general Paranormal Encounters [Serious]

[Earl Grey Ghost 444]

I will probably get panned for this, but in my experiences that I have had, there are some things that I couldn't explain away. By natural I'm a very Vulcan-level individual. For those who don't get the Star Trek reference, I'm very logical-minded. I try to explore every angle of something before I come to a conclusion. And this is a thread for those who have had Paranormal Experiences. My first post will be long, but it is one of my most prominent stories, and it is about Shadow People. For those who do not know what a Shadow person is, visit here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_person
Now, on to the story:

About six or seven years ago, when I lived in TN there was a state park not too far from my apartment. I enjoyed going there to hike as well as visit the playground. Now I was in my mid-twenties and I would always go there when the kids were either in school, or it was just before dusk and no one was there. I liked the swing-set, it holds nostalgia for me. So, when I would go, I'd take my headphones and sit on the swings. These were tall swings, not those short squatty things only meant for 6 to 8 year olds. These were tall enough that an adult could comfortably fit in them and swing. I know it sounds childish, but I enjoyed the wind in my hair, listening to my music and it taking me back to as simpler time. I'll repeat that I never went when kids were there, that would just be... weird.

Anyway, I enjoyed going there so much that when a friend from KY decided to visit, I took her there. It was just after sundown, and nighttime was my favourite time to be out there. We got to the swing-set and just began chatting it up about our usual nerd things and enjoying ourselves. After being there for about 20 to 30 minutes I notice something walking towards us. It's a silhouette of what appears to be a man of about 5 ft 8 to 6 ft tall. A shadow figure that began to approach us out of the darkness. Now this swing-set is situated about 12 to 15 yards away from one of those "shelters" they call them. Just an overhang roof with four wooden posts with benches and tables underneath them on a concrete platform. Next to it is the public metal/iron BBQ grill that they have set up with a charcoal pit. You know, these are the areas were park goers can throw a kids birthday party, or have a family get together and whatnot. Next to it is a light pole. It is on at this time, as it is dark.

My friend at this point begins to get nervous. I tell her to just not acknowledge him and keep talking. At first I was thinking it could be a policeman or a park ranger about to ask us what the hell we were doing out here. Since we weren't doing or carrying anything illegal, it didn't bother me. But watching out of the corner of my eye and talking to my friend to keep her calm, this thing began approaching even closer, and though it's legs were moving in a walking fashion, it was so smooth it almost appeared to be gliding. It was at this point that my gut really began raising the red flags and I suddenly got suspicious. If it was a policeman or a ranger, they would have said something by now because we were certainly within earshot. My friend turns to me again, voice shaking, saying she is getting uncomfortable. I said to keep ignoring them, and that I'd protect her. I assured her about the butterfly knife in my pocket and it seemed to ease her a bit.

Then the thing began walking again, and approached the pool of light that the pole was giving off. As it stepped into the circle of light, a pit began to open up in my stomach and my protective nature flared. Nothing on this shadow figure lit up. Even standing under the light, it still remained a black mass, shaped like a man. No features were describable and it was just a pitch black thing. Another odd thing to note is that it stood stock still.

There was no rustle of clothes or hair in the wind on this figure, no shifting on the feet, no movement of hands, nothing.

Instantly, I made up my mind on the thought that had been nagging me for the past two minutes: Shadow-person.My friend didn't have to say much as she asked me if we could please leave, and I agreed that was a good idea. We slowly stood up and began walking towards the path that made a wide berth around the shelter. Taking this path put the shelter between us and this thing. I made sure to also put myself between it, and my friend. She practically cowered on my side, clutching my arm. I told her to keep talking to me as normal, don't acknowledge it, and keep looking at me, just act as if you're conversing with me. I persuaded her to talk about a show she was very fond of at the time, and it kept her distracted as we walked.

Every few moments as we semi-circled around it on this path, I would turn my head only slightly and look to the parking lot as if searching for my car. I used this opportunity to cut my eyes to the side and watch it, to make sure it didn't start following us. What I did notice, was that it's head ever so slowly began to follow us. Like the slow movement of an oscillating fan. It kept up with our pace. I tightened my grip on my butterfly knife in my jacket pocket and we as naturally as possible quickened our pace just enough to where we got back to the car without incident.

I realise that a knife would do nothing against a Shadow-person, but it was what made my friend feel better, and it kept me grounded. It never moved towards us, it just stood there, stock still, only it's head turning to follow us. My friend opened the door the moment my car unlocked and she closed it behind her, locked it and gripped the sides of the seat.

