Shadow People, also known as Shadow Folk, are usually attracted to one person or location for unknown reasons. Often they are seen as dark silhouettes of human-shape, generally male, that prefer to watch someone unseen and flee the moment they are noticed. Still this doesn't always fit the experience. While some people distinctly see a male shape without details, others have described them from shapeless wispy black blobs to swirling columns of dark smoke.

Some have odors associated with them while most don't. Their personalities range wildly from shy and skittish to downright nasty, with a few of the living describing them as the ultimate essence of pure evil. These accounts have been reported all over the world

However reports of beings fitting the description of Shadow people have been recorded for centuries in literature all over the world.

Accounts of shadow people are, in many respects, different from accounts of ghosts. Ghosts are said to be the disembodied spirits of people and are usually said by to take on the appearance of people, orbs, ectoplasm or mist when seen.

While ghosts are often said to resemble actual people, accounts of shadow beings generally do not. Although accounts describe shadow beings as having human-like form, they are generally not described as resembling actual individuals (living or deceased).

The more consistent accounts of shadow people typically describe a feeling of dread associated with the presence of this phenomena, and animals are said to react to the phenomena with fear and hostility. Shadow Beings are said to move extremely fast and travel through solid matter. They typically are said to have no discernible features such as mouths, noses, or eyes. Their forms are usually described as somewhat skeletal or thin or smoke-like

Direct visual contact is rarely reported by most eye witnesses of shadow people; they are said to usually disappear before they can be seen clearly, and are seen "in the corner of one's eye." These beings are said to often appear in mirrors.

There are many proposed explanations of this phenomena. Some of these explanations are outlined below,

One of the more creative theories is that shadow beings are manifest thought forms, meaning that they are collections of negative psychic energy from areas where traumatic events have taken place and evil people frequent. The negative psychic energy begins to manifest and takes on form and motive, thriving on fear and negative emotions for sustenance.

Shadow beings have also been described as forms of ghosts, demons, inter-dimensional beings.The most popular explanation seems to be that they are some sort of other-dimensional beings whose dimension of origin occasionally overlaps with ours, which is said to explain their ethereal appearance and fleeting nature.

As with most supernatural phenomena there is usually a proposed logical, scientifically valid explanation for credible experiences that neither vilify eyewitnesses, nor require violation of generally accepted scientific principles. Several probable rational explanations for illusions resulting in the believed perception of shadow beings are outlined below.

There is a condition known as hypnoagagia (waking sleep) which amounts to a state of semi-consciousness in which a person can be thinking clearly and yet perceiving images that are being dreamed. This state is probably responsible for most so-called supernatural experiences by honest, rational people.

It has also been proven recently that areas with erratic or powerful electromagnetic fields can interfere with the electrical impulses or firing synapses of the human mind, thus influencing people subjected to such environments over time to believe that they are hearing or seeing ghosts, aliens, or perhaps shadow beings. Such environments include old buildings with substandard wiring, power plants, and areas with naturally occurring strong magnetic fields.

Perhaps the only aspect of alleged eye witness accounts of shadow people that remains difficult to explain in objective scientific terms is the similarity of the beings being seen in these alleged accounts, especially the tall man with a hat that is reported as often by 4 year old children as with adults. However, this could simply be a result of common Jungian archetypes (note the similarities between many shadow people reports and the grim reaper) shared in the subconscious of all people, just as people all over the world report dreams of flying.

Whatever the cause of these visits by shadow people, there can be no doubt that reports of their sighting is increasing substaintially across the globe. We are left to wonder and speculate their origin and meaning. Perhaps in time we will come to a clearer understanding of the nature of these frightening experiences.