Shadow people. What are they? Where do they come from? Are they even real?

It is no secret the reputability of the work done by many paranormal Investigators and research associations has been significantly tarnished over a period of time. Our work and research most of the time fall upon the death ears of the scientific community, and for good reason.
Many independent paranormal groups make claims about their findings without any real basis of proof or statistics to back it up, this copulated by many fraudulent videos and misleading findings which are being published on almost a daily basis is a major setback to fellow paranormal groups who are truly committed and serious about their line of work.
It’s been decades since there have been any real reputable and reliable paranormal organizations dedicated to solving and researching paranormal phenomena instead of using their work to gain fame and or recognition- thus this brings me to the following statement I would like to make:
It is very important to understand that the following theories and hypothesis I am about to present to you is purely based on heresy and accumulated research only. Nothing I am going to present to you is 100% factual. It is merely opinions based on other people’s work and by a variety of different associations. Subsequently, these paranormal phenomena which I will be writing about, among so many are still very much debatable and further research, as well as evidence, would be required to base any merit on any conclusion proposed by anyone.
Shadow people. What are they supposed to be?? What are the theories, myths, and folklore surrounding them?? And –what references have been made to them throughout history if any? I don’t know how many of you may already be familiar with the shadow people phenomenon, for those of you who aren’t I will just give you a brief explanation of what I am referring to.
Shadow people as the name say, is a shadow shaped in the form of a human. Anyone who has ever seen one will tell you the dark shadow is darker than dark. The head and shoulders are usually very distinct as described by those who have apparently seen them-and or even captured them on film. I have been asked many times before whether I believed they were related to ghostly or spiritual apparitions. Or could they even be what some might speculate as demonic?

To tell you the truth I don’t know. I can only tell you what the many hypothesis theories and myths are surrounding them as well as the opinions formed by other paranormal societies who have studied them in more depth, I will attempt to relay their opinions and findings to you from 3 different points of stand; The first one being from a Paranormal one. The second, a Spiritual one, and the third, is a Scientific one. Shadow people sightings have been reported all over the world, this is a fact, they have been reported throughout many generations, cultures and religions. To anyone that has supposedly seen one, or even been “stalked” by one they are very terrifying, to say the least. They do not try to communicate with you in any way shape or form; instead, they are famous for their silent deathly stare and uncomfortable presence.
This phenomenon is a very rare one, not that any other paranormal phenomena isn’t rare, but this subject took me quite a while to research, not many people like to discuss this supernatural experience for fear of ridicule, and not to mention that most sceptics simply view these sightings as a form of Pareidolia or mental delusion. Pareidolia is known as a psychological phenomenon involving a stimulus (an image or a sound) wherein the mind perceives a familiar pattern of something, BUT there are none.
There has been an apparent increase in shadow being sightings. Reports of shadow people have been around for centuries, but stories and sightings of these elusive entities are coming out now more than ever before. In recent years, The Rhine Research Center (the Institute for Parapsychology) has gotten hundreds of reports from people claiming to have seen Shadow People. Paranormal research groups are witnessing them during investigations, and some have claimed to have photographed these beings.
Although many paranormal societies differ in their opinion as to what they believe these beings are, or where they are coming from, there do seem to be one agreeable aspect between most of them, and that is that shadow beings are an inhuman apparition. And although the term apparition is often used as a synonym for ghost, the actual meaning of the word derives from the Latin word-apparere, -meanings to show oneself.
So where do you find shadow people? Where are they most likely reported to manifest and what is their purpose? Shadow people are not bound to any area, location, or situation. They are reported to have been experienced anywhere from haunted locations to your living room in your nice cozy suburban neighborhood. Their presence is said to be felt immediately, and it’s not a good one.
Research also seems to suggest that most people who experience the presence of shadow people are also most likely to suffer some form of sleep paralysis and or night terrors. If you are unfamiliar with what sleep paralysis is, it is when one wakes suddenly during the night and finds their whole body numb, unable to speak or move, but subsequently, they are awake and coherent. It’s a very Frightening experience as you can imagine, and in most cases, people do seek medical attention for the same.
Some paranormal researchers are claiming that sleep paralysis could be paranormally related; however, there are several legitimate medical reasons for this unfortunate ailment.
Some paranormal researchers are claiming that other phenomenon such as the hat man and slender man may indeed be part of the shadow people stigma. For those of you who have never heard about the hat man and or slender man folklore it’s good fun to read up on, another paranormal subject I would love to entertain at some point in my research.
These shadow beings are famous for harassing their victims by appearing to them regularly, almost more often at the same location. Many paranormal researchers are claiming that these shadow beings can change their physical form. Reported sightings of these entities have risen in the last 15 years or so, without any real basic explanation for it.
