Seeing Demons in the Corner of Eyes

Over time, I’ve come to believe that many people who report the ability to see UFOs and light beings—like the tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed entities I’ve encountered—may also possess a deeper sensitivity to the unseen. This perception isn’t about extraterrestrial encounters exactly how most people define it. It may include the ability to see into other realms—realms where shadowy entities, spirits, or demonic presences linger just beyond ordinary awareness.

But my personal experience goes deeper. I’ve been seeing these beings from time to time for as long as I can remember—close to 50 years now. And let me be clear—if you’re seeing them, it’s not a good thing. These entities are disturbing. They’re here, but not here. Solid, but not solid. They can pass right through you. They can attach to you. They move with extreme speed, but at other times, they just stand perfectly still, waiting… watching. They can interact with this world, which we’ll just leave for another conversation. This is what they look like—and they are very difficult to get a glimpse of head on. They can more easily be seen in the peripheral of the eyes.

Seeing shadowy or demonic figures out of the corner of one’s eye is a phenomenon reported across cultures and eras. Instead of clinical explanations (like hallucinations, visual tricks, or prosopometamorphopsia), many metaphysical and spiritual interpretations have emerged to explain these unsettling apparitions. Often called “shadow people,” they are typically described as dark, humanoid silhouettes that lurk in peripheral vision and vanish when directly observed. These shadowy presences have been interpreted through esoteric, occult, and quantum-consciousness lenses—ranging from ancient folklore to modern mysticism—each touching on the recurring archetypes and the role of perception, energy, and vibration. Some individuals report seeing them almost daily, describing them as black, fluid-like shadows that move along ceilings and walls, always just outside direct sight. Spiritual traditions often view these fleeting figures as signs of heightened sensitivity to non-physical or preternatural realms, suggesting the observer may be attuned to forces just beyond the veil of ordinary perception.

Across numerous cultures, shadowy entities have appeared in myths, legends, and religious texts. While the Bible does not describe shadow figures in the modern sense, it does emphasize the presence of unseen forces acting in our world. Ephesians 6:12 states, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” This has been interpreted by many as an acknowledgment of spiritual entities—demonic or otherwise—that influence and interact with the physical realm, often invisibly. These descriptions resonate strongly with the emotional and behavioral patterns associated with shadow beings today. Classical traditions speak of “shades” in the underworld — insubstantial remnants of the deceased. Middle Eastern folklore includes jinn, which are described as beings of smokeless fire who sometimes appear as shadowy figures. The Choctaw Nalusa Chito is a soul-eating shadow being that preys on despair. In Japanese folklore, the kage-onna manifests only as a shadow on the wall, never revealing a physical form. These beings often represent liminal forces: neither fully present nor fully absent, existing in a space between dimensions, life and death, or spiritual states. Rather than merely symbolic, many traditions present them as conscious entities capable of interacting with, observing, or even harming humans.

The term “shadow people” entered popular usage in the early 2000s following widespread discussion on paranormal radio shows like Coast to Coast AM. Paranormal researcher Heidi Hollis described them as dark humanoid forms that sometimes attack sleeping individuals, resembling accounts of sleep paralysis. These encounters frequently occur in hypnagogic states or peripheral vision, and the figures often vanish when observed directly. Some of the most common types include the Hat Man, a tall figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat, often associated with a feeling of dread; hooded figures cloaked in shadowy robes; red-eyed shadows with glowing eyes, generally interpreted as malevolent; and shadow animals, like small, fast-moving cats or spiders that vanish instantly. These animal forms are sometimes thought to be disguises for more powerful shapeshifting entities, observing without immediately alarming.

While some interpret these entities as ghosts, others believe they may be demonic, interdimensional, or even extraterrestrial in origin. In many spiritual frameworks, shadow figures are thought to be manifestations of unresolved energy, lower astral entities, or even parasites that feed on fear and emotional distress. Shamans and mystics describe them as beings that attach to human energy fields and may influence thoughts or emotions. Carlos Castaneda’s work refers to them as “inorganic beings” or “Mud Shadows,” entities that steal awareness and sustain themselves on human life force. He warned of even more insidious forces, like the “Flyers”—entities that implant thoughts into the human mind, steering behavior toward patterns of confusion and spiritual forgetfulness. These beings, according to Castaneda, have subtly shaped human society for millennia.

