The Law of Three

It occurs to me that the Law of Three which is represented in the Enneagram along with the Law of Seven, is maybe the answer to many of our problems, especially when we look at a lot of what is happening in the world today. The Law of Three says that in everything there is an affirming force, a negating force and a reconciling force. The affirming force and the negating force are, by definition, in conflict with each other so there is a need for a third force to reconcile the two. Another way of talking about integration is that it is about reconciling the opposing forces within us. Sometimes it is not possible for us to do this alone and we need a third party to intervene who will help us. It's why couples may go to counselling when they encounter difficulties, or warring countries need mediators to negotiate peace. Working on ourselves, we can, simply by being aware of the Law of Three, have a better understanding of the dynamics at play within ourselves and our relationships. It can help us with conflict and resolution. It accepts that instead of being able to have everything one way or the other, there is a more complex dynamic - a third force - which does not rule out the affirming force, nor the negating force but in recognising them both is able to unite them. It is about compromise, negotiation, integration, reconciliation.

The Law of Three is visually represented by the triangle, which, if you think about it, is an incredibly stable structure. In the Enneagram the Law of Three is represented by points Three, Six and Nine which make up the triangle in the Enneagram diagram.