If you’ve spent any time in an AA meeting or a 12-step recovery group, you’ve probably heard someone recite a short, humble prayer that asks a Higher Power to help “set aside” everything the speaker thinks they already know. That’s the Set Aside Prayer and for many people in recovery, it’s become one of the most quietly powerful tools in their spiritual toolkit.
This guide breaks down exactly what the Set Aside Prayer says, where it came from, why it isn’t technically part of the Big Book, and how you can start using it in your own recovery journey.
Quick Answer
The Set Aside Prayer is a short, widely used recovery prayer that asks a Higher Power to help the speaker let go of preconceived ideas about themselves, their addiction, other people, and their recovery so they can approach life with an open mind and see the truth more clearly. It’s popular in Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs, but it is not official AA literature or part of the Big Book.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
| Full name | The Set Aside Prayer (also called the AA Set Aside Prayer) |
| Used in | Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and other 12-step recovery groups |
| Official AA/Big Book text? | No — it’s a folk prayer, not printed in the Big Book |
| Core theme | Open-mindedness, humility, and willingness |
| When it’s typically used | Before step work, before reading the Big Book, or during meetings when doubt or resistance appears |
| Related prayer | Often recited alongside the Serenity Prayer |
| Origin | Unclear; believed to have roots in the Big Book chapter “To the Agnostic” |
| Format | Short, one-paragraph prayer, easy to memorize |
What Is the Set Aside Prayer?
The Set Aside Prayer is a brief, plain-spoken prayer recited by people in recovery to clear away mental clutter before doing spiritual or step work. Instead of asking a Higher Power for strength, comfort, or forgiveness the way many traditional prayers do the Set Aside Prayer asks for something different: permission to admit you don’t already have all the answers.
That distinction matters. Addiction recovery often requires unlearning old habits of thought as much as building new ones. Many people entering AA arrive with fixed ideas about God, about themselves, about what “recovery” should look like, or about whether the program will even work for them. The Set Aside Prayer directly addresses that mental resistance by asking for an open mind and a fresh, honest perspective.
It’s typically recited silently or aloud at the start of a meeting, before reading a passage from the Big Book, or privately before beginning step work such as a Fourth Step inventory.
The Set Aside Prayer (AA): Full Text
Wording varies slightly from group to group and region to region, but the most commonly used version reads something like this:
“God, help me to set aside everything I think I know about myself, my disease, the Twelve Steps, and especially You, God, so that I may have an open mind and a new experience with all of these things. Please help me to see the truth.”
Some groups use a longer version that also asks for openness about “others” and “my own recovery,” and some substitute “Higher Power” for “God” to keep the language inclusive of different beliefs. A simplified, adaptable version some members use for everyday situations looks like this:
“Please help me set aside everything I think I know about this person, place, or thing, so I may have an open mind and a new experience.”
Because the prayer isn’t copyrighted, standardized, or published in official AA literature, feel free to adapt the wording to whatever language feels most authentic and comfortable to you.
What Does the Set Aside Prayer Mean?
At its heart, the Set Aside Prayer is about practicing beginner’s mind — approaching your recovery, your relationships, and your understanding of a Higher Power without the baggage of old assumptions. Here’s what each part is really asking for:
- “Set aside everything I think I know about myself” — releases fixed self-judgments (I’m broken, I’m weak, I’ll never change) that can keep people stuck.
- “My disease” — invites a fresh, less shame-driven understanding of addiction instead of clinging to old excuses or denial.
- “The Twelve Steps” — asks for openness toward a process that can feel unfamiliar, uncomfortable, or even resisted at first.
- “Especially You, God” — addresses spiritual resistance, particularly for people who’ve had painful or disappointing experiences with organized religion in the past.
- “So I may have an open mind and a new experience” — the actual goal of the prayer: not answers, but openness.
- “Please help me to see the truth” — a request for clarity, not comfort — the willingness to face reality as it is.
In short, the prayer isn’t asking a Higher Power to fix anything. It’s asking for the humility to stop assuming you already have it figured out — which, for many people in early sobriety, is the real turning point.
Is the Set Aside Prayer an Official Alcoholics Anonymous Prayer?
