A Great Blog

2012-05-14T06:02:00.001-07:00

May Celebrations at Findhorn

It was a beautiful day

Barbara

Check out "Events Barbara Swetina"

Kalikalos Holistic Centre, Pelion Greece

2011-09-07T03:15:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends near and far,

In a few days I will be heading off to Greece, to the Findhorn affiliated center of Kalikalos. The first week I will participate in a Satsang with Jac O'Keefe and then lead a week of Song, Dance and Music based on my very own Rainbow School of Music. I use a method that makes learning music easy and fun! It originated from my work with children in Hawaii. I have included everything that I wish I could have had when I was learning music, especially notation. Now everything is creative, playful, and no stress! It is my sincere wish that this method will someday help music lovers all over the world de-mystify the needless puzzles about music.

After this Music week, I will go on to other workshops (dates on the website) in Switzerland, Germany and finally Austria (where I will spend time with my dad after my mother's recent passing).

And please, don't forget about the New Year's celebration and retreat at Findhorn. It's a great way to look back on the past and prepare for what is to come, surrounded by a loving community of people, singing and dancing our way through the week!

Many blessings from this wandering minstrel,
Barbara

2010-09-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Song Community,

My minstrel life continues now in Greece! If you have ever looked for something like Findhorn, but in a warmer climate, Jock Millenson's KALIKALOS Center would be the right place to visit. His center runs courses and workshops, but at the same time it is a place where community is lived each day. It is on a smaller scale than Findhorn, but friendly with an international staff and guests. Closeby there are sun-filled beaches and lovely walks.

I did another Satsang Week with the group there, which included some Findhorn dances and Taize singing. One evening we all went to the local taverna on the village square where we sat around a table, and I played my accordion. Suddenly glasses of Uzo (strong Greek alcohol) appeared, bought by one of the villagers, who then promptly came over to join us! That evening was definitely a highlight of the week. The magic of music creates that special feeling of togetherness, of family heart, even if for just an hour. Its power transcends the barriers of language, culture, and beliefs.

It's possible I might come back to Greece to run a workshop here in the future. Anyone interested in the idea?

Love from Barbara

NEWS: The companion song & dance booklet for the SoulWeavers CD is now available. To order your copy, click here.

Below are some photos of the KALIKALOS Center:

The courtyard of Kalikalos where we ate, chatted, danced and sang!

We had picnic lunches on the beach.

And washing up is always a part of community life!

There were walks along the pristine beaches.

The view of Pilios bay from the road.

Our meeting space was under a pear tree which offered us its delicious fruit!

This is a wall invitation to rest and go inside; you might call it a ‘Stone Love’ message!

My Sufi Teacher

2010-08-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Hi there, friends and music lovers everywhere, this is Barbara Swetina and I’m on the road! This message is meant as a journal of a wandering minstrel. Some people suggested this because they wanted to keep in touch with where I am and what is happening, so a journal is the best way for me to let everybody know, whoever is interested!

Well, at the moment I am travelling in Holland. Last weekend I met up with my Sufi teacher Leilah Be to help her as a musician at her workshop: Sufi dance, chanting, and Zikr practice, the 'rememberance' of the Divine. I’ve known Leilah since 2001, when I went to my first ever Sufi camp in Maui, Hawaii. In that week of camp I felt I had met another Soul family, a bit like Findhorn, the only difference being they don't live together but meet twice a year to praise God and sing and dance together.

After last weekend I am now Barbara Amrita Swetina, which is my new Sufi name. Here is what Wikipedia says about it:”Amrita or Amrit is a Sanskrit word that literally means ‘that which is immortal’, and is often referred to in texts as nectar. In south Indian tradition, amrita can mean ‘She who provides the nectar of life to those who thirst.’ Amrita is thus considered an excellent name for a potential female companion. Only the most beautiful and intelligent women were considered to have grown to fit their name.”

Well, something to live up to!!!

In July, I taught my first ever music summer camp, with six days of dancing, singing, sitting around the fire and using my very own method of teaching music. 'Music forAnalphabets' I call it, that is, making music easy to understand. The summer camp took place in France, just over the Swiss border, in a large old farmhouse off the beaten track. It is so secluded, that one night a whole family of wild pigs walked into view!

In early August I went to the Provence, to a Satsang with Pamela Wilson. Satsang is a gathering with friends where we look for truth, or reality, following the Advaita traditition of Ramana Maharshi. Usually it is with a teacher, and here it was with Pamela Wilson, who has such a sweet presence. Check her out at pamelasatsang.com. Again, I enjoyed lots of dancing and singing with friends there, and having great fun with all my new French friends, who I had dancing Scottish and sacred dances and singing Hawaiian songs, of course!

After the Satsang week I stopped in Avignon to visit with Dennis Shibut, who is part of our sacred song team, looking after the mailing list and web posts. Yeah, Dennis! The next day when we went to the train station, we noticed we were both dressed in 'Angel blue'. Then my train arrived... colored 'Angel blue'!

On September 2, I travel to Greece for more adventures. I'll send you all more news and pictures to let you know where life is taking me!

Blessings and love,

Barbara Amrita Swetina

Up-coming Events...

