Poll

What do you think a Shadow Person is?

The Imagination
0 (0%)
Ghosts
5 (31.3%)
Demons or Other Spirit Entities
5 (31.3%)
Astral Bodies
0 (0%)
Time Travelers
1 (6.3%)
Interdimensional Beings
3 (18.8%)
Aliens
0 (0%)
I have no idea at all?
2 (12.5%)

Total Members Voted: 16

Author Topic: Shadow People, what are they?  (Read 4353 times)

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Offline Ghost1

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Shadow People, what are they?
« on: Feb 16 2008 - 10:56AM »
Here are a few different theories on Shadow people, the black shadows that you see moving out of the corner of your eye.

The mysterious sightings have become a hot topic of conversion in paranormal chat rooms, message boards and websites, and it was given widespread attention on The Art Bell talk radio show. Art's listeners even submitted their drawings of how they perceived these beings, and they can be seen in a haunting gallery on Art's site

The Imagination
The explanation we get from skeptics and mainstream science - and who are usually people who have never experienced the shadow people phenomenon - is that it is nothing more than the active human imagination. It's our minds playing tricks on us... our eyes seeing things in a fraction of a second that aren't really there - illusions... real shadows caused by passing auto headlights, or some similar explanation. And without a doubt, these explanations probably can account for some if not many experiences. The human eye and mind are easily fooled. But can they account for all cases?

Ghosts
To call these entities ghosts demands first a definition of what we mean by ghosts.  But by almost any definition, shadow people are somewhat different than ghost phenomena. Whereas ghost apparitions are almost always a misty white, vaporish or have a decidedly human form and appearance (very often with discernable "clothing"), shadow beings are much darker and more shadow-like. In general, although the shadow people often do have a human outline or shape, because they are dark, the details of their appearance is lacking. This is in contrast to many ghost sightings in which the witness can describe the ghost's facial features, style of clothing and other details. The one detail most often noted in some shadow being sightings are their glowing red eyes.

Demons or Other Spirit Entities
The dark countenance and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures has led some researchers to speculate that they may be demonic in nature. If they are demons, we have to wonder what their purpose or intent is in letting themselves be seen in this manner. Is it merely to frighten?

Astral Bodies
One interesting idea suggests that shadow people are the shadows or essences of people who are having out-of-body experiences. According to Jerry Gross, an author, lecturer and teacher about astral travel, we all travel out of the body when we are asleep. Perhaps, this theory says, we are seeing the ephemeral astral bodies of these twilight travelers.

Time Travelers
People from our own future, another idea states, could have found the means to travel to the past - our time. However they are able to accomplish this incredible feat, perhaps in that state they appear to us merely as passing shadows as they observe the events of our timeline.

Interdimensional Beings
Even mainstream science is fairly convinced that there are dimensions other than the three we inhabit. And if these other dimensions exist, who or what (if anything) inhabits them? Some theorists say that these dimensions exist parallel and very close to our own, although invisible to us. And if there are inhabitants in these other dimensions, it is possible that they have found a way to intrude on our dimension and become, at least partially, visible? If so, they could very well appear as shadows. It has long been held by psychics and other sensitives that beings on other planes of existence are of different "vibrations." Science is beginning to look at reality, on a quantum level, in the same way - that particles of the smallest size exist as vibrations. Perhaps, some theorize, the vibrations of our existence are beginning to mesh with those of another dimension, which accounts for the increase in such phenomena as ghosts, shadow people and possibly aliens.

Aliens
The alien and abduction phenomena are so bizarre that it's no surprise that extraterrestrials are suspects as the shadow people. Abductees have reported in many cases that the alien grays seem to be able to pass through walls and closed windows, and to appear and disappear abruptly, among other otherworldly talents. Perhaps, too, they can go about their alien agenda disguised in the shadows. There's a good deal of overlapping among the above ideas, of course. Aliens and ghosts could be interdimensional beings, or aliens could be time travelers - and some believe demons are responsible for all of these disturbing phenomena. There is no way to prove or disprove any theories about a phenomenon that is so mysterious, that happens so quickly and without warning. Science finds it virtually impossible to catalog or study such phenomena in any methodical way. All we can do, at present, is to document personal experiences and try to piece together what the shadow people phenomenon might be. Perhaps it's an old mystery becoming more recognizable... perhaps it represents a doorway to and from different planes of existence... or perhaps it's just shadows
Always remember.........Just because you have never seen something, does not mean that something does not exist.

Offline Maggpie

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #1 on: Feb 17 2008 - 03:38PM »
Great info Ghost che =D>
Heather & Maggie

Offline Colleen2510

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #2 on: Feb 20 2008 - 06:48AM »
Or maybe they are from   The Twighlight Zone  !! 

