Shadow people

smithcity

Does anyone ever see shadows in the shape of people, lots of them at the same time, gathered around them at night time?

I used to see them all the time, sometimes now. They would appear, and all gather around me at night when I was in bed.

I have been heavily involved in the occult, but don't know what this phenomena is.

It has been totally harmless, but I'm interested to know if anyone's had similar experiences.

I've talked to a few people who have heard of this phenomena and the general consensus is that they are not ghosts, but something else from the astral planes. Personally I don't believe they are ghosts, but neither do I have the same Blatavaskian view of the astral that some of the people I have spoken with share.


Anyone who wants to preach about the dangers of the occult, don't bother, I'm quite proficient, not a teenage wicca enthusiast, so please don't try convert me.

Slow Motion

Large thread on it here
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055287038&highlight=shadow+people

always good to do a bit of a search before starting a thread Haven't read this all myself but you might find something of interest.

Genghiz Cohen

If you look at clouds you can see the shapes of things too.
Can you be sure this is not a similar experience?

smithcity

You make a fair point Genghiz. But in this case I used to see them all the time, they were semi solid three dimensional shapes that appeared within a few feet of me, usually several of them at a time.

It was never a fleeting glimpse, they would stay for anything from a few minutes to the best part of an hour.

I had all the time in the world to focus on them and assess what I was seeing.

I know that the fact that it usually took place in my bedroom at night time takes away from the veracity of my story. It may seem like I was overtired, half asleep, dreaming, imagining things.

All I can say is that it was a very regular occurence, that I still see them on occasion and that I'm not delusional.

Anyhow, my reason for opening this point isn't for a debate. I'm just asking if anyone else has had this experience?

Slow Motion

smithcity wrote: »

You make a fair point Genghiz. But in this case I used to see them all the time, they were semi solid three dimensional shapes that appeared within a few feet of me, usually several of them at a time.

It was never a fleeting glimpse, they would stay for anything from a few minutes to the best part of an hour.

I had all the time in the world to focus on them and assess what I was seeing.

I know that the fact that it usually took place in my bedroom at night time takes away from the veracity of my story. It may seem like I was overtired, half asleep, dreaming, imagining things.

All I can say is that it was a very regular occurence, that I still see them on occasion and that I'm not delusional.

Anyhow, my reason for opening this point isn't for a debate. I'm just asking if anyone else has had this experience?

There are as many skeptics as believers around here as well as the just curious, and you will find that as long as it's reasonable, everything posted here is up for debate, that's the way this place is (and should be IMO)! No one will really have a go at you but if you make a statment others will be bound to ask questions, posit alternative explanations etc.

smithcity

I know, I know. It's just that I've been through all that a thousand times before.
I'm not interested in trying to get people to believe me because frankly, I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't experienced it.

That's why I'm mainly interested in hearing about other peoples experiences rather than talking about my own.

Genghiz Cohen

Do you think if someone was beside you could they see them?
(Genuinely interested, parallel dimensions are fascinating)
Do you think they would show up in digital/analogue photos? Have you tried?

smithcity

Im afraid not, my ex girlfriend was with me on many of the occassions that I saw them and when I pointed them out she could never see them.

I haven't tried digital photography but it's a good idea.

This might seem like a stupid question but anyway, considering that they usually manifest in darkened rooms, would you suggest I use a flash if I try photographing them?

Slow Motion

Try with and without. I know my digital camcorder has a night mode too, maybe you could get a loan of one of those, if as you say they appear to be a 3 dimensional manifistation then surely it's worth trying to get some evidence, there are plenty of paranormal investigators around this forum, maybe you should contact one of them!

smithcity

Fair enough. I'l try a few photos it cant hurt.

Genghiz Cohen

Sweet, I'd love to see them.
Would you have time to try with and without flash on both types of camera?
Even a cheap disposable should work perfectly.
The camcorder is a fantastic idea.

smithcity

Hmm, the photos are no problem. Don't know where I'd get a loan of a camcorder.
I've got a decent video camera on my phone, but don't imagine it would be suitable for this kinda thing.

If the shadow beings turn out to be the first warning signs of a massive brain tumour instead of a genuine paranormal phenomena, I'm gonna be friggin pissed off!

Genghiz Cohen

smithcity wrote: »

Hmm, the photos are no problem. Don't know where I'd get a loan of a camcorder.
I've got a decent video camera on my phone, but don't imagine it would be suitable for this kinda thing.

If the shadow beings turn out to be the first warning signs of a massive brain tumour instead of a genuine paranormal phenomena, I'm gonna be friggin pissed off!

Maybe request the PRAI to do an investigation, they have all sorts of thermal and EM detectors.

smithcity

I'm a bit sceptical of letting a bunch of "Most Haunted" enthusiasts run around my house.

