Stories Part 3
April 27, 2025
Stories Part 3
Most stories share the same basic and age-old structure: first comes the situation. Then the situation has problems, and finally the problems have some sort of outcome. The story has the right to take us anywhere along the way, as long as we continue with it. And if we continue, it’s usually because we identify with some aspect of the story. We also continue because of our curiosity about the people, the unfolding of various circumstances, and of course, we want to know the outcome.
The story interests us because it is not static. Its three dynamic parts mirror the universal Law of Three. The Law of Three is life’s fundamental dynamic of movement and is the combination of three forces:
Affirming — the forward-moving energy that creates and initiates.
Denying — the opposition to the forward movement, the counter forces of entropy, and reactivity that challenges the initial forward movement.
Reconciling — the energy of change that emerges from the opposition between the two other forces. Thus, energy brings transformation and a new reality.
Gurdjieff explains the Law of Three is related to the three points of the Enneagram’s primary triangle. It is the phenomenon arising from the interaction of Holy Affirming, Holy Denying, and Holy Reconciling. He says this interaction moves us forward to a new manifestation. In his teachings known as “The Fourth Way” he maintains that The Law of Three moves not only in the broader brush strokes of the universe but in each individual life.
The interweaving of these three forces produces a fourth force in a new dimension. This can be witnessed in the dynamic of a shock point. First, we know something (affirming), then we are shocked that what we know is not the truest reality (denying). Then in the reconciling phase, we include our old reality but transcend it to learn what we did not know. Finally, because learning what we did not know about reality, a new dimension opens up for us, we step into it and live from that dimension (the Fourth Way).
So, this brings us to personal application. How does the Law of Three act in your life? What are the three components of your story? Peeling back all the tertiary layers and spin off stories takes time and reflection, but by doing this we get to the bare bones of our story. We can do this in the following self-inquiries:
Since childhood, what is the main thing I have wanted to bring about, to embrace, to savor, to pursue? From those, what has emerged as my driving purpose?
What are the obstacles that have stood in my way? What limitations, distractions, deficiencies, false narratives, and ideas have blocked my pursuit?
How have my driving force and its obstacles interacted to produce the realizations that produced the life I have now?
If the interactions the Law of Three have moved me into a fourth dimension, how would I describe it?
If we afford ourselves the opportunity to see the story of our life, we see the transcendent value of our being — we see our divine selves.
Dear God,
When I think about it, we are all magnificent stories of your expression in the world. To realize that we are one such expression is an affirmation of our souls. For this affirmation we give you thanks and praise. Amen
