Pagans/Spiritualists/Pantheists/Atheists - Do you pray? And if so, how?

Question

I know it seems very stupid to ask this to atheists also, but I'm an atheist pantheist (in that I believe there is no higher power than the universe) yet I still believe prayer can work as an affirmation, and way to state what I believe to myself occasionally.

Can you also give a link or write your favourite prayer?

I asked these groups of people because Judeo-Christian/Muslim prayers are unlikely to be of use to me, since I do not believe in the Judeo-Christian/Muslim G-d.

Thanks x

Answer 1

Try Pastafarianism, it might work for you.

http://www.venganza.org/

Answer 2

I am pagan, and yes, I pray every day to my goddess. My favorite prayer... I dunno... usually my prayers are relatively unstructured, kind of spur of the moment. I consider them more of a conversation than anything else, so I go in knowing what I want to say, but its not totally scripted out or anything.
However, one I found on belief.net that's posted over my desk:
Make me Strong in Spirit
Courageous in Action
Gentle of Heart

Let me Act in Wisdom
Conquer my Fear and Doubt
Discover my own hidden Gifts

Meet others with Compassion
Be a source of Healing energies
And face each day with Hope and Joy

basically it encompasses my life philosophy. Don't know if I've ever actually prayed it, but I look at it and think about it all the time, which is, in my book, almost the same thing.

Answer 3

Yes. I pray. Quite often. As to the how, well, there are many different ways. Sometimes I go all out with an offering and kneel before the altar and pray. Sometimes I close my eyes and sit in meditative prayer. I offer up little prayers of thanks throughout the day. And sometimes, when I'm feeling particularly affectionate, I write a poem or song in honor of a God or Goddess and sing it to them.
And before dinner we say grace-

The earth gives us the food we eat
The sun warms it and makes it sweet
The seeds are spread on the wind that blows
The rain falls down to help it grow
We now remember all who give
Of themselves that we may live.

So that we always remember that in eating we are part a cycle much bigger than ourselves.

Answer 4

Some of my favorite prayers are from the Lovingkindness Survival Kit, written by Suzette Haden Elgin. One example:

THE SMALL CREED

I believe in lovingkindness,
the manifestation of the Holy,
inexhaustible, infinite, and undivided.

Whatsoever hinders lovingkindness,
humankind perceives as pain and evil.
I will not be a hindrance.
I will not be confused by hindrances.

I believe in lovingkindness,
the manifestation of the Holy,
whose channel in this world I am,
now and forevermore.
Amen.

Answer 5

Prayer might work as an affirmation. If you don't accept a god you could just try meditation.

No don't pray. Atheist.

Answer 6

Affirmations, or as I prefer to call them, Verbal Remedies work by enacting your creative visualization. The way to write and recite your own precision affirmations is to make your statements: Positive, Present, Personal and Specific. Here are some useful resources for getting your mind around your own verbal remedies: http://www.psychic-junkie.com/verbal-remedies.html

Answer 7

whatever you believe in just talk to them. You don't have to have a special prayer or anything like that. Just talk to them as you would your everyday friends and family.