My name is Barbara Swetina. I am a musician and I have lived in the Findhorn Community since 1984. I love getting people together to sing. In my experience it is one of the fastest ways for a group of people to connect with Spirit and with each other.
Through my life in the community I meet a wide variety of people from many backgrounds and therefore I have had the chance to learn songs from all over the world. Many of my favorite songs were recorded here in the community.
Through my life in the community I meet a wide variety of people from many backgrounds and therefore I have had the chance to learn songs from all over the world. Many of my favorite songs were recorded here in the community.
In my heart I see a singing planet, many people gathering in different places on the globe to sing, dance and pray together. In so doing sacred space is created, moments where we are reminded of the love and harmony which is our essence and birthright. I love setting up such spaces here in Findhorn. Traveling I meet fellow troubadours and artists and we create such events together.
Taize & Findhorn Community
Inspired by the Taizé community in France, I have started a practice called Taizé singing in Findhorn. We start every day with half an hour of devotional singing in the morning. Great for opening the heart! I am part of the Findhorn Foundation’s Outreach faculty and teach workshops all over Europe as well as internationally (Australia, Brazil, Hawaii, Japan,
Community Connections Music is life Peace through dance
Barbara Swetina is dedicated to a world culture of peace through music, sharing it’s unique power to open hearts across differences of language, race and religion.Born in the European music capital of Vienna, Barbara plays many instruments (piano, accordion, recorder, flute, harp, guitar, ukulele) and loves to enrich the lives of people she meets through music. Since 1987 she has been travelling internationally teaching sacred song and dance workshops.
After being a music director at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland she enjoys empowering people and especially emerging young leaders to become peace facilitators themselves, passing on her skills through trainings in music, song and dance. As well as composing and arranging of her own songs she teaches instrumental skills, voice and music theory and the art of facilitation. Barbara has produced many CD’s and songbooks and is the founder director of the MusicTrain® method, an effective and playful way to learn and teach music.
About Barbara Barbara’s skill and experience create an atmosphere of fun, ease and laughter in which people feel free to express their innate musicality. Under her guidance a group of people can be transformed into an impromptu choir within minutes, creating rich and beautiful harmonies. More than 30 years ago Barbara brought Taizé singing as a daily devotional practice into the heart of the Findhorn Foundation community, by starting the day with shared song and prayer. Over the years she has collected a wide repertoire of songs and dances as an expression of the joy and sacredness of different world cultures. These materials are available through her website and ….. see more
Barbara Swetina studied pedagogy and music, graduating from the from the Pädagogische Hochschule Salzburg and the Music University ‘Mozarteum’ with degrees for piano and a concert diploma for recorder. She also trained at the Orff Institute Salzburg and holds a degree in Elementary Music Education. Her spiritual quest has lead her from the practice of Yoga to Rudolph Steiner, Sufi teachings through Samuel Lewis and Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sacred Dance inspired by Bernhard and Gabriele Wosien, Findhorn Community Culture, The Course in Miracles, Hawaii’s Aloha Spirit and teachings of Non Duality and Advaita.
and the USA). I play many instruments (piano, accordion, flute, recorders, guitar and harp), have a wide repertoire of songs and dances & I really enjoy teaching.
I have regular Blogs coming soon so please check back for more information.
Love
Barbara swetina