I Am Mingjue Gratitude

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology shows that practicing gratitude can rewire the brain for greater emotional balance, empathy, and resilience.

In our Zhineng Qigong Science practice, we often recite “I am mingjue gratitude”, mingjue being the state of pure awareness where we can experience unconditional virtue. These words are more than just sounds. They are a vibration, a state of being, and—according to science—a powerful medicine for the brain and heart.

This study titled "Effects of compassion training on brain responses to suffering others" shows that regularly practicing gratitude doesn't just feel good, it actually changes your brain. In the study, people who consciously practiced gratitude showed shifts in brain activity that made them more resilient, less anxious, and more connected to others. The benefits didn’t depend on life circumstances or how “positive” a person’s life already was.

The transformation came from the gratitude practice itself.

One of the most striking findings is that gratitude seems to reorganize how the brain processes information about the self and others. It boosts activity in areas of the brain related to empathy, moral decision-making, and social connection. In short, when we practice gratitude, we become more attuned to love, care, and unity; the very qualities we cultivate through mingjue consciousness.

Even more compelling is that gratitude can reduce activation in areas of the brain associated with fear and stress. Over time, this can mean fewer anxious thoughts, more emotional balance, and a nervous system that rests in safety rather than defense.

What does this mean for us as practitioners of mingjue? It means that each time we rest in “I am mingjue gratitude,” we are participating in a kind of inner alchemy. We’re rewiring the neural networks that shape how we perceive the world. We’re softening the grip of fear, separation, and control. And we’re strengthening the brain’s natural pathways of joy, peace, and connection.

Gratitude is not a reaction, it is a state of consciousness. It is not something we feel after things go well; it is a way of seeing and being that helps things go well. It aligns us with the healing forces of life. It opens our hearts. And now, we know: it literally transforms our brains.

So the next time you speak the words “I am mingjue gratitude,” know that you are not just affirming a teaching—you are embodying a living transformation.