Waking up and seeing dark figures? Nightmares?

reply to post by Sorgmodig


Why is it that you would completely rule out the possibility? Sure it might seem "sci-fi"ish....and it also just could be your mind playing tricks on you, BUT who knows. What if while in a dream state you're able to "see" something you're not able to or "supposed" to see while awake....I'm not sure what it is, but I don't think it's ridiculous to entertain the idea that it could be something more than just a hallucination

yeah i agree, it could definetly be something more then a hallucination

Im fairly certain I've seen one of these things before, with the lights on, and I was sober. Freaked me right out for a while too. I had just gotten out of the shower, opened the door and was walking out when out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure, and naturally I stopped and turned to look, thinking nothing would be there. Instead I stared dead on at a standing two-dimensional shadow, that you could not see through, about a foot or more in front of a bookcase. Before my scared pause ended I noticed it's edges had a damn near aurora borealis looking dark purple glow around it. Then I blinked and it was gone.

I remember it vividly still because it was less than a year ago...

reply to post by PeterGriffin

Are you drinking too much caffeine or sugar before bed? Are your serotonin levels low? If yes, that could be the cause. Some people have low serotonin levels, always feel edgy and sometimes see shadows, little imaginary "bugs", orn hear voices or whispers in the middle of the night. Cut down on all sugar, caffeine, stimulants and agitation of any kind before bed and you'll see that the shadows will diminish and will disappear entirely. The mind is very powerful and sometimes you're just tired and worn out.

Your mind is awakening from sleep. Your eyes are readjusting and sometimes that causes weird things. Your depth perception and sense of contrast can take a few seconds to get coordinated. Also if you open your eyes wider to see what is going on it changes the light input and can cause shadows to grow or contract.

In other words a lot of it is just your mind and body getting realigned. I have had it happen before. I decided to play around with it after I noticed it happening as I was falling asleep. I would nod off and wake up. Then the experience would begin. After awhile I realized it was phsyical and not metaphysical or paranormal.

I've known several people that went through it when they were increasing or decreasing their caffine intake. Sometimes it can happen if you have high or low blood sugar. A lot of things can cause what you describe.

I wouldn't worry too much about the dog. He could be replaying something bad that happened years ago in his mind.

Originally posted by SeekerForLight
Im fairly certain I've seen one of these things before, with the lights on, and I was sober. Freaked me right out for a while too. I had just gotten out of the shower, opened the door and was walking out when out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure, and naturally I stopped and turned to look, thinking nothing would be there. Instead I stared dead on at a standing two-dimensional shadow, that you could not see through, about a foot or more in front of a bookcase. Before my scared pause ended I noticed it's edges had a damn near aurora borealis looking dark purple glow around it. Then I blinked and it was gone.

I remember it vividly still because it was less than a year ago...

edit on 8/23/2011 by SeekerForLight because: spelling

A couple of years ago, at my last apartment, I awoke to the whole sleep paralysis stuff that I go through from time to time, which is to say it's rare but it does happen to me.

Anyhow, there were two lamps in my room. I kept one on, and as I woke, I could see a "grinning" black shadow figure, standing on the far side of the room next to a lamp. I could barely move, but by sheer willpower alone I forced myself to roll over and sit up, then as if walking through mud I walked over as the shadow turned the lamp off. I quickly turned it back on, and immediately noticed the grinning shadow by the other lamp, nearest to my bed.

At this point I was really pissed, because this shadow thing was enjoying the game apparently. Before it turned the lamp off I trudged over to that lamp and repeated the process.

No idea if it was a dream or not, but I do know I put forth considerable effort into moving my ass over to these lamps. I was not afraid of the shadow figure at all, and very annoyed that it was trying to keep me in the dark.

That's pretty much my only "shadow person" experience, but I have had various other sleep paralysis experiences. I should note that I do not drink, never do drugs, don't smoke, and rarely take any kind of medication unless absolutely necessary.

To the skeptics- I and everyone else (hopefully) is well aware of how your eyes play tricks on you when you are worn out, tired, falling asleep, or waking...

