This is a spiritual aspect in many forms and beliefs. Do you think its basis has any significance or is it something we created for our own needs and it sounded good so we kept it and pass it on?

I don't know if you get back an excact threefold...but when you do a ritual, or any action actually, magical or non-magical, you send out energy. That energy has to go somewhere, it doesn't just dissolve into thin air. It swirls around, occasionally picking up loose energies along the way, and eventually it comes back to you...how, I do not know.

Now here's where my belief in reincarnation comes in handy too, because you might not get that backlash in this life. It influates your karma, and can follow you from life to life untill you manage to even it out.

Don't forget the Hindu Triumvarti of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva (Creation, Sustanance and Change respectively). THe number three is certainly everywhere...

As for the Threefold Law, I don't think it should be taken absolutely literaly, but in general it certainly seems that positive energy gives rewards and negaitve energy gives "punishments". To take a non magickal example, it is better to teach a child through praise than through punishment (discipline in moderation of course), as he will not feel negatively towards the actual learning, and will try of his own accord to further it. Whereas if you punish him when is wrong, in an attempt to make him right, he will just get more upset with it and probably give up alltogether...

You're right...some people operate with tenfold though...I guess that's for really nasty magic. Threefold is most commobnly known as a wiccan belief, they are vey focused on three. Maiden/Mother/Crone, just to make an example.

But why is there four, and sometimes five elements..?

Well, there are four directions... the elements correspond with them.. what better... winds from the east, sea to the west, colder to the north and warmer to the south... Euro-centric of course. Then you've got "spirit" as a fifth, because, well, a square realy doesn't look as "mystical" as a pentagram now does it?!

Good thinking...back to topic...

I edited away my first post, because I misread the question...what I said, basically, in the first part, was that the number three is to be found in numerous religions, I'm not counting christianity here, because their Father/Son/spirit is basically a rip-off of the 'heathen' threefold god(esse)s, created to make converting go smoother.

But even in fairytales, we encounter the number three, it is believed to have great power...so why not in magic as well? And magical retribution can be a powerful thing...

christianity has its trinity buddhism
has the triple gems
yup that number 3 is everywhere

Sounds just like a more intense version of karma.
karma isnt something I believe in. It sounds like a story to make children behave themselves (no insult intended to those who believe)

with the buddists, and it is really defined as what your spirit chooses to learn in the next life.

3fold law is like a boomerang, YOU throw it, it comes back to YOU

I had a boomerang whan I was a kid, the first time I threw it it didn't come back, I never saw it again waaaaaaaaaaah!

that's because you didn't practice enough!

I was practicing at the time

Ahem...topic, guys..? :p

:puppy dog eyes: Sowwy

In Fero's defense I think he was using it as an allegory to symbolize the whole karmic reprocussions...like a boomerang you throw it, it should come back to you...the only problem with the boomerang is that it often doesn't...epecially those cheap neon colored ones...so on topic, make sure your karma is a strong, sturdy australian...

Oh, yes, I agree, Jordyn, and I'm not upset at anyone...it's just that the convo seemed to get stuck on boomerangs...

ah the true tact is using the karmic boomerang affect with subtle undertones to make your point, while talking about something entirely different...so what do you do to improve your karma?

I don't know...try to be generally nice..? I haven't really found a place to start, really...

Recycling is good Karma, basically Karma is more based around order and chaos that good and evil, anything that changes chaos to order is good Karma.

Change chaos into order..? How do you do that in every day life, Fero..?