Does gratitude shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world?

[Kati]

I recently practiced a Qigong exercise focused on feeling gratitude while breathing out everything within me that resists or denies that feeling of gratitude.
 

What I noticed is that when I truly stay in that energy of gratitude, it’s as if the situations, people, and even the environment around me start to resonate with it — almost as if they are drawn to this higher-frequency state.

I also have the sense that gratitude is deeply connected to unconditional love. It naturally seems to bring a sense of trust in the universe — a trust that allows me to stop trying to force or change things outside of me. Instead, there’s a quiet knowing that, when I rest in this state of openness and grateful presence, life around me will align itself in a helpful way.
 

I’d love to hear if others have experienced something similar — does gratitude shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world? Do you also see it as part of the Dao or the path to deeper harmony?

[BigSkyDiamond]

since i grew up in a home where we were sort of beat about the head regarding gratitude, my answer is I no i can not force myself to feel gratitude.  Too often having angry people coerce with "You should be grateful that _____" has stigmatized that for me.  In all the contexts i heard that, it was toxic.

 

I do find that qigong practice does induce for me beneficial states of calm, stillness, awareness, and a deep sense of well-being.  All those for me are heightened and this carries into my daily life.  I love the stillness it brings to me within. 

 

With regards to these questions asked: "Does ___ shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world? Do you also see ___ as part of the Dao or the path to deeper harmony?" what brings that shift about for me is the practice of observing and letting any and all thoughts and emotions just float on by like clouds in the sky.  Without chasing them or scripting them or spinning out.

 

I appreciate the opening post and topic, it is thoughtful and considered.

 

[this article has more on Toxic Gratitude: The Hidden Cost of Forced Positivity and resonates for me ]

 

Edited Sunday at 12:56 AM by BigSkyDiamond

[liminal_luke]

10 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

since i grew up in a home where we were sort of beat about the head regarding gratitude, my answer is I no i can not force myself to feel gratitude.  Too often having angry people coerce with "You should be grateful that _____" has stigmatized that for me.  In all the contexts i heard that it was toxic.

 

I do find that qigong practice does induce beneficial states of calm, stillness, awareness, and a deep sense of well-being.  All those for me are heightened and this carries into my daily life.  I love the silence it brings to me within.

 

 

 

I used to work as a massage therapist, and I can tell you that no massage client wants to be told to relax.  Nor do

anxious people respond well when friends advise calming down.  The depressed brush off suggestions that they just cheer up.  So am I surprised that as a kid you didn´t take well to the whole "be grateful" spiel?  I am not.  No kid would.

 

And yet I feel confident that, in your own way, you´ll find yourself coming around to something akin to gratitude.  Maybe you already have.  You might not call it gratitude, of course.  Perhaps you´ll never be someone who wants to go round the Thanksgiving table (if you live in the US) and wax eloquent about the joys of family and mashed potatoes.  Maybe your version of gratitude will be a subtle smile you keep to yourself.  Just as well -- it´s better that way anyways.

[Cobie]

I just stick to being me. 

[BigSkyDiamond]

9 minutes ago, liminal_luke said:

And yet I feel confident that, in your own way, you´ll find yourself coming around to something akin to gratitude.  Maybe you already have.  You might not call it gratitude, of course.  Perhaps you´ll never be someone who wants to go round the Thanksgiving table (if you live in the US) and wax eloquent about the joys of family and mashed potatoes.  Maybe your version of gratitude will be a subtle smile you keep to yourself.  Just as well -- it´s better that way anyways.

 

yes, for sure.  user-friendly expressions for me (as both word and also active experience) include:  delight, contentment, appreciation, and (courtesy of Mark Foote's posts, thank you Mark) zest and ease.

