On the Third Day of Winter Solstice…

…witch named brandee gave to me,

The Rule of Three

The Law of Threefold Return, or The Rule of Three, is a Wiccan principle saying that the energy you put into the world you receive back three times, good or bad. This principle has generally been used as a warning for new witches. Other traditions have similar principles — Karma in Dharmic Regions and the Golden Rule in Christianity, for example. Be aware of the magic you cast, it will come back to you.

The origin of The Rule of Three is pretty murky, like many aspects of paganism. Since their teachings are oathbound, it’s difficult to know how much original Wiccans followed this creed, but it does appear in the Wiccan Rede (a written set of guidelines for those practicing witchcraft). It seems like it is more likely adopted by NeoPagans or New Age Wiccans since most of the writings published belong to that group (me included, I’ll do a study on different witches soon). Other folks claim that it’s simply a Western retelling of older laws like Karma (fair). While some argue that Karma, Threefold Return, the Golden Rule, and others are all expressions of the same cosmic truth.

The most widely accepted interpretation of the law is literal, if you cast one harmful spell, three bad things would happen to you. Something three times as bad would also likely work. This interpretation draws a lot of criticism though. Many say it’s a rule made up to scare new witches into behaving and others take issue with the exact quantity of three. And at some point, it becomes pretty clear that certain people get away with harmful things with no obvious consequences.

To me, other interpretations make more sense than a literal energy exchange. For instance, some use the Rule of Three to mean that your actions affect you on three levels: body, mind, & spirit. This one feels a bit less mystic and more straightforward but can still be a useful tenant when trying to decide if an action is worth the energy, which seems like the whole point. Another interpretation is that the energy you put out in this life has effects on where you end up in other lives.

Whether you’re a follower of The Law of Threefold Return, a similar practice, or a complete skeptic, it seems like a good idea to pay attention to your actions. Especially when you’re dealing with other people, keeping an extra eye on your motivations and the consequences of your actions seems like a good general practice.

Practice your magic with care folks!

-brandee

Thank you to Learn Religions and Wicca Living for the information!