I slid in nonchalantly, and started the car, put it in reverse, then drove out as per normal. Making no indication that we were running or panicked. Again, I didn't feel whatever that was, was human. It didn't feel human, and I've dealt with the Paranormal before. So, while I didn't feel terribly frightened, my friend was terrified. Besides the very clipped conversation we had about it on the short ride back to the apartment, to my knowledge my friend never spoke of it again to anyone. I have since lost touch with her, as our lives ended up taking us in different directions and I haven't talked to her since. There were two reasons I didn't feel frightened that night. One was that I felt I needed to protect my terrified friend, and secondly, I've dealt with Shadow-people before.

 

I have another, but I will save it for another post. What are everyone's thoughts? And have you or someone you know had a Paranormal experience or encounter? If so, please share! While we will have discussions on what it could or could not have been, please do not make fun of, insult or be condescending to anyone. I am making a place for people to seriously talk about their experiences, emotions and instincts on situations that they have encountered.

Extra: If you do have any supernatural type questions, please feel free to contact me! While I am not official recognised by any "official" religious order, I am part of a group of practising Pagans who worship and perform either together or individually. Such as, I was appointed the High Priest of my order and have become a confidant and adviser to my group and general community.

[Jedishy 3,542]

I have grown up knowing ghost hunters. Ed and Lorraine Warren. to be exact. I have studied many magical systems and a good number of religions. So I indeed believe something is out there past what we know or can know via current scientific means. I have also taken up LeVays view on magic. It might be effective or it might just be a form of catharsis that lets out the emotional stagnation binding us up. Either way, it helps so I am for it. 

 

I have had a few experiences beyond what I can explain such as precognitive feelings etc. But nothing that I could write off as perfectly 100% for sure paranormal. As such I believe they where but will not say that I am sure they were. 

[They call me Loyalty 1,941]

My intelligence came across the overseer thought process who manages and reagents the trial of incarnation on human consciousness. Those unaware, and those self-aware.

This conglomerate outside earth seems intent on shaping up infinite intelligence with a personality of its own, by means of recycling human souls over, and over again. Setting up a complex diagram of polarizing catalysts before the process of rebirth and forgetfulness. Till the colors acquire a true hue via life experience.

This happened while I was traveling outside my body. I mentioned the harvest, and they nodded " Angelic beings" they accepted this name

An interesting form of thought, native to gaia, or earth. Yet, I couldn't help but disagree with their methods of manipulation of the infinite intelligence that is our universe, more specifically, human beings. Yet again, the universe plays with itself.

[Brony Number 42 9,928]

Do you ever listen to Coast to Coast AM or Real Ghost Stories podcast?

I have had sleep paralysis and a waking nightmare were I saw shadow demons, but I think that was just a nightmare.

I have heard many shadow people stories, and stories about the Hat Man.

[Earl Grey Ghost 444]

Wow, some great replies so far! Keep them coming guys! And I do want to hear stories!

@Spooky Brony 2A I have myself experienced Sleep Paralysis and thought I saw a friend of mine poke their head into the bedroom to check on me, then disappear. When I shook out of it and got up, they said no one had come into the bedroom. It was eerie, but completely understandable. Sleep Paralysis is obviously, a real thing science can explain and while it may (some say) put you in a realm of "otherworldly-ness", people are very much prone to hallucinations both visual and auditory.  As for Coast to Coast AM or Real Ghost Stories Podcast, I have not! Are they on YouTube, I could look them up!
Also, while they aren't always "real" stories, I enjoy listening to a lot of Reddit stories from Lazy Masquerade, though he does do a few tales of accounts from real people. If you haven't heard of him, I'd take a listen. His voice and the ambience he sets are perfect!

[Brony Number 42 9,928]

@King Blanketfort www.coasttocoastam.com is a 4 hour radio show that is on every night. You can listen live if your local station has it or find a radio that streams it from their website. But you have to pay for the old episodes. Real Ghost Stories Online is a podcast.

I have learned so much from CTC over the years. They cover paranormal, conspiracies, and politics. 

[Misty Shadow 7,084]

I lived in a reportedly haunted house for four years as a young child. My mom and sister would often talk about awful sensations they had in the night, and my sister would even occasionally come to my room wanting to sleep in my bed for the night because what she felt in her room was that bad. My sister's room also always had a creepy carving on the wall and my dad once got a creepy message on the phone that sounded like a demonic laugh. The only personal experience I had in that house that I have always been very confident about being an actual paranormal encounter though was a time where I came out to the kitchen early one morning and saw a figure of shadow holding a dish by the kitchen window. I even walked up to it and asked if it was my mom and got no response, which freaked me out so much I ran back to my room and refused to shut the light out in my bedroom before sunrise. To my surprise, no one in my family ever believed me and always wrote it off as me hallucinating while I was tired despite my efforts to confirm in the moment that it wasn't just my eyes playing tricks on me. 

