to not only believe it to get it, but you have to be chosen. Or, it could be simply another explanation.

 

 

I have had too many strange things happen to me to not believe in "something", thats my burden I guess, and one of the reasons I fell headlong for Xtianity, so much talk of angels, demons, spirits etc.

 

I am hard pressed between keeping my head on the ground and having my head in the clouds, I seem to go from one to the other on these issues and never really find an answer...hopefully I will soon about something??

[PiracyOfTheHead]

Also, why are the accounts chock full of "malevolent" beings, footsteps, voices, feelings of evil and not pink unicorns, angelic singing, rainbows, puppies and faces of loved ones???

 

That's an interesting question, though it goes beyond me in the answering. It seems that this trend extends beyond dream phenomena, to just about every other thing we'd call "superstition".

 

 

Good to see ya around Doc....I've won the asshole of the day award and its not even 8AM here yet....

 

Have you ever had it happen to you though??

[The-Captain]

To answer the OP, have I every had any supernatural experience like this? Nope. Not one single time. I wanted to have any kind of experience. I begged. Prayed. Tried. Asked for it... nothing. I guess you have to not only believe it to get it, but you have to be chosen. Or, it could be simply another explanation.

 

Maybe we accidentally signed on to worship the God of skepticism, that's just how he answers prayers.

[The-Captain]

Also, why are the accounts chock full of "malevolent" beings, footsteps, voices, feelings of evil and not pink unicorns, angelic singing, rainbows, puppies and faces of loved ones???

 

That's an interesting question, though it goes beyond me in the answering. It seems that this trend extends beyond dream phenomena, to just about every other thing we'd call "superstition".

 

 

Good to see ya around Doc....I've won the asshole of the day award and its not even 8AM here yet....

 

Have you ever had it happen to you though??

 

Well always good to accomplish something before lunch.

 

As for the hag, no... not even the sleep paralysis. Most dream phenomena I've ever had was being half asleep and thinking I was playing soccer and kicking out in real life. On the paranormal front my life has been pretty bland.

 

I'm always interested in hearing about it and conjecturing though.

[Vigile]

*more tiring diatribe*

 

Fuck off and welcome to ignore. Congratulations, you're the first one to make it there in 2 years.

[florduh]

Piracy, for your own benefit, look at your questions and accept the most likely answer as true. Scientific experiments can be picked apart if you are motivated to believe in superstition, but they still offer the only real evidence that explains a phenomenon. Uncle Franz's nightmare doesn't help at all in explaining sleep paralysis.

 

For your peace of mind, feel free to put me on the "ignore list" with the others you don't agree with.

[Ouroboros]

I have had too many strange things happen to me to not believe in "something", thats my burden I guess, and one of the reasons I fell headlong for Xtianity, so much talk of angels, demons, spirits etc.

 

I am hard pressed between keeping my head on the ground and having my head in the clouds, I seem to go from one to the other on these issues and never really find an answer...hopefully I will soon about something??

I can imagine your frustration. Unfortunately I can't exact or completely understand what you go through, since those experiences are so foreign to me. I have talked to a few members on this website in the past who also had similar experiences they couldn't explain. And in a sense it feels unfair, whichever way you look at it. Because either, the supernatural does exist, but someone like me never got a chance for unknown reasons to experience it. Or the supernatural does not exist, and someone like you have to live in a constant question how it can't be real when it feels so real to you.

 

Maybe we accidentally signed on to worship the God of skepticism, that's just how he answers prayers.

Oh, God DAMN! I checked the wrong box in the release forms before being born.

[xandermac]

I'm totally confused.Are you angry because you're not getting the answers you want? I think I will just "ignore" this whole thread. Good luck finding your answer.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

I have had too many strange things happen to me to not believe in "something", thats my burden I guess, and one of the reasons I fell headlong for Xtianity, so much talk of angels, demons, spirits etc.

 

I am hard pressed between keeping my head on the ground and having my head in the clouds, I seem to go from one to the other on these issues and never really find an answer...hopefully I will soon about something??

I can imagine your frustration. Unfortunately I can't exact or completely understand what you go through, since those experiences are so foreign to me. I have talked to a few members on this website in the past who also had similar experiences they couldn't explain. And in a sense it feels unfair, whichever way you look at it. Because either, the supernatural does exist, but someone like me never got a chance for unknown reasons to experience it. Or the supernatural does not exist, and someone like you have to live in a constant question how it can't be real when it feels so real to you.

 

I appreciate you seeing it from both perspectives like that, it is unfair.

 

May the hag be with you!

 

Seriously though, things like this happened to me starting when I was an infant. A being used to stand over me and breathe loudly at me, my father used to hear it and rush into the room, later on he told me he had experienced the brathing apparition starting in Egypt when he was mappaing the Valley of the Kings with Dr Kent Weeks, he had this event happen at his home when I was not even born. So as far as me dreaming it as a child, the fact that my father was party to it negates any of the dream state or hallucination theories, its things like that that make it so unreal. And those who would not believe will of course find some way to rationalize it.

 

In one sense Florduh may be correct, I lean a bit towards belief in the supernatural but I also seek the TRUTH, perhaps I am a little biased by my experiences but that is impossible to change, how could I not be??

 

LOL...you could try seances and summonings, maybe you could get some action there?? IDK...all I do know is god doesnt seem to show up.

[PiracyOfTheHead]

I'm totally confused.Are you angry because you're not getting the answers you want? I think I will just "ignore" this whole thread. Good luck finding your answer.

 

I wasnt taking issue with Florduh's unbelief BTW, I was just upset at being put in a box and labeled, and made to sound like i am a fool. I don't try to pick fights and I dont see the problem with getting a little heated once in a while about a passionate subject...I wasnt trying to be the bad guy, but i was insulted.

 

I'm the type that you growl at me and Im gonna growl back, a lot of people dont like that...its called hypocrisy, even though this is a forum and its all in type, it is still an affront to me when my beliefs, my experiences, my thoughts and opinions are trampled on and my motives questioned along with assumptions made about my character.

 

I was angry from being insulted....and that Vigile guy is never around in my other posts, only shows up to say shit about me, I hadnt called any names then he magically appears and enters into a discussion I am haing with Florduh and calls me and asshole and a dick....would that anger you???

[florduh]

"In one sense Florduh may be correct, I lean a bit towards belief in the supernatural but I also seek the TRUTH, perhaps I am a little biased by my experiences but that is impossible to change, how could I not be??"

 

That's what I was saying. You WANT to believe in the supernatural.

 

I also have had "experiences" with ghosts and UFOs. I investigated, I wanted to believe, but the scientific explanations were the most likely, so I ACCEPTED THEM.