Gratitude lives at the interface of body and mind. Deep in the brain, the insula translates sensations like heartbeat and breath into a felt sense of being. When we practice gratitude, empathy, or mindfulness, this same circuitry brings coherence to our inner and outer worlds, helping us feel meaning rather than just think it.

Gratitude lives at the interface of body and mind. Deep in the brain, the insula translates sensations like heartbeat and breath into a felt sense of being. When we practice gratitude, empathy, or mindfulness, this same circuitry brings coherence to our inner and outer worlds, helping us feel meaning rather than just think it.

It might seem paradoxical that turning inward, through practices like yoga and meditation, can strengthen our outward relationships. But at its foundation, gratitude requires awareness. To experience feelings of gratitude and express them, we first need to be aware of what is happening within and around us. If we are distracted and desensitized, then we don’t have the bandwidth to be mindful.