Looking for an opinion on this

Grandmafaraway · #1 Oct 7, '11, 9:51 pm

Hi

I was wondering what thoughts others may have about something like this; I will try to keep it brief but clear enough.

It first started in 1990

1. I was laying down in bed, it was late, to my right was my husband sleeping and two my left my youngest in her crib. It was quiet and I was just laying there, there was what was a gentle breeze and that breeze was refreshing. Then it became stronger and stronger and I felt pressed against the bed, I knew I was awake I was seeing the room as I treid to turn my head to wake my husband I had a hard time doing so and speaking. Then almost the same way as it started it adruptly stopped. (thought it was weird, but left it at that)

2. Now a few years later: I am again laying on the bed just resting not sleeping and felt a breeze, that breeze became stronger and stronger and began to lift my legs up. Of course I got scared and tried to speak and move my arm to wake him up and could not hardly move my arm. Again it ended the same way.

3 A few more years later, I am laying across the couch, watching cartoons with my children all of who where fairly small sitting around me and again I felt the breeze; as I felt this breeze I was very much aware of the kids sitting there and what was on television. Then the breeze became stronger and was pressing me. I tried to move and could not and call out to my eldest and could not; she was actually looking at me; then of course it adruptly stopped.

4. Now a good six years or so later; it is once again later in teh evening everyone is in bed; I am on the couch have sitting and laying watching the history channel; I felt a breeze and took it for the ceiling fan was relaxed and simply watching the history; then the breeze grew stronger and I felt lifted up as if I was standing and I felt weighless the wind was stronger and I was scared to look around and down; focusing instead on the television; actually watching the show and seeing the commercials. As I felt pulled I became scared and simply called out Jesus Help me; must of said this a few times and then I felt arms around me as if someone was standing behind me and wrapped their arms around me and at that moment; I felt pulled down and all of a sudden felt my weight and the wind stopped. Shaken I turned on the light sat upright and was not going to sleep which of course I did.

5. The last time it happened was about 7 years ago this time it was a bit different. I fell asleep on the couch and as I woke up I felt wind hitting me hard and realized that I was calling Jesus. I was fighting against the wind to sit up and again it adruptly stopped.

These things I have shared with only two others. Normally not something you talk about.

When I shared this with my then sister-n-law she actually thought it was wonderful and preceded to tell me how she has tried a number of times to experience and out of body and she feels that it was something close to that. Of course my response was that I don't care to attempt any such thing nor welcome such a thing. We talked of course some more but this is the jist of it.

Well tonight sitting at home while browsing though the site; I thought about it again and wanted to share the experience and gather others thoughts.

I have thought that prehaps I somehow caught myself between the concious and subconcious state from being awake to asleep. I don't know. The similiarilties are that I was resting and being completely relaxed only once was I asleep waking up, the other times I was awake and very aware of my surroundings.

Monica4316 · #2 Oct 7, '11, 10:12 pm

You are right in not trying to experience something like this. It's wrong to seek any "spiritual" experiences whether they are spiritual or not, that could invite the demonic.

This is hard to discern.. have you spoken to a priest? No one here probably would be able to totally discern it.

However, - there are some questions you could ask yourself.... how did you feel afterwards, did you feel peace? did this give you any grace? Did calling upon Jesus make this stop, did it seem like you called on Him for help and He came and stopped it?

I think maybe the safest approach... to ensure that you don't reject anything that could be from God, and yet dont' accept anything that might not be, - is to simply give all this to God and not focus on it at all. If it happens again, it would be a good idea to speak with a good priest.

God bless!

**Trishie** · #3 Oct 8, '11, 1:05 am

Dear Grandma, one thinks of course of 1 Kings 19:11-13 regarding the gentle breeze, but it isn't possible for us to say much.
If this is of God then it is for you. We can't assess.
God speaks to souls in a private way sometimes.
If you believe this is of God, be thankful.

If anything else then you already are open to other natural possibilities from what you said.
The main thing, as you know, is to live the Sacraments, and live in charity to others,
and anything else may be reassurance...but is meaningful only if it brings us closer to God and helps us to more fully live the gospel, which is clearly your desire, I believe.
May God bless you and hold you close.

Whitacre_Girl · #4 Oct 8, '11, 1:53 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandmafaraway

Hi

I was wondering what thoughts others may have about something like this; I will try to keep it brief but clear enough.

