Does Threefold Law Apply to the Law of Attraction?

Although my personal spiritual beliefs align far more with the concepts within the law of assumption, I have historically not been shy in my embrace of the “witch” label. I’m of the belief that most, if not all, religions and spiritual practices of the world essentially teach the same things from different angles.

I talk about this regarding spirituality as a broad topic in my post, Witchcraft, the Law of Attraction, and Identity in Spirituality, and I mention it in another context in my comparison of the law of attraction and the law of assumption.

And, like myself, many people who are new to the law of attraction also have a background in witchcraft, whether that be more eclectic like myself, or more structured in nature, such as a religion like Wicca or Neo-Paganism.

That leads to a lot of talk of a concept called “Threefold Law.”

What is Threefold Law?

Threefold law, sometimes called the Rule of Three, is a religious principle held by many Wiccans, Occultists, and Pagans. Simply, it states that whatever intents the practitioner puts out into the universe will be returned to them threefold.

Some traditions and beliefs hold that threefold law or the rule of three is literal; you get exactly three times the energy you put out, whether that be positive or negative in nature. Concept states that negative intent, whether that be for you or for someone else, will still return to you in some way or another, multiplied.

Other trains of thought hold that the “three” in threefold is more symbolic, and that our energy will simply return to us greater than the original state in which it was released.

I am of the latter. To me, threefold law is a simple word of caution as to how our thoughts and beliefs (our “energy”) create, and that we should be mindful of what we are putting out into the world. When we focus on good things, that good is manifested. When we focus on unwanted or negative things, that negativity is manifested.

It should be noted that, while threefold law is a common tenet in many spiritual practices, it is not a universal belief held by all of the religions under the usual “witchcraft” umbrella. Some practitioners hold that the rule of three is more akin to monotheistic morality (seen more in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism) and ethics than it is with the old traditions.

It is fair to say that threefold law is prominent, but not universally accepted by all practitioners.

Is Threefold Law the Same as Karma?

Threefold law or the Rule of Three is considered by some witches to be akin to or even the same as the concept of Karma. And, by the interpretation of karma held by a lot of modern western society (where I live), the two do sound quite familiar in concept! This, however, is not really accurate, as “karma” has many meanings depending on the branch of spirituality that do not always refer to what we manifest in our physical realities.

I talk a little bit about the concept of Karma and the Law of Attraction in my post, Is Manifesting a Specific Person Wrong? as it comes into play with many worries about ethics, free will, and the intent (or “energy”) of the manifestor.

What Karma and the Rule of Three do have in common is the unified concept of spiritual cause and effect. In both, there is always a consequence for an action, whether that be a physical action or a spiritual one. They also have in common that each concept has several interpretations depending on the branch of their respective religious practices.

Some versions of Karma are very similar to some versions of the Rule of Three, while others differ quite drastically from each other. However, it is fairly safe to say that, in general, they are not quite the same, but hold similar themes.

Does the Rule of Three Apply to the Law of Attraction?

Threefold law states, in essence, that what we put out energetically returns to us. The law of attraction states, as well, that what we put out energetically returns to us. They sound quite compatible, when you put it simply!

However, it is important to understand how the rule of three applies to the law of attraction, and what this principle means in relation to manifesting in general.

Within the law of attraction or law of assumption, threefold law is not literal in nature. In fact, I think that, from a manifesting perspective, the rule of three is more a guideline about practices, a word of caution for those conscious creators going down something of a reckless path.

A lot of the time, you will find new conscious creators who do not begin their journey in a good head space. They are preoccupied with things like revenge, or being a magical vessel for what they see as “karma.” Instead of focusing on their own healing and building the life of their dreams, these manifesting “newbies” get too focused on their negative thoughts and emotions towards events and enemies.

This is a trap that needs to be broken out of. When we linger on negative feelings and try to use the law to exact misfortune upon others, we come from a place of hurt and desperation. As per the law of attraction, we assume this state of an angry victim, and deepen our roots in that identity.

I talk about this more in my post about a personal success story, How I Quickly Got Rid of the Third Party. In this post, I talk about an unfortunate circumstance I found myself in with my person’s troublesome ex, who was bothering me and my person with some really problematic behaviors.

The way I manifested her away was not to imagine bad things happening to her. I had no reason to make bad things happen to her, as I did not see myself as someone who needed that to happen.

Instead, I intended that she move on to the next stage of her life, leaving us alone and finding her own happiness. She ended up moving away to go to a different school.

It’s my belief that threefold law is less of a firm “law” or a “rule” as it is a cautionary guideline to new conscious creators who might be struggling with their identity as the god of their own reality.

When setting an intention, take a moment to think of the root of the desire. Not because desires are ever “wrong” or “bad,” but to make sure that you are coming from a constructive place that will place you closer and closer to your divine identity.