Georgia Ghost Hunters

In parapsychology, spirituality and New Age belief, an aura is a subtle field of luminous multicolored radiation surrounding a person or object as a cocoon or halo. An aura may be held to represent or be composed of soul vibrations or chakras, and may reflect the moods or thoughts of the person it surrounds. As with all paranormal phenomena, the existence of auras is highly controversial.

Background

It is believed that auras may be viewed by the naked eye, though some psychics, like Edgar Cayce, believe this ability weakens with age. Focused training may be undergone in an attempt to improve one’s ability to see auras. Layers of aura are seen as separate and distinct, yet connected to all the remaining layers.

W.E. Butler has connected auras with clairvoyance and etheric, mental, and emotional emanations. He classifies aura into two main types: etheric and spiritual.  Robert Bruce classifies auras into three types: etheric, main, and spiritual. Various books have been written that derive various personality traits based upon the specific colors of the different layers of the aura. Auras are thought to be related to the etheric subtle body and to serve as a visual measure of the state of the health of the physical body. Auras are not thought to be actual light but a translation of other unknown sensory readings that is added to our visual processing. According to Bruce they are not seen in complete darkness and cannot be seen if some portion of the person or object emitting the aura cannot also be seen.

Science and auras

Ancient shamanic and modern New Age metaphysics identify the aura as electromagnetic fields. The existence of electromagnetic fields around all living and many nonliving objects is purportedly demonstrated through Kirlian photography.

It is controversial whether or not humans can see these electromagnetic fields, perhaps as colors, with the naked eye. This claim is considered paranormal because devices that sense electromagnetic fields at magnitudes many times smaller than that which allegedly exists in auras have recorded nothing.

Debunkers of paranormal activity deny claims of the existence of auras. James Randi, for example, has for many years offered one million US dollars to any person capable of repeatedly detecting auras; no one has yet succeeded, although at least one person has tried and failed. One such test, which was televised, involved one aura reader standing on one side of a room with an opaque partition separating her from a number of slots which may contain either actual people or mannequins. The aura reader failed to identify which partitions had which behind them, by claiming that all were concealing people.
Perceiving auras
Some people see auras as the result of a migraine, epilepsy, a visual system disorder, or a brain disorder. Eye fatigue can also produce an effect similar to the claimed aura. (See Aura (symptom) and synesthesia.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_%28paranormal%29

The Spooklight also called the Hornet Spooklight or Devil’s Promenade, is a mysterious visual phenomenon allegedly experienced by witnesses in a small area known locally as the “Devil’s Promenade” on the border between southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma west of the small town of Hornet, Missouri. Despite the fact that it is named after a small, unincorporated community in Missouri from which it is most commonly accessed, the light is most commonly described as being visible from inside the Oklahoma border looking to the west. The Spooklight is commonly described as a single ball of light or a tight grouping of lights that is said to appear in the area regularly, usually at night. Although the description of the light is similar to that of other visual phenomena witnessed throughout the world, the term “Spooklight” when standing alone generally refers this specific case. Numerous legends exist that attempt to desribe the origin of the Spooklight, one of which involves the ghosts of two young American Indian lovers looking for each other.

We have been having a discussion on our website (http://www.georgiaghosthunters.com) regarding shadow people. This got me to searching for an answer about what a shadow person is. I know that paranormal research has come a long way recently but the view is still wide open about this particular phenomena.

Shadow people are said to be shadow like creatures of supernatural origin that appear as dark forms in the peripheries of people’s vision. That is an interesting description but it does not shed any light on what, exactly, a shadow person is made of. Where do they come from? Are they spirits? Are they imprints of a past life? Are they a manifestation of a living spirit travelling between realms? Let’s look further and see if we can find some answers.

Most witnesses of shadow people describe them as black silhouettes with no discernible features. Some have been described as simply shapeless masses. Their imprint varies from a two-dimensional shadow to a vaporous or distorted three-dimensional form. Their movement is often described as being disjointed. They tend to rapidly move from one spot to another in a start and stop motion.

Explanations and hypothesis for shadow people have been drawn from many different fields of science. It is still a guessing game when it comes to determining which explanation is correct.

Paranormal science is the biggest contributor for study and explanation of what a shadow person could possibly be. These explanations have been researched through parapsychology, metaphysics, cryptozoology, demonology, religion, and the occult. Some of the common explanations are:

- A creature in an alternate realm whose dimension has overlapped with ours, allowing it to be partially visible.
- A thoughtform, ghost or demon created by negative psychic energy and related to a places or event in which extreme emotional or physical stress/trauma has taken place.
- A creature in some way linked to Grey and Reptilian aliens
- A flicker of a life unable to end for some reason.

Non-paranormal explanations for the phenomena of shadow people exist. These include optical illusions or hallucinations brought on by the physiological or psychological circumstances of the witnesses.

- Pareidolia is the condition of the brain incorrectly interpreting random patterns of light/shadow. This condition can occur when a witness is seeing unidentified patterns and textures in their peripheral vision or in low light conditions in the macular (center-forward) vision. An example would be perceiving a shadow, thrown by a hanging coat, as being a person.
- Hypnogogia, also known as waking-sleep is a condition in which a person is part-way between sleeping and waking. A person can be conscious and aware of their environment, but also in a dream-like state where they can perceive images from their subconscious. These witnesses commonly report the sensation of lights or shadows moving around them, as well as other visual hallucinations. A feeling of dread is also a sensation that occurs when experiencing hypnogogia.
- The use of narcotics and psychotropic agents can produce shadow hallucinations. Common over-the-counter medication can also have a similar effect if taken in sufficient quantity.
- Electromagnetic fields can interfere with the functions of the temporal lobe creating altered states of perception in which auditory and visual hallucinations can occur. Researchers have been able to recreate many paranormal experiences under laboratory conditions.
- Neurological conditions such as photosensitive complex partial seizures have also been shown to cause sufferers to see shadow people.

I tend to get more and more confused the further I research this topic. Is it paranormal? Is it psychological? What are they?

I have seen a shadow person with my own eyes. At the time, I was not under any of the non-paranormal definitions. I also do not know for certain if I was looking at a ghost. By definition, a shadow person is somewhat different than a ghost. With a ghost apparition, you commonly see the features and clothing. A ghost also tends to “float” and stay stationary. A shadow person, on the other hand, has a dark mass and because of the darkness, the outline and features are lacking.

My research will continue until I get a definite answer. I have a feeling this topic will be debated back and forth many times before that answer emerges.

Happy Hunting!