Shadow People

Did you see that dark, fleeting shape out of the corner of your eye?
Perhaps you caught a glimpse of a strange entity that is being seen
with greater regularity around the world.

"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.

The mysterious sightings have become a hot topic of conversion in
paranormal chat rooms, message boards and websites, and it was given
widespread attention on The Art Bell talk radio show. Art's listeners
even submitted their drawings of how they perceived these beings, and
they can be seen in a haunting gallery on Art's site.

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. (See the article: "Ghosts: What Are They?") 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?

Astral Bodies
One interesting idea suggests that shadow people are the shadows or
essences of people who are having out-of-body experiences. According to
Jerry Gross, an author, lecturer and teacher about astral travel, we
all travel out of the body when we are asleep. Perhaps, this theory
says, we are seeing the ephemeral astral bodies of these twilight
travelers.

Time Travelers
People from our own future, another idea states, could have found the
means to travel to the past - our time. However they are able to
accomplish this incredible feat, perhaps in that state they appear to
us merely as passing shadows as they observe the events of our
timeline.

Interdimensional Beings
Even mainstream science is fairly convinced that there are dimensions
other than the three we inhabit. And if these other dimensions exist,
who or what (if anything) inhabits them? Some theorists say that these
dimensions exist parallel and very close to our own, although invisible
to us. And if there are inhabitants in these other dimensions, it is
possible that they have found a way to intrude on our dimension and
become, at least partially, visible? If so, they could very well appear
as shadows. It has long been held by psychics and other sensitives that
beings on other planes of existence are of different "vibrations."
Science is beginning to look at reality, on a quantum level, in the
same way - that particles of the smallest size exist as vibrations.
Perhaps, some theorize, the vibrations of our existence are beginning
to mesh with those of another dimension, which accounts for the
increase in such phenomena as ghosts, shadow people and possibly
aliens.

Aliens
The alien and abduction phenomena are so bizarre that it's no surprise
that extraterrestrials are suspects as the shadow people. Abductees
have reported in many cases that the alien grays seem to be able to
pass through walls and closed windows, and to appear and disappear
abruptly, among other otherworldly talents. Perhaps, too, they can go
about their alien agenda disguised in the shadows.

There's a good deal of overlapping among the above ideas, of course.
Aliens and ghosts could be interdimensional beings, or aliens could be
time travelers - and some believe demons are responsible for all of
these disturbing phenomena.

There is no way to prove or disprove any theories about a phenomenon
that is so mysterious, that happens so quickly and without warning.
Science finds it virtually impossible to catalog or study such
phenomena in any methodical way. All we can do, at present, is to
document personal experiences and try to piece together what the shadow
people phenomenon might be. Perhaps it's an old mystery becoming more
recognizable... perhaps it represents a doorway to and from different
planes of existence... or perhaps it's just shadows.