 

Edited Saturday at 09:16 PM by BigSkyDiamond

[Cobie]

 

14 minutes ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

yes, for sure.  user-friendly expressions for me (as both word and also active experience) include:  joy, delight, contentment, appreciation, and (courtesy of Mark Foote's posts, thank you Mark) zest and ease.

alerting  @Mark Foote here 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 09:28 PM by Cobie

[BigSkyDiamond]

15 minutes ago, Cobie said:

alerting  @Mark Foote here 

 

thank you.  I do want to hear more on "zest and ease" so i started a separate thread on it.  So as not to go too far afield in this thread on gratitude.

 

 

 

[Lairg]

When I want a stressed human/animal to interact well with me, I give Light from my heart.   

 

When a friend is having trouble with a relationship/child I get them to do that too.  Usually they immediately feel better about the  difficult situation and can see the energy/behavior shift in the other.

 

 

[Nungali]

3 hours ago, Kati said:

I recently practiced a Qigong exercise focused on feeling gratitude while breathing out everything within me that resists or denies that feeling of gratitude.
 

What I noticed is that when I truly stay in that energy of gratitude, it’s as if the situations, people, and even the environment around me start to resonate with it — almost as if they are drawn to this higher-frequency state.

I also have the sense that gratitude is deeply connected to unconditional love. It naturally seems to bring a sense of trust in the universe — a trust that allows me to stop trying to force or change things outside of me. Instead, there’s a quiet knowing that, when I rest in this state of openness and grateful presence, life around me will align itself in a helpful way.
 

I’d love to hear if others have experienced something similar — does gratitude shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world? Do you also see it as part of the Dao or the path to deeper harmony?

 

Hi Kati .  I get your post .

 

I do not misinterpret it , nor do I see anywhere in it where it seems an attitude was forced on you or suggested by those around you  resulting in an averse understanding of the value of the practice . You seem to have come   to it yourself  within the context of practice , I could be wrong , but I don't see anywhere in your post where you suggest it was given to you to 'focus and feel' . 

 

I suggest you ignore negative  responses that focus on things other than what you outlined yourself   ( they seem a negative projection towards you )  .... you have discovered a good thing and I suggest you explore it .

 

I would like to  respond in sections ; 

 

3 hours ago, Kati said:

I recently practiced a Qigong exercise focused on feeling gratitude while breathing out everything within me that resists or denies that feeling of gratitude.

 

In my opinion those 'resistances' are usually negative forces :  ingratitude, ungratefulness, unappreciation, thanklessness, inconsiderateness, rudeness,  etc .

 

3 hours ago, Kati said:

What I noticed is that when I truly stay in that energy of gratitude, it’s as if the situations, people, and even the environment around me start to resonate with it — almost as if they are drawn to this higher-frequency state.

I also have the sense that gratitude is deeply connected to unconditional love. It naturally seems to bring a sense of trust in the universe — a trust that allows me to stop trying to force or change things outside of me. Instead, there’s a quiet knowing that, when I rest in this state of openness and grateful presence, life around me will align itself in a helpful way.

 

I agree .  A lot of my gratitude is in relation to my environment ; the opportunity to experience a beautiful locale, area , country, planet ... And the whole big 'package' I have been given , on many levels , the gratitude is towards 'that which made it possible or manifested '  is definitely connected with  'unconditional love '  ..... I am constantly thanking ( showing my appreciation )  to 'Big Mum ' ... who made it all possible ... and still does  ;  my teacher  ( in Australian indigenous matters ) advises me to always say,  'Bugglebear'  ( thankyou )  for what I have , and for anything I need  ; " Just ask Big Mum, she will look after you ."  ( that is a specific teaching  for me , it  isn't a 'magic manifestation for everyone , especially people that don't  follow 'Law' )  

 

That point about not forcing change  and what that relates to .... I could tell many stories ... most of my life has been like that . 

