In Ki-Aikido there was the assumption that if you got the lower dan tien inorder, the rest took care of themselves. It was very hara oriented.
One easy practice I picked up from Stillness Movement qigong, a medical style gi gong, is when in seated meditation keeping your loosely folded hands against your lower dan tien, versus a few inches away on your lap I'd normally do. Touching the dan tien in meditation helped me get a better feeling for the area. Plus you're not doing anything, you just have your hands facing your dan tien, a light focus.
Something to try if it connects to you.