I tried praying and I don't know who I was talking to
Grew up with no religion at all. My parents were kind, practical people who thought church was for weddings.
Last night I couldn't sleep, and for some reason I just said, out loud, 'Hi. I don't know if anyone's there. Thank you for my sister getting through her surgery.' Then I felt very silly, and also kind of lighter?
Is it prayer if you don't know who you're addressing? Do I need to pick someone first? Genuinely asking. Please be gentle, I'm new at all of this.
My grandpa died two years ago today. My family isn't religious and we've never really marked it. Tonight I put his harmonica on the windowsill, lit a candle (in a jar, on a plate, I read the safety threads here), and just told him about my year, out loud. It felt silly for about thirty seconds and then it didn't.
I don't know what I believe. I'm not sure I need to yet. I just wanted to tell someone it happened.
Ten minutes, and I lasted about four
Tried meditating for the first time. Set a timer for ten minutes, sat on the floor, and by minute four I had mentally reorganized my entire kitchen and drafted an email to my landlord.
Is that... normal? I don't have a religion, so I wasn't praying to anyone or repeating anything sacred, just trying to notice my breathing. Is there a version of this that doesn't belong to a particular tradition, or am I borrowing something that isn't mine?
Genuinely asking. Everyone here has been so kind about the beginner questions.
Three months of reading over your shoulders
I've been lurking here for about three months. No religion, no practice, just a lot of reading at 1am. I wanted to say thank you, and share what I've noticed from the outside.
First: almost nobody here is trying to convince anyone of anything. I honestly expected to be recruited. Instead people answer questions and then go back to their gardens and their prayers and their tea.
Second: on the surface the practices couldn't look more different. A Sikh truck driver reciting scripture at a truck stop before dawn. A Wiccan casting a circle in their kitchen. A Quaker sitting in silence. A rootworker sweeping her porch. But underneath, so much of it seems to come down to two things: paying attention, and saying thank you.
Third: the people who've been at this for decades are the ones most comfortable saying 'I don't know.' I found that unexpectedly reassuring.
My grandpa's anniversary is in a couple of weeks. For the first time, I'm thinking about doing something to mark it. No idea what yet. But I think I've learned from all of you that it doesn't have to be impressive. It just has to be sincere.
Thanks for letting me read over your shoulders.