 

I have done  a study ( and some writing ) on the essentials of good traditions ; how and why and where  they might have started , what are their benefits  and how do we simply practice them .    Gratitude and making offerings of  gratitude is one of the central ones .  The rituals  (offerings of gratitude ) have existed   since at least   1700 bc  in the ancient Zoroastrian 'Yasna ' rituals ,  the ancient Vedic rituals ,  (  Zoroaster and Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche { The Central Asian Buddha}  both reformed the religions of their time by converting 'sacrifice'   into 'offerings  {and forbidding animal sacrifice }  )  many religions , and right through to the private and communal  rituals of today . 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Kati said:

 

I’d love to hear if others have experienced something similar — does gratitude shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world? Do you also see it as part of the Dao or the path to deeper harmony?

 

I see it as both .   One experience ( one of many ) I recently wrote about here .

 

It looked like I was going to loose my home and land , I started freaking out and panicked and went down the road most do ;   tried to find new accommodation , found out and heard there was none , rents not available and crazy expensive , other people telling me I didn't have a chance  etc .  Then somehow I came to my senses  :  what the hell are you doing, your life and everything you have   have been given to me (in one way or another ) , I always get looked after  and I now  realize and appreciate this  ( with the wrong attitude one may not realize and do the opposite  ....  complain  about  what  you have  -  and that of course will manifest the other 'symptoms' ).  So I dropped that whole BS mind set , looked on line , saw a nice house in a nearby area  and to cut the story short, every step along the way was 'magically accomplished '   ( the owner even skipped me ahead of applications  and paid for an initial supply of firewood, two large gas bottles  and let me use all their  equipment and machinery  - it was a small rural property ) .

 

But still there was something familiar about the place  and why I felt strangely at ease and at home there , then I realized   it was  the place I saw when I first came here 30+ years back  and at the time I thought 'What a great place , I would love top live there, even if for a few months , to experience it .'  Well, that is exactly what happened , it then turned out I wasn't going to loose my house  ( a cabin actually )  and now I had a 'lodge' up in the mountains  and a cabin  down in the valley by the river .

 

It goes on and on , I didn't even by my place ... it was given to me .   NO its not a mansion , it simple but functional  and has many benefits  modern and urban life is missing  .... you must know of that dynamic where modern people with all mod cons   and distraction suffer depression and other types of  related issues   ( they are basically  DISSATISFIED  ......   )   and they wonder why the simple villager or tribal person seems to have an inner happiness  or satisfaction   (or perhaps gratitude ) . 

 

Enjoy it , practice it   and enjoy the results of the practice .    It can even get to the level of  'gratitude for existence '  , and in that 'the whole Universe rejoices' . 

 

Its an aspects on the path to Eudamonia        ( which I believe was and should be the 'natural state '   ) .  

[Kati]

10 hours ago, BigSkyDiamond said:

since i grew up in a home where we were sort of beat about the head regarding gratitude, my answer is I no i can not force myself to feel gratitude.  Too often having angry people coerce with "You should be grateful that _____" has stigmatized that for me.  In all the contexts i heard that, it was toxic.

 

I do find that qigong practice does induce for me beneficial states of calm, stillness, awareness, and a deep sense of well-being.  All those for me are heightened and this carries into my daily life.  I love the stillness it brings to me within. 

 

With regards to these questions asked: "Does ___ shift your energy in a way that affects your outer world? Do you also see ___ as part of the Dao or the path to deeper harmony?" what brings that shift about for me is the practice of observing and letting any and all thoughts and emotions just float on by like clouds in the sky.  Without chasing them or scripting them or spinning out.

 

I appreciate the opening post and topic, it is thoughtful and considered.

 

[this article has more on Toxic Gratitude: The Hidden Cost of Forced Positivity and resonates for me ]

 

Thank you for sharing .For me it us not forcing gratitide, more about seeing,that gratitude is something which us part of my true self. Like envyness is part of the ego. Does my question now make a different sense ?

