The Three are known by many names. Mind, Body, and Spirit. Heaven, Earth, and Man. Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu. Odin, Villi, and Ve. Father, Son, and Spirit. The Three are the Trinity. This is a concept of creation which has far more depth and diversity of meaning and application than could ever be addressed in a single article. Here, we will merely put forth an introduction to the fact that the Three are present in everything.
All things may be sectioned into three. In martial arts, we often separate the areas into low, middle, and high. Or we might say proximal, medial, and distal. In this way, we can take the whole and break it into areas of particular focus for training or for combat. It is vital to learn of this especially in our postural alignments.
There are three Dan Tiens. Primarily, we work with the lower Dan Tien as the source and storehouse of our energy. It is the true core of the body. It is the origin point, the center from which all else radiates. It is the source of power for all of our movements and techniques. The middle and upper Dan Tiens are less frequently trained, but no less important in their function. Working with these is generally more difficult and should only be done with specific purpose and under the guidance of a qualified instructor.
The mind is also three. We are all familiar with the conscious mind. It is what you are using to read these words right now. It is the program we use to process and interact with our surroundings. The subconscious is also well known -- at least in name. Seldom is the term used accurately in discussion. The subconscious mind lies just beneath the surface of the conscious mind. It is the repository for all of the information of which you are aware but do not regularly think about. Your birthday, your telephone number, etc. These things are stored here. The subconscious is also the lens from which we project our intentions out into the world. The unconscious mind is almost never spoken by name, but is often what is actually being referred to when someone says 'subconscious.' The unconscious mind is the lowest recesses of the mind. It is where everything that has ever affected us in our lives is stored as a program which guides our assumptions and actions. When it is healthy, we are capable of accomplishing anything we intend. When it is damaged, we are set on a path of perpetual self-sabotage and misery.
As we can see, it is vital that we come to an understanding of the Three. Not only that, but even moreso that we learn to harmonize them. When the Three work as One, there is nothing which cannot be achieved.
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