Okay, so. The Threefold Law of Return.

In the comments of this post, juliaki asked what was my personal understanding of the Threefold Law of Return.

I think I can do better.

Imagine that I get in a car and push down the accelerator.

If the car isn't started, not much happens.

If the car is started, the motor guns.

If the car is started and in gear, it moves.

All these things depend on the initial conditions and only partially on my actions.

I could have been a real bastard that day, yelled at little girls selling cookies, setting fire to homes up and down the block, kicking dogs, and if the motor is running and the car is in gear, it moves when I push the pedal. Likewise, I could have given away all my possessions to charity and dedicated my life to humanity, but if the car isn't running and not in gear, pressing the pedal won't change much.

If I'm rolling down a hill, I'm going to go further than on a level surface or going uphill.

Recognizing those existing conditions is a big part of what I consider magick. Knowing what to pull, what to push, and what to anchor makes what I do work better.

And it doesn't depend on an arbitrary judge deciding if I have been good or not.

If I cut a bag from the bottom, of course it will spill out all over. If I slam my fist into a brick wall, I'll probably shatter bones before I make my way through. And if I grope a woman I don't know and who isn't expecting it, on the minimum I can expect a slapped face and yelling.

All this happens because I didn't recognize the existing conditions.

If I plant a seed, will I get three seeds in return? Not if I do it in November.

If I invest a buck, will I get a buck in return? Maybe, but almost certainly not if I "invest" in the lottery.

If I tell someone truth, can I expect truth in return? Only if they are trustworthy BEFORE we begin.

I know that my actions have consequences, it's just not as clearcut as an automatic three fold return.

On the other hand, it's a great learning tool. If you behave AS IF, you quickly learn to judge where, when, and how you should act.