Mysterious cases of shadow people are a common report that paranormal investigators investigate. During their investigations, they have seen and documented this phenomenon first-hand many times. These shadow people or shadow figures typically move very quickly and are not associated with anyone or anything visible.

Typical reports are that the shadow figure (also called a dark mass) is seen through the viewer’s peripheral vision and by the time the viewer has turned around to look at the shadow figure, it is gone. If you are lucky enough, you may be able to view one with your direct vision – and some simply lurk instead of moving very quickly.

Types of Shadow Figures

Creepers
From experience, these are the most unnerving shadow figure to behold. These shadow figures literally crawl along the floor, up the walls, or along the ceiling. As with any shadow figures they can move slowly or deliberately to extremely fast. Many assume these are evil creatures, but we cannot state this because we like to look at intent before one is classified as evil or harmless. 

Dark Mass
We term another group as a dark mass as it has no discernible form. They can vary in size and shape and often move slower than shadow figures or creepers.

Dark Mist
This is exactly as it sounds; a dark and smoky feature is present. Many are accustomed to the white or gray mists captured on photos; this is a cousin of those features. These mists allow some light to pass through and move as if it had a purpose.

The stereotype is that shadow figures flee in the presence of humans – especially if they are seen. Investigators have encountered this, but have also encountered many shadow figures that do not flee, but come closer to check them out. They have experienced shadow figures who want to be seen. Shadow figures can move through walls or any other obstacles – they are not bound by physical limitations that we encounter. Often their movement is described as unnatural – they can be very fast and disjointed. They can move naturally then appear to quickly transport to another location within the environment.

As for the actual shadow figure, it seems to be made of a dense energy that is impenetrable to light. From our own experience light seems to be absorbed in the black mass and it will not shine through the figure. The light does not reflect either – the beam of light just stops on the figure. There is one common element to shadow figures; they have no discernible features (except for shape). One cannot recognize style of clothing and there is no discernible mouth, nose, facial expressions, or eyes (although a growing number of reports claim red eyes).

Many believe that shadow figures are demonic or evil. While some may have ill-intention, most of them, if not the majority are harmless. They just are a different representation of a spirit than most associate with the paranormal. Most people know apparitions, balls of light, vortices, and paranormal mists. These entities are able to project in a different “format”.  Since most people confuse the feeling of evil with their own fear of the unknown, most assume that these figures are evil.

No one really understands the science behind dark masses and shadow people. It is theorized that this phenomenon represents a body composed of a matter that is not visible to the human eye. Light will not pass through this figure because it is too dense and the result will create a shadow.

Human eyes cannot see x-rays and gamma rays, but yet they exist. We have been conditioned in life to think that we must see something in order for it to be true. Belief is that these entities are in a frequency that our human eyes are not capable of seeing – but they are there! In other words our eyes and brains cannot fathom the picture that is painted and the brain finishes the image for us showing us something is there.

While we are confident that most shadow figures are harmless, we also know that some can be a bit nasty. As in all paranormal entities, their personalities vary – just like living humans. Spirits keep the same personality they had while alive – so if someone was a mass-murdering creep, odds are they would be a nasty spirit. Until the spirit enters the light, they will retain any emotional and physical baggage with them.

Let’s say that they are real… What are they? Theories include: ghosts, inter-dimensional beings, time travellers and demons. And like the exterminator example, each would be dealt with in a different manner.

If they are interdimensional beings or time travellers, there may not be much we can do to get rid of them because they would presumably have their own agendas and reasons for showing up. Why would they leave just because we wanted them to? Who knows what they’re up to, if anything? I should add that these two possibilities are rather remote.

Possible Alternatives

As with all paranormal claims, one must be careful in not mistaking alternative explanations as a paranormal entity. If one thinks their home is haunted – every little thing becomes magnified and everything becomes paranormal in their mind.

If you think you saw a shadow figure with the corner of your eye, look to rule out other scenarios first. Could headlights from a passing car create a shadow from a piece of furniture? If you spotted something – concentrate on the area and see what happens if another car passes.

Some alternative explanations for shadow figures range from tricks of the eye with normal light play to optical illusions. If you ask a doctor or skeptic they may tell you that shadow figures can be caused by ocular distortions or floaters within the vitreous fluid of the eyes. Some alternative explanations include:

Pareidolia: Our peripheral vision is linked to an area of the brain that senses and recognizes patterns. It provides less detail than macular vision, which is within your direct line of sight. This can create a condition called pareidolia, which is when the brain incorrectly interprets natural patterns of light and shadow or texture as familiar patterns, such as faces and human figures. This is similar to a term we refer to as matrixing.

Hypnagogia: This is a medically-documented condition in which a person is between being conscious and asleep. During this condition, a person can be both aware of their surroundings and in a dream-like state where images from their subconscious are added.

Chemical-induced Hallucinations: The use of both prescribed medications and narcotics can produce hallucinations with shadow-people.

Abnormally High Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs): When people who are sensitive to EMF levels are subjected to high amounts, their brain can create auditory and visual hallucinations. We also believe however, that high EMF’s can provide an energy source for legitimate paranormal entities.

Neurological Conditions: Some people with diagnosed neurological conditions can have hallucinations of shadow figures.

If you determine that your shadow person really is just ordinary shadows… adjust your lighting.

If you just know that it is a real event not one induced by drugs or by being crazy, here are some steps to take to confront the unwanted entities.

Most researchers suspect that shadow people, if they are really there, are a manifestation of a ghost or haunting. If it’s a residual haunting — a non-intelligent “recording” on the environment — one way to possibly get rid of it is to alter the environment in some way.

If it’s an intelligent haunting — a true spirit that seems to behave and react in a way that indicates it has awareness — then there are some things you can try to make it go away.

• Ignore the ghost. Like most people apparitions probably go away when ignored.  Sometimes, however, this backfires and the ghostly activity increases because the spirit wants more attention.
• Use humour. Since fear is your biggest enemy in these cases, try injecting some light humour. Most people have a sense of humour including the dead ones.
• Listen and learn. Perhaps the spirit is trying to tell you something or communicate. Try to find out what that might be and do your best to resolve it.
• Tell the ghost to leave. This tactic very often works quite well, especially when the time is taken to explain how and why having her stick around bothers bothers everyone and increases their stress. Like most living people, most ghosts are reasonable. This might even work in the case that the entities are interdimensional beings or time travellers; if they’re aware of you, they might listen.

If you feel that you have a real genuine Shadow Person, one important factor to stress is that you do not try to do this alone. Get some help, preferably from someone who has some real experience in these matters. 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.

Share your experiences, we would love to hear your stories!