Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Ancient Greeks paid a fortune to sit in pitch-black tunnels to hallucinate dead relatives
At the Oracle of the Dead in Ephyra, wealthy visitors paid to seek contact with deceased relatives. Priests reportedly kept them in darkness for days, gave…
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Russian philosopher Pyotr Ouspensky tried to mathematically prove the existence of ghosts
In his 1911 book *Tertium Organum*, Ouspensky argued that mystical experiences—including ghosts, clairvoyance, and telepathy—were glimpses of a fourth…
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Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg claimed the Last Judgment already occurred in the year 1757
After a mystical awakening in his fifties, he said the judgment took place in the spiritual realm, where he watched it unfold.
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Infamous occultist Aleister Crowley meticulously rated his magical rituals on a numbered scale
He recorded his ritual ratings in detailed diaries, turning occult practice into something like a performance log.
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Three churches display John the Baptist severed head
At least three major sites claim to hold John the Baptist’s head, each displaying a skull as the genuine relic.
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Suit of pentacles focuses entirely on your bank account
In tarot, the suit of pentacles deals with material life: work, finances, and practical needs like paying for groceries.
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Discordianism worships a goddess using hotdogs on Fridays
Discordians honor Eris by eating hot dogs on Fridays, a deliberately irreverent way to flout dietary restrictions associated with other worldviews.
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Babalon Working was a desert ritual to manifest a goddess
Two occultists spent weeks chanting in the desert, hoping to bring the goddess Babalon into human form.
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Suit of swords in tarot implies incoming terrible news
In tarot, swords are associated with conflict, overthinking, and betrayal—especially the kind that comes from someone you trusted.
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Incorruptible saints are often just coated in thick wax
Some displayed bodies have been coated with wax masks and treated with preservatives, so their appearance doesn't mean they have never decomposed.
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Padre Pio wore fingerless gloves to hide his holy wounds
Padre Pio wore brown fingerless gloves to cover his bleeding palms and keep blood from staining everything he touched.
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Church of the SubGenius promises followers eternal slack
The Church of the SubGenius is a parody religion whose ideal is “Slack”: getting what you want without having to work for it.
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Minor Arcana contains fifty six cards of everyday chores
The 56 Minor Arcana cards cover everyday tensions—arguments, fleeting crushes, and boredom—rather than the sweeping themes of the Major Arcana.
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Suit of wands represents your exhausting daily labor
In tarot, wands are associated with passion and creative effort, but a reading can also point to burdensome work. The warning is that a project may take over…
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Stigmata wounds conveniently match famous paintings
People reporting stigmata often show wounds in their palms, echoing religious paintings, although crucifixion nails are thought to have been driven through…
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Tarot decks always contain exactly seventy eight cards
The themes can range from gummy bears to gothic vampires, but a standard tarot deck keeps the same 78-card structure.
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Denis of Paris supposedly walked miles holding his own head
According to legend, after his execution, Denis picked up his severed head and walked six miles while preaching.
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Satanic Temple primarily campaigns for basic human rights
The Satanic Temple uses its provocative branding in campaigns against religious overreach in public spaces, including by challenging governments through legal…
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Jediism became an official religion on national censuses
Hundreds of thousands of people wrote in “Jedi Knight” as their religious affiliation in various censuses, leading statisticians to track the responses.
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Hanged Man card depicts a guy totally fine with hanging
The relaxed pose represents pausing to gain a new perspective, not suffering.
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Sephirot represent divine emanations rather than places
The ten spheres symbolize qualities such as severity, mercy, and foundational logic, rather than locations you can travel to.
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Secret societies require memorizing awkward handshakes
Members used prescribed grips as recognition signals, sometimes touching wrists or pressing unusual knuckles. A password would be less awkward.
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Tarot court cards inexplicably include a random page boy
The Page adds a youthful messenger to the tarot court-card lineup, often interpreted as someone bringing news.
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Pastafarians wear colanders to secure religious freedom
Members of this satirical religious group have argued that wearing a colander is a matter of faith, using driver's license photos to test how governments…
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