Shadow People

Shadow people are paranormal shadow-like creatures that people usually see in their peripheral vision.  Reports suggest that they do not appear to reflect light and that their appearance is essentially a silhouette in black.

They usually have no discernible features beyond the general outline of their form.  However, shadow people have been reported to have shifted into a more human form and in these instances it is said that sometimes features such as glowing eyes and sometimes mouths or nostrils are discernible.

Reports of shadow people, sometimes called shadow folk, shadow men, or shadow beings, have many similarities with ghost sightings, so many similarities that many paranormal experts consider ghost and shadow people one and the same.

However, other experts disagree and claim that shadow people are a separate phenomenon from ghosts for a variety of reasons.

First, they claim that the movement of shadow people is said to be quick and jerky, sometimes with stops, starts, and changes of direction, not at all like the smooth floating motion often associated with ghost sighting.  This is apparently the primary reason they are usually seen out of the corner of the eye.



Second, some people report being able to discern that the shadow people are wearing a fedora style hat like a 1930’s-era gangster or a cloak.

Third, shadow people usually appear quite solid, unlike the ephemeral appearance of ghosts.

Fourth, there are very few reports of positive interactions with shadow people.

Unlike the friendly ghost sightings that are fairly common, encounters with shadow folk are almost always frightening or shocking.   In fact, even the experts that view shadow men as a subset of ghosts, usually concede that shadow men are a malignant beings.

The supporters of shadow people as a separate and unique phenomenon offer all sorts of speculation about the nature of shadow people using ideas from religion, parapsychology, metaphysics, and the occult.

One of the many ideas is that shadow people represent a Thought-form, ghost or demon that was created by extraordinary pain, suffering, and trauma in a dying persons life.  Others suggest that shadow folk have been purposefully summoned from another realm through black magic or other occult practices.

The fact that they do not seem to reflect light has led some to theorize that they are from an alternate universe with different laws of physics or perhaps they are caught in a trap between two physical universes.  David Icke has proposed that shadow people are related to Grey aliens, or to the Reptilian humanoids.

The theories about the nature of shadow people are almost endless, but they are certainly quarry that should only be sought out by experienced, well equipped ghost hunting teams – never by solo hunters.

Distinction Between The Human Spirit And Soul

According to historian Oswald Spengler, a distinction between Spirit and Soul has been made by the West and earlier civilisations which influenced its development. The human spirit can be seen as the heavenly component of human's non material makeup - the part that is impersonal or universal. Whereas souls are the personal element unique to each individual. As Spengler writes in The decline of the west:

“

... more important than all this is the opposition of Spirit and Soul (Hebrew: ruach and nephesh, Persian: ahu and urvan, Mandasan: monuhmed and gyan, Greek: pneuma and psyche) which first comes out in the basic feeling of the prophetic religions, then pervades the whole of Apocalyptic, and finally forms and guides the world-contemplations of the awakened Culture - as seen with Philo, Paul and Plotinus, Gnostics and Mandeans, Augustine and the Avesta, Islam and the Kabbalah. Ruach means originally "wind" and nephesh "breath." The nephesh is always in one way or another related to the bodily and earthly, to the below, the evil, the darkness. Its effort is the "upward." The ruach belongs to the divine, to the above, to the light. Its effects in man when it descends are the heroism of a Samson, the holy wrath of an Elijah, the enlightenment of the judge (e.g. Solomon passing judgment) and all kinds of divination and ecstasy. It is poured out. As in Isaiah xi, x, the Messiah becomes the incarnation of the ruach

”

In Christianity, the Holy Bibleidentifies humanity's three basic elements: body, soul and spirit. Christians sometimes emphasise that the human spirit is not really unique to humanity, rather it is something that humans participate in, for it is the same as the Holy spirit, which the Christian becomes united with once they accept Christ as their saviour.In Islam, Muslims are viewed as having their own spirits, but one that in a sense is one with God's spirit. For Spengler, the perception of unity this idea led to was important for the emergence of the "consensus" that maintained harmony in Islamic culture, epecially during the golden age of Islam.

