Episode 14 - OLD HAG SYNDROME written and presented by Mark Norman

1/31/2017

In the days before we had a good understanding of many medical conditions, folklore would generate around them in order to reconcile what was happening and provide explanations. Such is the case with sleep paralysis, often referred to these days even in medical circles as Old Hag Syndrome. The name derives from the hallucinatory aspect where people often report a hag sitting on their chest preventing them from moving. In medieval folklore the demonic Incubus and Succubus were to be blamed for this condition.

This is the first of a two part examination of Old Hag Syndrome and the theme was suggested by one of our listeners to the Folklore Podcast. The second part of this episode will be in two episodes time and will feature some very special guests. This episode features a special guest contribution from Mythos podcast. Visit their site here.

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3 Comments

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My Gibeaut

2/8/2017 09:28:35 pm

I believe it said in the podcast to share any personal experiences one might have had with this phenomena, so in gratitude, here goes.

It was probably around 1983 or 84. I was a girl of eleven or twelve living in a suburb of Denver, CO with two older brothers who were very much into Dungeons and Dragons and the occult.

On a balmy summer's night I remember going to bed in my room on the upper floor. I left my screen-less window open, with the wistful notion that I might be visited by an admirer as yet unknown to me, and fell asleep.

At some point, the temperature dropped outside and my room became very cool. I woke up with the moonlight shining in through my window, and casting a silvery light on a dark, sleek, muscularly toned figure. It was a winged gargoyle, about two and a half feet tall squatting, perched upon the bedpost at the foot of my bed. He had a noble air, and was not particularly ugly for a gargoyle,... and there was definitely something sexual about his presence as he gazed out the window, while keeping his watch over me.

So I shut my eyes tight and opened them wide repeatedly to see if I was dreaming, but his pretty much hairless body remained. This unsettled him though, as he turned his head towards me, looked into my eyes, and then turned away again, taking flight and taking his leave.

As flattering as it was, I got straight out of bed and shut the window tight, without looking out to see where he had gone. Getting away from the window as quickly as possible, I dove back into bed in that cold room, clutching my covers around my neck and staring again at the vacant bedpost. Never told anyone about it till now, since you asked. Used to care what people thought about me, but not so much anymore, lol. Would be fun to be that age again. :)

Chris

2/9/2017 11:13:36 am

I come from a family of sleep walkers and talkers, so the sleep paralysis does not always work (we have lots of amusing family stories). But still the paralysis happens.

The first time that I can remember was when I was eight years old I became very ill for two weeks (mid 1960s, it was either measles or influenza, no one remembers the details). All I remember is that I went to bed, and really did not get up until I felt a hand grab my face to shake me awake. Except I was alone in my bed during the daytime. Since I was a child I assumed it was God waking me up.

Though as I got older the dreams where I wanted to scream but could not became fairly common, along with seeing someone in my room, and hearing sounds very clearly that were all in my head. I am used to them, though it is annoying to hear the doorbell, getting up, throwing on a robe and then finding out there is no one at the door.

Also, I occasionally wake up my husband when I talk/yell in my sleep. The first time early in our marriage was after I read the book <i>Drangonflight</i> by Anne McCaffrey. It involves using dragons to combat dangerous red threads sweeping the skies. I was upstairs sleeping when I had a dream based on that book where I saw threads streaming from the ceiling fixture and screamed. My husband was in the basement, when he heard screaming he grabbed a baseball bat and ran to our room. He then woke me up, and I had to tell him it was a dream. I then rolled over and went back to sleep.

Mark Norman link

2/13/2017 03:25:48 am

Thank you both for your interesting comments. I'm glad that you found this episode engaging. Don't forget that part two on this subject will be out on March 1st. Mark

Episode 14 - OLD HAG SYNDROME written and presented by Mark Norman

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