Podcast Summary: New Thinking Allowed – “Threshold Contact and Sleep Paralysis with Sheila Pryce Brooks” (Nov 8, 2025)

Main Theme

In this episode, host Jeffrey Mishlove interviews Dr. Sheila Pryce Brooks, a scholar, author, and personal experiencer of sleep paralysis, about her profound research and direct experiences with the phenomenon. The conversation ranges from conventional scientific definitions to cross-cultural folklore, personal empowerment, the development of the new concept “Threshold Contact Experiences” (TCEs), and the broader implications for consciousness and contact with non-human intelligences.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Defining Sleep Paralysis: Conventional and Folkloric Views

• Medical Perspective:
  • Sleep paralysis is typically described as a glitch in REM sleep where “you open your eyes, you sense you’re in a different environment… you may try to shout or move or make a noise or awaken someone and find that you are paralyzed… they can’t move their mouth, arms won’t move” (Dr. Sheila Pryce Brooks, 03:18).
  • Seen as harmless by the medical community; often viewed as a temporary “hallucination” or REM-related anomaly. “There’s not an official medical diagnosis” (Jeffrey Mishlove, 05:47).
• Folkloric Perspective:
  • The phenomenon has ancient roots, occurring “for thousands of years,” popularly attributed to supernatural visitations such as the “incubus” or “hag” (Dr. Sheila Pryce Brooks, 07:14).
  • The term “incubus” refers to a male demon/being thought to sit on the sleeper’s chest; its female counterpart is the “succubus” (10:21).
  • Many cultures worldwide have unique terms for the experience, often translating to “the being that sits on your chest” or “ghost that rides you.”

2. Dr. Sheila’s Personal Journey

• She experienced “chronic sleep paralysis” for over thirty years, describing life as a “victim, tormented, harassed… sleep deprived because… the moment I would fall asleep, they would get me” (13:44).
• Identified physical precursor: intense cold, beginning at her feet and moving upward, signaling the onset.
• Encounters included a range of entities (incubus, “smoke entity,” the “hat man,” tall, “too tall for the room” beings).
• Initially characterized by overwhelming terror, her experience transformed after she shifted her mindset from victimhood to empowerment:
  • “I remember quite clearly that it was when that my mindset changed from being a passive victim to taking back my power. And I went to sleep those nights saying, bring it on. I'm not doing this anymore. Bring it on. And it was over those weeks that the experiences started to change” (00:00, 25:19).
  • Entities became less threatening; “we would dialogue,” OBEs (out-of-body experiences) became positive, and she had euphoric, loving experiences with non-human presences.

3. The Coining of ‘Threshold Contact Experiences’ (TCEs)

• Dr. Sheila observed that “sleep paralysis” was an inadequate term, missing the richness and variety of experiences, with many people crossing a “threshold” and making contact with some form of non-human intelligence (26:53–27:50).
• TCEs include a spectrum of phenomena: OBEs, contact with intelligences or deceased loved ones, psychic abilities, and life-changing insights.
• There is a need for further research to understand what occurs beyond the threshold, as “once that threshold is crossed, contact is made with what, scientifically, we don’t know” (25:19).

4. Epidemiology and Social Impact

• Found reported prevalence in studies ranges widely, from 3% to 80%, with 20–30% acknowledging such episodes during talks (32:31).
• There is significant stigma, misunderstanding, and psychological impact; some were sent to therapy, others kept silent for decades.

5. Stuck in the Terror State & Transformation

• Most experiencers remain “stuck in the fear-based state,” with only a small minority achieving transformation and empowerment (36:14).
• Some link these experiences to UFO encounters and intentionally attempt to induce contact (36:45).
• “There is a very clear connection between… sleep paralysis and the UFO phenomenon… What that is, how that works, we’re not sure, but it’s definitely worth more research” (Dr. Sheila, 38:51).