Genghiz Cohen

Does it have to be your house?
Do the shadows appear anywhere else?

smithcity

Good point :rolleyes:
In the past, they've appeared anywhere.
Since getting attuned to Reiki, they no longer appear spontaneously, though I sometimes like to "check if they're still there". I can sort of allow myself to see them, usually when I do so, they manifest just like they used to.

Slow Motion

smithcity wrote: »

I'm a bit sceptical of letting a bunch of "Most Haunted" enthusiasts run around my house.

I'm sure they'll love the comparison

smithcity

It just galls me when they point the camera at the finger that's pointing at the ghost.
"Oh my god, it's over there!" shouts Yvette.
While the camera shakes around a lot and points in the wrong direction.

Grrr.

Slow Motion

I've watched one or two of those episodes and to be honest they just seem to be pandering to the masses and I would be fairly suspicious of most of those types of shows.

smithcity

I love watching it because I hate it so much.
They treat the audience like idiots, and we always go back for more.

Anyway, getting off topic...
Shadow beings, eh?

Genghiz Cohen

Have you found any suitable cameras yet?
Still really interested in some pics.

Overblood

What do they look like? Do they have faces? Can you draw them?

I'm sure you've heard of the term Pareidolia? Check out the section on Fossil Hunting, where a Geologist was convinced that the samples of rock he was viewing contained tiny people and dogs and cats etc. This was in 1980.

When you see them again, walk up closer to them and try and touch them. What's the closest you've been to one of these shadow people? Have you ever been eye to eye? Do they move?

smithcity

Ok, yes I have a suitable camera. I just haven't tried to see them in the last few days.

As for the Pareidolia question, no I wasnt aware of the expression but am fully aware of the meaning. No, that's not it.

The phenomena I have experienced was no illusion. I have seen them countless times in several locations. I'm not going to get all defensive about it, because I know I've given very little detail about what exactly happens when I see them, the reason being embarresment.

I'm not a mad oddball, if I heard anyone else giving the following description, I would probably think they were a bit off the wall. That's why I tend to be vague, I'm just interested in hearing other peoples experiences and then judging for myself if they are like my own.

So here it goes, usually the modus oparandi is as follows, I go to bed, my room isn't particularly dark when the lights are off so I can see everything around me. After a few minutes, I see a shifting black mass that seems like a moving, undulating shadow. After a minute or two more, it seperates into many distinct figures. Roughly about two dozen human shaped black shadow figures, standing around my bed, two rows of them. They stand there for a moment, then the first row of them starts to lean in towards me until their heads are right beside mine, then they stand up straight, shuffle back and the row standing behind them move in close and repeat the procedure.

They take turns, row after row after row, moving in, leaning over, moving back, letting another come closer, over and over. Usually this lasts about two hours.

Eventually they fade away and are gone.

Your response may be that this is just a hallucination that occurs on the border of sleep, I would disagree. I always feel fully awake when this occurs, and when it began I used to get up, turn on the lights, have a cup of tea and distract myself from it before going back to bed, the result was simply that it prolongued the experience. When I went back to bed, it would simply start again.

It was never frightening, I was never hurt in any way. It was just unnerving.

As I have said before, when I got attuned to Reiki (about 3 or 4 years ago) I gained the ability to block them, now I only see it happening when I allow it to.
I don't know if that means it is always happening and I only see it when I drop my guard or if it means it only happens when I drop my gaurd.

But to answer your question Overblood, the closest I have been is inches from them, and yes I have touched them, I felt nothing on my skin and they reacted in no way.

They don't have recognisable facial features, just blank shadowy heads.

I know this all sounds insane, which is why I haven't gone into detail previously. The only reason I have shared this is because it will save people offering suggestions based on the assumption that I'm ignorant or that I'm overreacting.

I understand and accept any doubt on anyones part. If I had read this kind of thing before experiencing it myself, I would assume that the poster was an undiagnosed schizophrenic. I have always been a skeptic and a doubter.

Anyway, I've seen that after this thread being open for several days, nobody else has reported having similar experiences, so I'm happy to let it go.

suey71

Hi smithcity.
a friend of mine went to a medium last year and was told that when she goes to bed at night around 20 or so dead relatives come to stand around her when she sleeps. She was told that they are looking out for her and the medium told her that every night before she goes to bed, to tell the spirits not to stand around and that she needs her privacy.

This sounds very similar to your experiences, the difference being that you happen to see them.

If you want the mediums contact details pm me.

smithcity

To be honest I don't bother with Mediums, I'm not convinced by them. I do a little Tarot reading for myself sometimes, I'm no expert but I enjoy it.
Never tried to do a reading in relation to this though, might give it a lash.