Myths & mysteries
Discover facts about myths & mysteries. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Myths & mysteries
Complex esoteric diagrams take entirely too long to draw
Drawing elaborate esoteric diagrams by hand can take so long that practitioners sometimes abandon them halfway through.
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Paramahansa Yogananda filed legal name change paperwork
To adapt his name and title for his American audience, he had to fill out standard civil court paperwork.
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Imitation of Christ is incredibly popular and depressing
The devotional manual urges readers to reject worldly comforts, practice humility, and endure humiliation—a severe regimen that Christians read for centuries.
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Wealthy occultists founded the Astrological Lodge of London in 1915 to make stargazing sound like an exclusive club
Theosophist Alan Leo led the group, which sought to present astrology as a serious esoteric science.
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Taurus firmly believes soup does not count as a meal
In this Taurus stereotype, a meal has to be hearty and chewable; a bowl of broth feels more like an insult than dinner.
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Capricorn risings act like highly frustrated dictators
Astrology stereotypes Capricorn risings as demanding managers who sigh when others fail to meet their standards.
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Velvet table cloths collect an absurd amount of lint
Its pile catches dust, pet hair, and crumbs, making it a messy choice for a tablecloth.
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Weaponized incredibly spicy local dinners
He served followers heavily spiced feasts and required them to toast “idiots.” Complaining about the heat meant failing his esoteric test.
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Aquarius rebels against literal cosmic order
In astrology, Aquarius is associated with innovation and social change, and is often cast as the sign that challenges convention.
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Pollux introduces a struggling and combative spirit
In astrology, Pollux is associated with combativeness and a taste for debate.
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Rats famously pushed cats into the river during the mythological race which is why felines missed the Chinese zodiac
In the legend, the rat shoved its friend into the water during the race to win first place. The cat missed out on a zodiac year, and the tale also explains…
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Gateless gate is an entrance that does not actually exist
The idea is that enlightenment seems blocked only until you realize there was no actual barrier to cross.
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Four angles dictate life direction
In astrology, the four angles are linked to identity, home, partnerships, and public life.
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Francis of Assisi was formally sued for fabric theft
He took costly silk from his merchant father's warehouse to pay for church repairs, prompting a highly publicized civil lawsuit in the town square.
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Long-form certificates hide the timestamp
On long-form birth certificates, the birth time can be tucked into tiny print, making it easy to miss.
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Unmatched socks go directly into the trash for Virgo
In this Virgo stereotype, a missing sock gets just two minutes of searching before its mate is thrown away. The idea is that no stray sock should take up…
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Patrul Rinpoche lived as a beggar despite being a top author
Despite writing essential texts in his tradition, Patrul Rinpoche chose to wander in ragged clothes rather than live in comfortable monasteries. Monks…
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Books are shelved under mind and spirit
These books are often shelved in the Body, Mind & Spirit aisle rather than with academic textbooks, placing complex charting systems beside titles about…
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Water elements hoard artisanal bath bombs
People who identify with the water element may buy pricey bath bombs as a way to feel closer to water.
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Venus days are mathematically longer than its calendar years
Venus rotates so slowly that it completes an orbit around the Sun before finishing one rotation on its axis.
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Splash patterns scatter your focus
In astrology, a chart with placements scattered across it is called a splash pattern and is associated with difficulty focusing on one task.
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Gift shops sell completely wrong symbols
Souvenir shops sometimes print symbols upside down or mix unrelated glyphs together, creating errors that are obvious to anyone who knows the visual language.
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Writing angry letters to a magazine intern
When a magazine column predicts a terrible week, offended readers sometimes write angry letters to the publication, as if the columnist personally cursed them.
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Moon shifts its celestial location every forty eight hours
Astrologers link the Moon's changing position, said here to shift every 48 hours, to moods that can swing from affection to irritation.
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