The shadow people phenomenon

[RosannaB]

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie and glad to have found this site, I hope this is the right place to post my query.

I'm researching the history of the shadow people phenomenon for a book of fiction based on personal experience of what we call the inner worlds or invisible worlds, (spirit worlds and elemental kingdoms) and the shadows play a major part in my book. I want the info in my book to be based on fact as much as possible and I was wondering if any of you were aware of any mention of them in history, myths, indigenous cultures' legends etc..

So far, I have found references on the shadows or 'soul eaters' as they are also called in Carlos Castaneda's books on the teachings of Yaqui Indian Don Juan Matus:

Quote

We have a predator that came from the depths of the cosmos and took over the rule of our lives. Human beings are its prisoners. The predator is our lord and master. It has rendered us docile, helpless. If we want to protest, it suppresses our protest. If we want to act independently, it demands that we don’t do so...

Sorcerers believe that the predators have given us our systems of beliefs, our ideas of good and evil, our social mores. They are the ones who set up our hopes and expectations and dreams of success or failure. They have given us covetousness, greed and cowardice. It is the predators who make us complacent, routinary and egomaniacal.

There is also a really interesting article on the web about a possible reference to the shadows in ancient Gnostic texts. Here is the link: http://www.metahisto... ... gnosis.php

I don't know if Wikipedia can be trusted as a credible source of factual info but but it makes reference to shadow people in Choctaw mythology, http://en.wikipedia....octaw_mythology:

Quote

The Choctaws have stories about shadow beings. Nalusa Falaya, also known as a Impa Shilup, was the soul-eater, great black being, or devil.[3] If people allow evil thoughts or depression to enter their minds, it would creep inside them and eat their soul.

If anyone knows of any more references in myths or folklore of indigenous cultures or ancient texts I would love to hear from you. Thank you.

Rosanna

Edited November 22, 2013 by RosannaB

[Piney]

Hello everyone, I'm a newbie and glad to have found this site, I hope this is the right place to post my query.

I'm researching the history of the shadow people phenomenon for a book of fiction based on personal experience of what we call the inner worlds or invisible worlds, (spirit worlds and elemental kingdoms) and the shadows play a major part in my book. I want the info in my book to be based on fact as much as possible and I was wondering if any of you were aware of any mention of them in history, myths, indigenous cultures' legends etc..

So far, I have found references on the shadows or 'soul eaters' as they are also called in Carlos Castaneda's books on the teachings of Yaqui Indian Don Juan Matus:

Quote

We have a predator that came from the depths of the cosmos and took over the rule of our lives. Human beings are its prisoners. The predator is our lord and master. It has rendered us docile, helpless. If we want to protest, it suppresses our protest. If we want to act independently, it demands that we don’t do so...

Sorcerers believe that the predators have given us our systems of beliefs, our ideas of good and evil, our social mores. They are the ones who set up our hopes and expectations and dreams of success or failure. They have given us covetousness, greed and cowardice. It is the predators who make us complacent, routinary and egomaniacal.

There is also a really interesting article on the web about a possible reference to the shadows in ancient Gnostic texts. Here is the link: http://www.metahisto... ... gnosis.php

I don't know if Wikipedia can be truested as a credible source of factual info but but it makes reference to shadow people in Choctaw mythology, http://en.wikipedia....octaw_mythology:

Quote

The Choctaws have stories about shadow beings. Nalusa Falaya, also known as a Impa Shilup, was the soul-eater, great black being, or devil.[3] If people allow evil thoughts or depression to enter their minds, it would creep inside them and eat their soul.

If anyone knows of any more references in myths or folklore of indigenous cultures or ancient texts I would love to hear from you. Thank you.

Rosanna

Castaneda was a fraud who pretty much made everything up.

The Nalusa Falaya knocks hunters out with their looks and then sticks a thorn in them to make them cause evil. It's head looks like a shriveled dogs head with little tiny eyes but I never heard it described as a "shadow person". That's a "Night Walker" that you describe ( "Kimochne in the Southern Dialect of Lenape)

I'm one of the Nanticoke Confederation's "archaeology-anthropology dudes" but I studied Southeastern archaeology and culture in general. You might want to look up anything by George E. Lankford for Choctaw folklore

Most NDN cultures teach that people have 2 souls. Not one.

[RosannaB]

Wow, thanks Piney, I'm impressed by the quick reply and what you say is really interesting. I will check out George E Lankford as you suggest.

As for Castaneda, he must have been either very high on peyote or gifted with a wild imagination to be able to make all that stuff up

[Piney]

As for Castaneda, he must have been either very high on peyote or gifted with a wild imagination to be able to make all that stuff up

The strange part about is the very college that exposed him still sells his books.

[71Barracuda]

Rosanna,

For Shadow People info, get yourself a big mug of hot chocolate and start on page one:

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=200056&hl=

There's 86 pages of reading.

also, within the pages are links to other sources.

- Overall, more than enough information to write a book

Wishing you well with your book,

Ron

[RosannaB]

Wow! Thanks Ron, that'll keep me busy for a while, and I will need more than one mug of hot choc!

Piney, where there is money to be made ....

[George Ford]

I have personal experience with 'Shadow creatures', and finally got rid of them. Feel better since they left.

[Skep B]

- Overall, more than enough information to write a book

compiling forum discussions to make a book.

has this been done yet? if not i call dibs

[Whisperer]

Search 'IronGhost' for some material on his take on Shadow People...he's got his own blog as well but I forget what the threads name is....