Tausi Insider

Photo : Zharinova Marina ( Shutterstock ) Witches were women, persecuted for sexist reasons or even “gendercide,” right? Well, it’s complicated. Witches executed in France were about half men and half women. Scandinavian witches were more often men. In most other parts of Europe, though, women were predominantly the victims of witch hunts. One source estimates that about 80% of people executed for witchcraft were women. In Salem, 4 out of the 19 convicted witches were men. It’s also a myth (mostly, probably) that midwives and female healers were targeted; historians say that midwives were more likely to be involved in witch hunts as expert witnesses—searching the accused’s body for the mark of the devil, for example—than to be accused of witchcraft themselves. That said, there was definitely plenty of sexism in play. The Malleus Maleficarum spends several pages explaining that women are more likely than men to be seduced by the devil because “women are intellectually like childr...

Photo : fizkes ( Shutterstock ) Cleaning your home can be relaxing for some, or an anxiety-producing nightmare for others. Everyone is different. What is slightly more unifying is the reality of watching other people clean up: It’s weirdly relaxing. It’s also informative—you can get some cool tips while watching a tidy master conquer their messy domain. Here are some great TikTok accounts to follow for your own cleaning inspo. https://www.tausiinsider.com/15-of-the-best-cleantok-accounts-to-follow-on-tiktok/?feed_id=331466&_unique_id=6454e47bae9ee

Photo : tomertu ( Shutterstock ) Hanukkah (or Chanukah, if you prefer) is an eight-day long Jewish religious festival that usually takes place in late November or early December. It celebrates the beginning of the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire and the re-dedication of the Second Temple that happened in the 2nd century BCE. That’s the strict definition of the holiday. In practice, in 2022 America, Hanukkah is the “festival of lights,” a winter celebration marked by gift-giving, delicious foods, candle-lighting, and the boring game of Dreidel (more on that below). Religiously, Hanukkah is a comparatively minor holiday, not nearly as significant as the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but it is a favorite among children, particularly American children (probably because of the presents). Theses days the holiday is marked in Jewish communities all over the world, but Jews in the U.S. are the undisputed Hanukkah kings and queens. When is Hanukkah th...

Photo : Irina Vinnikova ( Shutterstock ) This is one of the lesser-known Christmas myths, but to be honest, it would be pretty cool if true. The story goes that Sami shamans in Scandinavia would dress in red and white to match the colors of the psychedelic Amanita mushrooms they peddled. In the winter, they couldn’t make their door-to-door sales due to snowstorms blocking many doors, so they would climb in through the chimney. The mushrooms would then be hung to dry, for example on branches of a tree brought inside for that purpose. Unfortunately, the details don’t check out. Houses and yurts of the area were not built in ways that would block the occupants in all winter; there’s no documentation of mushrooms being distributed this way or dried on indoor trees when they could just be hung in more convenient ways; and Santa’s red outfit came from a different European tradition entirely. But it is true that there is a Scandinavian tradition (among the Sami people, in particular) ...

Photo : BearFotos ( Shutterstock ) Well, well, well. The hour is nigh, and you’re in need of a last-minute gift. It’s too late for even the fastest online delivery, and most viable in-person store options are already closed. All that’s left to do is invent an excuse to get out of the house and proceed to sprint to your local 24-hour drug store. Like a chef turning baskets of mystery ingredients into a three-course meal on Chopped , this category of gifts is all about your innovation. Here are some of our ideas for themed collections, but you can customize at your convenience. Movie night : Popcorn. Funky popcorn toppings . Candy. Hot chocolate. Fuzzy socks. A little slip of paper with your Netflix login. You can’t go wrong with a cozy movie-night theme. Treat yo’ self : Think spa day materials, like face masks, nail polish, and bath bombs. Throw in a candle to help set the pampering vibe. Health and wellness : Browse around for gummy vitamins, supplements, protein powder, and what...

Photo : ChiLLChiLL Camera ( Shutterstock ) If you’ve ever experienced one of those “can’t live with you, can’t live without you”-type of relationships, where y our connection feels hot and heavy but is also rife with challenges and intensity , chances are you were in a karmic relationship. “Despite what many believe, a karmic relationship is actually a type of soulmate relationship, but not one that necessarily has a happy ending,” says   Charlotte Kirsten , a trauma psychotherapist . “It’s filled with all-engulfing chemistry, passion, turbulence, and many, many obstacles. By definition, they’re easy to enter into yet very difficult to maintain due to their intensity and challenge-ridden nature.” But the challenges aren’t all bad. Kirsten says these relationships often hold up a giant mirror for the partners involved, surfacing each other’s deepest fears, desires, and even wishes so they can be healed.   Taylor Carr , a clinical hypnotherapist, says a karmic relationship is “...