Wiccan Rede & Rule of 3

Bright blessings all,

So I'm currently keeping a blog that's following my journey on my Wiccan path and I thought I'd share some of my thoughts here as well.
I'll be chatting about The Wiccan Rede and the Rule of Three which are guidelines we are encouraged to abide by.

It acts as a moral system for those of this path to follow. In it we are introduced to a number of themes that are widely seen in the Wiccan faith including ritual circle, moon phases and Sabbats. In its best known form as the "eight words" couplet, the Rede was first publicly recorded in a 1964 speech by Doreen Valiente:
"Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill, An it harm none do what ye will."

This honors the great freedom that each individual has to ascertain truth, to experience the divine directly, and to determine how to best live her or his own life. Wiccans practice magic and cast spells using a form of ritual and meditation similar to prayer, except that, instead of beseeching the aid or intervention of an external deity, the indwelling divine energy is drawn outward into manifestation in the world through harmonious interaction with the divine presence already present.

As I have been doing my research and study, this is something that I've come across in many places. In fact, when beginning my Book of Shadows it is one of the things that is frequently recommended grace the first few pages.

I would definitely recommend checking out the long version, it's a lovely poem and is really quite beautiful.

The second is the Law of Threefold Return or the Rule of Three. This rule relates to the idea of karma and that the energy one puts out into the world will inevitably come back upon us times three. One of the earliest versions of the Rule of Three appeared in Gerald Gardner's book, High Magic's Aid.

Patti Wigington at PaganWiccan - About.com states, 'Although the Law of Three sounds prohibitive, many Wiccans see it instead as a useful standard to live by. It allows one to set boundaries for oneself by saying, "Am I prepared to accept the consequences -- be they good or bad -- for my deeds, both magical and mundane?"'

Rule of Three

What ye send forth comes back to thee,
So ever mind the rule of three.
Follow this with mind and heart,
Merry Meet and Merry Part.

There is an abundance of information about these two laws and it's one of the first thing I ever became aware of in relation to following this path. I personally believe it's a nice moral compass to have as a guide in all we choose to do and a good thing to find out more about.

The original blog post has the entire Rede in it and also a list of helpful or interesting links on the subject. Let me know if you would like the link and I'll give it to you.

So what are your thoughts on the Rede and the Threefold Rule?

Blessed Be,
Vivienne

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Reasonable rules to live by! But, do you realise how often the number three crops up in life, and folk lore?
Paper,scissors, stone; hop,skip, and jump;one,two,three--go!; 3 wise men. three crucified; triple Goddess; Father,Son,Holy Ghost.
It goes on and on!

Haha yes, there must be something to that rule of three. I believe the golden ratio follows a similar theme in order to come by aesthetic balance.. And a whole bunch of other things.

You might find the post I made on the subject of Wiccan ethics interesting. You can find it at: http://www.spellsofmagic.com/read_post.html?post=477845 My explanation of the Rule of Three also sees it as instructing us that we are responsible for the consequences of our actions and that those consequences impact us physically, emotionally, and spiritually...hence the three-fold return.

I think the Wiccan Rede and the Threefold Path is fantastic. It is a moral code that all of us should at least have some recognition of. We must be careful when studying such an item of great wisdom. Often what is put in simple terms can arise a great complex determination of the works. However, our critique of the Rede is purely up to us. We must take the time to study it, apply these rules, and then make our own criticisms. I believe the Wiccan Rede is brilliant. And I hope it stays that way for a long while. Blesséd Be!