Shadow People/Beings... Negative Energy or?

Hello Friends,

It has been a perception that “shadow people/beings” are made up of negative energy and may be considered demonic in nature.  However, is this something we can say with absolute certainty?  No, it’s still being debated in the paranormal community.

There are several theories offered.  Skeptics, the science community and those who have never experienced this phenomena may put forward the idea that it's your own imagination, tricks of the eye, illusions, and possibly one with a logical reason (IE: flashlight from another room bouncing off a person, car headlights flooding in from behind, moisture collected in the atmosphere, fog and so on).  But is this true for all sightings? If not, are these entities ghosts or demons or what?

In the following investigations, I will describe experiences of VSPI and some of our clients with the “shadow people” phenomena.  Unfortunately we were not able to capture them on film.  However, after in-depth client interviews, and thorough investigations using a variety of methods to gather evidence to support the sightings; we may have found some answers, and, unfortunately more questions.

To protect the privacy of our clients, we will not reveal the names/locations of some of the cases.

The main room at the Winery

First: in 2008 I had an experience of witnessing a “shadow person” with a head on sighting at an abandoned winery in Northern California. This was not from the corner of the eye, but a full on sighting of a man in front of me by approximately 15-20 yards. I could make out that he wore a hat (sort of like a panama hat but with a wider brim), and a coat that went down to his shins (similar to western style). I felt an anger coming from this man who stood there staring at me. I could not make out any features (nose/eyes etc.), as he was completely black and appeared to be two-dimensional. He was tall, probably 7’ or so, with his arms at his side. After 10 seconds or slightly more, he disappeared. I was stunned, and the experience left me shaking.
I was smart to go to our team leader and described what I had witnessed.
Fortunately for me, another investigator had seen the same being just moments prior.  I had been in another room, just off the main room, in total darkness, with the only light being that from the moon seeping through the building cracks and windows without glass. I could make out the figures of Lesli and her brother standing at the far end of the large main room.  But my focus was not them. I was visiting this place for the first time, and was in awe of the vibe it gave off, the vastness of the rooms, and the incredible feelings rushing through me. I felt that we were not alone, but I had no proof of this; until I saw him. I was slowly walking back towards the main room. Darryl had just experienced the phenomena and was explaining this to Lesli in the distance. I was unable to hear their conversation. I stumbled in the dark over a wooden slat, and looked up to see a man standing in an opening to another room (in front of me, and slightly to the right), which was caved in causing a dropped floor. I stopped, frozen in my tracks, and did not move. I felt fear rising within. I had to blink and in that second, he was gone. Then I moved quickly to where the other two were standing (ahead of me to the left of that room) and spurted out my encounter.
Darryl had described the same man, same style hat and coat.. and that convinced me the moment had been real.
Was he of demonic energy? I didn’t get that vibe. I simply thought he was a very angry man and wanted us out of the area, off the land. All three of us moved to the space this “shadow person” had occupied. We ruled out tricks of the light (the moon didn't light up the opening in which I saw him), possible vehicle headlights (no access to vehicle traffic), shift in the space due to flashlights (my flashlight was in my pocket and the others had theirs pointing in an opposite direction), nor was anyone else in the area (we had checked this thoroughly). There were no shadows of the posts spread throughout the main room, and I didn't see any obstruction that could have caused a shadow in the area. For us, there was no explanation..