[Kati]

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

I do not misinterpret it , nor do I see anywhere in it where it seems an attitude was forced on you or suggested by those around you  resulting in an averse understanding of the value of the practice . You seem to have come   to it yourself  within the context of practic

Yes yes yes, thank you. I didnt felt forced to it, feeling that gratitude is like a truth from me .

It is kind of dissapointing, that except you, no one really answered my Question.

Most Responses focus on the topic "forced gratitude " but my question is not focusing on that

[Kati]

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

suggest you ignore negative  responses that focus on things other than what you outlined yourself   ( they seem a negative projection towards you )  .... you have discovered a good thing and I suggest you explore it

Thank you for validating my experiences 😀 i dont feel harmed by the responses from the people in this thread. Most people in this thread , Seemed too have experienced a childhood in which gratitude was related to authoroty and not a heartful reminder. I do get, why people want to share about this.

Still i would be happy when those people actually also focus on my question itself

 

[Kati]

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

I could tell many stories .

Be my guest.. i am here for the stories 😆

[Kati]

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

have done  a study ( and some writing ) on the essentials of good traditions ; how and why and where  they might have started , what are their benefits  and how do we simply practice them .    Gratitude and making offerings of  gratitude is one of the central ones .  The rituals  (offerings of gratitude ) have existed   since at least   1700 bc  in the ancient Zoroastrian 'Yasna ' rituals ,  the ancient Vedic rituals ,  (  Zoroaster and Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche { The Central Asian Buddha}  both reformed the religions of their time by converting 'sacrifice'   into 'offerings  {and forbidding animal sacrifice }  )  many religions , and right through to the private and communal  rituals of today .

That Remiinds ne of the blue zones. So inspiring. I assume you know about them 

 

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

It looked like I was going to loose my home and land , I started freaking out and panicked and went down the road most do ;   tried to find new accommodation , found out and heard there was none , rents not available and crazy expensive , other people telling me I didn't have a chance  etc .  Then somehow I came to my senses  :  what the hell are you doing, your life and everything you have   have been given to me (in one way or another ) , I always get looked after  and I now  realize and appreciate this  ( with the wrong attitude one may not realize and do the opposite  ....  complain  about  what  you have  -  and that of course will manifest the other 'symptoms' ).  So I dropped that whole BS mind set , looked on line , saw a nice house in a nearby area  and to cut the story short, every step along the way was 'magically accomplished '   ( the owner even skipped me ahead of applications  and paid for an initial supply of firewood, two large gas bottles  and let me use all their  equipment and machinery  - it was a small rural property ) .

 

But still there was something familiar about the place  and why I felt strangely at ease and at home there , then I realized   it was  the place I saw when I first came here 30+ years back  and at the time I thought 'What a great place , I would love top live there, even if for a few months , to experience it .'  Well, that is exactly what happened , it then turned out I wasn't going to loose my house  ( a cabin actually )  and now I had a 'lodge' up in the mountains  and a cabin  down in the valley by the river .

Thank you! I looked exactly for this kind of response. I enjoy the mysterioes syncronicities you got. Wonderful!

 

7 hours ago, Nungali said:

can even get to the level of  'gratitude for existence '  , and in that 'the whole Universe rejoice

Yes i do get a sense once in a while,that this is the truth! because life itself was given to me freely, just like you mentioned before

[Nungali]

21 minutes ago, Kati said:

Be my guest.. i am here for the stories 😆

 

 

Oh O  !  

 

(says everyone    ) 

 

 

It became apparent  some time back , my  Khvarenah seems to be 'Story -teller '  . 

 

An important position in  the tribe   -     before it all got  ****ed  up  . 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nungali]

What is your 'Khvarenah'   Kati  ?  

[Annnon]

On 02/08/2025 at 5:15 PM, Kati said:

What I noticed is that when I truly stay in that energy of gratitude, it’s as if the situations, people, and even the environment around me start to resonate with it — almost as if they are drawn to this higher-frequency state.

 

I would like to hear more about this specific point, is it true?