Gratitude as Spiritual Nervous System Repair

Gratitude gets spoken about so often that many women roll their eyes before they even begin. Yet hakarat hatov (recognizing the good) is far deeper than a pleasant feeling or a self-help exercise. It is a spiritual skill, a trauma-healing doorway, and a practice of returning the soul to HaShem’s embrace.

The Meor Einayim teaches that every spark of goodness we perceive is actually a spark of Divine light rising inside us. He writes that the heart awakens through the light hidden within each moment, meaning the moment itself becomes a messenger of HaShem’s nearness (מאור עינים) . This reveals that gratitude is not merely noticing something nice but actually perceiving HaShem reaching toward us.

Rebbe Nachman deepens this understanding by explaining that hoda’ah (gratitude) lifts a person from katnut to gadlut, from a constricted mind to an expanded one. In states of depletion, it is easy to believe that our emotional exhaustion is a sign of spiritual failure. Yet gratitude becomes the gentle thread that pulls us back into spaciousness, where breath and hope can enter again.

Your nervous system already understands this truth on a biological level. When you whisper even a small “Todah HaShem,” something inside softens and loosens. A single breath, held with intention, becomes a bridge from overwhelm to connection.

Gratitude does not deny pain; it reorients the soul within it. In trauma-informed language, we might say gratitude creates “micro-moments of safety,” tiny pockets where the body can remember it is not alone. Spiritually, it is the act of turning toward HaShem and saying, “I still see Your kindness, even while I ache.”

The Ramban reminds us that HaShem deals with us with rachamim rabbim (abundant compassion), specifically so we will not be afraid to return to Him (רמב"ן על דברים הקדמה) . His compassion is not dependent on our emotional strength but rests upon His eternal willingness to hold us. When we practice gratitude, we align ourselves with this compassion and allow our hearts to feel supported again.

A Simple Emuna Builders Practice for Embodied Gratitude

Place your hand gently over your heart and inhale for four slow counts. Allow your exhale to release without force, like a sigh after a long day. Whisper softly: “Todah HaShem… for this breath.”

Continue with another breath and speak: “Todah HaShem… for the spark of good in me, even if I cannot feel it yet.” Do not rush this practice, because the body needs time to receive what the soul already knows. Let yourself feel held, supported, and accompanied.

This is not spiritual performance; this is teshuvah (returning), the delicate art of coming back to yourself. Gratitude rebuilds the bridge between who you are and who you long to be. It teaches your inner world that you are safe enough to take the next small step toward wholeness.

Rabbeinu Yonah writes that gratitude is the beginning of teshuvah, because it awakens awareness of the kindnesses HaShem is constantly showering upon us (שערי תשובה א׳) . When you notice the good, you naturally turn toward the One who gives it. The soul remembers what it forgot.