The opening track on our album Crow Magic is titled The Law of Three. It’s a little chant with a big message:
The Law of Three says what I give out, then, the world gives back and the world gives back and the world gives back to me
It’s the way energy works. Can you remember a day when you were feeling down or discouraged? As you moved through the day, that was the energy you sent out into the world around you, through your body language, facial expressions, words, and actions. That probably didn’t draw a lot of good things toward you, did it? On the other hand, think of a day when you woke up happy, ready to share your gifts with the world. As the positive energy flowed out of you, positivity flowed back, right? People smiled back at you, appreciated your attitude, and your efforts paid off, buoyed as they were by your shiny good energy.
For Wiccans, the Law of Three (or Threefold Law) is the belief that good actions not only bring good results, the desirable results return back to us threefold. Likewise, the consequence of negativity is a return of negativity, magnified. What I give out, the world gives back, and gives back, and gives back.
This chant is a good one for singing at a fire circle. It’s in 4/4 time, so it’s easy to fit into the rhythm the drummers are usually in. I often help the singers keep track of the world gives backs by holding up my hand and counting them on my fingers, a gesture the group can join in on to emphasize the magical meaning of the song. Once that is well established, you can start fitting in the countermelody:
What I give is I what I live and what I see returns to me
This part of the song teaches that the life you are living is the result of what you have given to others, and that what you perceive around you creates what returns to you. If you see the best in people and situations, you’ll bring out the best in them.
I saw this in operation when I served in the Peace Corps in Peru 2012-2014. I served my community in many ways, but what I gained from the experience was a threefold return of what I gave, or more. I did a lot of teaching, to the farmer’s collective, in the town and provincial governments, and in all levels of the education system, from the elementary school through a local college.
But what came back to me was far more. My horizons were widened, I grew as a person, and had many adventures!
Want to use this song in your own spiritual life? To prepare, choose a deity or animal ally to work with. Create a place to record your observations of energy flow. Maybe you could get a pocket notebook, or set up a document on your phone or computer. Choose 3 days when you will work with The Law of Three, and be sure to set out what you need the night before you begin. Each morning, ask for the help of your ally, and sing The Law of Three, setting the intention to be aware of your own energy and what it brings you. Throughout the day, let the chant play in your mind. Then, at the end of the day, journal in your notebook or document about what you noticed. Thank your ally for its precense.
At the end of the third day, after completing your journal writing, it’s time for a little spellwork. Take some time to contemplate what you learned. Then, choose something to put on your altar to set your intention for the coming three months. It might be a word, a poem or an object. Perhaps it symbolizes how you want to be in the world. Perhaps it symbolizes what you want to receive back from the world. Over the next 3 months, you can sing the chant The Law of Three, and keep strengthening the spell. I hope this working will bring wonderful things into your life. So mote it be!
In an upcoming post, I’ll talk about the song Circle of Healing, which is a medley of several chants, including The Law of Three.
This post is dedicated to that fountain of positive energy: Melanie Crowombin, because today is her birthday!
I hope you’ll respond in the comments section. Do you believe in the Threefold Law? If you try the personal ritual described in this post, be sure to share your experience here!
For more information about the Crow Women pagan choir, and access to all the blog posts by Alane and the other 9 crowsingers who have written for Pagan Song, you can visit the Crow Women author page here on Pagan Song.
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