I was torn in the poll between interdimensional beings and astral bodies. I have experienced Shadow People many times but I have also experience astral projection too.  While I believe in both phenomenon I don't know which category the shadow ppl fall under. If they are astral bodies then there are more than one kind as I have been concious of seeing astral bodies that were not shadow ppl and this is why I went with interdimensional beings.  I do not believe that I was halucinating or seeing someones shadow though. I have seen these shadow ppl both as I was coming out of a deep sleep and while wide awake.  It is so frustrating when you have had these experiences and yet still cannot provide any answers!! I think that this is what drives us ghost hunters so keenly. When we can experience something personally and still not know what the heck is going on ..... we just keep chasing them.

Great article Ghost1!!    :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y:
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Offline The Shadow

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #3 on: Feb 22 2008 - 10:47PM »
whatever they are they scare the living hell out of people with their presence
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Offline Ghost1

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #4 on: Feb 22 2008 - 10:51PM »
whatever they are they scare the living hell out of people with their presence

Yes, that is very true!   :Y:
Always remember.........Just because you have never seen something, does not mean that something does not exist.

Offline The Shadow

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #5 on: Feb 22 2008 - 10:55PM »
im against the whole imagination. imagination can become reality if you want it to
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Offline Darkone

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #6 on: Feb 23 2008 - 12:10AM »
That's a hard question, I don't really know.  I think they could be almost any of those chooses, except for the  imagination.  I do believe they are there, but there is no real way to tell what they are.

Very interestion info on them though!

Offline Colleen2510

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #7 on: Mar 08 2008 - 04:37PM »
I'm kind of surprised that no one has chosen Astral Bodies. I almost did. I think that  a certain percentage of what we percieve as shadow ppl as we are coming out of our sleep are actually astral bodies.
~Colleen~
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Offline The Shadow

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #8 on: Mar 08 2008 - 11:04PM »
Shadow People are evil. I have seen way to many of them
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Offline Ghost1

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #9 on: May 10 2010 - 10:29AM »
Here's more on Shadow people:   cho




Sometimes we see an entity in the periphery of our field of vision. In the duality of our reality, these entities can be positive or negative. They may look like a spark of light, (a soul spark and our true essence,) most often viewed as white light moving between grid realities.
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On occasion one sees a dark form, or forms, referred to as Shadow People. This is about consciousness momentarily moving between the grids that create our reality. There are many grid experiences simultaneously interacting with our own. Sometimes we get a glimpse into another, if only for a nanosecond. Some people are more aware, while others just move on.

Shadow people (also known as Shadow men, shadow folk, or shadow beings) are said to be shadow like creatures of supernatural origin that appear as dark forms in the peripheries of people's vision and disintegrate, or move between walls, when noticed.

Reports of shadow people are similar to ghost sightings, but differ in that shadow people are not reported as having human features, wearing modern/period clothing, or attempting to communicate. Witnesses also do not report the same feelings of being in the presence of something that 'was once human'. Some individuals have described being menaced, chased, or (more rarely) attacked by shadow people. There have also been reports of shadow people appearing in front of witnesses or lingering for several seconds before disappearing. Witnesses report that encounters are typically accompanied by a feeling of dread.

Most accounts of shadow people describe them as black humanoid silhouettes with no discernible mouths, noses, eyes, or any expression whatsoever, though purported witnesses have also described child-sized humanoids or shapeless masses. Some reports also include glowing red eyes.

Generally, they are described as lacking mass, though their specific nature varies from a two-dimensional shadow to a vaporous or distorted three-dimensional form. Their movement is often described as being very quick and disjointed; they may first move slowly, as if they were passing through a heavy liquid, and then rapidly "hop" to another part of a witness' surroundings.

Some witnesses describe this movement as though the shadow entities they have seen "danced" from one wall to the next, or as moving around the room "as if they were on a specific track".

Some accounts differ from the above and instead describe a completely black creature with red eyes, a cloak, and a gentleman's hat. This variation has become known as "the hat man".

Various depictions and artists rendering have been posted on the internet.

Hypotheses

Several explanations have been proposed to explain the phenomenon of shadow people.

Paranormal

Explanations for shadow people have been drawn from the fields of parapsychology, metaphysics, cryptozoology, demonology, religion, and the occult:

    * A creature/s in an alternate reality whose dimension occasionally overlaps with ours, allowing it to be partially visible.
    * A Manifest Thoughtform (egregore), ghost or demon created by negative psychic energy and related to a places or event in which extreme emotional or physical stress/trauma has taken place.
    * A creature in some way linked to Grey and Reptilian aliens
    * An unattended shadow or shade (mythology), said in some cultures, to be similar to that of a ghost, a flicker of a life unable to end for some reason.

Scientific

Several non-paranormal hypothesis for the phenomena of shadow people exist, including optical illusions or hallucinations brought on by the physiological/psychological circumstances of the witnesses.

Pareidolia

In most instances, witnesses report seeing shadow people in the peripheral areas of their vision. This areas of vision is linked to the areas of the brain that recognizes patterns, however it provides less detail to the brain than macular (center-forward) vision. This can lead to a condition know as pareidolia, in which the brain incorrectly interprets random patterns of light/shadow or texture as being familiar patterns such as faces and human forms.

The same condition can also be observed in macular vision in low light conditions, or when viewing a complex but random image. A common example would be perceiving a shadow, thrown by an item of furniture in a darkened room, as being a person.

