Non Sibi Sed Aliis

Non sibi sed aliis

"Not for self, but for others"

It represents a philosophy of selflessness, service, and altruism, often used to encourage contributing to the common good rather than personal gain.

This has been a motto for my life as far back as I can remember. Honestly how could it not be when this is the example my mom set for me.

In 1970 America, it was neither popular, cool, or even normal to find yourself pregnant without a husband. It actually brought shame on your family. So, when Mary found herself pregnant by a man she knew she could not be married to, she knew she needed to make plans fast. She told her parents she was off to college and went to live in another city with a Catholic foster family. The family she was placed with was very loving towards her and she enjoyed her pregnancy. She gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. She eventually moved back home to her parents, who helped raise the lucky little girl as their own. When she is asked if she ever regretted the choice she made, she just smiles and says, "It wasn't a choice, I knew there was life inside of me. Just because it was going to be a challenge didn't change that. I made the initial choice that led to the pregnancy. My daughter didn't need to pay the ultimate consequence for my decision."

And so, my life began and what an incredibly wild journey I have taken that has brought me to this moment as a Priestess of the Æsir and a Gyðja of the Asatru Folk Assembly. My purpose to serve both the Folk and the Gods.

What is our purpose as a Folk?

"To make our Gods and our ancestors proud of us; To create a better hamingja and a better orlog for the children that we bring into the world and for our grandchildren than we came into the world with; To elevate our family to a status and a position better than we started in; To build a world closer to how it should be to the best of our ability." — Allsherjargoði Matt Flavel

Sounds easy, right? How do you put it into practice though????

Start with understanding your life is the latest link in the chain of your lineage all the way back to the beginning. Build a relationship with your Ancestors, talk to them, and participate in the gifting cycle with them. Share this with your children. Don't have children, then share this with your Folk.

When you become a member of the Asatru Folk Assembly, you have joined with the community. Think beyond yourself for the greater good of the community. Build relationships with the Folk, lean on them in hard times and support them through their hard times. Don't plant seeds of discord. When conflicts happen, talk them through directly with the person it involves or choose not to engage or continue.

The best way to end something is to let it starve. Conflict thrives on attention. The more you engage you feed it. Whatever you feed grows. But if you simply let it be, if you withdraw your energy, it withers away like a fire deprived of air.

Continue right action and forward movement.

Find your purpose. Build relationships. Think beyond yourself. Don't plant discord. Right Action. Keep moving forward. Together growing, we are a stronger AFA. Together growing, we have a stronger future for our Folk.

Hail Victory!

Hail the Æsir!

Hail the Folk!

Hail the AFA!

Gyðja Sara Ault

sault@runestone.org

~ From The Runestone, April 2026 ~