Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

[Spider]

Hi!~
Being new with this all, I've read books and surfed the web all about wicca and paganism. But, I have a couple of questions I can't seem to find answers for, so if anyone could help I'd really appreciate it!

• Do drugs/alcohol have a negative effect on someone's spirit/magick?

I'm currently still struggling with a pain-killer addiction, and this quite worries me. As in Buddhism, they say ingesting these poisons clouds your ability to reach enlightenment by meditating. So I was wondering if this applies to Wicca or Paganism as well?

• I have been suffering from dream paralysis for years now, is there any beginners way to cleanse myself?

These quite terrify me, to the point of avoiding sleep all together. They're so vivid I can recall every episode to date, starting from the very first I had when taking a nap at school. I'm unsure what to do with these, are they simply signs I should look into? But anyway, I'm not sure if these stem from childhood trauma or the fact I was younger, (and dumber), and dabbled with demons?

Thank you again in advance, its greatly appreciated!

[Hoho]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Imo, if you think drugs/alcohol has a negative impact, then it probably will. In my view, it's all about intent. An angry high person, and an angry sober person after a 3 day fast, is still an angry person.

Sleep paralysis, I'd talk to a Sleep Medicine specialist.

[Spider]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Thanks for your input! That's nice to hear.
And I've tried several medications, but none seem to help; so I thought a different approach might help

[Hoho]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

What is dream paralysis? Can you describe an example?

[Spider]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Dream paralysis is a disruption in your sleeping cycle, and the effect is that you're awake but your brain still thinks you're asleep.
What happens is I see my room, and I have quite horrible hallucinations all while since your brain thinks your asleep; it doesn't allow you to move.
Basically your paralyzed and have terrifying visions that feel real. Another effect is you feel fear so sharply it tingles your skin and I have trouble breathing, but as for examples once I saw white ghostly arms reaching from the floor to me, all of them broken or mangled. (which was a good one to have, not as bad as the usual)

I also had an episode 2 nights ago where I saw my rabbit sitting in the corner of my room, and I saw myself picking her up. Her eyes were bulging out of her head and her teeth were severely overgrown. As I picked her up her skin fell off, and she started crying like a human. She was bleeding everywhere, and all over my hands.

[Hoho]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Oh, those. If a specialist isn't working, all I could imagine is to de-stress, so meditation/yoga and exercise. Vigorous daily exercise works wonders for body.

I am no doctor though.

With regards to cleansing, I guess theres different things you could do. Something I would do is as such:

Run 3 miles.
Soak in the bathtub.
Get beautiful.
Ground and center.
Cast the circle.
Invoke whatever kind of energy you want, personally I just like to connect the power of the earth/creation/the universe, that stuff that makes us alive, I'm not big into elements or spirits/gods/etc. Don't forget to use please if your conception of energy is a sentient entity.
Completely relax.
Declare yourself cleansed of all negativity henceforth. Can use imagery like imagining yourself being cleansed or you can do physical stuff (which is what the run 3 miles/soak in the tub is).
Thank whatever energy you invoked if thats what you did.
Close the circle.
And done~

[Spider]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Thank you! And I'm currently doing yoga, so I'll try upping my workouts. And thank you for the guide as well, I'll be sure to try it~

[Aeran]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

• Do drugs/alcohol have a negative effect on someone's spirit/magick?

I'm currently still struggling with a pain-killer addiction, and this quite worries me. As in Buddhism, they say ingesting these poisons clouds your ability to reach enlightenment by meditating. So I was wondering if this applies to Wicca or Paganism as well?

Been there done that. It's a complicated issue, but (in my experience) basically it comes down to where you're at emotionally and mentally, and how clear headed you are. Painkillers, luckily, are one of the least physically toxic drug (although they do mess with hormone production), but they can still really mess a person up if your lifestyle goes to crap. I know when I was on them I ate atrociously, barely exercises or left the house, put on a fair bit of weight (which I'm still losing, ugh) become rather depressed (when I wasn't high), etc. Which is all going to impair you spiritually and magically, because the body, the mind and the spirit are closely interrelated. 'As Above, so Below.' So it's not the presence of the painkillers themselves in your blood, so much as the effect they have on your life, your health and your psychology.

That said, if you're acutely intoxicated, then you're going to have trouble with any kind of spiritual work, simply because to do such things you need a sharp and clear mind to focus. Meditation or ritual isn't going to go far if you're constantly nodding off, so try and stick to a low maintenance dose while doing that stuff.

[Spider]

Re: Hello! I can't seem to find any answers regarding these questions I have

Ah yeah that makes sense, I haven't thought of it before how after a high I feel low for days until I either take another couple of doses or wait it out. I'm better than I was and I'm sorry you had to experience such a thing as well, I can relate to your symptoms. Now I understand how it's more of the mental effects of the addiction, rather the addiction itself.
And that was what I was thinking, while I don't partake in spiritual activities while buzzed I'd imagine it'd interfere with that. It's good to have another view on this, I feel like taking in toxins doesn't so much affect you as the mental state it puts you in.
Thank you for your help!