At noon on 19 November 2005, registration for the Seven Day Amitabha Recitation Retreat began with an early group of thirty participants. By the end of registration at 3.00pm in the Great Compassion Hall, a total of 184 participants had registered themselves for the Retreat. The majority of the participants were ladies and about a third of the participants were over 60 years in age.

All the participants were shown their spartan “quarters” for the duration of the retreat. After the registration exercise, they were instructed on the Rules and Regulations of the Retreat. Emphasis was laid on their fully observing the Eight Precepts of:

• i. Abstention from harming living beings
• ii. Abstention from taking the not given
• iii. Abstention from incelibacy
• iv. Abstention from false speech
• v. Abstention from taking intoxicant
• vi. Abstention from wearing garlands, using perfumes and beautifying with cosmetics
• vii. Abstention from the use of high and large seats and beds, dancing, singing, music and shows
• viii. Abstention from eating at improper time;

and diligently following in the chanting with full concentration.

The participants were given time for their bath and dinner, after which they gathered at the Multi Purpose Hall and were instructed by Ven. Zhen Xin on how to use the robe, how to bow, kneel and prostrate in homage, and how to distribute the chanting texts. This was followed by a dharma talk “Path to Enlightenment” given by Venerable Wei Wu. The Venerable preached that one should cultivate spiritual qualities to be better equipped to deal with problems of this life and these spiritual qualities would not be left behind at one's death.

The next day, the participants were up at 5.00am for their early morning service and breakfast. After their ablutions, they observed the Eight Precepts and did two sessions of Recitation with a twenty-minute break in between. This was followed by lunch and an hour's rest. They did another two sessions of Recitation and Evening Service before they broke off for their bath. At 7.00pm the Eight Preceptors gathered at the Multi Purpose Hall again to listen to the dharma talk by Venerable Wei Wu. In this talk, the Venerable stressed on the correct attitude to learn and practice the Dharma, and identified the factors for an Optimum Human Rebirth. After the talk, Venerable Wei Wu led them in the Transference of Merit recitation.

This then was the daily routine followed by all the Eight Preceptors for seven continuous days. On 27 November 2005, the last day of the Retreat, the participants spent the morning writing reports on and sharing their experiences of the Retreat, after morning service. Some of the elderly participants, instead of writing their reports, joined the inmates of Wan Ching Yuan Centre in chanting some prayers. Later, all the participants went up to the Main Shrine Hall for the Transference of Merits to all those who had departed in 2005. At the end of the Seven Day Amitabha Recitation Retreat, the participants said prayers for the Transference of Merit to all sentient beings.

It was hoped the participants would go back to their daily lives with greater spiritual strength.