You see something out of the corner of your eye, so you turn and the 'hallucination' turns out to be just that. Everyone has had to do a double take at least once or twice... The issue is what happens when, in broad daylight, well before bed, on a day off from work, you see something, double take, and stare at this 'hallucination' for 1-2 seconds?

Well before I decide I just hallucinated and have a serious mental condition that I need to contend with, I think I'll do some research, thank you. Since apparently I went from 'normal' to a schizo instantly with no warning, and then right back to 'normal', instantly.

And after searching, the most bizarre thing became apparent, my description matches a very large number of other descriptions. Hey! I thought I was hallucinating, why then so many other people seeing the same thing?

On a side note, I was meditating frequently during that time, mainly on awareness of my surroundings and loving kindness.

My personal opinion on the situation is this; I did not hallucinate, therefore I was standing face to face with a 2d silhouette (minus hair) of a person about 4-5 feet tall, who stood in the 3d (facing me) and was very aware of me.

Actually that does sound crazy, so I think I'll quit my job, break up with my girlfriend, put all my stuff in storage, check myself into the loony bin!


Also I have researched this fairly intensely and I have a theory, but I don't think its ready to start a thread over...

reply to post by PeterGriffin


I did a show about these beings. I and my children have seen them many times, there are many theories about what they might be, one of which is dimensional beings. If this were the case it may be possible the the veil that seperates dimensions is getting thinner or maybe something is coming that is drawing them here to watch. idk. Just some random thoughts.

a reply to: PeterGriffin

Is the OP still around? If you haven't found a satisfying explanation yet, I'm curious to how it has evolved over the years. I've dealt with this for last 15 years and finally feel like I've figured something out. Half realistic, half possibly "supernatural".

a reply to: PeterGriffin Hi I have been experiencing the same thing for years. I think I am awake but I must still be in a dream state. I see dark figures and shadows and it scares me so bad that I wake my husband up. Of course nothing is ever there but it seems so real. Also sometimes I have no recollection and my husband will tell me that I woke him up again and what I said. He told me the other day that he thinks I am a medium. I don't know about that, just glad to see someone else is experiencing the same thing.

I know of a few families this has happened to. These dark shadowy spirits come in waves looking for a person they can manipulate and culture into eventually doing things for them.

I know of one guy who was targeted when he was young, like 10 or 11, and who saw them for years, but his Dad didn't believe him and told him they were just imagination and bad dreams.

This guy would eventually become a Christian Pastor after going to a college and getting a degree for that. (Is this why they targeted him?) Many reasons we can't see or know about, these things DO know about.)

But before that, these things started to become more visible, and more aggressive. They started to affect his personality.

Then they began to actually communicate to him to do things. They told him to ignore his friends and family. When that didn't work they told him to hurt them.

At this point and finally after years of this being in the shadows mostly, his Dad began to see these things following his son around the house.

They were standing outside one night and one of these things was standing beside a shrub about 20 yards away, then more appeared. The Dad saw them and yelled at them to go away, that they weren't welcome there several times yelling loudly.

They left.

The forces of evil come in many forms, and their purpose is to destroy peoples lives in any way they can.

There is only one way to be delivered completely from these things. It is through Christ.

Take any other route, and you will eventually risk becoming one of them.

People laugh, and they joke, and they ridicule the entire notion of it, but I personally know it is the truth.

a reply to: PeterGriffin>>> Not exactly on topic, but I did have an unusual dream the other day. I remembered it vividly and had to research what it was about and it came up as an interesting coincidence. I was in a pizza place, not familiar to me, waiting for my order. A truck driver came in and asked me if I knew how to get to this certain town. I had never heard of it so I said I'd get my road atlas. He had some kind of device or objects in a glass case he was delivering, like in safes, maybe four in number connected. He was worried about having them stolen. I woke up and remembered the towns name so I looked into it. Sure enough, it wasn't too far away but I had no connection to it. Then I remembered this outstanding property that was for sale that was right there, a place I'd buy if I won the lottery. Its not where I'd want to live exactly, but close. Come on, lottery.