Types of Spirits by Chad Stambaugh

Let’s talk about some of the different types of spirits that you might run into during an investigation. When you run into something out there, you’ll need to figure out what it was. One of the things you will run into is what investigators call shadow people. There’s a growing interest in the phenomenon of shadow people. What are they—ghosts, interdimensional beings, time travelers, or something else?

“What was that?” You were sitting comfortably on your sofa, reading the latest issue of your favorite magazine or book 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, thanks in part to the Internet. Or maybe it’s a phenomenon that, for some reason, is manifesting with greater frequency and intensity now than it has in the past.

            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. They seem to be a silhouette more times than not. They wear a hat like a fedora and a trench coat, and they carry a cane. Some experiencers testify that they have even seen eyes, usually red, on these shadow beings.

           The mysterious sightings have become a hot topic of conversation in paranormal chat rooms and on message boards and websites, and it is being given widespread attention on paranormal talk radio.

            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—usually from people who have never experienced the shadow people phenomenon—is that the phenomenon is nothing more than the active human imagination. It’s our minds playing tricks on us; our eyes seeing things for a fraction of a second that aren’t really there: illusions, real shadows caused by passing auto headlights, or some similar phenomenon. 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 the term “ghost.” But by almost any definition, shadow people are somewhat different than ghost phenomena. Whereas ghost apparitions are almost always a misty white color and are vaporous or have a decidedly human form and appearance (very often with discernible clothing), shadow beings are much darker and more shadowlike. In general, although the shadow people often do have a human outline or shape, because they are dark, the details of their appearance are 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 shadow being sightings is their glowing red eyes.

Demons or Other Spirit Entities

The dark countenances and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures have 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? Some say that they’re not demonic at all. If they are demonic in nature, their only purpose in showing themselves in this form is to confuse us. Because they don’t want us to know that they’re demonic, they will try to fool us, maybe by using a child’s voice to trick us into thinking they are children. So is their main job to confuse us and make us fear?

Watchers

We don’t know why they’re here or why they’re watching, but they tend to show up when something bad is going to happen or when there is chaos in an individual’s or a family’s life (e.g., drug, alcohol, or emotional/physical abuse; some kind of trauma, such as death or a natural disaster). There is no proof that they’re the cause of any of these troubles. They just tend to show up and watch during these times. It’s also been theorized that our own energies draw them to us.

Astral BodiesOne 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 of astral travel concepts, in his book We all Travel out of the Body, 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

Another idea states that people from our own future 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 one 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, is it 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 gray aliens seem to be able to pass through walls and closed windows, and to appear and disappear abruptly, among more 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 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.

Enjoy,
Chad