Comments for Childhood Paranormal Odds And Sods Part 1: Page 1

Tweed--Your thought about why BGP's shadow figure didn't cast a reflection is great stuff. Kindly refrain also put forth some interesting ideas. As I wrote in my response to Kindly refrain, it seems also possible, if these shadow figures are in any way telepathically sent and then received by an "agent" and "percipient", it could also be a possibility that the sent message is sometimes more complete, or complex, than at other times.

If this is sometimes the case, it could be that a shadow not being cast could be part of the theory I mentioned to kindly. Specifically, that no apparitions are ever "perfect" and at least one feature or element seems to be "off". So on one occasion an apparition may not cast a reflection in a mirror, in another instance an apparition may not have facial features, on still another occasion it may be semi-transparent. There are many intriguing theories floating around!

Hey Manafon and everyone,

I've been away from YGS for a few days, so this is a bit delayed. It's about the nature of shadow like manifestations. BGP said her shadow figure didn't show up in her mirrored wall as you might expect it to. When we look into a mirror what we see isn't so much a reflection, rather a 'print' of light. This probably explains why hers didn't show up in the mirror and further fuels speculation around these types of manifestations appearing as if to absorb light.

Kindly refrain--I like your thoughts about what many people refer to as "shadow people". I checked out that link on Vantablack. In case others are interested, "Vantablack is a super black coating that holds the world record as the darkest man made substance." Furthermore, "Vantablack absorbs virtually all incident light... It reflects so little light that it is often described as the closest thing to a black hole we'll ever see."

Although the figure I saw was intensely dark and did indeed seem to absorb all light around it, my young mind thought of the form as three dimensional even though it appeared something like a two dimensional cutout. I perceived it distinctly as a female form and what made me think of it as three dimensional, was that as it moved, it's outline changed as a three dimensional body would. The head moved slightly and seemed to turn, just a bit, which changed very subtley the shape. I also noticed this with the arm switching out the light.

I did want to clarify though that I am not a person that feels comfortable categorizing what many refer to as "shadow people" as a completely separate phenomenon from other types of apparition. Apparitions are perceived in various forms of "completeness". As many psychical researchers have written (notably G.N.M. Tyrrell) there never seems to be a "perfect apparition". So some people will see a partial apparition, maybe from only the torso up, others an apparition with no discernible features, another may see a whole apparition that seems to want to speak but is unable to and so on.

Following this line of reasoning I see no reason to not think an apparition would on occasion appear as a perfectly formed outline with blackness comprising the shape. This could very well have much to do with how a living person receives a telepathic message from an "agent", either living or dead. This would mean that in some cases the sent message and the mind of the recipient could be particularly harmonious, thus creating a clear, lifelike figure. In another instance a message received might be more vague and so features, as an example, are absent. At any rate, it's thoroughly fascinating stuff to ponder kindly refrain!

The two dimensional aspect of "Shadow Figures" was always a little troubling to me. I understand little of ghostly phenomenon but I frequently wondered why do these "ghosts" appear to be two dimensional. I believe I may have an answer from the world of industrial coatings.

Many people who experience ghostly phenomenon claim to be feel cold, see electrical lights flicker or have batteries run out extremely quickly or indeed feel drained themselves. It seems energy of all types are absorbed in the manifestation process.

I believe that in absorbing energy they give off very little themselves, hence the blackness.

Our eyes process differing shades of light bouncing off of surfaces, at different angles from an object, to determine its three dimensional form. If there is no variation in shade we determine that the object is flat. If no light at all bounces off of the object, however three dimensional it may be, we make the same determination; the object is flat.

In this case we are fooled.

This has recently been achieved with very black coatings. Using Nano-technology materials have been made to reflect less than 1 percent of the light that strikes it. To the observer this makes the object look two dimensional.

While this does not answer all aspects of shadow people sightings, I do believe it answers the two dimensional appearance of three dimensional manifestations. The blackness then is not to be thought of as sinister but merely a "physical" quality of these types of manifestations. We are, in essence, watching a form of energy black hole.

Here is a link to a commercialized version of the ultra black coating science I was referring to earlier.

Https://www.surreynanosystems.com/media/news

You will have to search in the link a little as this web site would not let me put in the full length link (word too long).

Hi Manafon, thanks for posting, great read and can't wait for part2.
My thoughts regarding the argumentative voices would be residual, even though one of the voices seemed as if it were from the "living'. Perhaps the emotion of the initial argument were enough to imprint it on the surroundings?
As a child I feel we're more open to spirits etc, before we've learned to hate, fear, doubt and all those things that come from "growing up".

Manafon, I don't think the Simon house incident was very specific about the voices. When I read it, about 8-9 months ago, I had the sense that I'd read it before, though.

I will try to find the link tomorrow.

Argette--Thank you for sharing that fascinating case of a woman realizing the crying voice in her one time house was her own! Cases involving living apparitional figures and voices are intriguing. Just as in reports of encounters with those who have died, apparitional voices and figures of the living sometimes seem to be "interactive" and at other times completely residual.

Really loved hearing about the replayed record deal conversation at Carly Simon's house. Do you remember if one of the voices was that of either Taylor or Simon? I imagine that conversation was emotional and intense and somehow saturated the atmosphere of the place.