6. Ontology of the Entities

• Dr. Sheila asserts the entities are not mere hallucinations:
  • “The entities to some extent know who you are... there is an intelligence behind these entities... there’s the telepathic nature of the experience... it’s clearly an intelligent state there that’s going on between the two of you” (41:45).
• Offers evidence of hierarchy, relational intelligence, and dynamic interaction (e.g., one entity warning her another is coming).

7. Overlap with DMT, OBEs, and Jungian Thought

• Strong parallels with DMT-induced entity encounters: “It’s almost as though when you cross that threshold, you… are in this… dimension to what we’re used to… during the TCE state one can have more control in that environment” (46:52).
• Responds to the subconscious projection theory: global consistency in experience points to something more than the individual subconscious—“So from the subconscious perspective, how is that possible unless our subconscious states are a shared state?” (49:20).
• Aligns with Jung’s collective unconscious, and adds contemporary context by referencing internet communities describing identical “archetypes” (the hat man, etc.).

8. Healing, Contact with Deceased, and Evolution of Understanding

• Interview studies included reports of contact with departed loved ones, providing comfort and closure (54:01–54:44).
• Suggests a new understanding of human consciousness and non-human intelligence may be emerging through these experiences.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On Empowerment and Agency:

  • “It was when… my mindset changed from being a passive victim to taking back my power… bring it on. I’m not doing this anymore. Bring it on. And it was over those weeks that the experiences started to change.” (Dr. Sheila, 00:00, 25:19)

• On Cultural Universality:

  • “Most cultures don’t use ‘sleep paralysis’… Some cultures refer to it as the ghost that rides you, the being that sits on your chest… all relate to this sense of the pressure on the chest, some kind of beast or entity that will come and get you…” (10:21)

• On the Realness of Experiences:

  • “I know my experiences are perceptually real, you know… after gaining back my power… I needed to research this more. I needed to provide a way to help others who are also having these experiences.” (28:08)

• On Contact and Intelligence:

  • “The entities to some extent know who you are… almost a relational kind of experience… there’s the telepathic nature… there’s adapting to our intelligence, so that the experience can make sense for us.” (41:45)

• On DMT and Altered States:

  • “The same entities are being engaged during the DMT experiences as during sleep paralysis… That’s another threshold… when you cross that threshold… one is in this… different dimension.” (46:52)

• On the Limits of Medical Understanding:

  • “You’re not alone. Because there are many, many of us who are having the same experiences… too remarkably similar for it to be discounted as the subconscious…” (49:20–51:00)

• On Contact With the Deceased:

  • “During that threshold state… she did not see him physically, but she felt him… she saw a hand… a form of healing had taken place during the experience.” (54:01)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Definition and Medical/Folkloric Framework: 03:18–10:05
• Discussion of Incubus, Succubus, International Folk Terminology: 10:05–13:28
• Dr. Sheila’s Personal Experience and Turning Point: 13:44–27:50
• Introduction and Explanation of TCEs: 25:19–27:50
• Overlap with Near-Death Experiences: 28:08–32:21
• Prevalence and Social Stigma: 32:21–36:14
• Link With UFO Phenomena: 36:14–39:16
• Nature and Reality of Entities: 41:45–46:34
• DMT Parallels: 46:34–49:00
• Critique of Subconscious/Projection Theories: 49:00–53:32
• Jung and Contact With the Deceased: 53:32–57:02

Takeaway

This conversation reframes “sleep paralysis” as part of a much broader spectrum of conscious experience, rooted in cultural history, validated by widespread reports, and possibly indicative of genuine contact with non-human intelligence. Dr. Pryce Brooks’ concept of Threshold Contact Experiences (TCEs) encourages a more open and holistic exploration of human consciousness, bridging folklore, scientific skepticism, personal empowerment, and the emerging understanding of anomalous phenomena.

Further Listening

• For those interested in the intersection of sleep phenomena, entity contact, and consciousness research, this episode offers an accessible yet profound exploration, leaving open questions for science, culture, and personal growth.