In this view, shadow beings are natural, albeit parasitic, inhabitants of the astral or non-physical planes. Some traditions suggest that shadow beings are remnants of individuals who died in trauma or confusion, leaving behind energetic imprints. Whether born from trauma or existing as ancient predators, many of these entities are considered to feed off low vibrational states like fear, anger, and despair.

Recent metaphysical thinkers have explored quantum theories to explain these experiences. Some suggest that these entities might come from parallel dimensions or exist out-of-phase with our own, only becoming visible when frequencies align. Just as observation collapses quantum states into reality, attention may cause these beings to vanish or manifest. Many who glimpse them describe the moment as a kind of “collapse” of something lingering on the edge of visibility—disrupted by the observer’s gaze.

Everything exists at certain frequencies, and shadow beings, occupying lower vibrations, may become perceptible when humans are emotionally or spiritually compromised. This supports the widespread advice among spiritual practitioners to raise one’s vibration through prayer, gratitude, or meditation. It’s said that shadow beings cannot remain in the presence of high-frequency energy. Others believe shadow people might be echoes from another time or place, bleeding into our current reality. This model suggests a non-binary view of reality, where multiple dimensions overlap and interact. Shadow people could be evidence of these hidden layers of existence. Some interpretations further connect these experiences to quantum mysticism, a belief system that tries to link spiritual perception with quantum mechanics.

An important theme is the idea that consciousness plays a key role. Shadow beings are often perceived during altered states: meditation, trance, astral projection, or just before sleep. In some traditions, they appear when the veil between dimensions is thin or the observer is in a state of emotional openness or vulnerability. Some spiritual perspectives suggest these shadowy manifestations might even be tied to demonic attachments that connect through the human energy system—especially via the lower chakras. Those curious about this deeper layer of influence may find more insight by exploring topics like interdimensional reptilian beings and chakra manipulation.

Peripheral vision itself may be key—some claim these entities dwell just outside the range of focused sight, lurking at the boundary between awareness and intuition. They are perceived subconsciously first, which is why they flee when attention zeroes in. Within certain religious perspectives—particularly in Christian and esoteric frameworks—this ability to perceive unseen entities is associated with the human participation in a ‘preternatural realm’ that overlaps the physical and spiritual. As Catholic theologian Father Hardon described, such sensitivity may open a person to genuine spiritual warfare.

There are also psychological interpretations involving Carl Jung’s concept of the Shadow — the darker aspects of the psyche that may project externally in visual or symbolic form. These archetypes could take visual shape during moments of psychic stress or spiritual growth. Some believe that the more one confronts their own inner darkness, the fewer shadow figures they encounter. On a collective level, periods of widespread fear or upheaval might manifest these archetypes across many individuals at once, suggesting a mass psychic projection rather than isolated phenomena.

The experience of seeing demonic or shadowy figures out of the corner of the eye persists across cultures and belief systems. Some believe these entities may even be related to the Greys—those often-reported beings associated with UFO encounters and abduction stories. Descriptions overlap: both are said to move with unnatural stillness or speed, to affect the human mind or spirit, and to appear only when the observer is in a heightened state of perception. The message encoded in the 2002 Crabwood crop formation warned of deceivers bearing false gifts, which some interpret as a reference to these very same beings—masked by shifting identities but ultimately drawing from the same source. Whether demons, Greys, or interdimensional parasites, the similarity in their behavior and presence raises the possibility that we’re dealing with different masks of the same intelligence. Whether seen as spirits, interdimensional entities, or psychic projections, they provoke deep questions about consciousness, fear, and the nature of reality. Rather than dismissing them outright, these figures are part of a larger phenomenon—one that may bridge the metaphysical, psychological, and quantum. They challenge us to question not just what we see, but how we perceive it, and what hidden realities might exist just beyond the edge of vision.