Shadow people phenomena

[UM-Bot]

Image credit: iStockPhoto

Shaan Russell: As long as there have been hauntings and ghostly phenomena, there have been sightings of ‘Shadow People’. 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 ‘normal ghosts’? Most people will say that they are not. They don’t usually seem to have purpose to their visits and from the bad feelings they emit, it seems that they aren’t benign by any means. One important observation about shadow people, that isn’t often seen with ‘conventional ghosts’ 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 ‘feelings of evil’ 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 it’s 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 people’s lives.

[nothingliz]

Shaan Russell: As long as there have been hauntings and ghostly phenomena, there have been sightings of ‘Shadow People’. 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 ‘normal ghosts’? Most people will say that they are not. They don’t usually seem to have purpose to their visits and from the bad feelings they emit, it seems that they aren’t benign by any means. One important observation about shadow people, that isn’t often seen with ‘conventional ghosts’ 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 ‘feelings of evil’ 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 it’s 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 people’s lives.

WOW, I almost thought I was the only one. I never heard of it from anyone else before.

I was in AIT in the army in Ft. Gordon Georgia when I got my first experience with the shadowy figure.

I was asleep turned towards the wall that my bed was close to and I felt the whole room start to close in on my back.

So I awoke emmediatly and turned toward the feeling and I saw this shadowy figure lungeing toward my feet.

It had a hat that was sort fashioned like the old agent hats of the 30's- to the 60's.

It then noticed I was looking at it and it vanished.

This happened a couple of times. But with this experience and other experiences of my life.

I have realized that our lives are not governed by a single authority but many authorities that we can't see.

That may not be true, but it is definatlly a possibility.

-Calista

[MasterPo]

A dark figure with what appears to be an old fashioned hat is classic Shadow description!

Rather than retype it all, click here for an article about shadows. Especially note the data collected by Rosemary Ellen Guiley about the most common descriptions of Shadows.

[Ms. Anita Cigarette.]

i believe i had an experience with a shadow person just 2 nights ago.

i was laying in bed, trying to sleep.

i was watching the shadow of my boots against the wall.

the shadow started to move back & forth.

i began to get chills.

i got up & went to the shadow to see if something could be projecting it to appear as if moving.

nothing was interfering with it.

i also made sure it wasn't a shadow of something else movable.

again, nothing.

the shadow looked like a head swelling gently & shrinking.

it also moved left & right.

it gave me the creeps & i felt a little anxiety.

[Marvy]

interesting, never heard about this before

[longridr]

I had the impretion that shadow phenomena was more interactive. My roommate had some experiance with shadows. note I did not say people because thay are not always people. I wasen't told till months later about a shadow cat that my roommate heard like it was in her room. her room was basicly three storys up so it wouldn't be heard from the ground and the other was a spider that was pulling her blanket off. she smashed it then thought she should check to be sure it wasn't a real one she smashed. And the shadow people with the wide brim hat is something else. there was an epasod of GHOST HUNTERS that had some footage of the one with the hat that is sometimes refurd to as the HAT MAN. there are reports of this figure befor or after a crash or a near miss. now who he is, a time traveler a spirt or alien we will find out some day. but thank you for letting me say my thoughts on the topic.

[Obsin]

Yea I've heard about Shadow People and yes they do give me the creeps, especially in the past. These days I am a bit more mellow about it all but my subconscious likes for me to be wary of what I see out of the corner of my eyes.

The worse stuff I've heard in regards to these entities is perhaps them sticking to a particular woman for months or years at a time and feeding off of their energy. How do they do this? Apparently they rape them, I kid you not (so they are basically incubi). I was freaked out and swore never to walk around after dark (you may find one following you home after taking a late lonely night excursion).

The linked article posted by MasterPo discussed how there are different types of "Shadows" and that the type in question seems to be best described by this category named in the article: "Predators - They seem to want to invoke intense fear/terror. Physical attack is sometimes reported." Made me think of "night terrors" that people suffer from (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_terror).

