Three's a Crowd: Navigating the Complexities of Triangular Relationships

Three is imbued with a magical energy. It is a number that has captivated cultures and societies throughout history, from ancient civilizations to modern-day superstitions. The enchantment of three can be seen in its prevalence in fairy tales, religious texts, and even everyday sayings. In fairy tales, three is often used to denote a sense of completion or fulfillment. Characters embarking on a quest will encounter three trials or challenges that they must overcome in order to reach their goal. This repetition of three creates a rhythm and structure that adds to the magical nature of the tale.

DONT give him acid. The blade will become useless if he puts acid on it, it's common sense.

Yet, I was wondering if we need to push this a little bit further, -to be the devil s advocate- and question the human-centric approach hidden in this idea. I would like to argue and say that objects things artifacts almost always go beyond what is expected of them, the reason-driven human intentions encapsulated in their materiality, their function always fall short.

This repetition of three creates a rhythm and structure that adds to the magical nature of the tale. It creates a sense of inevitability, as if the number three holds a power of its own. Religious texts are also filled with references to the power of three.

Is it possible to "charge" or imbue an inanimate object with spiritual powers or qualities?

This question probably stems from a lifelong love of The Lord of the Rings and other fantasy tales filled with accounts of enchanted objects such as swords, rings, amulets, etc..

My question is, is such a thing possible in our physical reality?

I am betting that it is.

History and mythology are full of accounts of such objects. The Holy Grail. Thor's Hammer. Aaron's Rod. Excalibur. There is a huge list here. John Dee used to have a magic crystal ball through which he spoke to angels, etc.

I have also heard personal accounts of "negatively" charged items, "cursed" if you will. There is a museum in New England filled with artifacts taken from possessed people, exorcisms, witches, etc., that have moved on their own accord and affected people with their negative energy. So it seems to work both ways.

I am also reminded of the channeled teaching that "everything is conscious". even things that we regard as "mineral" or inanimate.

As to how to make a positively charged artifact, I have only come across one (apparently bona-fide) account, in Yogi Gupta's Yoga and Yogic Powers:

The Great Teachers sometimes polarize an ornament of piece of jewelry by their strong and positive thought patterns. In the process of polarizations, the thought patterns of the Guru are reproduced into the inferior mind of the gold and silver, or any other metal from which a piece of jewelry or ornament has been made.

When the jewelry has been polarized, it is known as an Amulet or Talisman, due to the miraculous magic-like powers it contains. In many cases, a Talisman is polarized in order to exercise a specific type of influence for the well being of the person for whom it is prepared.

A Talisman is charged by the Guru with a specific formula to solve a specific problem and to bring a specific result for a specific person. Each formula is a thought energized by the Guru and seeded deep into the heart of the Talisman. The Talisman is like a friend who is alive and is always by your side no matter where you are, and is always ready to help you in adversity and in times of difficulty.

Unfortunately, the book does not instruct you how to make one yourself.

Now, I am not seeking to denigrate our own inner powers by encouraging reliance on "magic feathers."

But it would in itself be an interesting power to be able to do this. to charge an external object with such power either to aid others, or maybe have access yourself to an "extra reservoir" of powers when you need it. Kind of like using a lever. you could lift the object yourself, but a lever can be handy if you are tired or don't feel like expending so much power yourself.

Does anyone have additional information on this subject?

asked 18 May '13, 16:52

@Lozenge123 Respectfully, if you are familiar enough with Dr Dee and his angelic language to not recommend people get involved with his work, I would think you would know enough to answer your own question.

"Charging" of magickal objects is well-known. Read the books of Dion Fortune (Violet Firth).

Sometimes this is called "consecration" and done on auspicious occasions.

Max Freedom Long describes these processes in his "Secret Science" books on Hawaiian Kahuna Mystics also.

@Dollar Bill - Regarding the work of Dr. Dee. my "non-recommendation" was based on reports of negative repercussions such as the death of Michael Witty, who, according to Paul Foster Case, expired due to his involvement with Dee's magic. I have found Dee to be, nevertheless, a fascinating figure.

I know next to nothing about "magick", although I have read a handful of medieval and renaissance magical texts and histories of magic.

@Dollar Bill - Thanks for the book recommendations. I have been meaning to check out Max Freedom Long for some time, and will add Dion Fortune to the list.

Great question @lozenge123. Fun to think about.