Ghost Hunting vs. Paraphyscology

“Parapsychology, and before it Psychical Research, has been researching psychic phenomena such as ESP, ghosts and hauntings for more than a century now both in the lab and in the field”, says parapsychologist and author Loyd Auerbach. “It would be safe to say that, unlike other fields of research, about 95% or more of the ghost hunters in this country know too little or even nothing of the rich history of parapsychological research and those that pioneered such research for over 130 years.”

Besides a lack of knowledge of the very field that has studied psychic (psi) phenomena for so long, “Most people out there, who are being invited into people's homes, have no actual academic training or true knowledge of psychology, sociology or anthropology, three valuable social sciences not to be ignored if you are studying psychic phenomena. After all,” adds parapsychologist Dr. Barry E. Taff, “Psi is of the mind.”

Adds Loyd Auerbach, “Thanks to the TV shows, it seems that the large number of ghost hunters seem to think they can ignore human experience in favour of technology not designed to detect anything ‘paranormal,’ when it is that experience that labelled the location/event ‘haunted’ to begin with. Without witness experience, you have nothing – even a rumour starts with a person.”

The IPC wants the general public and media outlets to know that they are available to help anyone who is experiencing paranormal phenomena, or has questions about Parapsychology, that they will help you get in touch with educated and knowledgeable psi field researchers and parapsychologists as opposed to teams who have little more training than watching cable television. They also hope to reach out to serious minded people who are interested in being more than ghost hunters, the psi field researchers and parapsychologists of the future.

Another separate platform for dissemination of information is an expanding portal to scientific Parapsychology and to reputable resources on psi phenomena, education in Parapsychology, and field investigation. “We hope that it will be of great use to people having paranormal experiences, to people interested in investigating the paranormal, and to the media and general public at large,” says Loyd Auerbach.

In addition, the Psi Portal (also known as the Parapsychology Portal) is intended to help support people truly curious about real scientific research and investigation methods and what has gone before in the field. As “amateur astronomers” gain respect with their discoveries and contributions to the field of astronomy, the amateur psi researcher has the potential to contribute greatly to the social science that is parapsychology.

The typical Amateur Psi Field Researcher is one who does not depend on the field of parapsychology as a primary source of income or support, and does not have advanced academic training in the subject and/or a related degree. Many amateurs are beginners, while others have a high degree of experience in parapsychological research and often assist and work alongside professional parapsychologists. The amateur psi field researcher, with the proper support and training, can be considered a great deal more qualified than the weekend “ghost hunter” so popular today.

The majority of scientific contributions by amateur psi field researchers will be in the area of data collection. In particular, this applies where large numbers of amateur psi field researchers with small teams can add to the knowledge base in ways that the relatively small number of parapsychologists in the country cannot when it comes to collecting data from the ever increasing world population.

From the Parapsychology Portal, members of the public, media and international press, will be able to find parapsychologists as well as professionally recommended psi field researchers. Working along parapsychologists, these amateur field researchers are the most qualified to study cases of psi phenomena which includes consciousness survival (ghosts, hauntings, etc), psychic activity (ESP, poltergeists, etc) and Near Death Experiences (NDE).

“We hope that in the future, when the press and public need information or research done in anything psi related they will contact us through the Parapsychology Portal website,” says parapsychologist and author Dr. Andrew Nichols. “It is the difference between science and pseudo science, as true amateurs and expert's present information and resources that go way beyond the mostly-TV-trained enthusiasts and hobbyists. The Psi-Portal site provides a single stop on the web that brings together major parapsychological organizations for the 1st time.”

Environmental Causes

CARBON MONOXIDE:

Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and impossible to taste or smell. At lower levels of exposure, CO can cause flu-like symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. At higher levels, CO exposure can be fatal, which provides another excellent reason to check for its presence when these symptoms are presented.