As for the shadow people always seeming as though they are wearing a hat, check out this bit of lore on Incubi:

In Brazil and the rain forests of the Amazon Basin, the Boto is a combination of siren and incubus, a very charming and beautiful man who seduces young women and takes them into the river.[16] It is said to be responsible for disappearances and unwanted pregnancies,[17] and it can never be seen by daylight, because it metamorphoses into kind of river dolphin during those hours. According to legend the boto always wears a hat to disguise the breathing hole at the top of its head.[18]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incubus_(demon)

Edited June 16, 2007 by Obsin

[mouse888]

wow my relatives and friends use to tell me about shadows and experience about them but never really gave any thought about them but now i think i pay a bit more attention

[ghost_owl]

As a founding member of Pacific Ghost Hunting Society and a long time investigator I have had quite a few encounters with shadow beings. I have seen some that are tall & some that are small and robed like monks. They all seem to lurk about, observe us and spread a general negative feeling. I have not really come to any conclusion as to what they are or what they want but they do not seem to be able to cause any physical harm. Not in my experience anyway. I will keep you updated if any new data is obtained that may be able to shed any insight into these beings. I do have some pictures we have taken of them up on our wesite and welcome any comments on them.

Edited June 17, 2007 by ghost_owl
Please avoid promoting your web site in your posts, place a link to it in your signature instead. Thankyou.

[uth]

This article makes it sound as though they are separate entities from ghosts. We don't know that for sure, and I think one theory is they may be a type of manifistation of a ghost. They are often encountered in 'haunted' locations.

[Radian]

I've never experienced one shaped in human form. My experiences they almost always looked like a huge bat, and flew along the ceiling.. usually three or four other ones, but smaller..

who is too say they aren't spiritual in nature, either evil, or human spirit..

[drakonwick]

When I was a child I used to see them when I woke up! every now and then it would be the broad figure with the hat!

But, mostly it was just a shadow, cape like figure fading out.

[scaredoutofmymind]

i just happen to be surfing the wed and came across the topic very strange in deed i have seen these shawdows for a very longtime sence i was a child and i tell you this they scared the hell out of me all the time i cant tell at times if am dreaming or awaken even after all these years they still here it seams they feed on my fear has anyone flet them showing you something bad is going to happen and it happens to you like if you have a choice so when it happens to me i dont go no where it to me too many times

[HowdyDoo]

I had numerous experiences of shadow people when I was a child. I was always seeing things out of the corner of my eye, and seeing shadowy figures come out of my closet. I was so terrified as a child that I had to sleep with my parents until I was 9. (I have been blamed for the ruin of their sex life.) Ah, well...therapy should help straighten out that problem.

As I got older, I just blamed an overactive imagination and the experiences stopped.

[Oppono Astos]

I don't refer to them as Shadow 'People' as I've experienced so many different forms that Shadow Entities is more appropriate; I know from experience that not all of them are truly anomalous or other-realmly. On one occasion when in a town in Oxfordshire (UK) I was struck across the back of the head/neck, and turned to see a manta-like shadow (about 80cm across) trying to recover its flight as it then flew up and over the buildings on the opposite side of the road. Did two realms overlap more than normal for a split second - I'm still not sure which of me or the shadow manta was most surprised by the collision!

[HowdyDoo]

I don't refer to them as Shadow 'People' as I've experienced so many different forms that Shadow Entities is more appropriate; I know from experience that not all of them are truly anomalous or other-realmly. On one occasion when in a town in Oxfordshire (UK) I was struck across the back of the head/neck, and turned to see a manta-like shadow (about 80cm across) trying to recover its flight as it then flew up and over the buildings on the opposite side of the road. Did two realms overlap more than normal for a split second - I'm still not sure which of me or the shadow manta was most surprised by the collision!

Wow...almost sounds like the Mothman. Do you really think it is an overlap of dimensions that cause these sightings?

