Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Psychic auras are usually just a neurological misfiring called synesthesia crossing wires in the brain
Synesthesia can make one sensory experience trigger an involuntary one in another, such as seeing colors in response to a person. It’s one possible…
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Reed stems are entirely hollow and easily crushed
In this symbolic system, the Reed is the inquisitor: its tall, hollow stem is said to reflect people who ask forceful questions but fold under pressure.
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Arachnomancy reads the intricate shape of spider webs
Arachnomancy interprets spiderweb patterns as omens: a symmetrical web supposedly signals harmony, while a messy one suggests the spider was in a rush.
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Notorious occultist Aleister Crowley supposedly cursed a doctor who later mysteriously died of a sudden infection
Crowley reportedly cursed occult critic Ralph Shirley, who died of a sudden blood infection soon afterward. The timing helped fuel the story.
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Approaching geometry guaranteeing future drama
In astrology, an applying angle occurs when two moving points approach an exact angle. Astrologers interpret that approach as tension building toward a peak.
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Refusing to swallow saliva causes severe dehydration
Some practitioners treat swallowing saliva as gluttony, so they let it drool out instead. The practice can leave the throat parched and the lips cracked.
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Corporate mindfulness exists purely to boost output
The criticism is that companies use mindfulness to ease stress just enough for employees to keep working long weeks. In that view, it’s less about…
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Ivy suffocates sheer joy exactly like Capricorn
Astrology pairs ivy’s steady climb over brick and stone with Capricorn’s ambition: both keep pushing upward, seemingly without regard for what they cover…
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Tying tight knots in string traps intentions
The ritual is to tie knots in a piece of string while focusing on a wish, with the knots meant to hold the intention. It turns a simple bit of macramé into an…
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Balmy afternoons simulate endless Libra apathy
In this astrological stereotype, mild weather—with no dramatic conditions to react to—suits Libra’s supposedly easygoing, indecisive nature.
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Eleventh house rules personal ambitions
In astrology, the eleventh house is associated with friends as well as hopes, dreams, and long-term goals. It represents the future people imagine for…
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Scorpios are statistically the most common zodiac sign because people have a lot of sex on Valentine Day
The proposed explanation counts back about nine months from Scorpio season, which runs from late October to late November, to Valentine’s Day in February. It…
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Trapping evil spirits inside wine cabinets
These supposedly haunted wooden cabinets are sold online to thrill-seekers, sometimes for exorbitant prices. The appeal is their claim to contain an evil…
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Mutable water constitutions require excessive hydration
In this astrological stereotype, people with mutable water constitutions are portrayed as needing constant hydration—and a comically oversized water jug.
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Rigel forces you to teach your hard-earned knowledge
In this interpretation, Rigel is associated with teaching and spreading ideas. That makes the star a fitting symbol for the friend who sends marathon…
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Venus dictates your ability to compromise smoothly
In astrology, Venus is associated with diplomacy and compromise. That symbolic link doesn’t mean the planet determines anyone’s ability to yield in an argument.
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Prolonged incense exposure causes chronic lung issues
Surveys of older clerics have reported high rates of asthma and contact dermatitis associated with decades of incense exposure in poorly ventilated buildings.
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Visionary mystic Emanuel Swedenborg fueled his intense astral travels on a rigid diet of bread and endless milk
He also claimed to converse with angels, demons, and dead kings, and his diet reportedly included heavily sweetened coffee alongside the bread and milk.
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Pythagoras believed odd numbers were inherently masculine and even numbers were feminine
Pythagoreans associated odd numbers with masculinity, strength, and divinity, and even numbers with femininity, weakness, and the earthly.
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Enthusiasts find profound meaning in obvious typos
Some practitioners treat misspellings in esoteric texts as hidden mystical codes rather than editing mistakes.
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Burning a string severs energetic attachments
In a cord-cutting ritual, two candles are joined by a string that is allowed to burn through, symbolizing release from an ex or a bad job.
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Yantra diagrams function as visual focal machines
Yantras use carefully arranged geometric shapes as meditation focal points, giving wandering attention a pattern to follow.
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Emotional biorhythm cycles repeat every month
The theory assigns emotions a 28-day cycle, plotted as a sine wave to forecast mood swings.
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Amphisbaena is a weird snake with heads at both ends
In classical lore, the amphisbaena had a head at each end, so it could crawl either way without turning.
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