Castlebar Shaking Retreat 19th – 22nd June 2009
My name is Patricia and I have been shaking for a year and half. The first mention of a retreat was at Christmas and I thought ‘great, what an 
opportunity to bring Ratu’s energy stronger to the West of Ireland, and help the group that I plan to set up in Castlebar after the retreat’. So we picked a date and found a venue in Castlebar at Lough Lannagh Village.
We got flyers made up and we set a target of 30. I went to the Rome retreat in May and when I stood up and asked people to come and support us in bringing the energy stronger to Ireland, I was amazed at how emotional it was to make that call, it was like a deep longing welled up inside of me that I had no idea was that heartfelt. So amazingly people started to come up to me and book their place.
The venue offered us a free night on Sunday night and we could check out by 1pm, so we could have an extra shake on Monday which was fantastic.
We had 45 shakers at the retreat and Zeta the dog. It was electric. People found it hard to put into words what they experienced, but the glow and smile on their faces said it all. The format of the retreat was very like Rome and it felt very much 
like Rome as Ratu’s presence was very strong. We had heart felt sharing which was wonderful and everything flowed so easily. The whole weekend was perfect and there is not one thing I would change, which is unusual for me as I often look back and say ’I could have, should have’ etc and for that’s what was so amazing - it all felt so right. I noticed more and more that recalling the past even if it was yesterday seems impossible.
We organized an auction which was great fun and gave such a lift to the day. I had asked our group to make, paint, or offer a service which we could auction and raise money for the Ashram. The auction was hilarious. We had music CD’s which went down a treat and there was a big demand for them. Simon drew a picture of the medallion which was very delicate and beautiful (not sure he slept much after looking at the medallion for such a long period of time). Evelien framed a picture of Ratu. Claire offered a salsa class for an hour which I missed but got there for the end and lots of shakers joined in and they had a really joyful, fun filled time. Felicity made two lovely t-shirts advertising the weekend with Ratu Bagus on the back. I made an Om Swastiastu sign I really enjoyed doing, which was prompted by Mick suggesting I knit one!
We shared in Jean, Dave and Nickie’s birthday month and had a lovely party.
On Sunday afternoon we climbed Croagh Patrick in the mist and that was very special. It was like we were surrounded in cotton wool, and it was very silent and moving. At the top we could hear Robbie laughing his head off on the cone of the mountain and it was truly beautiful. When we got down our visiting sisters and brothers from the UK had a chance to look back up the mountain as it had totally cleared and they got to see what they had achieved. A nice gift after coming through the mist. When we arrived back I had the best bath every, what a treat.
Half the group left on Sunday afternoon, the rest stayed till Monday and we had 
our last shake and sharing. We had a beautiful circle and sharing and the energy felt so gentle and soft, it felt very much like we are one.
This has been the most rewarding thing I have done in my life and each day since the retreat I feel is a gift. I am amazed how easy it was, and how much the energy helped in making it so. It was a real team effort that helped it to flow so easily.
My thanks to all in the West and East of Ireland and all who came from the UK who made this possible and to the staff and management in Lough Lannagh for their service and fantastic food and finally a BIG THANK YOU to Ratu Bagus.
Patricia