[Oppono Astos]

In common with many other types of paranormal events, I do believe that encounters with the Shadows are the result of a temporary overlap of (or perhaps our ability under certain conditions to perceive across the boundary between) different dimensions/realms/layers/wavelengths/frequencies (or whatever) that are normally adjacent but separate.

[Tayman]

This is a very interesting topic. About 12 years ago, I would of said that anyone that talked about shadow beings were crazy. I got married and my wife brought it up to me that she saw shadow people among other paranormal things. I did not know what to think at the time when I was in the U.S. Navy. I have been woken up in the middle of the night by my wife numerous times that their were shadow people in the house. My wife has screamed at the top of her lungs saying their are shadow beings at the foot of the bed or in the corner of our bedroom. It has been very confusing at times as to what I should think or grasp of this. Until earlier this year that is. In Feb of 2007 I woke up in the middle of the night, my wife was sleeping with our son in his room. Their was one of these shadow beings on top of me. I am a pretty big guy and I have worked out for the last 20 years. I could not move an inch. I couldn't even utter a word. It really freaked me out. I tried to yell or scream but nothing would come out. To the best of my senses, I thought it was female. It had this weird hair do like something out of Star Trek. It had these red eyes. All I could make out was the outline of the being and its red eyes. It had female features but was totally black like a shadow. I remember trying to take control of my body and trying to scream. The next thing I remember in my head and thoughts was, I asked GOD to help me. The very next second after my thoughts. This thing kind of shimmered and disappeared and then my voice was as loud as it could be. I was yelling, Help me GOD. My family woke up. I got out of bed and I was literally gasping for breath or trying to catch my breath. It was the strangest thing that has ever happened to me. I could not go back to sleep. My wife and son were really freaked the way I was being and talking. I do not think it was trying to hurt me, but it was trying to do something. I believe my wife now. I do not care if anyone else believes me or my wife. We know what we have seen. My wife still sees them every now and then. Recently she saw two of them in the house. It really freaked her out. Good luck to anyone else who has to deal with this in their life and GOD bless.

[Indrid Cole]

about 17 years ago my mother and father where splitting up and would spend most nights screaming at each other , so I would vacate the house and head over to a friends .

on returning one night to my surprise they were quiet and searching round the sitting room together .

They said that while they argued the sitting room door burst open and a small black mass shot round my fathers legs and across the room and disappeared behind the one of the chairs.

At first my dad thought it was our dog running through the door and automatically told it to leave as he was sitting with his back to the door he couldn't see it until it flew round his legs .

They both described it as a headless black mass about a foot in diameter.

The dog was locked in the kitchen and nothing was found .

it totally freaked out my dad as he believes in nothing like that.

[Primeval]

I have heard lots on this topic, there are also shadow pets and shadow creatures.

For one instance people have reported seeing a black blob, form into a spider and crawl up their leg and evaporate soon as they notice it.

They have also been seen while having sleep paralysis.

People seem to think they are more of a demon than a ghost.

[meru]

My grandmother sent this page to me, as I'v had several encounters with shadow people.

It started one day when I was at her house, outside after nightfall. Me and a friend were looking for gnomes and fairies and brownies and the suchlike. I was looking out towards her field, and while doing so, I saw something sort of materialize onto a wooden fence post (a support post I guess you could say, most others were the metal red kind used to hold barbed-wire). It took on an angelic-looking for, with feet swinging and pointed (very pointed) looking angel wings. This shadow person was of the very short kind (looked no bigger than a 5-year old) and had a rounded head and rounded shoulders. Another kind showed up in a dream later...tall, top-hat (square-headed) square shoulders. The rest of the was indistinct; except for wispy arms.

My next few encounters were in dreams, where they would haunt the locale where I had to be in a dream. They became of the "omen" kind that is mentioned in the LIPI site that was posted earlier. After they started doing this, I got horrible..forboding feelings and at first I thought it was "death", and that I would die. I didn't realize what they were trying to "tell" me and it turned out that it was my mother's death (3 years ago now).

