Paralyzed

Many dreams feature a form of paralysis. Part of this is physiological, because the brain paralyzes the body during REM sleep; this is because there is so much brain activity during this type of sleep that you would otherwise move about as if you were wide awake. When this paralysis isn’t strong enough, it can result in sleep disturbances such as talking and somnambulism. There is an order to how this process is supposed to work, where the paralysis lifts before consciousness returns. When this doesn’t occur properly, you feel awake while your body is still paralyzed. Because you are still in a dream state, you often dream that you are in the very room in which you are sleeping but you can’t move and there is often a terrifying sense of a presence in the room. This is what is known as night terrors, which are more common in children and are the origins of the boogeyman and the monster under the bed. There is a heightened sensitivity to energy during this state that may allow an individual to perceive things that are usually hidden from consciousness. Add the terror of being paralyzed to this sense of something in the room and there is often an assumption that whatever is in the room means you great harm. This is not necessarily true, and it is possible to use the mind to alter this experience into something that is very light and beautiful. However, it usually starts with terror. In this way, a dream of paralysis may be connected to this phenomenon and should be thought of as something different from an interpretable dream reflecting unconscious material.

If your dream features being paralyzed as a part of a more complex typical dream, then it symbolizes something in your life that is holding you back and keeping you from taking definitive action.

A sense of inability to act in a given situation, usually with regard to love.

If the paralysis was total, then the dream may fear taking a certain action. It could be whether or not to declare his love, propose marriage, or break up.

If the paralysis was only partial, sexual inhibitions could be the problem.

The dreamer may feel inhibited or blocked from moving ahead with plans for major changes in her life due to circumstances beyond her control. Astrological parallel: Saturn Tarot parallels: The Pope, or Hierophant

If you dream that you are paralyzed and cannot move, you may feel unable to deal with a situation in real life. You could be frustrated that you can’t change anything, or you are having troubles expressing your feelings.

To dream that someone else is paralyzed, means you feel that someone you know is letting you down by not helping you in some situation, or by not taking charge of their own affairs.