Part 2...Part 1 here
http://www.monstrous.com/forum/index.php/topic,7414.0.htmlThere are many theories that suggest they are either attached or assigned to certain people and places. Further study has given rise to a belief that they specifically watch and observe members of the paranormal and supernatural community, and even more so, people who seem to have supernatural gifts. Many have reported a Shadow or two keeping a constant watch, and that their shadows even followed when they had moved to a new home. There are paranormal sites all over the world where large groups of Shadow Men are reported to keep watch. They stand around certain spots through out the site like "Sentinels", which is what this type is called. These types will usually gather in large groups and spread out in even patterns, and usually in or near woods. Reports from people who live bordering the woods say that the Shadows will gather right at the edge within sight, but never really come out, or come any closer.
Shadow Men generally do not seem the least bit interested in actually interacting with us humans. They normally do nothing more than watch. You will see them get bored or lose interest at times, and simply leave or wander off. They do also seem to have personalities. They appear to get excited by playing "hide and seek", and if one is happy you will know. It will get very brave and come pretty close, or try to get your attention with very bold displays of movement. What they will not do is interact with you because you want it to. Although people have tried, and almost always fail, I do not recommend it. They never attack or harm people, but those who have tried to speak with them usually end up with something worse after wards. More of them show up and ultimately one of the malicious types will arrive soon after. They are only here to observe, from what we know, so you are best to just leave it alone.
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Effects on the Physical Realm:
- Animals seem to notice them
- Footsteps are reported at times
- Have been seen in reflections on televisions and mirrors
- Been reported during normal activities, investigations, and Ouija use.
- EVP mentions, “They are the brothers of death.”
Animals DO react to their presence, so it is believed that they can see them too. They also make noises such as footsteps, and have a reflection, so they do in some ways at least, have a physical presence. The reported sightings take place at all times of the day, so they do hang around and can affect your day-to-day life.
It is not a popular belief that they can or will talk. A member of *snip* posted his personal account on the previous thread. It in, he told of his study of Shadow Men. He asked them what/who they are, and it replied, "We are the brothers of death". This was captured in an EVP. If this was a Shadow Man actually speaking, then we know that they can affect us in this way also.
Additional Theories:
- May work for or be controlled by other Shadow entities such as the Hat Man
- May be in control of lesser Shadow entities such as Shadow Animals
Shadow Animals/Imps/Creatures
- 3ft. tall and shorter
- Seen in groups
- Most commonly seen as Imp-like creatures, cats, birds, and bats.
- Sometimes take on a less solid, blob-like appearance
- Usually associated with the coming appearance of higher level entities
- Might be a sort of servant/lookout/scout/companion for higher-level entities
- Possibly are hybrids of two other types of Shadow
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As the name implies, these are obviously not shadow people or shadow men. Most accounts of these guys describe them as cat-like, birds or bats and other flying creatures, small imp-like /demonic humanoid shapes, or other indescribable shapes and/or blob-like masses, and they are always under three feet in height. In short, their description varies just as much as their "human" counterparts. I have next to no information this type of entity. They are almost always associated with the coming of a larger more powerful presence. Many of us believe that they will gather near a place when a more powerful entity is about to manifest. Maybe they are its minions, or messengers, and are checking out the area before their master arrives. They could be bottom feeders looking to siphon some energy from a larger source that will likely not notice. The site will usually have a bad or foreboding feel to it, and a sort of empty, hopeless feeling They are always in groups or they are randomly spaced around the immediate area but still fairly close to each other. The only exception here are the cat-like types, which will streak out in front of you without warning much like a real cat would. Another popular theory is shadow pets. No one really knows.
Hat Man, Hooded Shadow, and The Old Woman
- Seem to be malevolent
- Always associated with negative feelings
- All accounts report unhappiness and/or a sense of being drained
- Always appear when we are vulnerable/weak
- Always associated with fear and suffering
- Positive thoughts, meditation, prayer, and high self-esteem seem to keep them away, and drive them out
- Thought to perhaps be different entity type than the shadow people
- Many reports of seeing several Shadow People before a Hat Man or Hooded Shadow appears
- May be in charge/command of lesser entities such as Shadow Men and Shadow Animals
- Possibly are hybrids of two other types of Shadow
We do not believe either of these three are "true" Shadow Men. I have strongly noticed only ONE recurring fact about these three. EVERY mention of them relates to feelings of fear, paranoia, and vulnerability. Other accounts point to the victim feeling threatened, and/or just having experienced a personal trauma or other sadness. These three types are the only ones who have been repeatedly reported to wear clothing of any kind, and they actively interfere with our lives and cause harm! They may not be causing physical harm, but the psychological, emotional, and mental harm can be MUCH worse and ultimately lead to physical harm. I believe these three entities are some type of evil/demonic entity or other spirit. I believe that they feed off of our fear, pain, and suffering. DO NOT make yourself an easy target if these creatures are attacking you! Keep a positive mind; keep your personal living space as happy and inviting as possible. Tell them in the name of whatever/whoever you hold sacred that they are NOT WELCOME, and GET OUT! Mediation and prayer are also helpful. Do whatever you can to empower yourself, and above all else, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Believe they cannot and will not hurt you.
