The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on September 12, 2025 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
In the Law of Three, made popular recently by teacher Cynthia Bourgeault, one affirming force is countered by a second, denying force, which follows with a third, reconciling force, and because of these three forces, a fourth force emerges, which is a whole new arising, or creation. Monotheistic religious traditions commonly name God as Creator. As a spiritual exercise, we could play with the characters of creation in the work of prayer: if the creator is an affirming force, and the limits of physical, earthly life are a denying force, and the prayers of people are a reconciling force, then the fruits of prayer might be the new arising, a fourth dimension, that occurs as a result of both human and divine participation in creation, Co-creation.
We could similarly play the triad exercise with specific prayers. If the Holy One, as the Abyss of Silence, is the affirming force, and if the quieting of the human mind and heart towards stillness is the denying force, and the consequent loving posture of living well in the world is the reconciling force, then a reality transformed for the sake of the common good might become the new arising, the fourth force that erupts toward a new creation.
May we play in the power of three as we pray in creativity!
