My most dear, most kind, most precious, wish-fulfilling one,
Thank you for your email.

Regarding your retreat, first please look at the lamrim instructions and essential practices, then begin in the morning with the morning motivation, How to Make My Lives Wish-Fulfilling: The Method to Transform a Suffering Life into Happiness.

Then on basis of that, your retreat should be mainly a retreat on guru devotion. In the morning, do one hundred prostrations (by reciting each of the names of the Thirty-five Buddhas three times), then do several mandala offerings, then lamrim meditation on guru devotion. In the evening time do one set of prostrations by reciting the Thirty-five Buddhas names and Vajrasattva.

The main thing is guru devotion and to do everything with bodhicitta, not only your meditation but eating, walking, sleeping, sitting. As much as possible, do everything with bodhicitta to benefit sentient beings.

If you have notes from the London teachings, my teachings on guru devotion, or if you can get them to listen to, please use those. [See the LYWA book Sun of Devotion, Stream of Blessings]. Also read Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand, the section on guru devotion, and The Essential Nectar, that is very, very good.

Then during the break times, after lunch, etc., read the whole lamrim. Read other sections in the breaktimes; read the texts from beginning to end so you become familiar with them.

Please continue to make your life most meaningful with the thought of bodhicitta.

With much love and prayers ...