Shadow Entities

6th

Following on from the Ross castle trip in August, the dealings with Scraggy and now the experiences of all 11 members on the recent Ross trip (04/11/06).

From ParanormalAbout:

"What was that?" You were sitting comfortably on your sofa reading the latest issue of Fortean Times in the dim light when movement across the room caught your attention. It seemed dark and shadowy, but there was nothing there. You returned to your reading - and a moment later there it was again. You looked up quickly this time and saw the fleeting but distinctly human shape of the shadow pass quickly over the far wall... and disappear.

What was that? Some natural shadow? Your heightened imagination? A ghost? Or was it something that seems to be a spreading phenomenon - apparitions that are coming to be known as "shadow people" or "shadow beings." Perhaps this is an old phenomenon with a new name that is now being discussed more openly, in part thanks to the Internet. Or maybe it's a phenomenon that, for some reason, is manifesting with greater frequency and intensity now.

Those who are experiencing and studying the shadow people phenomenon say that these entities almost always used to be seen out of the corner of the eye and very briefly. But more and more, people are beginning to see them straight on and for longer periods of time. Some experiencers testify that they have even seen eyes, usually red, on these shadow beings.

What are shadow people and where do they come from? Several theories have been offered.

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?

I'm keeping this seperate from the Ross thread so as to open the conversation more, though discussion of the experiences should also be noted in on the Investigation thread.

What do people think? Are these entities so different from what we normal think of when we ponder "ghosts"?

Nevyn

Yes, in my experience they are definately different but there are differing types.

6th

would you be able to give a brief discription of what you believe are the different types? Also from what you may remember of the scraggy7 discussion would "it" fit into one of these catagories?

Its just that we had quite a bit of activity this time in Ross and I dont think anyone there (no matter their level of skepticism or experience) will say there was nothing weird going on.

Nevyn

I would not be for for such discourse on such a public format tbh 6th;
other then saying some are harmless others mostly so and some are not esp when they are directed by someone.

The type you are describing are a certain sort not to be confused with seeing shaow impressions
of other things which are not in the same plane/realtiy and cast a shadow against this one.

Can you point me to the posts in the "Ross" thread , I don't read every thread in the forum

6th

We've yet to post up the experiences but I'll be doing mine and will pm when they are up.

6th

From the Wiki of Shadow people:

Shadow people (also known as shadow men or shadow beings) are a supernatural phenomenon in which observers report seeing a dark form at the edge of their field of vision, that disintegrates or move a wall when noticed, usually within a split second.

Reports of Shadow People are similar to purported 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.

Appearance

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 described as lacking mass, though their specific nature varies from a two-dimensional shadow) to vaporous or distorted 3 dimensional form.

Their movement is often described as being very quick and disjointed, or 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.

Typically, encounters are accompanied by a feeling of dread.

Alleged images of Shadow People have been posted on the internet, including one of a Shadow Person in a cemetery, and one in a bedroom.

Explanations

Several explanations have been proposed for the appearance of shadow people.

Paranormal explanations

Explanations for Shadow People have been drawn from the fields of parapsychology, metaphysics, cryptozoology, demonology, religion, and the occult.

Manifest thought form (known in occult circles as egregores or tulpas), meaning that they are either a collection of negative psychic energy, from an area where a dark or traumatic event have taken place, that has taken on form and motive, or a similar force that has been intentionally created.

A form of ghost

An other-dimensional being whose dimension of origin occasionally overlaps with ours.

Many who attach religious significance to the phenomena apply more credit to the demonic explanation. Especially if it is witnessed in places said to be haunted or places where an event of extreme emotional or physical trauma has taken place. Some however have made a connection between the black smoke appearance of these phenomena and the Djinn of Islamic belief. The Djinn are described as normally being invisible to humans and when seen having the appearance of Black smoke, making them very similar in appearance to the phenomena of shadow people. However, some interpret the phenomena to represent guardian angels, warning indviduals of impending danger as opposed to negative demonic beings. This could still possibly be linked to the Islamic belief in djinn because the djinn supposedly have the choice of committing good or evil acts according to Islamic belief (similar to man).