I believe there are quite a few explanations for this, some of them which are the “glamification” Hollywood helped portray the paranormal field in. Secondly, we live in a modern technological world of social media where people can easily share their experiences and stories via the web without any real credibility to it, and thirdly, it’s become somewhat a little bit more acceptable to talk about strange and unexplainable experiences in today’s age as to what it would have been like back in the day when subjects such as these were very much considered taboo.
So what does the spiritualist community make of this phenomenon? One of their theories regarding the rise of the reported sightings-they contribute to the Myan calendar prophesy (also known as the rainbow bridge prophecy). They elaborate on this by stating that the Mayan calendar and beliefs at the time –predicted that the rainbow bridge prophecy would manifest on December 21, 2012, this is when the sun would for the very first time in 26000 years conjunct with the intersection of the milky way at the galactic cross resulting in humans gaining a heightened state of consciousness and awareness.
Symbolizing humans becoming one with the spirit world. There would in theory be no division between the two anymore. What they are saying is that as of 2012 we as humans have moved into some type of realm where we are now being able to sense the spiritual world around us better, and clearer than ever before.

A very famous Author and spiritualist named Harley Swifdeer, also known as Thunderstrike amongst his elders in the twisted hairs lineage is not only a teacher in psychology, philosophy, religion, martial arts, and ancient mystery scholar traditions, but he is also a much-respected Shaman who has a diverse background in ceremonial medicine and comparative religions. According to him, now that we as humans have a heightened spiritual connection, this allows us to produce stronger and cleaner energy. However, this energy could also manifest as dark and negative energy. According to his tribe, when these negative energies derive from our soul being, our eliminate, we do not only have the ability to attract these shadow beings, but in fact create them.
It’s speculated people who suffer from severe depression and or trauma are more likely to experience the phenomena of seeing a shadow person due to the negative energy they are producing, which shadow people feed off from.
Harley goes on to explain that other people who have a heighten psychic sense also have the ability to attract these beings. The elders of his tribe refer to the shadow people as IN ORGANIC beings, and this is not a terminology they created, in fact the term IN ORGANIC beings have been documented as far back as 1153 BC.
They go on to suggest that these (in organic beings) are note just conscious, but feed off of our emotional chaos. So, do spiritualists believe that one can get rid of these shadow beings? Well, they believe these beings are made from energy, negative energy, but still just energy, and energy cannot be destroyed, it can however be altered, and they do have their means in doings so.
So, what are the proposed theories suggested to us by some Paranormal researchers in regards to Shadow people?
Brad Steiger is an American author of fiction and non-fiction works on the paranormal, spirituality, UFOs, true crime, and biographies, has investigated paranormal activities such as ghosts, demons and UFO’s since the 1950s. He explains that since starting his research on these shadow beings many, he found that people would refer to these entities as anything from Ghosts to angels and even demons. Steiger, who’s published 162 books since 1965 selling more than 17 million copies worldwide, first published “Shadow World: True Encounters with Beings from the Darkside,” in 2000. In his book: he explains how he believed shadow people are multi-dimensional entities with a more sinister prerogative than what many may have assumed.
He goes on to explain how his research regarding this subject found him exploring old scriptures he came across on his quest to finding documentation dating back many years ago and that was originally published in London, these scriptures had made direct references to these shadow people describing them as, and “ I quote “they are creatures who have strayed from some unknown region of haunted woods and parallels wilds , they dress like us and pretend they belong to mankind- they profess to keep our laws, code and morals, but in their presence we are always aware they are phantoms, and that their ideas and actions are out of key with the general pitch and tone of normal life”.
Brad’s theories tell us that there is supposedly a shadow world that exists all around us, and that when it impinges upon our ordinary plane of shared reality, this dark dimension is sometimes frightening, occasionally menacing, but always worthy of cautious exploration. Moving on to another example of a researcher’s work in the paranormal field, is that of Saun Foster from golden triangle Paranormal US, he had a few theories himself on what shadow people could be other than paranormal related, he describes an experiment he conducted at a supposedly haunted location that had the promise of exhibiting some type of portal or vortex.
Using a method, he chose not to disclose, he believes he might have actually been able to time travel for all of 3 seconds in real time. He explained how he at the time during the experiment had a feeling of himself leaving his body and experiencing some form of remote viewing.
He found himself standing in a different location, different house exedra, this led him to ask himself whether during this time if it was indeed possible for him to have travelled anywhere, and anyone else to had then subsequently take note of his appearance in the new location? And if that was a possibility, could he have appeared in a shadow like figure to them?
