How do you start retreat?

Start Slow

First, try a one-day home retreat. Turn off every form of distraction such as phones, TV, computers… everything. Stay silent throughout the day and limit your stimulus. No worldly business! Instead, open an internal dialogue with your spirit. Do some meditation, read a book that makes you feel good, eat well and gratefully, take a nice walk, and consider how you might serve others better in your daily life.

Next, do a whole weekend like this. For two days straight, totally unplug, remain in silence, gently observe your heart and mind, and think of others.   
 
Finally, try a full-weekend retreat with structured meditations. A great meditation practice to start with is Ganden Hlagyama, or “Thousand Angels Living in the Heaven of Bliss.” You can learn this meditation by downloading the relevant 'Meditation Module' from daily practice link at http://acidharma.org/aci/online/onlinepractices.html. There are also audio instructions and materials on http://www.aci-la.org/teach_marut-guided.html. Once you have personally experienced the great benefits of these shorter retreats you will be ready and excited for a five-day retreat. It only gets better and better.