I suppose it would have to do with influencing the vibration of an object with thought or intention, like a tuning fork would, but I wonder how you would sustain that vibration? The object would presumably have its own "default" vibration, I mean. Would it naturally tend to return to its own vibration, or is it possible to sort of recalibrate and reset a vibe permenantly? I've never thought in these terms before. Interesting. :)

I wonder if it is related to the phenomena of a spirit attaching to an object, such as things going bump in the night when you bring home an old piece of furniture. That would be sustained by the energy (attention) of the spirit. So, maybe you'd have to hold on to the intention in order to keep the object "charged"?

Just thinking out loud, thank you for bringing it up. I'd also like to know more about this subject.

P.S. I also loved Lord of the Rings; so much of those films resonate so deeply. The director's cuts don't seem long to me! You must be enjoying Game of Thrones?

Thanks, Grace. Yes, these are all the same sort of questions bouncing around in my head. And it's nice to see another LOTR fan here. I do enjoy Game of Thrones. as long as I can keep a healthy emotional distance from the material (you'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen the show).

Nice to see you back on IQ. not that you've ever really been gone. :)

@Dollar Bill, I've deleted the reference in my question to Dr. Dee. I'll let the good Doctor's work speak for itself.

And I do know what you mean abt Game of Thrones, and I agree. I distance myself without thinking, but could not have expressed what I was doing - you nailed it. I'm much more of a bookworm than a tv person, and the books are even more intense in some ways. I do wish their were a little more that is inspiring in the series.

. yet it seems an obvious path what with all the potential for powerful magic in the right hands, and the certain need for unlikely heros to overcome and rise above. It's early days, maybe that is where the author is going. :)

Hi, @lozenge123- I have long been interested in Crystal Healing, am a Certified Crystal Healer (CCH), and a Certified Reiki Crystal Healer (CRCH). I am a Reiki Master/Teacher, too. I turned to Alternative healing in 1993 when I fell ill with a horrendous MRSA infection in my left knee, and saw the MRSA return time after time despite long-time treatment with antibiotics. I knew that something was wrong with Western Medicine- it was treating the results of something bad, but not the cause of this illness. I have long sought what I termed in another question as "hard science" to back up what I have seen with both Reiki Healing and Crystal Healing, and all I could find was the above-mentioned certifications and the small, but powerful, group of people who have gone before me and trusted themselves and what they saw and felt. Here I make an enormous nod to Reiki's origins in Japan, and the combined teachings I found from the shaman healers of the American Indians of North America. I was trained by a wonderful Native American Shaman named Black Rock, who taught me all he knew before he died of old age.

I have made what I think are logical steps towards that "hard science". First of all, many, many people across the world and through time have worked with the energy field of the human body. As a trained shaman, I am also familiar with what the spiritual world can do with that energy and towards real, certifiable healing. Belief plays a large role in any healing, whether Western medicine, Eastern medicine, or Shamanic Native American Healing. I asked the question here on Inward Quest in 2009: Does prayer really consist of a form of spiritual energy that we cannot measure?. I asked this question because it was what I was starting to postulate about the energy of the spirit world affecting the physical world. The experiments cited in the answer above by arpegme seem to point towards that idea. I was trying to say that I was seeing prayer as a form of real energy that is like a laser, directing energy towards its object.

This touches on our current question, asked about our power to imbue an object with spiritual power. We do seem to have that power! That, in my mind, seems to indicate that our beliefs, in other words, our prayers, can "charge" and affect anything physical. That, in turn, means this: Quite simply and wonderfully, the spiritual world is connected to, and underlies our physical reality. This is not real hard news to anyone who visits Inward Quest. We come to Inward Quest because we are looking for the connections between the spiritual and the physical, and we find these connections to be quite real and normal.

You see how I struggle to make "hard science" here? I am convinced that someday, "hard science", which is lagging far behind our spiritual advances, will prove that belief (prayers) have a real, measurable energy. At least, I hope so.

So, back 1993, when I started my "Inward Quest", I found that my mind and my soul, and my body were all at war with each other. To heal, I needed to get myself moving towards health and happiness. I needed that unseen laser to be directed towards my knee, and I needed to believe with all my heart in what I knew and felt to be true: Western medicine failed me because it was not treating my soul. My soul was hurting and wounded. It said so the only way it could: it disturbed my physical reality until I saw it. Period. Sadly, I kept returning to Western healing, and just kept refusing to practice what I was learning from the Spiritual Healers in my own life. It was that need for "hard science". That tripped me up all the time.