Besides that, I've had lots of experiences of deja vu, so much so that I've gotten used to it. Also, three years ago, I had an extremely disturbing dream that I'll never forget. I dreamed I was just sleeping in my bed when an invisible force started literally pulling me out of bed and brought me to the floor. I was lying on my front when a shadow from behind started laughing demonically as it came over me. That nightmare still freaks me out to this day because of how real it felt.  

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

My own experience is limited, consisting only of the sound of disembodied footsteps at a (reputedly haunted) 1890s village I used to work at. But my family has had more than that. I've mentioned some of this in other threads in the past but I'll give you the general rundown. One involved my mom. When I was very young and we lived in Virginia, the whole family was out walking in the woods together and came across a grave stone. It was a marker for a casualty of the Civil War; a boy only thirteen years old. The marker was overgrown and forgotten out in the woods, and obviously it was very disturbing considering the age of the person buried there. This effected my mom in particular because she has an incredible maternal instinct. That night, after we returned to our apartment, my mom was up in the middle of the night and sensed a strong presence that she instinctively felt was the boy buried in the woods. There was no sighting, just a strong feeling, but it made an impression that stuck with her for years. Maybe the fact that she had such an emotional connection drew him to her on some spiritual level. This could be attributed to her preoccupation with the boy, or it could be paranormal. It's open to interpretation.

The other encounter involved my brother. When we lived in Arkansas, he went to stay at the famously haunted Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs. It was off-season and he got to stay in the Governor's Suite, which consisted of two bedrooms connected via a central living room. Late at night, he went to his bedroom and tried to open it, but it felt like the door (which was unlocked) was being held shut from the opposite side. He finally yanked it open and found it empty. He started searching the room when he heard a loud sound like someone clearing their throat in one corner by the bed. That was the final straw and he freaked out, left the room and spent the night sleeping on the couch in the living room.

I'm open minded when it comes to the unexplained. I'm not going to assume everything is paranormal, but I won't write it off either. The fun is in the study of the evidence and applying one's mind to interpreting the clues.

Edited October 13, 2018 by Dreambiscuit

[Earl Grey Ghost 444]

@CloudMistDragon That is very creepy! Shadow people are very rampant and seem to be some of the most common haunted/paranormal stories. There is still ongoing debates about their origin and even intentions. All the ones I have come across were either very gentle and curious, or overall benign. Also nightmares can be precursors to something about to happen, or an insight into our persona' "demons" we are facing. Were you at that time stressed/worried about something? Or overly fixated on something terrible such as feelings of guilt, pain or sorrow? Those can manifest as nightmares, our brain giving us sometimes not so subtle 'hints' on our psyche. If you've ruled out all of those things, there could be a possibility that something decided to mess with you after disturbing it. Have you had any occurrences lately? If I may ask? 

16 hours ago, Dreambiscuit said:

My own experience is limited, consisting only of the sound of disembodied footsteps at a (reputedly haunted) 1890s village I used to work at. But my family has had more than that. I've mentioned some of this in other threads in the past but I'll give you the general rundown. One involved my mom. When I was very young and we lived in Virginia, the whole family was out walking in the woods together and came across a grave stone. It was a marker for a casualty of the Civil War; a boy only thirteen years old. The marker was overgrown and forgotten out in the woods, and obviously it was very disturbing considering the age of the person buried there. This effected my mom in particular because she has an incredible maternal instinct. That night, after we returned to our apartment, my mom was up in the middle of the night and sensed a strong presence that she instinctively felt was the boy buried in the woods. There was no sighting, just a strong feeling, but it made an impression that stuck with her for years. Maybe the fact that she had such an emotional connection drew him to her on some spiritual level. This could be attributed to her preoccupation with the boy, or it could be paranormal. It's open to interpretation.

The other encounter involved my brother. When we lived in Arkansas, he went to stay at the famously haunted Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs. It was off-season and he got to stay in the Governor's Suite, which consisted of two bedrooms connected via a central living room. Late at night, he went to his bedroom and tried to open it, but it felt like the door (which was unlocked) was being held shut from the opposite side. He finally yanked it open and found it empty. He started searching the room when he heard a loud sound like someone clearing their throat in one corner by the bed. That was the final straw and he freaked out, left the room and spent the night sleeping on the couch in the living room.

I'm open minded when it comes to the unexplained. I'm not going to assume everything is paranormal, but I won't write it off either. The fun is in the study of the evidence and applying one's mind to interpreting the clues.

I never made it to Arkansas but that hotel sounds eerie. I'll have to do more research on it. His experience almost made me think of Stephen King's short story 1408! As for the expierence with your mother, it is possible that her connection reached the spirit of the little boy who deeply missed a mother or parental figure. Dying can be a scary experience for a child so young, especially in times of war. I wouldn't assume his spirit would be harmful. Anything recent?