In Native American Cherokee mythology there is an evil witch known as the Raven Mocker that takes the form of a spectral bird and shifts into a humanoid, shadow-like phantom. These beings are said to steal the souls of the ill or dying. Such creatures are alleged to fear the shaman or medicine man and so do not enter a home where one resides. A medicine man was sought to watch over the infirm and also to watch over the bodies of the recently deceased, as according to myth once the body was buried the Raven Mocker could not steal the soul.

Non-paranormal explanations

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 provide less detail to the brain than Macula (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[1] such as faces and human forms.

The same condition can also be observed in Macula 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[2]. 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. Hypnogogia is sometimes known as ‘the faces in the dark phenomenon’[3] because sufferers commonly report seeing faces while experiencing waking-sleep.

Skeptics of the paranormal have also put this hypothesis forward as a possible explanation of a number of apparently paranormal experiences, including cases of Alien abductions and paranormal nocturnal visitations.

Chemical agents: The use of nacrotics and Psychotropic agents, including Methamphetamine and LSD, can produce Shadow Person like hallucinations. Common over-the-counter medication can also have a similar effect if taken in sufficiently quantity (See diphenhydramine and Pseudoephedrine).

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 have also been shown to cause sufferers to see Shadow People.

Ok so the non-paranormal explanation ... would they explain them being experienced by several peoiple at the same time?

dib

Now this is something that sounds familiar to me. I have seen these "things" a lot since the age of 12 or so and I continue to see them both in my own house and in others'.

It's always been a case of "out of the corner of my eye" with me and I've never seen one straight on.

I could never think of how to ask someone about this and certainly didn't think of putting anything as extravagant as Shadow People into a search engine. I can't say that what I see are "People Shaped" but they are definitely something out of the ordinary. I usually feel a little uneasy a second before I see one.

cormac_s

6th wrote:

From the Wiki of Shadow people:



Ok so the non-paranormal explanation ... would they explain them being experienced by several peoiple at the same time?

infrasound can make people hear and see things.

In the 1990's, Coventry University Lecturer Vic Tandy was experiencing paranormal activity while working in his laboratory. These included visions, chills, feelings, etc. As a result of his investigation into this phenomenon, he determined that his "ghost" was actually a faulty motor that was emitting a frequency between 17-19Hz. Once the motor was fixed, the phenomenon stopped.

6th

Good point, I must look into seeing if we can measure for infra sound next time we're there.

Nevyn

They also have been said to distrubt or distract people and so cause accidents.

6th

Thaedydal wrote:

They also have been said to distrubt or distract people and so cause accidents.

Do you think this would be done on purpose or is it a result of their presence?

Nevyn

Both.

triskell

anyone know how to banish these things or at least prortect yourself from them.
pm me please if you want to keep it private

6th

We havent really pinned this down to one type of entity/energy/spirit so really it would be hard for people to know where to start.

If you're experiencing something and can discribe it maybe someone might be able to holp. If you dont want to post it feel free to pm me and I'll see if I can be any help.

6th

kshiel

Would it be possible that these "Shadow People" are simply spirits of people who have passed over such a long time ago that they have learned to control and excert their energy with great sufficenty, and maybe just attracted to people on this plane as they have lost or left behind what it felt like to be living and so we become more interesting to them. Just a thought?

Stoner

dfaf wrote:

anyone know how to banish these things or at least prortect yourself from them.

Is this thread growing legs? the article you posted 6th seems to indicate that these "sightings" are on the increase.

As a child I saw these things a lot, they reminded me of the black figure from the Sandyman's Port advertisement, once I made that connection they all looked like him and they always seemed to run past never hang around.

For this reason I think they were just a flash of black in the corner of my eyes that my child's imagination decided was the sandyman's port man, you know the guy with the hat? after that they all had the hat.

From my experience they were always a flash, I remember trying to concentrate on looking out of the corner of my eye but I never saw them being still. Over time I guess my brain just ignored them and i don't see them anymore. I don't understand the whole reasoning behind why they could only be seen from the corner of the eye? if something can make itself visible surely it would just do so and not be bothered with the corner of the eyes, having said that this question could open a lot of responses as I know some people here see a lot of different stuff (not just the Sandyman's Port Man) in this way.

