The Wiccan Rede and The Threefold Law

This article aims to explain, in the most suitable way, what we know as the “Wiccan Rede/Wise Counsel” and the “Threefold Law.”

This topic is widely debated among the Initiates of Gardnerian and Alexandrian Wicca and also speculated upon in reformed/emancipated traditions or by those who have not had any instruction in a tradition and instead follow a solitary, self-taught practice of “Wicca.”

In the Seax-Wica Tradition, what we call the Principle of Retribution refers to the “Threefold Law,” which states that if you perform an action, you will receive a response with triple intensity, whether it is good or bad.

This concept is approached cautiously by many Initiates, with some viewing it as a rule similar to karma, while others regard it as merely an advisory warning that doesn’t necessarily apply.

However, as a guiding ethical principle based on common logic, the “Wise Counsel” or “Wiccan Rede” was proposed to avoid negativity: “Do what you will, so long as it harms none.” As mentioned, it is merely advice, and with common sense, it’s difficult not to do something that might be considered “harm” by another person.

On the other hand, Seax-Wica clarifies that if your integrity is under threat, any act of defense is consequently permitted. In this case, the principle of “cause and effect” applies.

The Threefold Law of Return

The Principle of Retribution, commonly referred to as the “Threefold Law,” establishes that everything you do returns to you threefold. This means that if you perform a good deed, you will receive three times the goodness in return; conversely, if you commit an act of harm, a similar act will return to you threefold.

By common logic, there exists a “Wise Counsel” known as the “Wiccan Rede,” which advises, “Do what you will, as long as it harms none.” However, this phrase serves merely as guidance. It is challenging to act without causing some harm, even unintentionally, to another.

In Seax-Wica, we openly affirm the same Principle of Retribution. If your integrity is threatened, you are permitted to defend it, for this defense becomes part of the triple return.

This principle is rooted in the concept of “Cause and Effect.”

We find its origins in Gerald Gardner’s book, High Magic’s Aid, specifically in Chapter XVII, “The Witch Cult” which presumably reflects the reasoning behind the practice:

“Then she took the cords, and prompted him to bind her as he had been bound, then she spoke.

Learn, in witchcraft, thou must ever return triple. As I scourged thee, so thou must scourge me, but triple, where 1 gave thee three strokes, give nine, where seven, give twenty-one, where nine, give twenty-seven, where twenty-one, give sixty-three. (For this is the joke in witchcraft, the witch knows, though the initiate does not, that she will get three times what she gave, so she does not strike hard.)

Jan was nervous but she insisted, and at last he gave her the required number, but struck very lightly.

Then she said; Thou hast obeyed the law. But mark well when thou receivest good, so equally art bound to return good threefold.”

Likewise, the phrase “Threefold Law of Return” has its written precedent in Beyond magazine [1968] under the title “Rule of Three” as a generic ethical principle, later mentioned in Raymond Buckland’s book Witchcraft Ancient and Modern (1970). It is presumed that Buckland’s reference was based on teachings from Monique Wilson, his initiator in Gerald Gardner’s lineage, who would have taught him during his initiation what is described in High Magic’s Aid. This practice is thought to have come from the “New Forest Coven,” one of several forms of organized witchcraft practiced in England.

So, where does this idea come from? It may be based on influences that the Coven received, incorporating elements from Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Theosophy, Thelema, Hermeticism, and Elysian practices, as mentioned in Sorita D’Este’s work, Wicca: Magickal Beginnings.

In Freemasonry, in the first degree, the number 3 is studied and upheld as a key element, encompassing the first three symbolic degrees and the understanding of Nature, the Universe, and the Supreme Being. This system closely resembles what we find in Gardner’s Tradition, as he was also influenced by Pythagorean philosophy.

For Pythagoras, the science of numbers was based on the number 3, considered a “symbol of secret virtue, worthy of admiration and study.” Three is the number of the “constitution of the Universe.” Pythagorean arithmetic includes three direct operations (Addition, Multiplication, Exponentiation) accompanied by three inverse operations. He also imposed three years of preparation and study on his initiates in complete silence. Pythagorean disciples were required to know three sacred languages: Sanskrit, Hebrew, and Egyptian, as well as three Occult Sciences: Kabbalah, Magic, and Hermeticism. The number 3 serves as a “cornerstone” in the Pythagorean Theorem and an interpretative symbol in Masonic allegory as a source of inspiration and foundational learning for many of the Order’s principles.

