Did You Know?
Medieval Japanese samurai would practice meditation while sitting under cold waterfalls.
This practice, called takigyo, was believed to purify the spirit and strengthen resolve. Practitioners would sit under freezing waterfalls for extended periods. The practice demonstrated the extreme mental and physical discipline expected of samurai.
Did You Know?
The Ancient Greeks would vote to banish citizens using pottery shards.
Known as ostracism, citizens would write the name of someone they wanted exiled on pottery shards called ostraka....
Did You Know?
Medieval European courts employed professional jesters to criticize the king.
Court jesters were often the only people allowed to criticize rulers openly. Their role as entertainers provided immunity...
Did You Know?
In Victorian England, people would pose dead relatives for photographs.
Post-mortem photography was a common practice, often being the only photograph ever taken of a person. Specialized photographers...