Sources of carbon monoxide include unvented space heaters, blocked or leaking chimneys, leaking furnaces, gas water heaters, and automobiles in attached garages. An area exposed to CO must be evacuated and ventilated; further exposure can only be prevented by eliminating the source of the gas.

MOLD:


Molds of various types can be found anywhere there is sufficient moisture and can grow on almost an unlimited number of materials. Molds are allergens and can cause allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory problems. Allergic reaction can vary for each individual but can include nasal congestion, irritated eyes or skin, or wheezing. Fewer people have severe reactions, but it is possible for mold exposure to cause fever and shortness of breath, as well.

Molds can grow on nearly any surface where there is enough moisture. The only way, then to stop the growth of mold is to eliminate the moisture. In some locations that investigators find themselves - ruins and buildings near natural water sources - the source of moisture cannot be removed; investigators should be mindful of this and consult a physician or allergist if exposure is a serious concern.

Depending on the severity and type(s) of mold, abatement can be done by the property owner or through a professional service.

OZONE:

Ozone is a colorless gas that many have heard of in a positive light - the ozone layer that protects us from dangerous solar radiation. Indeed, ozone is beneficial in the atmosphere, but it does not belong in occupied areas, where it poses a danger.

Exposure to ozone can cause numerous respiratory ailments, including throat irritation, coughing, chest pain, and shortness of breath. It will also aggravate the symptoms of those with asthma and other respiratory problems. Longer-term exposure can cause permanent damage, including decreases in lung function and weakened defense against respiratory infection.

Some households and businesses have begun using ozone generators to clear and freshen the indoor air. Ozone generators, which intentionally produce the gas ozone, are often sold as air cleaners despite the dangers of ozone exposure. Additionally, copy machines produce ozone which in a confined space can also cause problems.

The simplest way to avoid ozone exposure is to remove the devices that generate it. Air cleaners that produce ozone - even those that claim to produce within acceptable ranges - should not be used in the home. Enclosure in a small room, especially, concentrates the gas and may increase the effects.

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS  (EMF):

During any remodel replace old knob-and-tube wiring (a source of high fields) with modern wiring. If a new electrical transformer is installed near a building it may create high magnetic fields inside the building. Alternatively, a buffer space provided around the source transformer would reduce fields projected into the building. High EMF due to wiring errors can be corrected relatively easily as it is usually due to a connection error in a sub panel or junction box. Existing high EMF-producing facilities, such as electrical panels, established wiring routes, and load locations are often difficult to change. It may, however, be possible to rearrange usage of spaces adjacent to areas with high EMF.




Magnetic field readings of .01 - 1 mG are well within the range of commonly seen levels.  Fields in the range of 1-10 mG are the subject of much medical controversy. If EMF is to be minimized, these levels indicate the presence of field sources which should be identified. Exposures of 10-100 mG are uncommon, and readings of more than 100 mG are rare. In order to verify these readings in occupied spaces the measurements should be repeated at different times of the day and week. Since EMF is directly proportionate to current flow the measured magnetic field levels originating from power lines will be markedly different for different seasons and times of the day. Because of the operating air conditioners a hot summer afternoon will usually have higher field levels than an autumn morning. A thorough field survey will reveal if these levels are present throughout the building or campus or if they are localized in specific areas.




Electromagnetic hypersensitivity (ES) is a physiological disorder characterized by symptoms directly brought on by exposure to electromagnetic fields. It produces neurological and allergic-type symptoms. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to, headache, eye irritation, dizziness, nausea, skin rash, facial swelling, weakness, fatigue, pain in joints and/or muscles, buzzing/ringing in ears, skin numbness, abdominal pressure and pain, breathing difficulty, and irregular heartbeat. It can also cause what is referred to as a "Fear Cage", which is a high EMF reading in a small room or confined space. It can often cause feelings of uneasiness or paranoia as well as anxiety. Which can also cause a feeling ov being watched, that can lead to the misunderstanding that there is a presence or paranormal being present.




