When you decide on sobriety, putting down the bottle isn’t enough. Getting sober also means letting go of old ways of thinking. Long-held beliefs can make it hard to accept new ideas, especially if you’ve tried and failed before.
The mind, which has been shaped by addiction, may resist new ideas, people, and healing methods.
The Set Aside Prayer can serve as a guiding light. This simple yet powerful prayer is widely embraced in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). That is because it helps people release those rigid thoughts and make room for new experiences.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the function of the Set Aside Prayer in AA and everything else you need to know about it.
What is the Set Aside Prayer?
The Set Aside Prayer is not found in the official Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) literature, such as the “Big Book” or the “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions”. Instead, it is a prayer that has grown from the experiences of people in the fellowship.
The prayer’s purpose is to create an open mind and allow for a new experience with everything. There are a few different versions of the prayer, but the meaning behind them is always the same.
Other versions might swap out “the Twelve Steps” for “the Big Book” or “the Program” to make it more personal. No matter the words used, the goal remains the same: to get a new perspective and see the truth.
What is the Function of the Set Aside Prayer in AA?
The Set Aside Prayer plays a powerful role in AA. It helps create the right mindset for lasting change. At its core, this prayer invites people to move from rigid certainty and control to humility and openness. This shift can transform the entire recovery journey.
The Set Aside Prayer encourages four key shifts in perspective, which are:
- Open-mindedness: The prayer is a direct request for an open mind and a new experience. It offers a powerful antidote to what has been described as an inaccurate arrogance that can hinder a person’s recovery. This openness helps hear new ideas and see new solutions
- Letting Go: The prayer is a direct act of letting go of self-will, stubbornness, and prejudice. It helps people loosen their grip on the need to control every aspect of life
- Humility: The Set Aside Prayer encourages humility because it involves seeking help from a higher power. It reminds people that their own ideas might be wrong and that they have limits to what they can control
- Beginner’s Mind: The Set Aside Prayer helps nurture what the Japanese Zen tradition calls shoshin, which translates as “beginner’s mind.” This is a concept that refers to an attitude of openness and eagerness, like a child seeing something for the first time. This fresh perspective helps look at familiar problems in a new and different way.
How the Set Aside Prayer Supports the 12 Steps
The Set Aside Prayer is a key tool in the 12-step process, especially at the beginning of step work. The prayer helps remove the internal barriers that can block a person from truly engaging with the program. These barriers include self-will, stubbornness, and unreasoning prejudice.
Asking to set aside what you think you know is a way to make room for new ideas. This is essential for embracing the principles of the 12 steps, such as willingness, discipline, and service.
Note, though, the 12 steps are helpful for a wide range of recovery programs, not just Alcoholics Anonymous.
According to Purpose Healing Center, the prayer is also used in programs like Narcotics Anonymous. It helps people with addictions to substances like cocaine and methamphetamine develop important skills for personal growth.
What Role Does the Set Aside Prayer Play in Choosing Treatment Options?
Choosing treatment options for a drinking problem can be one of the most overwhelming parts of recovery.
There’s no shortage of choices. There are detox centers, inpatient rehab, outpatient programs, therapy, sober living homes, medication-assisted treatment, and support groups. Each one comes with its own set of opinions, myths, and misconceptions.
The Set Aside Prayer can help you step away from assumptions that might limit your options. Maybe you’ve always been skeptical about therapy, or you believe that anything beyond AA meetings is unnecessary.
The prayer encourages you to approach treatment decisions with curiosity rather than judgment. Instead of automatically dismissing something because it doesn’t fit your preconceived notions, you can look at each treatment path with fresh eyes.
You might discover that an inpatient program is more flexible than you thought. Or a combination of counseling and group support feels right for you. In short, the Set Aside Prayer opens your mind, so you can make choices based on facts rather than old fears or biases.
A Small Prayer with Big Impact
The Set Aside Prayer may seem small, but its function in AA is big.
It is a powerful tool for change. It is a simple, human way to start your day or your meeting with a gentle, humble request to see things differently. It is a way to let go of fear and trust that a new experience is possible. It is a prayer for anyone who is ready to let go of the old story and begin a new one.
The prayer is a reminder that you do not have to have all the answers. You do not need to be perfect. All you need is the willingness to try something new and to ask for a new experience. That willingness is the beautiful beginning of a wonderful new life.