The three fold law is well a law.
It says whatever type of energy you put into your spells good or bad will ultimately return to you
three times. So if you do something good using magick, three times good shall come back to you. And if you do something bad, three times bad shall come back to you.
Its in the wiccan rede
" Mind the three fold law you should
Thee times bad and three times good "
simply said
" what goes around comes around "
or
" tit for tat "
The three fold law is universal. You do not have to be wiccan to believe it. It means that whatever type of energy you put out, thats what type of energy you will get back. Three times. Do good, get back 3 times as good.
The Three fold Law or as I and many others refer to it as "The Law of Return."
So basicly it's main principal is similar to that or Karma, as previously stated: "What goes around comes back around." So in this case what ever positive or negative energy you output it'll of course come back to you. Though of course "three times."
This "Law" doesn't apply to all Wiccans, or Pagans . Some would arguably say it's not a law period.
The conceptial understanding here is that whatever you do will come back. Come back in what way? Well according to Hinduism that depends on what you've done. So let's say for example you've commited murder or have done something negative then they'd believe it'll come back as a negative form of Karma . Therefore if you've done something "Good, or positive" Then you'll get back good Karma . Though as always you have those who are skeptical and might believe it's just a way to scare people into doing the right thing, or what someone "Believe's to be right."
Though like I said this doesn't apply to everyone nor is it believed to be the same, everyone of course is entitled to their own opinion. You can find a little more about the Three-Fold law in, Raymond Buckland's books on Wicca , for more information.
I hope this atleast helped a little, I know there are others who could answer this a bit differently than I did, or would. Haha, but thanks for reading. :D
As has been mentioned, the Three-Fold Law is basically saying that our choices of action have consequences, and that we are responsible for the consequences of our actions.
Some believe that the Three-Fold Law means that if you do something bad then something three times worse will happen to you. Not only is this a misunderstanding of the Three-Fold Law but it suggests that we should do good because we're afraid of punishment when we should be acting rightly because it is the proper thing to do.
When the Three-Fold Law talks about things returning three times over what it is really saying is that the consequences of our actions come back to effect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
As an example, if you go through life angry and striking out at those around you there will be consequences.
We know that anger and stress can have a negative effect on you physically. It can cause gastric problems. It can make you more prone to heart attack and/or stroke.
If you're always acting hatefully to others you will eventually be left without friends. This can lead to isolation and depression., thus the emotional impact.
And spiritually, such actions lead to separation from the Divine.
The Three-Fold Law is nowhere as simplistic as many make it out to be. Think of it as the natural result of your own actions and how those impact you.
simply the law is what you do wrong or good will come to punish or reward you. there is no easy way of explaining everything but it is almost always done wrong if asked to the wrong person. but if you contact an administrator they can tell you everything.....
You can find out more about the threefold law in books by Ray Buckland but the three fold law is documented as far back as the old testament of the bible.
I feel that I need to clarify that the three fold law and karma are completely separate concepts. Karma effects you in your next incarnation according to the original doctrine of karma. You are working off your karmic debt from previous lifetimes in this one.
New age writers have completely missed this point and tried to make their own idea of karma and, as they usually do, fail at 'christianising' an older concept.
The threefold law is said to effect you in this life. Whilst you do not have to be Wiccan to believe it, if you are not wiccan you do not have to believe it and may not believe it to be true.
However the example which Lark gave is true and I would argue it has practical value in every day life.
The law of Three is not a literal law. It is a philosophical idea which Wiccans follow.
I do not acknowledge the principle and do not recognise it as being true for me in the way that you present the idea. Wiccans probably believe it is true for everyone, but to paraphrase Brysing's much repeated statement; they can believe what they like, it doesn't necessarily make it true.
However, the way in which Lark presents the idea using something completely aside from spell work is something which I can agree with to an extent.
