As you are well aware by now, this law states that anything you put out into the cosmos, will return to you three times, both in speed and strength. The karmic aspect of this is that everything you do will affect your spiritual progression in future lives.

Typically, in most Craft-oriented books, when you find any information, brief as it may be, relating to the Three-Fold Law, it is usually in reference to magickal or ritual work. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that magickal or ritual work is intentional. When performing acts of a magickal nature, we prepare for, work with, and send out intentional energy. It is at this time that the thought of the three-fold return is most prominent in our minds.

When looking at intentional magick, the law of three could be a major blessing, or a serious disaster, depending on what your goal is. If you are sending out energy for healing, strength and wisdom, it's a sure bet that when it comes back to you it will be in the form of blessings. If, on the other hand, you send out energy based on anger, greed, or selfishness, all I can say is 'duck and dodge all you want. It's still coming back at you. It will hit you when and where you least expect it, and it won't be pleasant.' The fact that your actions are intentional makes the return energy that much stronger, no matter what the intention is.

But what about the unintentional? We all have those aspects of ourselves where daily living has it's ordinary moments. We crawl out of bed, go to school or work, spend time with our families, and socialize with friends, among other things, on a daily basis. Do we consider the Three-Fold Law during these times as well? Again, in my personal opinion, if we don't, we should.

The whole basis of the Law of Three is 'cause and effect'. Everything you do will have an effect on someone, or something, somewhere down the line. This is often referred to as the "ripple theory"*. Please give some thought to the following scenerio:

We drop a stone into a pond. Once the pond feels the force of the stone, the water begins to ripple, and we watch as that ripple spreads out, getting larger and larger, until it eventually hits the edge of the pond. It may be much weaker in its end effect, but it is effective none-the-less. This ripple effect forces loose the dirt or sand at the edge of the pond, eroding it away, beginning another cause and effect situation. Eventually, one day with enough "ripples", this pond won't even exist, flattening itself out, becoming a dry bed. Many animals rely on that pond as their water source, and if that pond becomes a dry bed...this is yet another means of cause and effect. The ripple effect could continue on and on, reaching places we haven't the slightest inkling about. (*Please note: the "ripple theory" was adopted from "Everday Magic" by Dorothy Morrison p. 75-79, and elaborated upon by Midnite Spirit.)

The message in this? "For every action , there is a reaction". (The Law of Physics) And another? "What goes up, must come down." Sir Isaac Newton (I think)

Now that you have a good idea of what you are dealing with on a magickal level, it's time to examine the Three-Fold Law on a more mundane level. 'Cause and effect' in daily living can be just as powerful.

Earlier I asked if the Law of Three is taken into consideration when we are active with the more mundane aspects of our lives. Some of you may have responded right away with a resounding "YES", and some of you may have had to stop to ponder this question. Hopefully, all of us will be that much more "aware" after finishing this lesson.

Given the fact that every action has a reaction, or every "cause" has its effects somewhere, this would include everything we do, every moment of the day.

If you have children, you are sure to have had moments where one of them has done something that upset you. How did you react? How did your reaction affect your child??

What about your Spouse or Mate? Ever had an arguement with him or her, and said or did something that you later regretted? Aside from your conscience, what happened to make you regret your actions or words?

Friends, Neighbors, Co-Workers...have they ever done something to annoy or upset you so much so that you felt the need to take action?? What did you say? What did you do? What was the end result??

Ever had a total stranger cut you off on the highway, or "steal" your parking space? Did you take your frustration and/or anger out on someone else because you needed to vent??

What about those days where nothing seems to go right? We have all had those moments, and they usually come with a pitiful cry of "Why Me???".

I know these seem to be the more dreadful moments in our lives. No one likes the feelings that any of these occassions has on us as individuals. But do we stop to think how our reactions turn into chain reactions? Let's face it, as Human Beings, we all have those moments where our behavior is less than perfect. If someone treats us, or reacts to us, in a negative way, we have a tendancy, ourselves, to react in the same manner. Unfortunately, anyone who is in the vicinity, will feel the negative energy as well, and they too will begin sending it out in entirely new directions.

The reason I mention the "dreadful moments" is because they are the ones that we seem to notice the most when they happen. They have the greatest effect on us because negativity is a strong, uncomfortable energy. But let's not forget those moments that mean the most to us. The moments that we often attribute to "the good life", and the ones that most often go into the "memorable occassions" box, to be pulled out later, if we have time. Moments like hugging your children with heartfelt emotions, knowing in the end, our children will be able to pass this emotion on to future generations. Being in love with your Mate, and all that goes with it, like a peaceful home life, the experience of a soul mate, and the beauty of being loved back. Helping out someone in need, or taking care of a sick friend...help and caring that will, undoubtedly, be available to you in your own time of need. These are truely magickal moments...moments where we'll gladly take all the repercussions associated with them. But in order to receive the good, you have to send the good.

The Law of Three is a force to be reckoned with. We've all heard the saying "what goes around, come around." While we don't always believe we have time to stop and think about what we're sending "around", we should take the time if we don't want to have to pay a negative price. Whether we are in the midst of daily living, or preparing for ritual, we must keep in mind that everthing we do will have its affect, whether we realize it immediately or not. To begin recieving the benefits of good karma, and positive results from the Law of Three, I find it beneficial to ask myself the following questions before reacting to any given situation.

1. Have I weighed all options as possible solutions?
2. Have I considered every possible consequence?
3. Who will be affected?
4. How will they be affected?
5. How far out will my action reach before it losses all effectiveness??

My hope, in presenting this material, is to bring to awareness how important it is to consider everything we do. Whether we are acting on behalf of a mundane level or a magickal one, we touch the lives of everyone and everything around us, so it is essential that you think before you act. And remember...All of life is magickal, so make every moment count.

Interesting Tidbits:

~ Raven Grimassi suggests in his book "Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft", that the three-fold return affects the three personal levels of existence: "Mind, body, and Spirit" p. 364

~ "Some perceive karmic retribution to be seven-fold or greater." Gerina Dunwich Wicca A to Z p. 129-130

~ "The Mystery Teachings of Elder Wicca associate [The Three-Fold Law] with the Goddess known as Wyrd." Raven Grimassi The Wiccan Mysteries p. 35

~ "Casting a spell on someone else is like casting a spell on yourself with 3 times the strength, so consider all options." Dorothy Morrison Everyday Magic p. 75

~ Sister Moon gives reference that the association of the Three-Fold return is based on the magickal number 3 because of the Triple Goddess and Triple God. The Wiccaning p. 10

BACKSTUDY~BUDDY HOMENEXT

IntroductionStudy OutlineMagical Dictionary

Lesson ILesson IILesson III