However, it didn't seem like a friendly "hey this is gonna happen, be ready for it"....if it was, I'm sure they would be more obvious. Coupled with this, when they weren't "omening" for me in dreams, they were chasing me in them. It was as if they were feeding off my fear caused by them and what they were showing me.

Also, I don't believe they are neutral entities, and look similar to what priests have seen "cloaked figures" who help the devil. Besides, if they were helpful in any way, and weren't trying to scare us, or hide in the shadows, (being sneaky) they would show up in some bright, happy color...!!!

I went to a friend of mine (and my mother's) who was in a local OTO. She told me that the best way to get them to quit was to just stop thinking about them at all. They can't bother you if you aren't feeding them energy to be used to bother you with. Since then, I have seen them in a few dreams but I'v learned to control myself. All entities must follow the rule that they are not allowed in a space on any level if you tell them that they were not invited, are not allowed, and you now command them (in the name of God or what have you if you wish to add that here) to now leave.

Hope that last bit can help someone.

Thanks

Meru

[Athena22]

I too had two experiences with shadow people, and is linked to a moment of astral projection. I was vibrating violently, then I opened my eyes and saw in the window a shadow figure floating in front of my window. It had the robe of a monk or wizard, with the hood over the head. When I have spoken of it, I have refered it to the grim reaper because of that kind of robe. It terrified me, and I went right back into my sleep. I'm happy to hear that I am not the only one to have experienced this.

[FairyJosie25]

I'm sure there will be people who heartily disagree with me, but in my opinion most of these are a variation of either 'just shadows' (from a tree or bed, etc.); someone just waking up from a particularly bad and vivid dream; or drugs. The rest that defy those explanations are (to me) firmly in the demon category. I agree, though, with Athena that in those cases, you give them power by thinking about and looking for them.

[wellhmm]

1st attempt

When I was in kinder garden, my mom was in the bathroom. I was crossing my arms and put it on the wall where you can see down the stairs and see perfectly to the door. I looked for a bit then I saw a very shady black glowing red eyed man with slick hair broad shoulders with great posture walking through my door. We took 6 quick steps and then stopped as if he was a robot. He then slyly in one motion looked up and my eyes met his eyes. The attempt seemed as if he was looking like he would hurt me. Sorrow built up in my heart then after a wile i started to question my beleifs if there is a heaven but the god part i believed. It hurt my heart to think about it.

Two years after

I went to bed, when i was dreaming i walked out of my room and standed in the door and saw my brother go in his room when it was dark. And after a long almost 30 minute wait without the lights turned on. So I asked my dad to see if he was alright, He walked up the stairs and went into my brother's room down the hall. He didn't come out at all, then after a probley 5 minute wait A shadowy figure stepped out with a almost rugged cut top hat walked out with a dagger he walked across the hallway, but how could a shadow walk without a person. "How could a shadow walk in the light!" I yelled for my mom and she acted as if she was busy and said that she was working. I was petrafied and fell to the floor. He looked p***ed and then... THUMP! the dagger hit my heart and I awoke. My heart hurt for 1 minute I could feel the sharp cut in my heart when I woke up, I thought I really did get stabbed.

Same Year

I thought I saw a black fury ball about 1 foot 2 foot skidd aacross the floor of my dads office.

When I was 11 years old.

I would sleep walk and mutter that I was going to kill somebody, "oh their going to get it" in the kitchen when my brother chris and his friend corey listening to this. They watched me mutter angrily pacing around the kitchen. They watched me run up the stairs a bit then I ran down and put my elbow down on coreys body in attempt to almost kill him or hury I don't know. I woke up that morning in the same posision as i was the time I slept I went downstairs to eat pancakes then corey told me, What the hell? I replied what? And he told me all the stuff I did.

