Giving Thanks: Prayers of Gratitude from Around the World

“Each morning when you rise, I ask you to give thanks for the new day, to offer your prayers of gratitude for what you have and what you are willing to receive. This will bring you into present time.” – White Buffalo Woman

Prayer serves as a universal human practice that transcends cultural boundaries, offering us sacred moments to pause, reflect, and connect with something greater than ourselves. Across continents and traditions, prayers of gratitude share a common thread: they remind us of our interconnectedness with all life, ground us in the present moment, and open our hearts to both giving and receiving.

These prayers are not merely words but invitations into relationship – with the earth beneath our feet, the sky above our heads, the breath moving through our bodies, and the vast web of existence that holds us all. Whether spoken aloud, whispered in silence, or held as meditation in the heart, prayers of thanksgiving cultivate awareness of the gifts we often overlook in the rush of daily life.

The practice of gratitude prayer can transform our consciousness. When we acknowledge what we have rather than dwelling on what we lack, we shift from scarcity to abundance, from isolation to connection, from fear to love. This simple practice of recognition and thanksgiving has the power to heal both individual hearts and collective wounds.

Prayers from Sacred Traditions

U.N. Day of Prayer for World Peace

O Great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you. To your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth who provides for your children. Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other so that they may grow with peace in mind. Let us learn to share all the good things you provide for us on this Earth.

This prayer honors the indigenous understanding that we are caretakers of the earth, not owners, and that our greatest responsibility is to pass wisdom to future generations. The four winds represent the sacred directions and the wholeness of creation, while the pipe ceremony signifies the sacred bond between earth and spirit.

Navajo Chant

The mountains, I become a part of it… The herbs, the fir tree, I become a part of it. The morning mists, the clouds, the gathering waters, I become a part of it. The wilderness, the dew drops, the pollen… I become a part of it.

In Navajo spirituality, the concept of “hózhǫ́” (walking in beauty) emphasizes harmony and balance with all of creation. This chant dissolves the artificial boundary between self and nature, reminding us that we are not separate observers but integral participants in the living earth. Through repetition, the prayer creates a meditative state where this truth can be deeply felt.

Thich Nhat Hanh Prayer

Water flows over these hands. May I use them skillfully to preserve our precious planet.

Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh taught “engaged Buddhism,” where spiritual practice and social action are inseparable. This simple prayer for washing hands transforms a mundane act into a sacred moment of commitment. It reminds us that every action, no matter how small, can be an offering of care for our world.

Yoga Mantra (Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu)

May all beings everywhere be joyous and free. May my actions contribute to the happiness and freedom of all beings.

This ancient Sanskrit mantra expands our circle of compassion to include all sentient beings. It recognizes that true happiness cannot exist in isolation – our liberation is bound up with the liberation of all. The prayer calls us to examine how our daily choices impact others, from the food we eat to the words we speak.

Sioux Prayer

All over the world the faces of living ones are alike. With tenderness they have come up out of the ground Look upon your children that they may face the winds And walk the good road to the Day of Quiet. Grandfather Great Spirit, fill us with the Light. Give us the strength to understand, and the eyes to see. Teach us to walk the soft Earth as relatives to all that live.

This prayer from the Lakota tradition embodies the concept of “Mitakuye Oyasin” – we are all related. It recognizes the fundamental unity of all life and asks for the wisdom to walk gently upon the earth, treating all beings as family. The “Day of Quiet” refers to death, approached here not with fear but as a natural completion of life’s journey.

Sisters of the Earth Prayer

There is one breath. There is one life. There is one earth. All is holy. All is sacred. All is one.

This contemporary prayer distills ancient wisdom into its essence: the recognition of fundamental unity. In a world that often emphasizes division and separation, this prayer returns us to the truth of our shared existence. Each breath we take connects us to every other breathing being; each life participates in the same cosmic dance.

Buddhist Prayer

We reverently pray for eternal harmony in the universe. May the weather be seasonable, may the harvest be fruitful, may countries exist in harmony, and may all people enjoy happiness.

Buddhist prayer tradition often emphasizes the interconnection between inner peace and outer harmony. This prayer recognizes that human wellbeing depends on the health of natural systems, social cooperation, and spiritual balance. It teaches us to hold vision for collective flourishing rather than merely personal gain.

Mother Teresa Prayer

The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace.

Mother Teresa’s prayer maps the spiritual journey from inner stillness to outer action. It reminds us that contemplation and action are not opposites but partners. True prayer leads to faith, which expresses itself as love, which manifests as service, which ultimately creates peace in the world. Each stage grows naturally from the one before.

Sivananda Prayer

Peace be to the East! Peace be to the West! Peace be to the North! Peace be to the South! Peace be above! Peace be below! Peace be to all creatures of this universe! Peace be everywhere!

Swami Sivananda’s prayer radiates peace in all six directions, creating a sphere of blessing that encompasses all of existence. This practice, common in yogic tradition, reminds us that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but a positive force we can consciously cultivate and extend in all directions from our own center.

Yogananda Prayer

Divine Mother, give us food, health and prosperity for the body, efficiency for the mind, and above all, your love and wisdom for the soul. Aum, peace, amen!

Paramahansa Yogananda’s prayer acknowledges the needs of body, mind, and spirit while maintaining proper hierarchy – recognizing that divine love and wisdom are the highest treasures. The closing “Aum, peace, amen” unites three traditions (Hindu, universal, and Judeo-Christian), symbolizing the unity of all spiritual paths.

Integrating Prayer into Daily Life

These prayers offer templates for cultivating gratitude, but their true power emerges when we allow them to inform our daily consciousness. Consider beginning each day with one of these prayers, or creating your own from the heart. Let thanksgiving become not just a momentary practice but a constant orientation toward life.

As you move through your day, pause regularly to notice what deserves your gratitude: the sunshine on your face, the food on your table, the breath moving through your body, the people who share your journey. These moments of recognition train the heart to see abundance where it might have seen lack, connection where it might have felt separation, sacredness where it might have perceived the ordinary.

Prayer is not about perfection but about presence. It is about showing up, again and again, to the miracle of existence. In this way, giving thanks becomes not just something we do but something we become – beings of gratitude, walking in beauty upon this precious earth.

May all beings everywhere be joyous and free. May your prayers, spoken and unspoken, contribute to the healing of our world.