Setting up a sit, finding a presence anchor, and opening to the whole body.
Setting up a sit
We opened most meditations the same way. It is a light touch, just setting up good conditions for practice. It’s a loose ordering of body, speech (taken as breath for these purposes), and mind.
- Posture / Body
- Move a little first if it helps – a neck roll, a shoulder roll, a stretch.
- Set up your posture: hips higher than knees, a natural curve in the lower back, uprightness in the upper back, and ease. Eyes open or closed. Opening the eyes helps with sleepiness.
- Once it’s set, leave it alone, like parking a car.
- Breath / Speech
- Three rounds of clearing breath. Breathe in and let the belly expand, then breathe out all the air, through the mouth if you like. On the second, pause at the top. On the third, pause, take another little sip of air, then a long smooth exhale. Let the breath fall into its own rhythm.
- Notice the awareness that is already here.
- Intention / Mind
- Set an intention – for example, to recognise your own wholeness for the benefit of others. Bring to mind one person you are practising for.
- Bring to mind your field of support: teachers, teachings, friends, family, anyone who has helped you be here. Picture them in the space with you. Ask for their support and feel them respond gladly. Let the image dissolve into the body as a feeling of trust and confidence. You have what you need.
- If the field of support touches something, it can be a whole practice of its own another time.
Presence anchor
A high value practice, even practised briefly. Recognise the safety and stability that’s already here. This often allows for dropping in more deeply.
- Settle into your posture and let yourself land. Give yourself permission to relax and do less.
- Notice what in your experience right now feels grounding and stable. Follow your curiosity. It could be a sound, something you see, the feeling of sitting and being supported, the feeling in your hands, or the breath.
- When you find it, hang out there for a few breaths. Borrow some of that stability to let the body relax and the mind settle.
- Let your presence anchor be a refuge. Let it be in the background as you bring in other practices and intentions. You can come back to it any time, in a sit or in the middle of the day.
Then open to the whole body, and just notice how it feels to be here now.
From Nothing Is Missing, a three-night silent meditation retreat with Kynan Tan at Vejjasala, 10 to 13 September 2026. This feed is for participants only – please don’t share it.
The practice instructions, chants, and texts are in the retreat resources.