Fertility
Dedicant Path manual definition:
Bounty of mind, body and spirit involving creativity and industry, an appreciation of the physical and sensual, nurturing these qualities in others
Dictionary.com definition:
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bearing, producing, or capable of producing vegetation, crops, etc., abundantly; prolific: fertile soil.
- bearing or capable of bearing offspring.
- abundantly productive: a fertile imagination.
- producing an abundance (usually followed by of or in): a land fertile of wheat.
- conducive to productiveness: fertile showers.
Note: I chose the Dictionary.com entry for “fertile” as “fertility” was strictly about biology. The “fertile” entry was closer in content to the ADF virtue definition, so I switched them out so that I would be able to compare them more closely.
Fertility is the virtue of productivity and is reflected in the act of working hard and enjoying the fruits of labor. In George Dumezil’s tripartite ideology, this virtue encompasses those people that work the land, and whose diligence was responsible for the survival of the homestead or tribe. Hard work does not lie solely with those who work their bodies to toil the land, but also to those individuals who foster creativity. Artists and craftspeople exercise fertility by producing works that create culture and ignite the fires of imagination. If the farmers sustain the bodies of the people, it is the artists that sustain the mind and soul. Fertility is, and must remain, a continuous act. As the Earth produces its bounty year after year, so too must production be consistent and continuous in order to provide fulfillment. An unplowed field will yield no crop and a blank canvas allows the spark of inspiration to wither on the vine.
Fertility as a virtue is ideal for ADF, because Druidry requires hard work and inspiration to continue as a living religion. One should look no further than the study programs as proof of this, or the creativity needed to make the liturgy come alive and spiritually touching. Surprisingly, the Dictionary.com doesn’t do a bad job of describing what fertility means outside of the biological function. I still prefer the ADF definition of fertility because it ties everything together into a cohesive whole. I find it interesting and appropriate that fertility is the ninth virtue in ADF’s list. In many ways, it brings all the preceding virtues full circle. I am of the opinion that fertility is the drive of a virtuous and fulfilling life. Without it, no work would be done and no ingenuity to drive our spirit. But with fertility, all things are possible, and it will often take blood, sweat, and tears to bring them to fruition.
The Sacred Center 