In occult or metaphysical philosophy, three worlds exist: the Elemental, the Celestial, and the Intellectual. Humanity is endowed with three intellectual faculties: Memory, Understanding, and Will, and possesses three essential aspects of Life: Body, Soul, and Spirit.

This is reflected in the custom of the “three strikes” of the Masonic hammer, the “three claps” of the Rosicrucians, the “three greetings” of Thelema, the “three sciences” of Hermeticism, and the Christian Trinity, all of which carry significant symbolism representing three states or areas:

1. Self / I
2. The Other / You
3. Others / They

When one performs an action, it originates from oneself toward one or more individuals who are the focus of that action. This action is ultimately appreciated or evaluated by others who witness it without being directly involved.

In response to a good deed, the recipient will feel gratitude and begin to reciprocate, while those who are aware of the action will acknowledge it and reward it. This generates satisfaction for the one who performed the action and fosters a desire to continue acting in goodwill, thus receiving threefold what was given.

Conversely, in response to a harmful action, the recipient may feel offended and seek to defend or retaliate, while others will judge the initiator negatively and deny them support. This will lead to the perpetrator’s frustration, prompting them to retaliate repeatedly, only to amplify the resentment from those around them. The cycle will only cease when they decide to stop their actions and seek redemption by accepting the consequences of their behavior.

This concept is simple, much like the Principle of Correspondence in environmental matters; we understand that what affects a specific ecosystem impacts the living beings reliant on it and can lead to climatic changes that affect distant regions.

Thus, the argument for the Law of Three, which Seax-Wica regards as a fundamental part of its principles and understanding, is clearly illustrated.

The Wise Counsel

Yet, we still need to understand what the Wiccan Rede/Wise Counsel establishes. To this end, it’s helpful to recall that when we read the poetry written by Doreen Valiente, originally published in an English esoteric magazine, it was later added to Gerald Gardner’s Book of Shadows after her departure from the Bricket Wood Coven in 1957. This document was preserved in Gardner’s Book of Shadows, and at no time was this poem or its framework intended as a “Moral Law” that would result in negative consequences if not followed.

The Book of Shadows originally contained no such warnings; during his stay on the Isle of Man, where he founded the Museum of Witchcraft at Castletown Mill, Gardner designed the “Book of Shadows” based on what he learned from the New Forest Coven. This text aimed to preserve and enhance what we know as the “Witch Cult” or “Old Religion,” also reinforced by passages from Charles Leland’s Aradia: Gospel of the Witches.

This text, as we also see in his work High Magic Aid and his manuscript Ye Bok of the Arts Magickal, shows a system that was closely related to Hermetic-Kabbalistic practices, also known as “Ceremonial Magic.” It was influenced by the Golden Dawn and was also heavily impacted by Aleister Crowley’s Thelema, which is credited as laying the foundations for Gardner’s Book of Shadows. It is no secret that Gardner and Crowley met, and Gardner was recognized as a member of the Ordo Templi Orientis.

In 1954, as High Priestess of Bricket Wood Coven, Doreen Valiente received Gardner’s Book of Shadows. In 1955, she made changes to the text because she disliked the Thelemic undertones present in Gardner’s Book of Shadows, which at the time were viewed as dark or negative due to their association with Crowley (as noted in Valiente’s works). Valiente informed Gardner about the general attitude towards this aspect, and as Gardner was far away, she managed press relations and applicants. She made modifications to the Book of Shadows, removing Thelemic elements and attempting to align it with the “traditional” practice of English witches.

It is known that she researched extensively and met various witches from other traditions, which also influenced her views and hopes for “The Craft.” The poems she added to the Book of Shadows were largely inspired by Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by Charles Leland.

In 1957, a series of events led to Valiente’s resignation from the coven to pursue her practice as a solitary “witch,” rather than within Gardner’s system. As recounted in her interviews, she and her coven members disapproved of making “The Craft” so public, as the system emphasized utmost discretion (a vow of secrecy). Additionally, upon reviewing the Book of Shadows proposed by Valiente, Gardner decided to reintroduce “The Old Laws of Witchcraft” or “Old Ardane,” stating that the Coven should be led by a young High Priestess. This decision upset the older members of the Coven, who, alongside Valiente, decided to leave.