Residents of Portsmouth, NH, located just over the Maine and New Hampshire border, can tell you that shadowy images wander among the graves in the South Cemetery at the corner of South Street and Sagamore Avenue. What they can’t tell you is what these mysterious beings are. Whether they are seeing classic shadow people or simply dark masses moving through the graveyard is unclear, but documented reports of shadow people in Maine - and every part of the world - have existed for hundreds of years.
Observers of Shadow People typically describe a dark human-shaped image that lurks in dark corners or hallways and disappear as soon as they realize they have been seen. In fact, the first sightings are often out of the corner of the eye – leaving the observer to wonder if what they have seen is simply light play or the results of an overactive imagination. Over time, these mysterious creatures become more apparent and are often observed “full on” by frightened observers. No one knows for sure what these creatures are – or if they are actual beings – but that doesn’t stop them from being seen.
Intense fear or dread often overcome the observer when a shadow person is present. Many report the sense of pure evil emanating from the shadow person. Reports from around the world – even by those who are unaware of other sightings – are eerily similar. The figure often appears in the shape of a human – typically a tall male who is cloaked in a long black overcoat and wearing either a hood or a fedora. Facial features– except for occasional glowing red eyes – are absent. Shadow men move quickly darting out of sight around a corner or into the hallway in an assumed attempt to avoid detection.
Theories about their origin are mixed.
While some believe shadow people are merely the ghostly image of the dearly departed – like Residual Ghosts or Intelligent Spirits, while others claim shadow people are demons or evil spirits. Still others believe shadow people are interdimensional beings that transcend space and time – but don’t exist in our physical plane.
According to Rhitu Chatterjee journalist for Science Now, some scientific evidence suggests that the perception of a shadow person may be the result of stimulation to the a area of the brain called the left temporoparietal junction (LTJ). This causes the brain to perceive two bodies instead of one and the mind assumes the second is a nearby being. Although this may explain some reports of shadow people; it does not, and cannot, explain shadow people seen by more than one person – or those seen repeatedly in a specific area, even when the observer is unaware of prior reports.
If you, or someone you know, has observed shadow people please take the time to share your story in the comments and share the link with friends.
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