Anyway from my point of view these things were in my head and part of how my eyes operated, the more I thought about them the more I'd see them. I remember looking out of the corner of my eye and turning my head from side to side and seeing them regularly during the process.
I remember as a very young child seeing those two old guys from the Muppets under my bed, I was thinking about them and then there they were, scared the life out of me, these guys were puppets, there is a lot said about how children are more open to stuff etc but kids can also think about something so hard that they trick themselves, I remember kids bawling their eyes out years ago cos they saw a statue move, it was in the news at the time so my class mates stared at a statue of Mary and convinced themselves that it moved.
So there you have it, IMO i think it's most likely that the vast majority of these sightings are nothing more then the natural operation of the eye combined with imagination.

6th

I agree with you there Stoner that much of what we see out of the corner or our eye can be nothing more than a trick of the like, and when you through in a bit of imagination you get all sorts of things.

Of course I fully believe that there are also genuine enitities out there that are seen in this manner and Ross Castle was an experience for me that highlighted this type of phenomenon. I cant remember but did you see the shadows in teh Green Room?

Stoner

no I never saw them, i was there, monkeyfudge saw them and you saw some sort of pulsing you called it, but not me, and I was looking, I did however see a small white flash of light on the wall in that room at the start of the night, but no shadows as per this thread.

Kivun Sotilas

I see shadows in the corner of my eye all the time but never considered it to be anything paranormal. Perhaps I don't WANT it to be anything paranormal so I live in denial. I do admit that before I see one I often feel a bit weird or even scared.

I have seen an opaque type of shadow "walk" around my room before which I felt was something very bad. Thought it was weird though that this only ever happened when the lights were off and I could only just see in the room. As soon as the light was on I saw nothing. Eventually I put a sensor light in my room to scare whatever it was off and it seemed to work. When the light came on, nothing was there.

Stoner

Are you saying it was able to operate the sensor on the light, i.e you'd be in bed with the light off and then bang the light would just go on and scare the thing away?
If that's the case it sounds like a ringer for setting up a camera and getting something on film:)
Sounds interesting, btw I assume that the light would be set up in such a way so that you dont set it off yourself? is it a PIR sensor?

Kivun Sotilas

Stoner wrote:

Are you saying it was able to operate the sensor on the light, i.e you'd be in bed with the light off and then bang the light would just go on and scare the thing away?
If that's the case it sounds like a ringer for setting up a camera and getting something on film:)
Sounds interesting, btw I assume that the light would be set up in such a way so that you dont set it off yourself? is it a PIR sensor?

Well I am not going to say what turned on the sensor light but it would come on during the night at times. Made me feel better to have it on anyway. Maybe it was a bug flying past but it was winter so bugs weren't really about then. It was set so it was above the bed but too high for me to accidentally set it off even if I flung my arms in the air in my sleep. I don't know what a PIR sensor is?

I set up my camera indeed a few times and nothing happened or it wasn't visible even with "night vision" setting. Hard to say though cause I was asleep usually.

In the same house the big main doors to the room where the guy who used to live there (but died) always sat, would open. I would close them because I didn't want the heat to escape into an empty loungeroom and they were big heavy doors. Really hard to open and close, go back a few minutes later and they were open. I tried to film that too and nothing happened. Would put the camera away, come back and they were open. :mad:

Stoner

Kivun Sotilas wrote:

I . Really hard to open and close, go back a few minutes later and they were open. I tried to film that too and nothing happened. Would put the camera away, come back and they were open. :mad:

LOL I have a feeling that this situation is going to be the norm with most investigations, it would be great to catch something like that on film, btw a bug would not set the light off, usually it's heat from a moving object.

Kivun Sotilas

Stoner wrote:

LOL I have a feeling that this situation is going to be the norm with most investigations, it would be great to catch something like that on film, btw a bug would not set the light off, usually it's heat from a moving object.

I had a feeling that if something really was closing doors, in my room, that it was having fun annoying me while I tried to film it. That said the tape in my camera could only go for 60 minutes.

This thread has inspired a new song for an album I am working on at the moment. Shadow people are interesting to write about.