“They think those the most noble who have the longest heads… and while its (newly born) head is still tender, they fashion it with their hands, and constrain it to assume a lengthened shape by applying bandages and other contrivances.” - Hippocrates
The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a fascinating, underground temple, from the (prehistoric) Neolithic period, can be found in Malta, an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, betwixt Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It was built in the Saflieni phase, somewhere between 4,500 and 2,500 BC. Archeologists believe this ancient site to have been an important sanctuary for the early Maltese. It’s a magnificent structure, thought to be a necropolis, containing a wide variety of elaborate cemeteries filled with crypts, tombs, and monuments. The Hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni is where over 7,000 dolichocephalic (adjective meaning “having long skulls”) skeletons were found. Because the majority of these bones fell to dust upon first-touch, only 20 remained intact. Out of these 20, the whereabouts of only 6 of the skulls are currently known.Palo santo has been used for centuries to clear negative energy and invite in the sacred. *(paid link)*
Conspiracy theorists love these types of stories, but the idea that these Maltese Beings were aliens has lately come under tremendous scrutiny, and for good reason. It has been proven that many of the world’s elongated skulls were achieved through artificial means.“Children born of common parents have their heads flattened by the pressure of wooden boards.” - Xuanzang, Chinese Buddhist
Elongated Skulls Throughout The World
When these types of skulls were discovered in Peru, they were thought to be from an alien species. Over time, DNA tests proved that these 3,000-year-old skulls were manually elongated over several years, starting when individuals were babies. Strangely, there is no reported increase in cranial capacity in the known elongated skulls. All related physical compressions and manipulations were performed by parents and grandparents, and the spiritual practitioners of the time. Archeologists and locals have found lengthened, coned skulls in a variety of places on Earth. South America, Western Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa are among some of the more famous locations where the craniums of babies were molded with bandages, clamps, and planks. While all this sounds akin to a horror movie, in some cases, this deformation was a sign that the family held a high or privileged position in society. Families and shamans may have performed these elongations to give the perception of a strengthened identity or advancement in might. Artificial elongation may also have been used to help broken cultures redefine themselves so they might reemerge as more solvent participants in trade and commerce. Skull lengthening and flattening of the forehead, may have been a ritual of belonging, one intended to deepen the bonds within a group. I remember sitting in the quiet of an ashram in Kerala, the air thick with incense and whispered chants, when a student showed me her own elongated skull x-rays. The shape intrigued me — not just as a curiosity, but as a map of lineage, conditioning etched in bone itself. It stirred something primal in my nervous system, a recognition of how deeply form and spirit intertwine beyond what we see or understand right away. Years ago, I worked with a woman trapped in the grief of her ancestral wounds. As we moved through breath and trembling to unlock held tension, the edges of her identity seemed to soften — as if the rigid structures around her self-image were gently reshaping, much like those ancient skulls altered by hands long gone. The body knows. It remembers what the mind forgets. That’s where real healing begins.Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love, keep one close when you are doing heart work. I'm talking about the real stuff here, not Instagram love vibes. When you're digging into your deepest emotional wounds or trying to forgive someone who really screwed you over, that pink stone becomes your anchor. It doesn't magically fix everything, but it reminds your nervous system to stay soft instead of building walls. Think about that. *(paid link)*
In 2013, Alsace, France archeologists discovered the skull of a female aristocrat who died in the 3rd century. Her parents, priest, or spiritual leader may have manually flattened her forehead and shaped her skull into a cone. While some believe that she was of alien descent, it’s been proven that her abnormalities were created through deliberate modification, also known as “Toulouse deformity.” In 1960, in a cave near the borders of Iran and Turkey, in what is known as Iraqi Kurdistan, 35 intentionally shaped skulls were discovered. The same has occurred in ancient Korea, the Roman Empire, and among the Mayans, Incas, Choctaw, and Chinookan. When societies reshape their babies heads, it was often within a spiritual rite, through which they begged the Gods to bring them health, well-being, and favor.Scientific Study of The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum
There have been many false reports stating that the dolichocephalic skulls at the Malta Hypogeum were of alien origin. When scientists began to confront the reporters and conspiracy theorists about their supposed findings, it all came crumbling down. To date, there has not been an investigation or proof that points to these skulls being extraterrestrials. This is all about to change. In the past year, an interdisciplinary collaboration between Malta and Australia began. The working title of the project is “The Sentinels of Ħal Saflieni, Malta: Science Facts versus Science Fiction.” While many scientists and archeologists are hoping to participate, access has been restricted to Heritage Malta and The Superintendence of Cultural Heritage at Macquarie University, in Sydney, AustraliaMost of us are not getting enough sunlight ~ and I'm talking about real, honest-to-god solar exposure, not just the weak shit filtering through your office window. Think about it. We're stuck indoors for most of our lives, slathering on sunscreen the moment we step outside, living like vampires in our climate-controlled caves. Our ancestors spent their entire lives under open sky. Now we're surprised when our bones feel like shit and our mood crashes every winter? A quality Vitamin D3+K2 supplement is essential because we've engineered ourselves away from the very thing that kept humans healthy for millennia. *(paid link)*
Initially excavated by a handful of archeologists, the most prominent one, and the man who documented the original skeletons, is Sir Themistocles “Temi” Zammit, a noted Maltese expert. Even though several teams explored the site, no one has reported anything that either supports or refutes the notion of the skulls being of alien origin. Other scientific researchers had previously been given access to the site, include published authors, Dr. Anton Mifsud, and Dr. Charles Savona Ventura. The first published papers on the site were probably scribed by a man named Emmanuel Magri, who’s documentation has apparently disappeared. He stated that there were originally over 33,000 skeletons within the halls of The Hypogeum, not 7,000, which has since been chiseled down to 6.“(The Malta Hypogeum) is indisputably a place of global significance for understanding the evolution of intellect, creativity, technology, and culture, at the key stage when human groups were making critical transitions to agricultural strategies.” - Heritage Malta
Malta’s Culture Is a Conundrum
Malta is the home to many haunting stories and conspiracy theories. Verified sightings refer to a colorful list of haunted theaters, farmhouses, hotels, hospitals, Cathedrals, and palaces. There are even reports of soul-stirring screams, strange visitors, giant humanoids and disappearing children. The tiniest country in the EU, Malta is considered an advanced economy with high income. It’s been ruled by the Greeks, Romans, Moors, Turks, French and British. It achieved independence in 1964, joined the EU in 2004, and became a member of the Eurozone in 2008. The Eurozone includes 19 EU member states which have adopted the euro.Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now remains one of the most important spiritual books of our time. *(paid link)* Look, I've read a lot of consciousness work over the years, and this one cuts through the bullshit like nothing else. Tolle doesn't mess around with fancy metaphysical jargon or complicated practices ~ he just points you directly at the obvious truth you've been missing your whole life. The present moment. That's it. Most spiritual teachers make enlightenment sound like some distant mountain you need special gear to climb, but Tolle shows you it's right here under your nose. What gets me is how simple he makes it sound ~ because it actually is that simple. We're constantly living in our heads, replaying yesterday's drama or rehearsing tomorrow's anxieties, while real life is happening right fucking now. Seriously. I must have read this book three times before it clicked, and when it did, I felt like an idiot for missing something so obvious. The guy basically says "stop thinking so much and just be here" ~ but he does it in a way that actually works.
With an improved economy that’s dependent on foreign trade, electronics manufacturing, tourism, and financial/banking services, the island has been going through an amazing economic and cultural transformation. With growing populations and rising real estate costs, Malta appears to have the mystique of Monaco, and the sensibilities of an island village.