It first started in 1990

1. I was laying down in bed, it was late, to my right was my husband sleeping and two my left my youngest in her crib. It was quiet and I was just laying there, there was what was a gentle breeze and that breeze was refreshing. Then it became stronger and stronger and I felt pressed against the bed, I knew I was awake I was seeing the room as I treid to turn my head to wake my husband I had a hard time doing so and speaking. Then almost the same way as it started it adruptly stopped. (thought it was weird, but left it at that)

2. Now a few years later: I am again laying on the bed just resting not sleeping and felt a breeze, that breeze became stronger and stronger and began to lift my legs up. Of course I got scared and tried to speak and move my arm to wake him up and could not hardly move my arm. Again it ended the same way.

3 A few more years later, I am laying across the couch, watching cartoons with my children all of who where fairly small sitting around me and again I felt the breeze; as I felt this breeze I was very much aware of the kids sitting there and what was on television. Then the breeze became stronger and was pressing me. I tried to move and could not and call out to my eldest and could not; she was actually looking at me; then of course it adruptly stopped.

4. Now a good six years or so later; it is once again later in teh evening everyone is in bed; I am on the couch have sitting and laying watching the history channel; I felt a breeze and took it for the ceiling fan was relaxed and simply watching the history; then the breeze grew stronger and I felt lifted up as if I was standing and I felt weighless the wind was stronger and I was scared to look around and down; focusing instead on the television; actually watching the show and seeing the commercials. As I felt pulled I became scared and simply called out Jesus Help me; must of said this a few times and then I felt arms around me as if someone was standing behind me and wrapped their arms around me and at that moment; I felt pulled down and all of a sudden felt my weight and the wind stopped. Shaken I turned on the light sat upright and was not going to sleep which of course I did.

5. The last time it happened was about 7 years ago this time it was a bit different. I fell asleep on the couch and as I woke up I felt wind hitting me hard and realized that I was calling Jesus. I was fighting against the wind to sit up and again it adruptly stopped.

These things I have shared with only two others. Normally not something you talk about.

When I shared this with my then sister-n-law she actually thought it was wonderful and preceded to tell me how she has tried a number of times to experience and out of body and she feels that it was something close to that. Of course my response was that I don't care to attempt any such thing nor welcome such a thing. We talked of course some more but this is the jist of it.

Well tonight sitting at home while browsing though the site; I thought about it again and wanted to share the experience and gather others thoughts.

I have thought that prehaps I somehow caught myself between the concious and subconcious state from being awake to asleep. I don't know. The similiarilties are that I was resting and being completely relaxed only once was I asleep waking up, the other times I was awake and very aware of my surroundings.

I've experienced this myself. It happens when I am feeling stressed or restless in general (caffeine too close to bedtime) and I experience several things. Another common thing is being "awake" while still asleep. It's called sleep paralysis or something like that. It's where you feel like you are awake but you aren't and you can't move because your body is still asleep. It's never happened to me, but it has happened to my husband.

Best thing to do is to go talk to a doctor about it and a priest. If there is a mental or sleep problem - it needs to be addressed quickly since these things only get harder to treat with time. If it is indeed a spiritual thing, then a priest is your best bet.

**puzzleannie** · #5 Oct 8, '11, 2:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandmafaraway

Well tonight sitting at home while browsing though the site; I thought about it again and wanted to share the experience and gather others thoughts.

.

no real opinion but just observation, since the circumstances were so similar in each case, perhaps there was a neurological basis for the experience. Had it happened to me frequently I would have been inclined to mention it to a doctor. Had I been convinced of some spiritual effect I would have mentioned it to my priest if the impression was very strong, especially if it was troubling or threatening in some way. I can only relate subjectively since obviously I cannot feel what you felt.

Bob Crowley · #6 Oct 9, '11, 9:03 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandmafaraway

Hi

I was wondering what thoughts others may have about something like this; I will try to keep it brief but clear enough.

It first started in 1990

1. I was laying down in bed, it was late, to my right was my husband sleeping and two my left my youngest in her crib. It was quiet and I was just laying there, there was what was a gentle breeze and that breeze was refreshing. Then it became stronger and stronger and I felt pressed against the bed, I knew I was awake I was seeing the room as I treid to turn my head to wake my husband I had a hard time doing so and speaking. Then almost the same way as it started it adruptly stopped. (thought it was weird, but left it at that).

I suppose there are two possibilities. One is purely psychological, or if you like, a "trick of the mind." But if you were wide awake at the time, that's a bit hard to accept.

