I'm a Pure Land Buddhist and was raised Pure Land. My entire family practices uposatha. In Vietnamese, the practice is called ngày ăn chay ("day of fasting"). I know traditional Chinese Buddhists practice this as well. You decide how often to practice it yourself and we generally time it with the moon. It can be 2, 4, 6, 8 days a month. Apparently, Sakyamuni Buddha recommended four. My family practices on the days of the full and new moons and the days directly
preceding those dates (on the lunar calendar, this is the first, 14th, 15th, and last day of the month). Some families practice it on each quarter phase of the moon.
We don't practice the same precepts as the Theravadins do, because our monastics observe a different Vinaya anyway, but here are the common practices:
- "Fasting" from meat (nearly universal observation)
"Fasting" from egg products (mostly the older generation observe this, but not younger folk)
"Fasting" from alcohol/intoxicants (nearly universal observation)
Fasting on one meal a day before noon (a devoted minority observe this; people who are already vegetarian are expected to observe this)
Fasting on one meal a day before noon consisting only of plain rice (a VERY devoted minority observe this)
Abstinence from sexual contact (devoted minority)
Sleeping on low beds (devoted minority)
On these days, it's also traditional to go to the temple and give an offering to the monks / nuns there, light some incense, offer prayers for the sake of the awakening of all sentient beings, chant sutras, re-take your refuge vows, etc. Many may do these things at their own home altar if a temple isn't in reach.
The full list of precepts is found in the Sutra of Upasaka Precepts (Vietnamese: Kinh Ưu-Bà-Tắc), which include precepts for both sravaka and bodhisattva lay followers. The degree to your observance is always left up to you. Even the days, while there are traditional dates that get observed, you're given freedom to adjust things around. My own teacher has recommended to just observe every Sunday if it's easiest with today's schedule. My dad will never observe on a Sunday, so if the full or new moon falls on Sunday, he pushes it to Monday. One of my old coworkers was very inconsistent with observing the lunar dates, so would observe for the first whole week of every month instead.
When I'm very consistent with my practice of the Uposatha days, I feel strong and confident in my practice and I know I'm doing the correct work. When I am lax in my practice of these dates, I notice that my practice overall wanes too. The Lunar Observance Days are the bedrock of lay practice, in my opinion. If you can commit to just four days a month, the karmic merit is immeasurable and the effects on your mind are pronounced. And it is much easier to start adding in additional dates. This is the Perfection of Virya. This is the Perfection of Sila.
Nam mô A di đà Phật 
Nam mô Quan Thế Âm Bồ tát 
That was very interesting to read. Here in Northern Ireland there are no Pureland Temples, in fact Pureland Buddhism hasn't made it's way here officially, there is only a few Zen and Tibetan Buddhist schools here. I'm pleased that your observances aid your practice, this is exactly how I hope to benefit and I'm somewhat embarrassed for not sticking with it.