It is important to note that, because of the bodies dependence on electrical impulses to function, EMF sources can interfere with the bodies natural functions. Usually the EMFs are only strong enough to affect the mind, the EMFs send electrical impulses throughout the brain, effecting the brains most simple functions. They can cause nausea, paranoia, and hallucinations, as well as fear. This is why it is important to use EMF detectors when trying to "debunk" a claim of paranormal activity. If a high EMF is found the investigator can usually conclude that it is the source of the problem, things to look for without an EMF detector are large amounts of electronic devices in relatively small areas, also large amounts of conduits or high power lines running through areas close to the activity. If any of the symptoms described above occur, take a break and get out of the area for a while and the symptoms should go away.

Animals and Ghosts

EVEN PEOPLE WHO believe in an afterlife and the possibility of ghosts are often skeptical when it comes to the idea of spirit animals. They don't have souls or spirits, goes the argument, and therefore cannot have a life in the next world. But cats, dogs, birds and other animals are made up of the same energy that humans are, and it may be as possible that this energy can survive death, just as it can for people. Anyone who is close to their pets will testify to the psychic connection they share. Psychic energy and spiritual energy may all be a part of the same phenomenon, and so animals might have as much of a connection to the unseen world as we do.

Taking Ghost Research To The Next Level

IT’S FRUSTRATING BEING a ghost researcher. At least it is for me at times. With all the ghost research societies, ghost hunter groups, and ghost investigative teams that have materialized in the last several years, there are more people examining the realm of the haunted than in any other time in history. We also have an array of technologies to help in the hunt, from digital recorders and EMF meters to infrared cameras and ghost boxes. There are even scientists and universities trying to find rational explanations for ghost phenomena.

For all that, however, we are no closer to really understanding what ghosts are than we were 100 years ago. We’ve gathered more evidence, developed new tools, and offered revised theories, but we still don’t know with any certainty what the ghost phenomenon is, what causes it, or how and why it manifests. We have evidence, perhaps, but we have no proof.

So why isn’t the evidence we have good enough?

THE EVIDENCE

Photos – There are some compelling photographs. The skeptics dismiss them as tricks of light and shadow, double exposures, reflections, natural phenomena, photographic errors, or outright fraud. Ghost researchers are more open-minded about them, of course, but without highly detailed information about the circumstances under which the photos were taken, we cannot in all honesty determine what they show either. And in today’s age of digital image editing capabilities, we can’t trust photos at all. Yes, they could show genuine ghosts, but we cannot prove it.

Anecdotes – Reports of ghost sightings are plentiful. In fact, they have been reported since the beginning of recorded history. This website alone receives hundred of such reports every month. Many of those are compelling as well. We can only assume that there are thousands of alleged sightings every day around the world. The phenomenon is part of the human experience. The skeptics say that people are notoriously bad witnesses, and that the senses are easily fooled by illusions of light and shadow or electrical fields. For those who have seen ghosts with their own eyes, however, no amount of “reasoning” can dissuade them from their conviction about the reality of their experience. While the sheer volume of sightings strongly suggests ghosts are out there in the dark, these experiences, unfortunately, don’t give us anything to look at, listen to, or touch. The stories are as ephemeral as the spirits themselves.

Film and video – A moving image can often be more revealing and convincing than a still image. But film and video suffer from the same drawbacks and doubts that photos do. Seeing is no longer believing. Additionally, really good videos of ghosts are exceedingly rare.

Physical effects – Objects disappearing and later reappearing without rational explanation. Lights and appliances turning on and off by themselves. A vase flying off a shelf and crashing 12 feet across the room. They are puzzling and sometimes scary occurrences. Skeptics wave them off as the products of overactive imaginations. For researchers, such activity is not only relatively rare, it’s nearly impossible to document since, like almost all ghost phenomena, it cannot be produced on demand; it happens spontaneously, seemingly on its own whim. So most of this type of activity falls into the category of “anecdotes.”