No. Despite how often it’s recited in meetings, the Set Aside Prayer is not printed anywhere in the Big Book or in any of AA’s Conference-approved literature. It’s what’s often called a “folk prayer” within the recovery community — passed informally from sponsor to sponsee, group to group, and meeting to meeting, much the way the Serenity Prayer became an AA staple without originally being written for AA at all.
Alcoholics Anonymous Set Aside Prayer: Why AA Members Use It
Even without official status, the prayer has earned a lasting place in the culture of recovery for a few practical reasons:
- It’s short and easy to remember, making it usable anywhere — before a meeting, before opening the Big Book, or in a quiet moment of doubt.
- It complements Step work, especially Steps Two and Three, which ask members to come to believe in a Power greater than themselves and turn their will over to that Power.
- It lowers spiritual barriers, giving people who are skeptical of religion or burned by past experiences with it a low-pressure way to explore belief.
- It reinforces humility, a core value throughout the 12 steps, by reminding members that certainty and control were often part of the problem, not the solution.
Is the Set Aside Prayer A Big Book Prayer?
Not exactly but it isn’t entirely unconnected either. Many longtime members and historians trace its language and spirit back to ideas found in the Big Book’s chapter “We Agnostics,” which encourages readers to set aside prejudice and be willing to believe, even if only a little at first. The prayer is best understood as something inspired by that chapter’s message rather than a direct quotation from it.
How to Use the AA Set Aside Prayer in Recovery
The Set Aside Prayer works best as a simple, repeatable habit rather than a one-time recitation. Here’s how many people in recovery build it into their daily routine:
- Before reading the Big Book or step literature — say the prayer first to approach the text with fresh eyes instead of old assumptions.
- Before a meeting — use it to quiet cross-talk in your head and stay open to what others share.
- Before starting step work, especially a moral inventory, where honesty matters more than being “right.”
- In moments of resistance or doubt — when you notice yourself thinking “this won’t work for me” or “I already know how this goes.”
- During conflict with another person — adapt it to ask for an open mind about that specific relationship instead of reacting from old resentment.
- As a morning practice — some members recite it daily alongside the Serenity Prayer to start the day with humility and openness.
A simple way to remember when to use it: any time you catch yourself thinking you already have the full picture, that’s usually the moment you need it most.
Set Aside Prayer PDF and Set Aside Prayer AA PDF
Many recovery communities and treatment centers offer free, printable versions of the Set Aside Prayer so members can carry it in a wallet, tape it inside a Big Book, or post it somewhere visible at home. If you’re looking for a Set Aside Prayer PDF or an AA-specific printable version, look for:
- Recovery center resource pages (many addiction treatment websites host printable prayer cards)
- 12-step fellowship websites and district/area literature pages
- Recovery apps that include daily readings and prayer libraries
Because the prayer isn’t officially copyrighted or trademarked by AA, you’re free to create your own printable version, add it to a personal recovery journal, or share it with your sponsor or home group.
FAQ’s
Who wrote the Set Aside Prayer?
The exact author is unknown. It appears to have developed informally within 12-step recovery communities rather than being written by a single, credited person.
Is the Set Aside Prayer only for alcoholics?
No. While it’s most common in AA, anyone working toward personal growth, letting go of assumptions, or practicing humility can use it, with or without a formal recovery program.
What’s the difference between the Set Aside Prayer and the Serenity Prayer?
The Serenity Prayer asks for the wisdom to accept what can’t be changed; the Set Aside Prayer asks for an open mind to let go of what you think you already know.
Can I change the wording of the Set Aside Prayer?
Yes. Since it isn’t official AA literature, members regularly adapt the wording to fit their own beliefs, language, and situations.
When should I say the Set Aside Prayer?
Most people say it before step work, before reading recovery literature, or whenever they notice resistance, doubt, or a closed mind creeping in.
Is the Set Aside Prayer religious?
It uses the word “God” in its most common version, but many members substitute “Higher Power” to keep it open to any spiritual belief system, including non-religious ones.
Conclusion
The Set Aside Prayer may not carry the official stamp of AA literature, but its influence on the recovery community speaks for itself. In just a few short lines, it captures one of the hardest and most important lessons in sobriety:
Real growth starts with admitting what you don’t know. Whether you’re new to recovery, deep into step work, or simply looking for a way to approach life with more humility, this small prayer offers a simple, honest place to begin one open mind at a time.