Hypnogogia

Also known as waking-sleep, hypnogogia is a documented physiological condition in which a person is part-way between sleeping and waking. During hypnogogia, a person can be conscious and aware of their environment, but also in a dream-like state where they can perceive images from their subconscious. People experiencing waking-sleep commonly report the sensation of lights or shadows moving around them, as well as other visual hallucinations. A feeling of dread is also a sensation that occurs when experiencing hypnogogia. Hypnogogia is sometimes known as 'the faces in the dark phenomenon' because sufferers commonly report seeing faces while experiencing waking-sleep. Similar hypothesis have been put forward linking this condition to a number of other apparent paranormal experiences, including alien abductions and paranormal nocturnal visitations.

Chemical Agents

The use of narcotics and psychotropic agents, including methamphetamine and LSD, can produce shadow person-like hallucinations. Dopaminergic drugs such as pramipexole can sometimes cause these hallucinations. Common over-the-counter medication can also have a similar effect if taken in sufficient quantity

Electromagnetic Fields

Under the right conditions, electromagnetic fields can interfere with the functions of the temporal lobe; creating altered states of perception in which auditory and visual hallucinations can occur.

Using electromagnetic fields, researches have been able to recreate many of the experiences reported during paranormal encounters under laboratory conditions, including those of shadow people. Researchers have also documented correlations between variances in naturally-occurring magnetic fields and areas where paranormal events have been reported.

Neurological conditions

Certain neurological conditions, such as photosensitive complex partial seizures, have also been shown to cause sufferers to see shadow people.

Shadow People

Shadow people phenomena

Unexplained Mysteries - June 15, 2007 - by Shaan Russell


As long as there have been hauntings and ghostly phenomena, there have been sightings of ŒShadow People¹. These Shadow People are defined by their featureless, shadow-like appearance and the feeling of foreboding when they are present. They are nearly always a manly shape, large and with a broad silhouette and perhaps the strangest thing about them, is that they are usually seen wearing a hat of some sort. In some instances there are red eyes that seem to pierce right through you. So are they Œnormal ghosts¹?

Most people will say that they are not. They don¹t usually seem to have purpose to their visits and from the bad feelings they emit, it seems that they aren¹t benign by any means. One important observation about shadow people, that isn¹t often seen with Œconventional ghosts¹ is that they seem to be aware of our presence. A lot of the time manifestations occur involving an entity that seems to be going about daily business, rarely do they notice or try and communicate with people. The Shadow People tend to be very aware of our presence and in fact seem like they wish to make us feel uncomfortable or frightened.

Are they evil? It is tempting to say that they are, especially given the bad vibes they seem to let off. However, there is not much documentation to say that a bad occurrence usually follows a Shadow Man visitation. If fact, most visitations usually result in the apparition fading away, or disappearing when noticed. They never seem to talk or approach the witness, instead standing menacingly in doorways and corners.

Some people say that Shadow People are aliens or time traveling beings. This is an interesting theory, as it suggests that not only do these entities exist, but they are frequently visitors in our lives. Why do they hang around us so much? Are we being studied? Could this be why there are so many reports of Œfeelings of evil¹ coming from these creatures?

What makes the Shadow People phenomena interesting, in the world of the supernatural, is the consistency in the sightings. No matter whether it¹s an old person or a child, or anyone in between, what they see is always the same. People on opposite ends of the world report seeing these entities on a daily basis and their recollections are strikingly similar. Whatever these Shadow People are they are definitely a regular occurrence in a lot of people¹s lives.



« Last Edit: May 10 2010 - 10:32AM by Ghost1 »
Always remember.........Just because you have never seen something, does not mean that something does not exist.

Offline Witchiepoo

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #10 on: May 14 2010 - 07:59PM »
:Y: Very interesting reading Ghost.  Thanks for posting it :)

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Offline ixex

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #11 on: May 16 2010 - 03:01PM »

That is some interesting reading Ghost..I have heard of them, but never did a read on these entities.  =D>
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Offline bodhisattva

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #12 on: May 16 2010 - 07:14PM »
I have seen them in the hypnogogia catergory.  I will write up the story and tell about it, it's pretty entertaining. 

Offline Exzyle2k

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #13 on: May 16 2010 - 07:30PM »
Here's my photographic evidence of shadow people... Captured at the Grove, 7/8/08.

Pictures were taken one right after the other. The first has an EXIF timestamp of 10:31:49AM, the second has an EXIF timestamp of 10:32:00AM. So 11 seconds between the two of them.

You can also see a change in the shape of the shadow figure, the second appears he's pointing out into the woods. This is near the East side of the Grove, so he'd be pointing back up the trail towards the parking lot.
« Last Edit: May 16 2010 - 07:36PM by Exzyle2k »
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Offline The Shadow

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Re: Shadow People, what are they?
« Reply #14 on: May 21 2010 - 12:26AM »
Exzyle2k are those photos direct from the source? What I am saying is have they been put through a program to crop them?
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