As you wrote, it's all fascinating. I look back on the paranormal experiences at my childhood house as an interesting combination of phenomena. I really believe too that my young age had much to do with the frequency and duration of much of it. Thanks for your thought provoking comments.

Manafon, thanks for sharing this. I'm glad you reconnected with your bio mom.

The arguing voices are interesting. It's not the first time a residual haunting involving a living person has been reported here. The first one involved a young pregnant wife crying in her kitchen. If I recall correctly, her husband had just died in an accident. The widow was told about the residual incident by someone who lived in the house she had once lived in, and she recognized the "ghost" as herself.

Also, I read a while back that a conversation involving a record deal replays itself in a guest room in Carly Simon's house on Martha's Vineyard, the house James Taylor built in the early 1970s.

It's all fascinating to me.

Babygoatpuller--That's fascinating that you noted that the shadow figure you saw cast no reflection. Also interesting that your cat noticed it first. It really is great to read that your shadow figure also looked like a "black cutout". I agree that the repeating argument was most likely some sort of replay.

Valkricry--Your mom summed it up perfectly, "You weren't old enough to know you should be afraid." The rocking, the pitch black lady and the argument were all things I assumed I would just understand someday. And it's true, I did assume similar such things happened to everybody. I think that is why I never talked about it at the time!

Miracles--It's fantastic that you can get a completely fresh perspective on paranormal incidents from your son! I liked what you wrote about your daughter's experience, "If the circumstances had been different, she may not have been afraid." That sums up beautifully the likelihood that "ghosts" are often feared because they make themselves known unexpectedly and often with no warning. Maybe a new movement should be instigated, "People For Ghost Equality". I'm in 😁.

Manafon - I have another story (my daughter's experience) where I believe that exact thing happened. She scared herself because it was late at night and she is aware of our Tuttle Man (my name for our ghost). If the circumstances had been different, she may not have been afraid.

My son is as interested in the whys, hows, etc of our paranormal world as I am. It's nice to be able to bounce ideas off a 15 year old and get his perspective on things. Sometimes his thoughts mirror mine; other times he provides a very unique theory for me to ponder LOL

Thank you for taking the time to read my story 😊

Manafron,
I can't help but wonder if your age at the time allowed you to accept these events with ease. To borrow from my mother, "You weren't old enough to know you should be afraid." Since they did nothing to instill fear in you, and you probably didn't realize yet not everyone has a shadow lady turning off their light, you felt it was 'normal'. Same with the rocking.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this!

Miracles--Thank you for your nice words. I just read your shadow man account and the parallels are quite striking! Both of the shadow figures we saw were featureless and absolutely black. Your Alfred Hitchcock analogy was vey appropriate. Like you, I only saw this figure once.

Very interesting too that your son wasn't afraid of your shadow entity either. I do believe that there are many instances where a person's fear clouds what they are perceiving. Suddenly an innocent visitation is painted as a dark, evil spirit. All of my paranormal experiences have been of a benevolent variety.

I agree with Miracles Manafon. We need a LOT more of the "good feel" about the other side. I know exactly what you mean about the "black cutout" of the shadow figure. My cat alerted me to the one I saw and it was just as you described. Except as it zipped into the other room and passed by the mirrored wall in the dining room, it had no reflection.

The arguments were most likely residual. Anybody's guess as to who it was.

Can't wait to read part two! 😊

Tweed--Ha Ha! At least in my case the "shadow woman" I saw just seemed to be doing a kind act. I have to say if I saw that figure now my reaction would probably be of much more alarmed variety. These things just didn't frighten me as a kid and the figure and the rocking seemed truly gentle. Maybe when many adults who see what they refer to as shadow people assume it's a negative presence because of their appearance. This entity exuded a positive vibe, which I possibly detected because I wasn't afraid.

The rocking occurred whether the lights were off or there was a night light on. You hit the nail on the head with what you stated about the figure--the light did make her appear even darker. Her image is still vivid in my mind.

Your thoughts on the identity of the people arguing are interesting but I don't really know who it could have been. I have always attached the woman's voice with the woman who had previously lived there. For some reason I have always felt strongly it was the husband and wife who had previously lived there. Thanks for your take on these long ago events!

Manafon - I don't know if you read my experience about our shadow man, but that's how he was to me... I had ever seen such a solid, black "thing"...

I enjoyed reading this as I did your others, and will read your next as well. Thanks for sharing this, Manafon, as it gives a good feel about ghosts, spirits, non-living (whatever term people want to use). We need more of that.

Shadow figures are evil. 😜

This is great. I love how you didn't think much of it but quickly learned to accept these odd events. Maybe this is why you experienced them so frequently.
Congrats on getting to know your Bio-Mom, by the way. I remember you brought this up in a comment in like April or something. I like the idea this was your grandmother or at least someone from your bio-family, that somehow makes sense.
Did the bed rocking always occur with the lights out? Maybe she was turning off the lamp as part of some kind of routine.
You really have a lot of ghosts turning lights off! Maybe it's always her. Fascinating how she was pitch black. The way you describe it makes it sound like the lamp light made her even darker, as you say it's like she absorbed the light. That's just fascinating.
The residual argument is intriguing, if not the previous owners, might it have been someone from your bio family? Perhaps the woman you saw was arguing with one of her pals, or maybe even the former man of the house? 😕 I don't know, just thought of another angle for you to consider.

Cool experiences Manafon, as always a joy to read!