Even on the extremely rare occasions such activity is caught on video, can we conclude it was caused by a ghost? This kind of physical phenomena is often called poltergeist activity. Although “poltergeist” literally means “noisy ghost,” a large number of paranormal researchers think that it is not attributable to ghosts at all. Because the activity almost always centers around an individual, it is theorized that poltergeist craziness is psychokinetic; that is, caused by the minds of the person or people involved. So as dramatic as it may be, it may have nothing to offer in the way of ghost evidence.

EVP – Electronic voice phenomena might be the strongest stuff we have in the way of evidence for ghosts. All of the skeptics’ explanations of EVP being nothing more than stray radio programs, cell phone calls, ham radio conversations, et cetera have been disproved. But what these disembodied voices are remains quite a mystery. Are they the voices of ghosts? Could they be from other dimensions? Or, like poltergeist activity, do they arise out of the minds of the participants? Yes, the variety and textures of EVP (I’m talking about the Class A EVP here) are of astonishing variety, from those that sound like old men to those that sound like children. But if the human mind can cause heavy objects to levitate and sail across a room, could it not also imagine into reality such voices? Again, EVP could be very strong ghost evidence… but we’re not quite sure.

Ghost box – The ghost box is the latest tool in the arsenal of the ghost investigator. The group I belong to has several that we experiment with. But in my mind the jury is still out when it comes to these ghost boxes. They work by scanning broadcast radio frequencies, and when you listen you can hear snippets of phrases here and there, what sound like names, and other information. The theory is that those on the “other side” are able to pull the words and phrases they want from these broadcasts to communicate with us. That they have this ability, of course, is a huge assumption.

In my experience with these ghost boxes, I have to admit that some of the stuff that comes across seems relevant. For example, in one session we asked, “How many people are sitting at this table?” There were six. Very shortly, the ghost box said something that sounded like “Six.” And we were astonished. I have to wonder, however, if there were five at the table, would we have waited until we heard something that sounded like “five” from the ghost box? Likewise, when it names people, are we just pulling out from the garble of words the names of those present or that we know? In other words, how much are we projecting onto this tool? How much is sheer interpretation and hearing what we want to or expect to hear?

Yet, other examples are not so easy to explain away. At the same session, we asked questions about a man who once worked at this particular location many decades ago, now thought to be haunted. We kept hearing, over and over, what sounded like “horse” and “horses.” We had no idea what connection there might possibly be. When we later asked a person who knew the history of the location and about this man, she revealed that he was a horse trader – a fact that none of us at the table knew. Very interesting indeed.

Much more experimentation needs to be done with these ghost boxes before I am totally convinced. I suspect there is a psychological component here and that much of the information is the result of hearing what we want to hear – or “matrixing,” as some call it.

Ouijas and séances – These were the tools of choice for ghost communication for over 100 years before all the electronic gadgetry came along. Most ghost researchers shy away from them nowadays, however, because of the idea that they attract demonic forces. (An idea I disagree with.) The results of these practices, too, are far from great evidence. They are subject to the same psychological interpretations and trickery as many of the above methods.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US?

Individually, all of the above methods have their weaknesses. Collectively, however, they produce enough tantalizing evidence to indicate that, yes, there is something out there; there do seem to be intelligences on the “other side,” and they can and do occasionally materialize or otherwise make themselves known. It’s enough to keep the investigations going.

Yet we need better evidence. We need something more concrete, more solidly convincing to break us out of this 100-year rut. We need a breakthrough in ghost research.

I’m not sure how that breakthrough can come about. Through a new high-tech tool? Through a psychic breakthrough of some kind? And what would that breakthrough be? What would unambiguously convince us of the reality of ghosts and life after death?

Perhaps it would be a tool that would finally allow real-time, unambiguous communication with the other side. Not snippets of words and phrases, but a real conversation in which these spirits can talk to us, tell us what it’s like on the other side, can convince us in no uncertain terms who they were in life. Or perhaps it would be a psychic methodology that could produce – with consistency – materialized spirit forms that could be recorded and examined.

