Panel on Sleep Paralysis and the Paranormal

Sleep paralysis has long been dismissed as a neurological glitch — yet across cultures, history, and personal testimony, the experiences are strikingly similar, vivid, and often deeply disturbing.The Panel on Sleep Paralysis and the Paranormal explores the intersection of science, consciousness, folklore, and first-hand encounters. From shadow beings and the “Night Hag” to out-of-body states, hypnagogic visions, and alleged non-human contact, this discussion examines why so many people report the same entities, sensations, and environments during paralysis states.Is sleep paralysis a misfiring brain caught between dreaming and waking — or a liminal gateway into altered states of consciousness? Why do fear, pressure, and presence play such a dominant role? And can understanding these experiences transform terror into insight?This panel is for anyone interested in consciousness studies, paranormal phenomena, psychology, dream