Shadow person

File:SHA.JPG

Shadow people

Shadow people are a kind of supernatural phenomenon reported by some individuals. Alleged eyewitness accounts of shadow people are fairly consistent. They are usually described as vaguely humanoid, lacking any discernable features such as mouths or eyes, completely black with little or no mass, and disintegrate or move into walls when noticed (usually within a split second).

These accounts have been reported all over the world and are sometimes the topic of late-night talk radio shows such as Coast-to-Coast AM where they are a recurring subject. (Art Bell of Coast-to-Coast AM is probably responsible for introducing the term "Shadow People".) However, reports of beings fitting the description of Shadow people have been recorded for centuries in literature all over the world.

Different From Ghosts

Alleged eyewitness accounts of shadow people are, in many respects, different from accounts of ghosts. Ghosts are said to be the disembodied spirits of people and are usually said by alleged eyewitnesses to take on the appearance of people, orbs, or mist when seen.

While ghosts are often said to resemble actual people, accounts of shadow beings generally do not. Although accounts describe shadow beings as having humanlike form, they are generally not described as resembling actual individuals (living or deceased). The cause of shadow people or shadow beings is also not generally attributed to be haunting by ghosts.

(Skeptics note that "ghosts" and "shadow people" have not, as yet, been subject to analysis with the scientific method, and that any proposed differences between untested reports should be judged with a grain of salt.)

Eyewitness Accounts

Alleged eyewitness reports of these beings are often similar. In these accounts there are almost always the same forms: a blob-like cluster that sometimes has tendrils, a child-sized being, sometimes with a hood, a tall willowy figure with a jack-o'-lantern-sized head, and a tall figure with a hat. In these accounts, the figures typically follow a progression from the ambiguous blob and finally the tall man, meaning that over time they take on more human appearance.

The more consistent accounts typically describe a feeling of dread associated with the presence of these phenomena, and animals are said to react to the phenomena with fear and hostility. Shadow Beings are said to move extremely fast and travel through solid matter. They typically are said to have no discernable features such as mouths, noses, or eyes. Their forms are usually described as somewhat skeletal or thin. Direct visual contact is rarely reported by alleged eyewitnesses with shadow people; they are said to usually disappear before they can be seen clearly, and are seen "in the corner of one's eye." These beings are said to often appear in mirrors.

Popular Explanations

There are many proposed explanations of this phenomena. Some of these explanations are outlined below, and would likely be considered pseudoscience by mainstream professionals. Other explanations make no scientific pretense whatever, and lie more within the realm of religion and the occult.

• One of the more creative theories is that shadow beings are manifest thought forms (known in occult circles as egregores or tulpas), meaning that they are either collections of negative psychic energy from areas where traumatic events have taken place and evil people frequent, or have been intentionally created for some nefarious purpose. The negative psychic energy begins to manifest and takes on form and motive, thriving on fear and negative emotions for sustenance.

• Shadow beings have also been described as forms of ghosts, demons, inter-dimensional beings, and space aliens. One of the more popular explanations seems to be that they are some sort of other-dimensional beings whose dimension of origin occasionally overlaps with ours, which is said to explain their ethereal appearance and fleeting nature.

Possible Scientific Explanations

As with most supernatural phenomena there is usually a proposed logical, scientifically valid explanation for credible experiences that neither vilify eyewitnesses, nor require violation of generally accepted scientific principles. Several probable rational explanations for illusions resulting in the believed perception of shadow beings are outlined below.

• There is a condition known as hypnogogia (waking sleep) which amounts to a state of semiconsciousness in which a person can be thinking clearly and yet perceiving images that are being dreamed. This state is probably responsible for most so-called supernatural experiences by honest, rational people.

• It has also been proven recently that areas with erratic or powerful electromagnetic fields can interfere with the electrical impulses or firing synapses of the human mind, thus influencing people subjected to such environments over time to believe that they are hearing or seeing ghosts, aliens, or perhaps shadow beings. Such environments include old buildings with substandard wiring, power plants, and areas with naturally occurring strong magnetic fields.

Perhaps the only aspect of alleged eyewitness accounts of shadow people that remains difficult to explain in objective scientific terms is the similarity of the beings being seen in these alleged accounts, especially the tall gingerbread-like man with a hat that is reported as often by 4-year-old children as with adults. However, this could simply be a result of common archetypes (note similarities between many shadow people reports and the grim reaper) shared in the subconscious of all people, just as people all over the world report dreams of flying.

External Links

• About.com article about shadow people

• Typical website dedicated to information on shadow beings

• Website with supposed eyewitness stories of shadow creatures

• The Truth of the Shadow People

• Coast-to-Coast website search for "Shadow People"