The Energy-Level Magic of Gratitude: Chakra Glow Up

By Leila Briggs

When we talk about manifestation, we have to talk about the energy we’re outputting. Manifestation isn’t just about willpower, mental projection, or repeating affirmations until our throat is tired (we’ve all done it). It’s about the frequency we hold and the way our energy body participates in creation.

This is why true manifesting includes chakra work, embodiment, and emotional alignment -not just mindset. And out of all the frequencies we can cultivate, gratitude is one of the most transformational.

Gratitude attracts more moments to be grateful for.Gratitude shifts perception.Gratitude reconnects you to your life in a way that makes you want to live it.

So let’s talk about the energy of gratitude - beyond the clichés, beyond the surface level, and beyond the heart alone.

Gratitude: A Full Chakra Activation

Most people associate gratitude with the heart chakra (and yes, the heart absolutely opens and expands in its presence). But true gratitude - felt gratitude - activates the entire chakra system.

Gratitude is a message your energy field sends through every layer of who you are:

Root Chakra – “I Am Supported”

Gratitude grounds. It signals support. When you feel grateful, your root receives confirmation that the world is not only survivable - it’s good.

Sacral Chakra – “I Am Inspired”

Gratitude stirs creativity, softness, connection, and flow. It dances with the sacral easily, reminding you that inspiration and sweetness exist here, too.

Solar Plexus – “I Know My Power”

True gratitude humbles the ego while strengthening identity. It helps the mental body release control because it can see - maybe just for a moment - that life is working with you.

Heart & High Heart – “I Am Open” + “I Remember Who I Am”

The heart opens naturally with gratitude.The high heart, your soul center, responds even more dramatically - it beams when gratitude appears because it anchors the expression of your deeper truth.

Throat Chakra – “I Can Receive”

A settled throat is the sign of a body that feels safe to speak, to soften, and to accept. Gratitude soothes this center, reminding it that receiving is sacred (and not, in fact, a crime).

Third Eye – “I See Possibility”

When you feel grateful, the third eye expands. It begins looking for more to appreciate, more paths that open, more ways to return the energy outward.

Crown Chakra – “I Share My Light”

Finally, the crown shines brighter. Gratitude becomes an offering - an outward exhale of love back into the universe.

This is why gratitude isn’t just a mindset shift. It’s a full-system alignment.

A Moment of Remembering

Take a moment. Recall a time when someone selflessly gave to you. A time when someone sacrificed something of theirs to protect or support you. A moment when someone ensured your comfort, safety, or wellbeing.

Let yourself remember the details - the sound of their voice, how your body felt, the surprise or the relief. And notice your system shift.

(And personally? I believe gratitude can be found in the tiniest everyday moments - just like Spirit. A held door, a stranger’s smile, a friend’s extra effort. We all know how easy it is to give into anger or irritation, so when anyone chooses kindness, it's courage. And it’s a little blip of divine energy if we allow it.)

Try This Gratitude Energy Exercise

Hold your palms facing each other, about an inch or two apart. Feel the space between them - its warmth and its subtle buzz.

Now intend to fill that space with the energy of gratitude.Invite it. Imagine it. Let it swell.

Feel how full that space becomes.

That warmth? That gentle power? That is the energy that runs through your chakra system when gratitude becomes part of your daily life.

A Beautiful Practice for Kiddos (or the Whole Family)

This palm-to-palm gratitude exercise is an amazing activity to share with your children - especially around Thanksgiving. It helps them feel energy, connect to their bodies, and understand gratitude as something living, flowing, and real.

It’s also a perfect way to teach the positive feedback loop that gratitude creates. When we learn that gratitude feels good - warm, full, and nourishing - we also learn that healthy giving (which often leads to gratitude on both sides) can generate the same uplifting energy. Gratitude teaches that kindness feels good to receive and to offer.

And honestly? It’s a lovely reminder for all of us, too.