Glossary - exWitch Australia (formerly 'Born Again Pagan')

THREE-FOLD LAW OF RETURN, The

In Wicca and some other forms of Neo-Pagan Witchcraft, the Three-Fold Law of Return (sometimes referred to simply as he Three-Fold Law) is the belief and principle on which magick is used.

This law relates to the use of power and energy, for when used, power is returned to the sender, three times the level it was sent out.

Used in relation with the ethos, "Do what thou wilt, an' it harm none" (as stated in the Wiccan Rede), most Wiccans take great care when preparing and casting Spells that no harm should come to others because of it. A few may be 'careless' or 'sloppy', but the intent iis rarely, if ever, in Wicca at least, to cause harm to another - though it should be remembered that not all Neo-Pagans or other practitioners of Magick either believe in or adhere to the Wiccan Rede.

According to standard Wiccan belief, the nature of this three-fold return can perhaps be better understood when considering the cause and effect principle of a spell. Let's take a very simple example - someone comes to you (as a Wiccan) in distress with a problem, you help by sending out positive energy and the problem is successfully resolved.

Wiccans hold that this automatically makes you feel good about yourself and influences your thoughts; thus your state of consciousness is altered. In turn your thoughts stir the emotions, which has a physical effect in the body by causing glandular secretions to enter into the blood stream. The resulting state of mind and body lifts your spirit, which is what makes you feel good.

Thus, according to Wiccan belief, with the act of a single good deed, you have been effected three times, in mind, body, and spirit. This then is your three-fold response to the return of positive energy.

In short, it goes against the basic tenets of Wicca to use Magick to harm another.

That said, why then is there a need for the Wiccan Rede and the admonishments of the 'Three-Fold Law'? Why encourage Wiccans "to do no harm," and to not do Magick with wrong intentions? The very existence of the Rede indicates a belief that men and women can do bad things, that we are not good all the time.

In contrast to the Wiccan and Neo-Pagan view of 'original sactity', the Bible teaches:

"As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10-12)
"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" (Romans 3:21-25)
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:9-10)
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." (1 John 3:4-5) "All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death." (1 John 5:17) "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Romans 14:23) "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)

PLEASE NOTE:
One of the major problems with 'defining' Paganism and/or its beliefs and practices is that it is an 'organic' movement, in that it is undergoing constant change and re-evaluation from within, and as such any 'one-size-fits-all' approach to understanding Paganism will be found wanting.

Due to the very 'organic' nature of Paganism, and the many differing Paths and Traditions within it, in many cases no one definition may be universally accepted by all Pagans. Therefore, where such cases of possible conflicting and/or contradictory meanings of certain terms occur I have endevoured to give not only the generally accepted meaning, but also any major 'variations' in belief and/or practice.

Christians who believe this difference in meaning of certain key terms, beliefs and practices to be unique to Paganism need to remember that such conflicts also arise within the Body of Christ - the Church. Take for instance the differing practices amongst Christians concerning Baptism and the different attitudes towards women in the clergy.

- Jean-Luc

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