Investigator at the home

Second: a recent case had claims where two of the tenants had seen the same “shadow person” on separate occasions, several weeks apart. An old home once stood on the land, but had been bulldozed several years prior, and a new house stood in its place.
The wife experienced the "shadow being" first. He was in the form of a human but less detailed to make out what he was wearing. His colour was a dark grey. She felt this being was male. A few weeks later, the husband had the same experience. He had thought his wife was stressed out and possibly making things up; or at least she believed she saw him, but in truth he hadn't been there.  The moment the husband witnessed the shadow standing in a washroom, which connected his daughters’ bedrooms, convinced him that his wife had been honest about her encounter. It was a shock to them both. Their description was similar. Both felt a fear and sadness. Great sadness.
Other claims were that the wife's things (such as makeup case) would disappear, yet to be found in another area a while later, brown goop would form on 2 television monitors, unusual scratches would appear on furniture and banister railings.
When VSPI came in for an investigation, historical data and evidence gathered connected with a previous tenant of the home. The tenant had resided in the old home for more than a few years, which may have caused great sadness to see the old house demolished. Walking into the space where he had been seen, one could feel a surge of energy swirling with depression. One of our investigators felt she would burst out in tears. VSPI was successful in crossing him over to his next stage in death, and there have been no further sightings nor activity reported.
We were able to debunk the brown goop, as the home was exceptionally warm and the televisions were near the cooking areas. When steaming, frying and boiling food, this causes water to rise in steam and form on shiny surfaces (such as kitchen & bathroom walls, television sets, appliances etc.) as brown goop. Ensuring the area is properly ventilated helps, and wiping down the walls & surfaces is a good idea. Even lower the room temperature will help.
Nicks and scratches on the furniture can be ruled as the family had recently moved in and could have been a cause of the move. However, the wife claims more scratches were appearing afterwards. This has also stopped after our investigation.

Third: a case documented almost a year earlier, was a claim of a shadow woman standing in a small room off a hallway, looking back at the client. She was described as a petite, well rounded woman with her hair swept up in a bun. Again the details were limited due to the darkness of the shadow and the evening. However, the tenant felt her presence on many occasions and knew there was something going on.
VSPI researched the property to find a family that had resided in the home for over 15 years; A brother, with his two sisters and their nephew. It was found that after the brother passed on in the 30's, the sisters moved eventually move out; while the nephew had left in previous years to get married and begin a life with his new family. However, the nephew fell ill and his wife checked him into an insane asylum, where he died a few years later (in the 60's). The oldest sister ended up in a hospital facility (due to illness) during that same time, and may not have been aware of her nephew's demise. With the assistance of a medium at the investigation, information came to light that the sister was looking for him. Using the information gathered, we read the asylum records (while sitting in the little room at the end of the hallway), and then the death certificate out loud for the woman's peace of mind. Within moments, the charge in the air fell flat, and there have been no further encounters experienced.

Chilliwack Progress (newspaper) - 2003

Fourth: a shadow man wearing a fedora has been spotted multiple times in the Giggle Dam Dinner Theatre. Witnessed by several staff members, and described as a large black figure roaming the upstairs hallway near the kitchen, he is believed to be that of a man who had been murdered in the building in 1994. VSPI gathered evidence of this man whispering "revenge" on a recording. Walking in that area one feels a charge of electricity that comes and goes. At times, people believe someone is following them, and possibly may push them down a staircase nearby. Sightings continue, thus leaving this to your own interpretation.  VSPI continues to investigate the building as their premier spot, and gathers new evidence with each return. We will be going back to reveal new evidence found shortly. You can read the story & listen to EVPs at our website page set up for the Theatre -> VSPI - Giggle Dam

Fifth: our most recent case involves a young woman tormented by a shadow figure. Not only has he become physical with her, but he is also believed to be pushing the other tenants and visitors from behind. Due to the violent nature, VSPI is currently working with the family to resolve the issue through cleansing of the home and the young woman. For now, he is held at bay, however doors are still heard slamming and cuss words are heard spoken. Research shows that several murders were committed in the area over the last 20 years. The building in which the family resides went up in 1990. A medium advised this man is angry and abusive in nature. He has an unhealthy attraction younger women. Caution is being taken, and we are doing our best through available resources and energy work to move him on.

So here we are. Some of these sightings do not sound "demonic" in nature, while others appear to be gaining in aggression as time goes by. Are they tricks of the mind?  If not, can we call them "ghosts" or "apparitions" or what?  Have you experienced this phenomena?  What was your first impression?  Did you feel any anger, sadness, fear etc.? How did you handle the situation?
We would love to hear about your encounters and experiences.

Please visit our site to review evidence caught thus far:
VSPI - Residences
VSPI - Evidence
and use the drop down box to view further evidence captured on some of our investigations.  Remember to wear headphones to hear an accurate account of the recordings captured.  We are presenting this evidence as "unexplained", and leave it up to you to decide how you feel about it.

Please visit us at our Facebook Page, where you can post a comment with your thoughts, or share your comments here. We appreciate your support, and welcome healthy dialogue.

Until next time,
Kati