The other possibility is demonic activity. Why you always experience it as a strong wind I don't know, but the fact that when you appeal to Jesus, it loses its force indicates to me it's not from God.

In my early days as a Christian, I remember on one occasion I'd posted off a letter to a newspaper. It never got published, but that afternoon on a few occasions, I felt something like a two ton truck which seemed to be trying to pin me down on the bed, with what felt like hands around my throat. Now I think that was demonic.

Why not get a mass said, if you're worried about it. I don't think you have necessarily done anything to deserve it, and it's really a form of harassment. Padre Pio used to get thrown around the room by demonic forces, with bruises to show for it. Yet he certainly would not have done anything to deserve it - well, not in the moral sense anyway.

If that doesn't stop it, then you have two other actions - see a priest who has an exorcism ministry, or as a last resort go to psychiatrist. But make sure the psychatrist accepts the reality of the spiritual world.

Around 1912, there was a revival in Wales. One of the problems was demonic interference as the devil tried to frustrate the revival. A small book, "War on the Saints" was written by by Jessie Penn-Lewis, with Evan Roberts, which can now be read on the web as it's out of copyright.

Link - http://www.apostasynow.com/wots/Contents.html

I lifted this bit from Chapter 6. You'll note in the last sentence a reference to "feelings of draught and sensations of wind blowing on the circumference,note 19 etc."

Nothing new there - people were copping it in Wales in 1912, and you're getting it now. Same bird, same feathers.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 77

"COUNTERFEIT MANIFESTATIONS OF DIVINE WORKINGS IN THE BODY

Counterfeit manifestations of the Divine life in various ways now follow quickly; movements in the body, pleasant thrills, touches, a glow as of fire in different parts of the body; or sensations of cold, or shakings, and tremblings; all accepted by the believer as from God, but showing what a full entry the deceiving spirit has obtained to the bodily frame; for there is a distinction between the manifestations of evil spirits "with"note 19 and "in" the body and mind of the believer; although when they are really inside, they can also make it appear as if they were outside, both in influence and action.

When evil spirits are really outside, and desirous of entry, they work by sudden suggestion, which is not the ordinary working of the mind, but suggestions which come from without; "flashes of memory," again not the ordinary working of the memory, but coming from without; touches and twitches of the nerves; feelings of draught and sensations of wind blowing on the circumference,note 19 etc.

Bob Crowley · #7 Oct 9, '11, 5:07 pm

As an additional observation to my above post, was it a "real" breeze? Were the curtains flapping, papers flying about, etc.? Or was it purely a sensation like a breeze to you?

If it was purely a "sensation" with no physical signs of a breeze, then given the times, the effect of asking Christ to intervene, I would have to think it was demonic along the lines of the other sensations that evil spirits use from time to time to deceive people into thinking they might come from God.

Grandmafaraway · #8 Oct 10, '11, 6:19 pm

Hi
Thanks to those of you giving me a take on it. Here is a response to the first three post. The fifth and sixth one is under a seperate reply.

]In reply to Monica4316

No, I haven’t spoken to a priest, the experiences where spaced apart in time in such a way that I did not. Partly because I felt silly, how I felt afterwards neither good nor bad just shaken. The last one I did not appreciate. Yes I did call out to Jesus’ and it stopped.

In response to Trishie

I am not sure what to think of it.
I do agree that one main thing is to Trust God, and stay close to what is Gods and the Sacraments. I agree you don’t attempt to mess with the supernatural, or attempt to gain knowledge of anything you’re not suppose to know. I do feel that if it was something of a blessing, I would not be wondering what it was or feeling nerved over it.

]In response to Whiteacre Girl

That is interesting about “being awake while still asleep” this very thing is what I was wondering is possible. This is something that I am going to ask my physician on my upcoming physical.
I do like coffee; so that is something to consider. As far as the stress level; during those particular periods of time I was under no real major stress or what I would consider stress. Just simply your normal living stress. In fact I have since experienced a great deal of stress in the last five years. Starting with a divorce and a host of other things and have not had such an experience occur. However, if I feel a slight breeze; I don’t just let the feeling be, I move, or I sit up, put a blanket over me, but I don’t just lay or sit there.
You mentioned (sleep Paralysis) that is something I will definitely ask about. Not sure how much my doctor can tell me given it hasn’t happened, but I am going to mention it and fine out. Where share what I learn. My regular physical is upcoming in a few weeks.

