The Book of Uncommon Prayer
The Book of Uncommon Prayer is a collection of prayers for non-supernaturalists. I plan to keep this updated, and to add a section of shorter mantras.
“The Litany Against Fear” was written by Frank Herbert, the rest by me. The title of each prayer below also serves as a link to the original post that has commentary on each prayer.
Daily Devotional for the Not-Yet
In this moment, as in all the moments I have, may the image of the God or Gods Who May Be burn brightly in my heart.
Let faith give me a felt assurance that what must be done to bring the Day of Awakening and the Day of Fulfilment closer can be done in a spirit of joy and contentment.
Let the gathering powers of heaven be at my left hand and my right. Let there be many heroes and saints to blaze the trail in front of me. Let the younger generations who will follow discern the truth and wield it to strengthen good and weaken evil. Let the grandeur of the Universe above inspire noble thoughts that lead to noble plans and noble deeds. Let the Earth beneath be a remembrance of the wisdom of our ancestors and of others who have died before us. And may the light within be an ocean of conscious and unconscious being to sustain me and those who are with me through all the trials we must go through.
In this moment, I am. And I am grateful that I am. May others be, now and for all time.
An Agnostic Prayer for Strength
May I be strong and steadfast,
calm and collected,
as I set out to serve
the God or Gods who may be.
An Agnostic Prayer for Awareness
May I be subtly aware of everything going on around me
So that I may better champion the God or Gods Who May Be.
May this gathering uplift our hearts, enlighten our minds, and inspire our endeavors to bring us closer to, and glorify, the God or Gods Who May Be.
Gratitude: (We are thankful …)
Hopes: (We hope …)
Concerns (We are concerned …)
Worries (We are worried about …)
Thoughts (We are thinking of …)
Addition wishes (May …)
etc., in no particular order
And may we understand more fully the mystery of the humanity we all share, and act as one family to bring this Earth nearer to Heaven. Amen.
May the works that we do, sustained by this food, bring us closer to, and glorify, the God or Gods Who May Be.
Gratitude: (We are thankful …)
Hopes: (We hope …)
Concerns (We are concerned …)
Worries (We are worried about …)
Thoughts (We are thinking of …)
Addition wishes (May …)
etc., in no particular order
And we remember Jesus Christ, symbol of all that is good in humankind, and thereby clue to the God or Gods Who May Be. Amen.
An Agnostic Prayer for Awareness
May I be subtly aware of everything going on around me so that I may better champion the God or Gods Who May Be.
The Litany Against Fear (from Frank Herbert's Dune)
I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.