Lotus1,
I remember the Jetsun Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche explain that cherishing others, training in pure view, and keeping the intention to keep all our promises purely is the foundation to help prevent downfalls.
As our practice deepens we are able to keep our promises more and more purely. As that happens, our intention to keep them purely strengthens, and this also invigorates our efforts to learn more precisely what promises we've made, and especially to purify and repair damaged and broken vows.
To do the latter, we can perform refuge and bodhisattva vow ceremonies alone or with others or in an abbreviated way, and to repair and restore tantric promises we can either receive another Highest Yoga Tantra initiation, or qualify to perform self-initiation by doing a close retreat of the Yidam that concludes with a fire puja.
It is the daily practice of the lineage Gurus to purify, repair, and restore refuge, bodhisattva, and tantric promises. We should endeavor to do the same to the best of our ability. We should also keep track of other spiritual promises we make so that we can make sure to fulfill them. Over the years, we may accumulate quite a few of these, but due to poor memory and distraction neglect them. It is a wonderful blessing to remember them, and have the opportunity to renew and keep them. I suggest keeping a list. You know you have the 3 sets of vows right, but there are other particular promises such as the promise of transmission when you receive a teaching and internally promise the Guru to practice that, a certain number of mantras each day, tsok on the two special days, sadhana recitations, special practice commitments from the Guru that are daily, monthly, or yearly and so forth.
We shouldn't feel overwhelmed, we should feel extremely lucky, and just try to the best of our ability, and over time everything will improve. That is the kindness of the Guru, the supreme heart jewel!