1 year later

My mom was sleeping on the other couch because my dad snores because of fatness. But when I went to bed and she watched T.V She heard me answering myself in different tones such as "Hay" And replying almost in a sinister tone " how are you doing" It creeped my mom very badly and she went upstairs and otld me the next morning

Shadow Hands Reaching

My brother shared a bed with me when I was young, and chris was sleeping at his friends in the woods. I was on the left of the bed near 10-12pm watching T.V And the lamp to the left of me was on. So I looked at the wall and saw a Shadow hand reaching for me!, I kept repeating omg,omg,omg, then finally as it kept getting closer I ran to the doorway in a sprint and it disappeared and I told my mom.

When I was In Pre-School

When I first moved into my new house, I brought my race car track toy to the bedroom where me and chris would sleep. So later I thought I heard voices Talking in deep voices and whispers at the same time telling me to do stuff... Whenever I saw stuff I would want to hurt somebody with a hammer close by but that was a sin it was wrong I thought to myself, but something deep down in my self conscious That I should hit my mom, But I said no and never did it the probley 15 times it wanted me to.

This happened to my mother also she had saw the same thing in her window it was close to her, lookign at her through the window she felt like it new everything she did and hasn't done yet and won't do in 1 second of the glimps in her eyes. I still have tears of what is to come when I am older if this continues but Jesus and God have protection for me and my parents because I prayer for life and help from angels to bring me courage and to forget these ideas. Long enough it stopped and I forgot for 6 years but it just started coming abck so For all that get to this point just forget and you will be okay.

[djKevlar]

I start out by stating, thank you Shaan Russel and all who have posted comments. I have come to the conclusion such as you that I'm not alone in the "shadow people." How crazy that other people describ "them" with the same exact name that I haved named them. Also many expirences that I have read in the blog are so similar to mine. I have found one other person that called them by the same name. Together we described the same thing that I just read in the "Shadow people phenomena."

I love to play the devils advocate with myself about how they are, "unreal." This always brings out the question of "what is real." I know that feelings are real and if its my eyes or my brain tricking me somthing is present weither I'm having a true expirence or not.

If you are still reading my blog let me connect with you.

I have only spoken about this with two people, one person has expirenced simmalar things that I have and the other doesent think anything of it. The person I spoke with had the same expirences and was more mature in understanding the things we see.

My personal story,

As as child sences like hearing and sight and feelings brought attention to somthing strange. Noises in the cealing, such as tapping or scratching, creaks, rolling allowed became natural and acepting. Somtimes the noises became scary because of its intensidy. "I somtimes complaiend about it to other people living in the house but they could not share the same problems." Only as I realize that I have the ability to have these expirences did my childhood memories become clear to me. I never acepted that I was expirencing somthing unusual, and I would also think to my self that what ever was scaring me was not real.

My first step to my "Shadow people" conciousness derives from the fact that i accept that if unreal or real, I have had expirences and I will continue to have them for some reason.

I have writen some statments from my personal incounters, I would like to hear feedback on if you agree or disagree.

1. "Shadow people" are subject to one area.

I was told by my friend that the "Shadow people" were subject to certain locations and don't seem to move. This was also true in my situation. As I recalled my expiences I understand that the people I have seen were all diffrent in location. I have had a bad expirnce in two of the five places I have lived in.

2. They mean no harm

I have felt scared in my expirences but the more I understood what was happening the less frightend I am.

3. Sences of them can be increased or decreased depending on the strength of the person

My ability to accept them has grown so I can reflect on the encounther after it happens rather then the alternative, disproove myself and pretend nothing happend.

4. They can be alone or with others

5. They can be dark figures or in full color

6. They come out during the day and at night

7. They all have told me or tried to tell me somthing.

8. They happen in dreams and when I'm awake

9. Some were children most have been adults

10. They are people I don't know

11. They can be people I have been very close to.

I would also like to know if the ones that encounter these "Shadow people" have similar abilities and traits.

You can read people well?

You can expirence somthing powerful in peoples' eyes? (like understanding this about them)

Thank you,

Dj Kevlar

I lookforward to your responce