Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Heinrich Seuse wore a shirt lined with sharp nails
Why settle for itchy wool when you can wear a medieval torture device disguised as an undershirt? This devoted mystic decided that regular piety was boring,…
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Simone Weil starved herself for wartime solidarity
Taking incredibly deep empathy to absolute extremes, this fierce philosopher decided she simply could not consume more food than the strictly limited rations…
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Antony of Padua aggressively preached to fish in anger
Nothing highlights a terribly stubborn congregation quite like a frustrated preacher marching directly to the shoreline. When local heretics completely…
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Francis of Assisi passionately preached sermons to birds
When human audiences fail to appreciate your massive spiritual insights, pivoting to wildlife is incredibly logical. This famous friar was so entirely…
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George Fox walked barefoot screaming about bloody cities
Having a sudden inner compulsion is generally fine unless it absolutely demands you take off your shoes and march through a freezing marketplace. The founder…
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John Climacus wrote a spiritual guide based on deep crying
If your self-help manual doesn't require copious amounts of weeping, you are doing it entirely wrong. This famous ascetic penned a massively influential guide…
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Kabir rejected major religions to weave garments for God
Infuriating both orthodox priests and clerics simultaneously takes a very special kind of talent. This fifteenth-century poet fiercely mocked empty rituals…
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Christina the Astonishing hid inside blazing ovens
Apparently, the scent of human sin is entirely unbearable if you are spiritually gifted enough. This particular mystic claimed she could literally smell the…
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Priscillian was the first executed Christian mystic
Pioneering a massive religious movement is dangerous, but being the very first to get absolutely utterly legally dismantled by your own side is a rough…
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Xenia of Saint Petersburg gave away her entire rich estate
Grieving a sudden loss is totally normal, but giving away your incredibly massive fortune and wandering the streets completely destitute is quite an…
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Insight meditation treats thoughts as obstacles to understanding the truth
Rather than thinking your way to the truth, this method suggests your thoughts are actually the main obstacle. By quietly observing the transient nature of…
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Satori is a sudden flash of total understanding that can bypass years of meditation
You can meditate for decades and get absolutely nowhere, or you can experience a sudden, blinding flash of total comprehension. Satori is the spontaneous…
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Philosophical dualism splits mind and matter
If you ever feel like your mind is trapped inside a cumbersome physical vehicle, dualism completely agrees with you. This philosophical framework insists that…
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Microcosmic theory links the self to reality
Why bother exploring the vastness of existence when you can just look inward? The microcosmic theory argues that the individual mind is an exact, miniature…
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Ego death temporarily erases your personality
Ah, the ultimate spiritual flex. Ego death is the intense psychological experience where your entire sense of self evaporates into nothingness. Instead of…
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Monism claims everything is made of one substance
Why bother organizing reality into complex categories when you can just lump it all together? Monism is the radical mystical theory that absolutely everything…
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Uncarved block philosophy praises pure simplicity
Most people strive to acquire complex skills and sophisticated tastes, but ancient mystics thought being a blank slate was far superior. The uncarved block…
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Individuation forces you to face your shadow
Instead of simply repressing your worst traits like a normal person, this mystical psychological process demands you invite them to dinner. Individuation…
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Noetic experiences feel more real than reality
A defining hallmark of a true mystical event is the unshakable conviction that you just downloaded objective truth. Even if the insight makes absolutely no…
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Mystical ineffability means words are useless
The greatest tragedy of achieving supreme cosmic awareness is that you literally cannot post about it effectively. True mystical states are notoriously…
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Enneagram originally mapped spiritual processes
Before it became a trendy personality label for modern life, this system was a profoundly serious mystical framework. Originally, this nine-pointed diagram…
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Panentheism places reality inside the absolute
Not to be confused with its closely named cousin, this concept suggests that existence is basically sitting comfortably inside the absolute, but the absolute…
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Mindfulness forces you to endure the present
Everyone naturally wants to escape the current moment, which is exactly why this practice is so frustrating. It demands that you drag your wandering attention…
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True self philosophy claims you are not your ego
Everything you think makes you special—your memories, your tastes, your terrible habits—is completely irrelevant. The concept of the true self insists that…
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