In response to Puzzleannie

I would not say it is frequent as the occurrences have happened over a period of 14 years; however if I am in a restful state, just being and a breeze type feeling occurs I move, etc so that it goes away. The last time that happened to me did shake me up. I don’t constantly think about it; but when you’re in conversation about things such as dreams, weird experiences etc. It comes to my mind and yes I have vivid memories of it.

Grandmafaraway · #9 Oct 10, '11, 6:43 pm

Hi Bob Crowley

That is interesting what had happened to you and that had to be unsettling. Your post was very informative and I am going to go to the link you provided. One thing I know is, when you strive to grow closer to God and you develop that relationship it does often times seem like that is when you get confronted the most with obstacles, temptations you name it anything to steer you away from a closer relationship with God.

As for your questions the first two times yes the window top was opened, the curtains where not blowing, but a mind breeze feeling in the beginning of the experience could easily be explained as coming from window. The breeze going to such strength as to press you against the bed and not allow you to move becomes another story.
The time with my children watching TV and I on the couch, ….no there was no fan or opened window.

For the last two times yes the ceiling fan was on, but on low speed not producing a strong breeze.

The last two times; particularly the one in which I felt that I was standing and feeling weightless had shook me up. At that time I did not think of asking a doctor and why I didn’t ask my Priest I don’t know. At that time I was teaching Sunday school and involved in a bible study at church. So there was opportunity to speak. I do know I felt stupid talking about it basically have told very few.

What prompted me to post about it was, My finance and I were watching a program called the Haunted, on the Sci-Fi Channel, and it brought it back to my mind, having recently joined this forum, I thought why not post my experience and get some opinions from other Christian people of Faith and particularly other Catholics.

I appreciate everyone’s posts and can say I have gained some insight. Now my next stop is to the web-link you have provided.

Thank you
Grandmafaraway

Grandmafaraway · #10 Oct 10, '11, 6:50 pm

Hi

Want to correct a grammer error

Paralysis) that is something I will definitely ask about. Not sure how much my doctor can tell me given it hasn’t happened, but I am going to mention it and fine out.

should be

"Not sure how much my doctor can tell me given it hasn't happened in awhile, over 6 years, but I am going to mention it........

Bob Crowley · #11 Oct 11, '11, 4:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandmafaraway

Hi Bob Crowley

That is interesting what had happened to you and that had to be unsettling. Your post was very informative and I am going to go to the link you provided. One thing I know is, when you strive to grow closer to God and you develop that relationship it does often times seem like that is when you get confronted the most with obstacles, temptations you name it anything to steer you away from a closer relationship with God.

As for your questions the first two times yes the window top was opened, the curtains where not blowing, but a mind breeze feeling in the beginning of the experience could easily be explained as coming from window. The breeze going to such strength as to press you against the bed and not allow you to move becomes another story.
The time with my children watching TV and I on the couch, ….no there was no fan or opened window.

For the last two times yes the ceiling fan was on, but on low speed not producing a strong breeze.

The last two times; particularly the one in which I felt that I was standing and feeling weightless had shook me up. At that time I did not think of asking a doctor and why I didn’t ask my Priest I don’t know. At that time I was teaching Sunday school and involved in a bible study at church. So there was opportunity to speak. I do know I felt stupid talking about it basically have told very few.

What prompted me to post about it was, My finance and I were watching a program called the Haunted, on the Sci-Fi Channel, and it brought it back to my mind, having recently joined this forum, I thought why not post my experience and get some opinions from other Christian people of Faith and particularly other Catholics.

I appreciate everyone’s posts and can say I have gained some insight. Now my next stop is to the web-link you have provided.

Thank you
Grandmafaraway

I don't have much doubt you're being targeted. Like you I've had the experience of being pinned to the bed, but without the "breeze" sensation. But not everybody is going to cop the same demonic methodology.

I've had a heap of "spiritual" experiences of one sort or another, many of which have no doubt been demonic. On the other hand, I think some were divine or angelic. If someone did a survey of my posts, they'd probably find the majority are in the "spirituality" section, simply because of my experiences.

I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were you. Every Christian is a Satanic target in some form or another, but some Christians are targetted more often than others, if you get my drift.

To sum up, I think these particular "breeze" experiences of yours were demonic. That doesn't mean the next time you get a "breeze" sensation that it's a demon. It will probably mean a breeze really is blowing. But when you get the sensation, and you're pinned to the bed by something a lot stronger than you are, and the curtains don't budge an inch, it's not the wind.