this post was submitted on 29 May 2024
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[–] bunkyprewster@startrek.website 6 points 5 months ago (3 children)

I'm an atheist, but I also pray to a vague "higher power" every morning. My sense is that the prayer helps whether I believe or not.

[–] SpeakingColors@beehaw.org 5 points 5 months ago

Check out Chaos Magick perhaps. The centerpiece is: what you believe in doesn't matter, belief itself is the power. It encourages changing your belief structures so it doesn't become rote dogma. Fun to play with at any rate; pray to Minerva, sink an offering for Cthulhu, get into established religion systems and then switch for another.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 5 months ago

I start each day by thinking of three things for which I'm grateful. I suspect it has a similar effect.

It doesn't have to be anything profound. Examples include: "we had a nice time picking fruit over the weekend," "the weather isn't going to be as warm as it was yesterday," "I had a nice conversation with the other day." But big stuff also gets in there when warranted.

[–] owl@beehaw.org 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Fascinating. I do too, in a way - I find it helps to think about what help I need, in a way that is quite prayer-like (I believe ). For me, it's a way of reminding myself that I don't have to fix everything myself, not even in my own life. Sometimes good things happen for no reason.

[–] Radiant_sir_radiant@beehaw.org 2 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I do too, in a way - I find it helps to think about what help I need,

The interesting (to me) thing is that as soon as I've read this, my mind said "duck programming".
(For the blissfully uninitiated, duck programming is when a software developer explains a problem to a rubber duck. The solution will often present itself during the explanation after having been hiding in plain sight for hours up to this point.)

Do.you think atheistic prayers work in a similar way?

The human mind sure is a fascinating thing.

[–] owl@beehaw.org 3 points 5 months ago

Yes, I believe that's a part of it. Just the act of formulating "this is a problem that I don't know how to solve, please help" sometimes starts some kind of problem solving of my own.

But another thing that "atheistic prayer" does for me is that if/when that thing happens, I'm more likely to notice it. And a problem dissolving by itself, or due to someone helping me, is something I really want to notice.