Which brings me to the next suggested possible paranormal explanation that may offer an alternative explanation. That of astral travelling. For those of you who are not familiar with this term, it is similar to having an out of body experience; one is believed to be able to leave their physical body whether it is purposely or unconsciously. This is an ability many spiritualists and monks have subsequently claimed they have not only mastered but are able to produce at own will.
After many years of meditational training, they swear by the technique. Another theory up for debate and a personal favorite of mine is that from a parapsychological interest. There are several known types of apparitions that have been documented by psychical researchers and parapsychologists since the late 19th century, they include: crisis apparitions, post-mortem apparitions, deathbed visions, haunting apparitions, and apparitions of the bystander-type.
You see the first process of witnessing an apparition may perhaps involve the use of extrasensory perception, or ESP. If that is the case, then this may provide us with a possible reason as to why some people (particularly psychics and mediums) are reportedly able to see or otherwise “sense” apparitions, while others are not. Secondly, some of the physical phenomena that can be associated with apparitions, such as odd sounds and occasional object movements, may perhaps involve the use of psychokinesis (PK), or “mind over matter.”
It could perhaps be the case that the apparition seen was somehow formed through a PK-related process as well. It’s a very complicated theory, one I did study for many years myself. As you might have realized by now, not all paranormal researchers, authors or investigators share the same point of view though, just as the case with the spiritualist.
Each to their own. Now Historical methodology archives tells us that religious and cultural history do indeed make references to shadow people throughout many different religions and cultures. Their explanations, wording and labels might differ from each to the other, but there do seem to be some type of habitual aspect between all of them if one takes a closer look at the scripture. One of the folklore beliefs (that most religions share) in comparison on this subject, is that shadow beings can indeed be seen with what is described as ones “third eye”, psychic eye and or even protective eye.
We see references of this being made in Hinduism, Polytheism (which is an Egyptian religion) Assyria (a religion that has been existing 25 centuries before BC, Greek mythology, Arab culture and even Christianity (known as the holy spirit) The holy spirit is the third person made to that of the holy trinity. Dating as far back at 4000 years ago, in Mongolian culture we see them too making references to these shadow beings.
In some of their sacred scrolls direct references have been made about these beings, describing them as “something that is darker than dark” and stating that “if one was to stare at the darkest part of one’s house, corner of a room or even a dark area in the woods you too would eventually see them manifest before you”. They referred to it as the “DARK PRESSER-meaning-shadows coming to life.
There are hundreds more of references and stories you can find throughout history about these so-called shadow beings, even depictions of it have been seen in some of the most famous and religious art works throughout time. Let’s however take a step back in to reality for a moment. What does the scientific community have to add to this? Do they acknowledge the possible existence of these shadow beings? Believe it or not, but its an actual YES.
Many scientific associations and researchers have their own theory on what they believe these shadow beings could be, I have decided to go with only one of those scientists theory, a man considered to have been one of the most smartest people alive – a well-known atheist, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawkins. In 2009 Stephen Hawkins was asked whether he believed in shadow people and or their existence, and if so, what could they be?
Not only did Stephen acknowledge their existence, but he also quoted saying “” there could be anything from shadow galaxies, to shadow stars and even yes-shadow people”. Now not to take that statement out of context, what he was describing was his theory that is based on “theoretical physics” which in essence describes the principle that is believed to control the universe He believes that dimensions are not science fiction, but a science fact, and that there is indeed another dimension to the current 3 we know about.
The additional dimension Stephen is referring to here is a dimension wherein human beings cannot physically move or see; however we can access it mentally. He refers to this dimension as the “brane world”. (“Brane” world, which takes its name from the membranes of biology)
Since 1994, the concept of curling up the extra dimensions of space into branes has grown in importance. If particles can be viewed as occupying points in space, and strings are seen as lines, then branes are two dimensional, or even higher-dimensional, entities. In this concept, a 2-brane entity is like a two-dimensional membrane. Hawking’s and his colleagues believe that the universe may be like such a brane – and it is expanding like the surface of an inflated balloon. One implication is that there are aspects of the universe that we cannot see – which is indeed the case because 95 per cent of the material of the universe is invisible, which is why it is called dark matter.
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 and or shadow people . Somewhat confusing I know, it sounds terribly complicated, and it is) so I would suggest if you are a science buff, and would love to read up more about this to get Stephen’s book “Universe in a nutshell”, there you might find a lot more answers in regards to the scientific side of it.
I have tried to cram in as much information as possible in to this article, trying to cover as many corners and theories as I could about this paranormal phenomenon, however, ultimately, none of the above theories have been proven, thus only speculation. Everyone has a right to their own opinion and beliefs, and as paranormal researchers we respect those, but we will stay true to our work and we will keep researching and investigating until we can hopefully gain more insight into these urban myths, folklore and experiences

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