Many of you, may already recognize this title as it is, for I stole it (far be it for me to lie now) from Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy fiction series. I have read the series countless times from start to finish, for there are many facets of a Fantasy fiction series that cannot be absorbed with only one reading.
'Aram gestured to the trees, his eyes fastened intently on hers. "The leaf lives its appointed time, and does
not struggle against the wind that carries it away. The leaf does no harm, and finally falls to nourish new
leaves. So it should be with all men. And Women."'
....
'"But you said you wouldn't hurt him," Perrin said.
"I would not, but violence harms the one who does it as much as the one who receives it." Perrin looked
doubtful. "You could cut down a tree with your axe," Raen said. "The axe does violence to the tree,
and escapes unharmed. Is that how you see it? Wood is soft compared to steel, but the sharp steel is
dulled as it chops, and the sap of the tree will rust and pit it. The mighty axe does violence to the helpless
tree, and is harmed by it. So it is with men, though the harm is in the spirit."'
....
'"You see, Perrin?" Raen said. "For us, safety lies in moving, not in villages. I assure you, we do not spend two nights in
one place, and we will travel all day before stopping again."
"That may not be enough, Raen."
The Mahdi shrugged. "Your concern warms me, but we will be safe, if the Light wills it."
"The Way of the Leaf is not only to do no violence, " Ila said gently, "but to accept what comes.
The leaf falls in its proper time, uncomplaining. The Light will keep us safe for our time."'
....
'Then he [Aram] reached out and pulled a sword from the cluster, hefting it awkwardly. The leather-wrapped hilt was long
enough for both of his hands. "Can I use this one?" he asked.
Perrin nearly choked.
Ila's eyes fell on her grandson, on what he held and she screamed as if that blade had gone into her flesh. "No, Aram!
Nooooo!" She almost fell in her haste to get down the stairs and flung herself on Aram, trying to pull his hands from
the sword. "No, Aram," she panted breathlessly. "You must not. Put it down. The Way of the Leaf. You must not!
The Way of the Leaf! Please, Aram! Please!"
Aram danced with her, fending her off clumsily trying to hold the sword away from her. "Why not?" he shouted angrily.
"They killed Mother! I saw them! I might have saved her, if I had had a sword. I could have saved her!"'
....
'Wiping his [Perrin's] mouth, he tossed the napkin on the table and got up. There was still time to tell Aram to put the
sword back, to go ask Ila's pardon. Time to tell him...what? That maybe next time he would not be there to watch his
loved ones die? That maybe he could just come back to find their graves?'
....
'"I suppose it is," Perrin said sadly, wondering why he should feel sad. The Way of the Leaf was a fine belief, like a
dream of peace, but like the dream it could not last where there was violence. He did not know of a place without that.
A dream for some other man, some other time. Some other Age perhaps. "Go on, Aram. You have a lot to learn, and there
may not be much time." Still bubbling thanks, the Tinker did not wait to wash his tears away, but ran straight out of the
inn, carrying thw sword upright before him in both hands.'
....
'Faile watched him [Perrin] pick up his knife and fork. "You disapprove?" he said quietly. "A man has a right to
defend himself, Faile. Even Aram. no one can make him follow the Way of the Leaf if he doesn't want to."
"I do not like to see you in pain," she said very softly.
His knife paused in cutting a piece of goose. Pain? That dream was not for him.
The above excerpts from The Wheel of Time represent
the core of what Fluffy-ism: The Way of the Leaf is all about. I was in the fledgling days of my spiritualistic growth,
as I am now just beginning to reach pre-adolescence with my explorations here, and as such very impressionable.
I began to think — as I was Atheist at the time — about all the different works of literature that were
attributed to Divine Inspiration. Thinking about this, I saw the Truth (uncomplicated by Faith) that all works of
literature were in fact pure fiction. Everything, from Schindler's List, to Cat's Cradle. From
the Bible to the Koran, all were works of fiction. I mean ficiton, in that it was ideas
and beliefs, and eye-witness accounts of events, feelings, or abstract notions that came to the minds of Human Beings.
The Truth, is that Man created "God". Not that we created the being, or the essence in which we labeled "God",
but more that we created our "concept" of what it, he, or she might be.
Nay, we were created by something, but our finite, imperfect minds will never fully comprehend it. So, we try
our best to describe our perceptions of what it is. That, is where Faith comes in. Because of this simple enlightenment
while being apathetically atheist and reading a fantasy fiction series, I began to see, that the Bible, could be
considered similar to The Lord of the Rings. Instead, of just one person's perspective, such as J. R. R. Tolkien,
we have a few hundred perspectives, all relating to the same path, with correlating perspectives upon that path, such as
Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, Paul, Isaac, Abraham. Each shared a different role, whether as characters being woven in a story,
to authors, creating the characters to illicit a magnificently beatiful perspective on Life.
As you can see that the above passages are not all together inspiring, and to some degree displaying a very
tragic and meloncholic atmosphere. A character Perrin, who through circumstance is forced to take up a Battle Axe and fight for his
life and the life of his friends. Along the way, he meets Ila and Aram who follow this path of non-violence. The beauty and
tranquility inspired by this simple Faith in the Light, Faith in the Creator, awes Perrin, and everything in him wishes to be a part
of it. He cannot. In his time, it is not his way. Yet, upon seeing the affect that life has upon those who choose such a hard
path, Perrin is actually broken to see this man Aram give up and forsake his Faith. As I often re-read these passages, I become more
attuned to the understanding of paths. Some people fight and protect with strength of body. Others protect and teach through Faith.
The purpose behind this, is encapsulated in one phrase told to Perrin when he first tried throwing his axe away.
"You'll use it, boy, and as long as you hate using it, you will use it more wisely than most men would. Wait. If ever you
don't hate it any longer, then will be the time to throw it as far as you can and run the other way." Those who follow the
path of peace and Faith are meant to carry their burdens in the spirit as loss. Those who follow the path of justified violence,
bear their burdens in the spirit of hate. The pacifist must die without ever striking back, or their path was for naught.
The warrior spirit must defend, ultimately knowing that the violence is only a lesser of two evils, building up a constant rage as
to why they must defend instead of being able to live in a Dream of Peace. Neither burden is greater than the other. Hatred, and anger
can lead to unjust irrational action executed through violence. Loss, and Fear can rip away Faith like craypaper. Our greatest strength
is also our greatest weakness.
Thus, this simplistically noble concept of "The Way of the Leaf" become embedded in
my soul, and I heard the truth behind it. I found that my path was not violence, even in just form. As I would defend righteously
so, the pain of Hate was not one I found agreeable, or easily controlled. Loss however, doubt, fear constantly preyed upon my soul,
yet whenever I succeed in a moral test of Faith, I felt renewed, and able to continue carrying that burden. From there I expanded
outward, listening to all the minute whispers of Truth behind every religion, or dogma on the planet, and encorporating them upon this
base. That in a nutshell is Fluffy-ism. A path of nonviolence, and Acceptance.