Dec. 29 - Jan. 5 "A New Year Gathering" with Barbara Swetina & Javier Rodriques at the Findhorn Foundation, Scotland. Join Barbara for a week of joyous celebration to welcome in the New Year through song, dance, creativity, and ritual as well as having quiet personal time for self-reflection in life's journey. For details and registration, see http://www.findhorn.org/programmes/programme139.php

AloHa!

2009-08-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

As some of you may have heard, Barbara would like to offer some very special workshops in the future that she calls Sacred Pilgrimages. She envisions these as sacred journeys to places of natural power and beauty, as well as to the heart, to our inner place of stillness and connection with all living beings, which is the God quality within that is our birthright.

Since Barbara and I, her friend Patricia, will be in Hawai'i (the island of Kauai to be precise) this fall, we wanted to offer you the possibility of joining us on our first sacred pilgrimage there. This is a pilot project, an experiment, in which we will all join together as fellow travellers. As such we want to offer this pilgrimage at a reduced price that includes accommodation, breakfast, car rental, and a boat outing, as well as seminar participation.

Since this is the first pilgrimage, we invite you to be spontaneous while Barbara and I adapt the program to the group. Of course, there will be singing and dancing, meditations on the beach and in nature, hikes and time with Hawaiian elders (German translation available for those who need it), and opportunities for real hawaiian lomi massages. This first pilgrimage will be from Oct 20-30, 2009. Please find more details in the PDF linked from the Events page.

The cost is as follows:
Private single room: 1275 € / 1850 $ / 1100 £ / 1950 SFR
Shared double room: 1000 € / 1450 $ / 860 £ / 1500 SFR

Naturally, you are free to come early and stay on after the workshop.

We chose Hawai'i as our first pilgrimage because of it's innate spirituality that instantly appealed to both of us. Plus, it's just a wonderful place to be with its slow rhythm, wonderful beaches, and warm ocean.

This is a unique opportunity since there is no guarantee that we can offer this price again. So, act quickly. We invite the angels of Joy, Spontaneity and Laughter and look forward to finding a few fellow pilgrims for this journey!

For inquiries, please contact Patricia at pasa@edenstreet.com or phone her at +41 62 892 2045.

AloHa and a hui hou (see you soon!)
Patricia and Barbara

Free Dance Descriptions

2009-08-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

Celebration as a Way of Life

2009-04-14T12:37:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with you an article I wrote for the COMMUNITIES magazine, entitled “Celebration as a Way of Life” (published in the Spring 2009 issue). You can download the whole article as a PDF (426KB).

Der Lichtbaum (Tree of Light) in Zurich

2008-10-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Link zum Flyer des Lichtbaum Ritals (als PDF), welches am 7 November in Zürich stattfindet... [Below please find the link to a PDF describing the Tree of Light Ceremony, coming to Zurich on 7 November 2008...]
DerLichtbaumZH

Kings & Queens by Birthright

2008-04-18T15:50:00.000-07:00

Do you want to bring Celebration and Enchantment into your life? Be creative and have fun? Join us for a delightful week of Song, Ritual and Celebration in the Park!

12-19 July 2008: 'Kings and Queens by Birthright'
Summer Celebration Week with Barbara Swetina, Francois Monnet and Ian Turnbull in Findhorn, Scotland

This year our summer celebration will be dedicated to investigating and rediscovering our Kingly and Queenly nature. How do we live, how do we treat ourselves and each other when we feel the dignity, the joy, the beauty of Kings and Queens in our hearts? Do we become masters or servants? Is it about giving or receiving?

Feeling into these questions we will create costumes, act, play music, create sumptuous feasts, appoint jesters and minstrels, sing and dance, connect with the elements, spend time in nature and bring joy-filled Celebration into the community!

Course cost: £140-210 / Meals: £60 / Accommodation: at cost of B+B

Bookings through barbara@sacredsongs.net or +44 1309 690253 (Ian)
Book early to avoid disappointment, this is high season!

Download Flyer as PDF

Celebration Activists for the Planetary Village

2008-02-14T11:19:00.000-08:00

Below please find the link to an article (PDF) I wrote for the Findhorn Network News about starting a group of "Celebration Activists"...

Celebration_Activists

The Tree of Light Ceremony

2008-01-17T09:29:00.000-08:00

Below please find the link to a PDF describing the Tree of Light Ceremony, coming soon...
tree-of-light

Nature Spirit Corner

2007-07-23T04:25:00.000-07:00

In this blog category we're collecting messages and stories about Nature Spirits, to maximise our learning about our connection with nature.

Please send any contributions to welcome@sacredsongs.net.

School of Celebration

2007-05-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Currently we are working on the idea of the School of Celebration. Celebration is the oil that lubricates the community cogs and wheels! It is an art that is getting lost, but it can be remebered and taught. This photo is from an Easter Celebration in the south of France. A small group of people gathered together to prepare an Easter event. Singing, dancing, outings in nature, playing music and silence helped us to connect with the spirit inside and all around us. We sent an invitation to all inhabitants of a small village, Eourres, to join us. On Easter sunday, April 8th, we took more than 100 people into nature to a magic celebration! You can get an idea of what we were up to from the pictures! Go to the photo gallery to Eourres 07 for more!
The wizard behind the scenes is Francois monnet, a French poet, painter, actor and trans-cultural artist with extensive experience in community ritual. http://francoismonnet.free.fr