alternative quotes/lines that are non-religious?
 

sober 11 and a half months here...noted before in previous forums I choose not to attend AA and didn't feel it was for me and the likes. not religious by any means on top of that...was wondering though if there were any types of lines or quotes to think up and the likes from time to time? Calling it a 'prayer' and not being religious is a bit of a double-standard, but I am having trouble defining what I mean....verses,hymns? sorry if this is dumb/confusing. just wondering. sometimes i wouldn't mind having something to say each morning or every few days in a tough time etc., that doesn't revolve around praising god or telling myself i'm powerless and weak constantly.

hey there
I'm not religious either but I really like some of the Buddhist thoughts on life.
Here are a bunch to read: Buddha Quotes - BrainyQuote
:-)

I was amazed when I stumbled across the following Secular Humanist Affirmations...who knew there was an organized group out there who thought like I did!

The Affirmations of Humanism:
A Statement of Principles

We are committed to the application of reason and science to the understanding of the universe and to the solving of human problems.

We deplore efforts to denigrate human intelligence, to seek to explain the world in supernatural terms, and to look outside nature for salvation.

We believe that scientific discovery and technology can contribute to the betterment of human life.

We believe in an open and pluralistic society and that democracy is the best guarantee of protecting human rights from authoritarian elites and repressive majorities.

We are committed to the principle of the separation of church and state.

We cultivate the arts of negotiation and compromise as a means of resolving differences and achieving mutual understanding.

We are concerned with securing justice and fairness in society and with eliminating discrimination and intolerance.

We believe in supporting the disadvantaged and the handicapped so that they will be able to help themselves.

We attempt to transcend divisive parochial loyalties based on race, religion, gender, nationality, creed, class, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, and strive to work together for the common good of humanity.

We want to protect and enhance the earth, to preserve it for future generations, and to avoid inflicting needless suffering on other species.

We believe in enjoying life here and now and in developing our creative talents to their fullest.

We believe in the cultivation of moral excellence.

We respect the right to privacy. Mature adults should be allowed to fulfill their aspirations, to express their sexual preferences, to exercise reproductive freedom, to have access to comprehensive and informed health-care, and to die with dignity.

We believe in the common moral decencies: altruism, integrity, honesty, truthfulness, responsibility. Humanist ethics is amenable to critical, rational guidance. There are normative standards that we discover together. Moral principles are tested by their consequences.

We are deeply concerned with the moral education of our children. We want to nourish reason and compassion.

We are engaged by the arts no less than by the sciences.

We are citizens of the universe and are excited by discoveries still to be made in the cosmos.

We are skeptical of untested claims to knowledge, and we are open to novel ideas and seek new departures in our thinking.

We affirm humanism as a realistic alternative to theologies of despair and ideologies of violence and as a source of rich personal significance and genuine satisfaction in the service to others.

We believe in optimism rather than pessimism, hope rather than despair, learning in the place of dogma, truth instead of ignorance, joy rather than guilt or sin, tolerance in the place of fear, love instead of hatred, compassion over selfishness, beauty instead of ugliness, and reason rather than blind faith or irrationality.

We believe in the fullest realization of the best and noblest that we are capable of as human beings.


Council for Secular Humanism

Murray

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough and doggonit people like me."

Daily affirmations by Stuart Smalley.:)

But seriously, some people call it "self-talk", other call it "self-hypnosis", but what I do is form a well formed outcome for my life, and I break it down on what I will accomplish that day.

We get what we focus on. I focus on happiness, prosperity, sobriety and my core values of freedom, contribution and security. I have a life plan that is written up to take me to these goals, and at night before I go to sleep I take 10 or 15 minutes and close my eyes and focus on what I am going to make happen and how it is going to make me feel, then in the morning before I get on the road or workout I again take 5-10 minutes to focus on what I am going to do that day to reach those goals.

Some call it prayer, but I talk to my mind, some call it meditation but they try to think of nothing, I call it focusing in on what I want to accomplish and living with a purpose.

Really like the life planning and humanist values. :c029:

There is no room for fear in a grateful heart.

Atheist Prayer
 

I heard someone recently talk about praying like they are sharing with a fellow addict at a meeting. I like that idea. Of course, I could just get my ass on the phone and actually call another addict, but when that isn't possible, I can at least share with my imaginary friend.

I have to admit that sometimes I still talk to an imaginary man in the sky. It helps when it helps, and so I do it. Generally it's when I feel grateful for how life is going, or am trying to work something out.

Either way, it's nice to talk to someone who listens without saying anything. :-)

Well believe it or not, when you are praying to the imaginary guy in the sky, your real God...(your subconscious) is listening. Why do you think prayers get answered? Why do they say God helps people who help themselves? Because when you pray you are having your subconscious focus on what you want, then when you take a little bit of action towards your goal each day you eventually get what you want. One of God's miracles occurs.:) Relaxed self talk is the best talk.

I know I couldn't become sober until I visualized a sober life. If I was religious that visualization would have been in the form of prayer. Life doesn't just happen, there is a lot of truth in the concept that we create our own reality.

Lucky you, I argue with myself. Haha

I was raised Quaker, I spent a whole lot of time meditating because that's just what they do. I never got much from it EXCEPT an hour to relax my brain, not think too hard. And that's when the obvious answers would be, well, obvious. Quakers call it the still, small voice of God. I think it's just giving your subconscious a few minutes to get to the crux of whatever the problem is, break it down to bare essentials and not worry about all the stuff that doesn't matter so much. Mostly, when you aren't distracted by side issues (what will *whoever* think, how can I make it work, etc) you realize you already know what to do, how to act, and the next course of action.

Now... I'm good enough, I'm smart enough... :D