[Misty Shadow 7,084]

@King Blanketfort Not lately, but I do feel that some of these past experiences might have played into me developing a bizarre fascination for shadow ponies. 

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

@King Blanketfort Same here, nothing recent (I'm happy to report). It's not that I'm uninterested in such things from a distance, but I have no desire to be immersed in things that can be unsettling or even scary. The thing with my mom was probably much as you surmised. And I think the discovery of a grave that was long overgrown might awaken the interest of a spirit who is lingering, for whatever reason, and thinks he's been forgotten.

Edited October 14, 2018 by Dreambiscuit

[Steve Piranha 28,780]

I get semi constant feeling of deja vu.

last year however, I could consider my first paranormal experience. I was preparing to sleep at over 3 am, with no issue. Then, I feel something flying through me from below extremely fast and my heart started beating like mad.  That shot open my eyes, But was more confused than anything. Waited until my heart rates lowered and went back to sleep. I think it was a paranormal experience, because I started hearing that in those ophours, is when paranormal activities start.

[BornAgainBrony 2,395]

Well... here we go. I feel just as nervous as the OP. Probably moreso, because this isn't your typical supernatural experience. I've had a lot of spooky incidents. I lived in a haunted house once and a LOT of weird stuff happened there. Not just to me, or my ex, but the cat as well. My downstairs neighbor and I once listened to the cat screaming bloody murder and scampering across the floor... followed shortly thereafter by a heavy-footed child. Our eyes both bulged out of our skulls when we heard it. Of course, I went upstairs afterwards to investigate. Soon as I opened the door, in something like a Schrodinger's experiment, nothing seemed amiss. The cat walked up to me calmly as if to say, "Where have you been?" It was like a switch was flicked, and the chaos we heard was instantly replaced. Creeeepy. I had a number of weird events in that place, but most 'could' probably be dismissed as this or that,

Here... my most incredible experience. Well, not really. My wife and I had just returned from a trip to her hometown. For inexplicable reasons, I suddenly couldn't sleep except in brief spurtsof a couple minutes. Every night I tried. Sleeping pills, natural remedies, meditation, watching TV (which normally makes me pass out), etc. Nothing worked. This went on for weeks, and I went to doctors for help. Got EEG's, and sleep studies. Nothing recorded ANYTHING out of the ordinary. I was eventually convinced I had a rare disorder. The ones I looked up had no cure, and the only end result was agonizing death.

Then one night, after nearly a month of this,then during one of the brief windows of a nap, had a very lucid dream. My wife had left the house to see a friend, and I was there alone. And out of nowhere, this faerie appeared. Roughly 3-feet tall, I'm guessing. Can't remember much more than that. But she made a rather... uhh... provacative offer. I was married and the answer was clear. I said no. And to my shock, she wasn't offended. She only fluttered closer and asked if there was anything else she could do for me. I told her I'd been unable to get proper sleep. Without another word, she kissed me on the forehead, like around where the "third eye" would be, or a unicorn horn. I felt a wave of tranquil energy crash over me and I gently fell onto my side in the bed like I was being placed there by an invisible force. She placed a blanket completely over me, and I woke up. Suddenly my sleeping troubles disappeared. And anytime I struggle, I found I can focus back on that moment and get help to sleep normally.

Weird also, is that this coincided with my best friend. I'd lost her for years because, "reasons." That experience with the faerie somehow led to me finding a brand new music video on youtube involving characters in a virtual world, losing contact, and one of them searching the world trying to reconnect (this friend and I had only known each other through the internet, and one of our bonding things was interactive-storytelling/RP). Precisely a year later, that friend tracked me down after roughly ten years, and we've been inseparable ever since. It is she who introduced me to Ponies last year, which saved me from all manner of my own dark torment, and allowed me to see the world in an entirely new light. But THIS liberation didn't happen until another dream occurred, and it involved me seeing an avatar of Princess Luna. I can't say for sure what it all means. I only know is that I'm a much better person now because of it. Every burden I had during my whole life all the way back to childhood... it ended during that experience. I feel "free" now, in a way I never could have imagined, like Scrooge the morning after meeting the Ghosts, and no matter what caused it, that is absolutely amazing!! I don't know if any of this is supernatural for sure, but if not, I've heard nothing of the brain being able to just rewire itself in such ways.

Edited October 14, 2018 by bornAgainEquestrian

[Patty Thundersnow 4,129]

I've never had a true paranormal encounter personally, but I do feel like someone's around me when I'm in my bedroom, mostly the spirits of the pet cats that we've had over the past decade and a half. I also feel the same thing when I'm up late in my dorm, along with unexplained happenings in the building that I live in (such as a phone ringing and there's no one on the other end).

[Midnight Solace 5,129]

I can't tell if what I see is real, or paranormal...