In the classic 1941 movie “The Maltese Falcon,” Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade refers to the priceless, gold and jewel-encrusted statue of a black bird as “the stuff that dreams are made of.” In the story, the statue was supposedly a 1539 gift from the Knights Templar of Malta to Emperor Charles V for giving them the Mediterranean island.
Although the story is fiction, Malta in reality was the home of the Knights of Saint John from 1530 to 1798. Their splendid architecture is one of the reasons why UNESCO declared Malta’s capitol, Valetta, a World Heritage Site. Within its 55 hectares, Valetta’s 320 monuments make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.
But the treasures of Malta extend beyond the city walls of Valetta. About 7 kilometers outside the City Gate in the village of Paola is the Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni. It was discovered by accident in 1902 when workers digging cisterns for a new housing project broke through its roof.
The Hypogeum was built around 3300 to 3000 B.C. and it is believed to have been a sacred space used for dream incubation. Evidence of this is the 5,000 old clay statuette of the Sleeping Goddess that was discovered in the Hypogeum in 1903.
Dream incubation is an ancient healing modality that used divine intervention to gain inspiration or guidance while the subject was asleep. It’s a practice that goes back to the time of ancient Greece, and has also been used by the Chinese and Native Americans. It can involve purification rites, isolation, fasting and prayer to receive healing and messages through dreams.
So maybe Bogart was right. Maybe the secret of Malta is the stuff that dreams are made of.
You Can Visit the Hypogeum in Malta this October
The Smithsonian called it “one of the world’s best preserved prehistoric sites” and it is one of the highlights of a small group tour of Malta that Body Mind Spirit Journeys is now offering.
The temples of Malta are the oldest buildings still standing on earth. They were built 1,000 years before the Egyptian pyramids and 4,000 years before the birth of Jesus. Our October 19 – 25, 2022 tour of Malta will be hosted by Nancy Auspelmyer and Ling Chen. Nancy is an author, astrologer, teacher, and intuitive life journey guide, while Dr. Chen teaches alternative healing practices and techniques.
Here are more Malta tour highlights:
- Tour Valetta featuring St. John’s Cathedral with the famous painting by Caravaggio
- Explore the Ggantija prehistoric temples in Xaghra on the island of Gozo
- View the chapel on the spot where Mary Magdalene stopped before ultimately landing in France
- Visit the church in Mosta, believed to be one of the most concentrated energy spots in Malta
- Go to the Tarxien Temples, site of an Ancient Mystery School
Click Here For Complete Malta Tour Details, Pricing & Registration