That’s a lot to ask for, I know. It’s the Holy Grail of ghost research that psychics, mediums, and other paranormal researchers have been seeking for the past 100 years. Ultimately, however, that’s what we need. Otherwise, we’re just stumbling around blindly in the dark.

Perhaps such a breakthrough isn’t even possible. (And maybe we wouldn’t even want it. What would it be like if we could have conversations with our deceased relatives any time we wanted? How would that change the world?)

I put out this challenge to every paranormal researcher and every ghost hunting group out there – even the nationally known ones: Let’s find that breakthrough. I don’t know what it will take or even where to start. But maybe you do. Yes, it’s fun to go out into haunted locations and collect EVP, take photos, and listen for raps on the walls, but it’s not really advancing the research. Let’s not be satisfied with that. Let’s take it to the next level. Spread the word. Share this article with everyone on your ghost hunting team; send it to other organizations. Let’s get some serious churn out there.

Rules of Evidence

Rules of evidence are a strict set of evidence rules that mandate how we collect evidence and present evidence. It is a strict means of keeping evidence true and raw. When presenting the evidence, it assures that all means for bringing its true authentic form was maintained before presenting evidence to the public.
It is easy for someone looking at photo's on a web site to say, "Aww that is a bug", or "It is Dust". Well collecting evidence with our strict rules eliminates any such questions. If we even have a slight belief that whatever anomaly is in the photograph could be natural or man made, the photograph will never make it to the public.
Please make note to the following Rules of Evidence:
* No single piece of evidence will stand on its own and will not be presented without further evidence to support the first.
* In photography, whether Still or Video, is not presented without the following factors completed; Strict monitoring of Pollen and Mold levels are recorded with each photograph, to include all weather factors that were present as well; all photographs are compared with a hugh database of photos that contain dust, pollen, mold, humidity, moisture, oblique light rays, etc. to ensure that they do not fit such patterns of natural or man made anomalies. Each photograph is supported by other paranormal events that might have occurred when the photo was taken. No photo is presented on its own merit, it is only posted if other paranormal events were present that support the photo. All photographs are screened for errors of processing and development and are compared with errors of that type. This eliminates any question as to whether or not the photograph is of a natural error. All photographs are examined with a array of computer filters to ensure their trueness. No photograph is altered to contaminate its authenticity and only the re-sizing and/or lightening is done for web site viewing only. This does not effect the photographs trueness and still maintains its evidentiary authenticity.
* EVP's are collected when only using fresh batteries, new tape, exterior microphone and is logged as to its location, beginning and ending. The section of tape that is believed to be paranormal is copied onto a computer in a audio format and is measured for its wave length, HZ levels and is compared to such sounds as a human voice, and other EVP's that are believed to be that of the paranormal. EVP data shows that human voices cannot get below 500HZ and our EVP's are measured to their level. Below 500HZ is believed to be that of the paranormal. Again, no piece of evidence is presented on its own merit.
* All other evidence is treated in the same manner as those stated above. We also include feelings that one may encounter during the process of retrieving the evidence. We look for a feeling of not being alone, a sense of Positive or Negative energies present, or any of our other senses that might of sensed something of the paranormal or supernatural.
* All Man Made or Natural possibilities are ruled out before any evidence is presented to the public. Only evidence that has passed intense scrutiny of these factors are presented.
A further note: Just because a odd light, or a circular object is captured on film, it does not make it paranormal. Only after intense study and comparison does the photo get considered as paranormal evidence. This is true for all anomalies and other evidence that we collect. We want to present evidence that is strong and supportive of the paranormal and is true and authentic.
These are just a few of the strict procedures that we follow and the list above may not include all the steps that we take to present authentic evidence. We strive to present the best evidence that we can and we are constantly critiquing ourselves and putting our evidence through tuff measures.