The three dantiens: belly, heart, head – are effectively muscles, and as such they must be exercised. First we learn to relax them, let go, the same way we would a muscle that was proving intractable: embrace it and enter it with a warm soft mind – smile into it – maybe place a reassuring hand upon it or, better still, get someone else to place a reassuring hand upon it. Let it expand out of constriction – out of misery – and into fullness – into joy. Then we just wait and watch with an attentive but non-interfering mind for natural activity to reveal itself within each centre. This is difficult and may take a long long time. It all depends upon both the quietness and acceptance of the mind, and of course, patience, but a vigilant patience, one that spins an unbroken thread of concentrated time rather than one that takes the opportunity to break off and have a sip of water or check the phone.