The Magic of Three - Triangles and Bar Stools

Evolution of 3 glyph

I keep bumping into the number three. In the books I read, letters that I get, in Yoga practice, my aeroplane seat number, my train tickets…Maybe it has always been there and I’m just noticing it now or maybe I’m meant to be thinking about it. The Chinese believe that the number three is a lucky or good number because it sounds very similar to the word “Alive”. I loved reading that because it seemed so synchronous with the new year and a new commitment to living more consciously. So…I thought I would share my thoughts in a series of blog posts. I’m on the look-out for the magic number three and more significantly for this blog where it is found in relation to Yoga and its philosophy.

To set the scene here is a little background reading and two concepts that I will keep in mind on my adventure for Three.

The number three has for a long time been considered a special number. It can be found scattered in modern and ancient cultures, in our philosophies, world religions (the Christian Holy Trinity, the Hindu Trimurti, the Hindu Tridevi, the Three Jewels of Buddhism, the Three Pure Ones of Taosim etc.), in music, maths, our body, symbolism etc.  You can read more on Wikipedia.

When I think of three a simple triangle springs to mind. This basic geometric shape encapsulates for me the power of three and helps me to think about  the interplay of three concepts (which we will get into in later blogs).

Commonly used in building and nature because of the stability it provides, (our sacrum, at the base of our spine, is shaped like an upside down triangle for this purpose) the three sides of a triangle can play and flow with each other. When one side lengthens then the other two sides must change in order to maintain a triangular shape and the important 180 degrees of the sum of the internal angles.

This is a wonderful image to hold in your mind when you practice yoga. Understanding how the change in one aspect influences and changes two related aspects. An example is body, mind and spirit. If you are all about body, your mind and spirit will change to accommodate. This change may not serve you and may result in an imbalance.

Another example of the power of three is a common bar stool. In order that you are able to sit comfortably on the stool, the three legs need to be of equal length and be placed in a way that provides stability. Without this, you will become unbalanced. By using all three legs we form a triangle that is a stronger and more effective structure than we could build from one leg alone.

Something to think about and images to draw on when we explore the Three Gunas or Qualities in my  next blog post.