The Old Man (in the hat) or Hat Man:
- Sometimes reported with glowing green eyes
- Always reported at or near your bed
- Always associated with bad dreams
- Almost always first seen at the foot of your bed when halfway between asleep and awake
- Associated with causing fear and draining energy
- Is believed to cause fear or bad dreams to steal energy
- Possible ‘bogeyman’ type entity
- Also associated with "The Sandman"
- Believed to be similar to Moth Man
The Old Man in the Hat, or "The Hat Man" is by far the most commonly reported Shadow Man there is. More people have seen him than any other shadow entity. I have never seen him. (Knock on wood) Almost every account is the same. He is always leering over you while you are asleep, when you are most vulnerable. He is first seen standing at the foot of your bed, while you are still half asleep. Most people say they immediately feel threatened, and as if they are being drained or weakened. Most also note they have had, or will have nightmares when he is around. I think he may be stealing energy as we sleep, and feeding our fear to create more fear energy because that is what he actually feeds on. One user posted a picture called the "sandman" to give a good reference. He may, in fact, be "the sandman" for all we know. For this particular entity, keeping a cozy, happy, and comforting sleeping area seems to work best, over all. In addition, I also suggest, if possible, have some source of light nearby when you sleep, natural light like a candle seems to work best. Calming soothing music to play gently in the background is also good, but not so loud that it will keep you awake, remember this entity wants you to be tired and vulnerable.
Hooded Shadow Men (Hoodies):
- Most reported with red glowing eyes
- Possible ‘bogeyman’ type entity
- Believed to psychic vampires
- Associated with sadness, depression, and a sensation of being drained.
- Almost always appears when victim has had recent trauma
- The hood and cape may actually be long hair and a dress; some of them may just be Shadow Women
- Most people are unable to see these entities
The "Hoodies" always seem to be following, or hanging around an individual who is an unhappy person, an endless supply of sad and dark emotions, which is believed to be their energy source. These entities are usually described as a shadowy, flowing, robe-like mass with a hood, and almost always has red glowing eyes. In other cases, they have almost NO shape or form. They seem to be a shadowy mass or "nothingness" that seems to swallow up the light around it. Hoodies usually attach themselves to people who have both a very bad life, AND a connection to the supernatural or paranormal world. They usually show up right after a great personal trauma such as a death or a huge financial catastrophe. Once they arrive, they set about destroying the victim's emotional state by causing fear, paranoia, depression, and making them feel worthless. Hoodies are extremely difficult to get rid of, and prevention should be your primary weapon. Prayer, meditation, faith in yourself, your god, and whatever you hold dear. DO NOT buy into its crap! You ARE worth it! Your life DOES matter!
The Old Woman:
- Is always reported while victim is in a state of SP (sleep paralysis)
- Is associated with SP
- Is associated with bad dreams and feelings of fear
- Is associated with sensations of being held down, unable to move, and being drained
- Believed by some to be the Bride of the Man in the Hat
- Associated with OBE with nightmares
Situations with The Old Woman are almost identical to that of the Hat Man. The differences, however, are quite specific: the victim will wake up in a state of SP, unable to move. The Old Woman is usually holding you down and creating quite a bit of fear, which is why most victims think they are "just dreaming". And most report having an OBE with nightmares. Victims say they feel as if they are being pulled, or forced out of their bodies. The way to avoid and/or rid yourself of her is basically the same as Hat Man as well, but with one addition: SP is caused by STRESS. Removing stress from your life will make it harder for you to fall into SP. For those who do not know about SP, it is a state in which your body is so tired that it literally cannot go any farther without rest. But, in contrast, your mind is in a state of overdrive, and so deep in thought, that your body will shut down and go to sleep while you are still wide awake and lost in thought. Your mind is active, but your body is dormant. You are wide-awake mentally but asleep physically. Even though you are coherent and conscious, you cannot move. It can be very scary, especially if you are part of the way asleep mentally and get interrupted by a nightmare like the Old Woman. Try always to go to bed in a good mood, and to have all your work for the day done. That way, you are free to drift off to sleep without any worries to tempt the Old Woman.