I had to have both knees replaced, my spine fused in two places, multiple sicknesses and near-death illness, to wake up. Now that is just stupid stubbornness, and a clinging to the need for "proof". What "proof"? I see now that I have been gradually shifting myself from Western medicine to a more mysterious, but more effective healing with Reiki and Shamanic Healing. The USA seems to empower doctors and dis-empower that which cannot be "proven" with "hard science". Sad. There is too much money to be made from the "Scientific" practice of Medicine, and no money to be made from "Voodoo Witch Doctors" and "Injuns". Until we remove the power of the Almighty God of Insurance, and replace it with Almighty God, we will stay stuck and sick. I am waking up to this.

Now, I said I was a Crystal healer. Oh Yes. Crystals affect the Energy Field of the human body, and that means they can effect healing. if we believe and can let them do their thing. Quartz is Silicon Dioxide, which makes up a significant part of the Earth's crust. We evolved here. We evolved on this planet, surrounded by quartz. The American Indians knew the Power of Quartz way before the doctors even arrived. They call crystals the "bones of Mother Earth". (Luc Bourgault, The American Indian Secrets of Crystal Healing, quantum publishers, 1997 (English), 1992 (French).)

I leave you with a final thought, and apologize profoundly for this long posting. Would man have survived to become modern man if shamanic healers did not heal him?

Jaianniah (my name means "Heart of God", and was given to me through the American Shaman.)

answered 18 May '13, 23:55

In interesting case study to consider would be that of the calculator. When introduced on a wide scale at a reasonable price to the public in the 1970’s, the calculator revolutionized the office world; people suddenly were able to compute larger sums with greater speed than ever before. Humans imbued calculators with agency because they depended upon the devices for tasks concerning earning their livelihoods. A calculator fulfills Hodder’s description of an object with agency, because humans use it for a specific purpose that few other machines can fulfill, thereby giving the calculator a certain amount of power. Tilley’s definition, as well, applies to the calculator, because many people use the machines in specific situations, thereby labeling the calculator as a necessary tool of society. Calculators, when first invented, served a purpose unique only to them; it was not until the advent of other machines, such as the computer, that the prominence of the calculator ebbed. However, the calculator still holds a certain amount of agency, because many humans, from school children, to businessmen, are dependent daily upon the device.

In Christianity, the Holy Trinity consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - a trinity of divine beings that are said to be one. This concept of three-in-one is a mystical idea that goes beyond human comprehension, reinforcing the idea that three holds a special place in the realm of the divine. Even in everyday language, we find the influence of the magical energy of three. For example, the phrase "third time's the charm" suggests that after two failed attempts, the third one will inevitably bring success. This belief in the power of three to bring about favorable outcomes is deeply ingrained in our cultural consciousness. The allure of three is not just limited to storytelling and religion. It can also be seen in the natural world. The three primary colors - red, blue, and yellow - form the basis for all other colors. Similarly, in music, the triad - a three-note chord - is a fundamental building block for harmonies and melodies. This underlying pattern of three reflects the inherent harmony and balance that is present in the world around us. In conclusion, the number three is imbued with a magical energy that transcends cultures and disciplines. It represents completion, fulfillment, and balance. Whether it is found in fairy tales, religious texts, or everyday language, the power of three continues to captivate and intrigue us, reminding us of the wonder and mystery that resides within the simplest of numbers..

Reviews for "The Numerical Aesthetics of Three: An Exploration in Art and Design"

- Sara - 1 star - I don't understand what all the fuss is about this book. I found it incredibly boring and slow-paced. The characters were not well-developed, and the plot was predictable. I couldn't connect with any of the characters or their struggles. Overall, I was disappointed and don't recommend it.

- Mark - 2 stars - "Three" had potential, but it fell short for me. The writing style felt forced and pretentious. The magical elements seemed out of place and poorly integrated into the storyline. I was left confused and unsatisfied. The pacing was off, with a slow start and a rushed ending. I wanted to like this book, but it just didn't live up to my expectations.

- Lisa - 3 stars - While I appreciate the unique blend of fantasy and reality in "Three," I couldn't fully immerse myself in the story. The plot felt disjointed, jumping between different perspectives and timelines without much clarity. The characters lacked depth, and their actions often felt inconsistent. Some scenes were beautifully written, but overall, the book left me wanting more coherence and a stronger emotional connection. It wasn't a terrible read, but it didn't captivate me as I had hoped.

The Power of Three: Unlocking the Creative Potential of Triangles