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Theories and Personal Accounts with Possible Support Data
- Possibly are Nephilim (i.e. hybrids)
- May be some sort of naturally occurring Supernatural beast, and unable to be seen properly with out "human" eyes
- Electromagnetic fields causing hallucinations
- Shadow People are the spirits of evil people after they have died
- Shadow People are how people see human spirits when they lack the ‘ability’ to see its true form
- Shadow People are created by negative energy from people, rituals, and/or from tragic events
This supports the more popular theories surrounding the Hooded Shadows.
- The darker they are, the older and more powerful they are
The darker they are the older they are, and naturally the darker ones are more powerful. The free standers are usually very dark and they do not need real shadows as much or often as lesser shadows. Most of you have stated that the shadows that are "running away", or standing in the open, "free standing", are much darker than other shadow men. These types are "even darker than the other shadows around them". Most shadows seem to be the same shade as the shadow that they are hiding in and that they "run down the wall" when they escape.
Many of you have also stated that these darker ones also seem more foreboding, to have more of a presence, and seem stronger. As a shadow man ages, he becomes stronger. His shade will become darker. I believe that the younger, less experienced shadow men are incapable of leaving the shadows completely. Maybe they are unable to hide if they do. They may lack the knowledge of how to leave or hide if they leave. They may need to be cast against something, or maybe they draw life/energy from shadows.
Maybe they spawned right in the very spot they are needed. If this is the case, maybe they are able to move about freely if the people they are watching leave or move away. This may be the reason for accounts of a single VERY black shadow man fleeing the scene when the lights come on. They were looking for the person (people) they are supposed to watch. As they are better suited to moving around freely, I speculate that they become more "real" or have more of a physical presence. Which would explain why they seem to become a "solid black mass" when hit directly with a strong light source.
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They can be affected by things in the physical and are bound by the laws of the physical realm
They may actually have a physical form and thus may actually be able to be harmed by physical objects. They may also not have the ability to become intangible, or pass through solid objects. There are no accounts that I know of where one did pass through an object.
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They are in their own parallel universe and there are "holes" in between where we overlap
- They are a form of ghost in purgatory
Maybe it is they who want us to leave? Maybe there are just holes in the veil that separates our two worlds. Maybe WE look like shadows to THEM, and that is why they run. We may look exactly the same way to them, and the "sentinels" might actually doing paranormal study on US. Maybe the houses that they haunt in our world are actually haunted by us in their world!
If they were, in fact, some kind of ghost, then it would make sense. They are reliving their final days over and over again, or being held in limbo, either as a torture or punishment, or the other theory of "unfinished business". Some people believe that if an innocent dies a very violent death, the soul is unable to cope and will "relive" their death again and again until they know "why". It is also a common belief that the terrain/layout of the physical world when a person dies will look the same to the ghost as when it was alive. Thus the reason they walk through walls, that wall WAS a doorway when they were living. *Drum roll for bad pun* these ghosts are living a shadow of their former lives! Co-existing right beside us as if nothing has changed, except that we can see one another. The movie "The Others" is a great example here. But, shadow men cannot walk through walls.
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- Shadow People are ‘assigned’ to watch certain people
- They may spy on, or observe people with gifts to see if they use it for good or evil
- They may be more attracted to people with gifts because they want the gift for themselves or to use it through the human by corrupting him/her
There has long been a belief that Shadow Men are specifically assigned to watch people who posses supernatural gifts. The reason for this is likely because of the fact that these people have more encounters with them than anyone else. But that may only happen because these individuals are sensitive enough to be able to see them at all.
There are accounts of gifted individuals changing their place of residence only to discover that their shadow had followed them (no pun intended). And often, that particular shadow is very dark in color. "With great power comes great responsibility", "Absolute power corrupts absolutely".
If these creatures are in fact evil, perhaps, they are hoping that the person will "turn to the Dark Side". Maybe the shadow is attempting to steal the powers for itself, or corrupt the person it is following, and/or through them use their gift to the Shadow's advantage. Or, they were sent to watch over you, lest you DO actually commit an evil act with your gift.
A "gift" is a present. It is a blessing meant to be used to help others, and to better the world around you.
Shadow People Revised edition: 5/09
EDIT NOTE: I removed personal accounts for obvious reasons, this is large so I wish to convey only collected data at this time...
