Esoteric tradition
The Theosophical Society has three conditions of membership. Gurdjieffs Three Centers and the Law of Three. Liber AL vel Legis, the central scripture of the religion of Thelema, consists of three chapters, corresponding to three divine narrators respectively: Nuit, Hadit and Ra-Hoor-Khuit. The Triple Greatness of Hermes Trismegistus is an important theme in Hermeticism. As a lucky or unlucky number
Three (三, formal writing: 叁, pinyin sān, Cantonese: saam1) is considered a good number in Chinese culture because it sounds like the word "alive" (生 pinyin shēng, Cantonese: saang1), compared to four (四, pinyin: sì, Cantonese: sei1), which sounds like the word "death" (死 pinyin sǐ, Cantonese: sei2). Counting to three is common in situations where a group of people wish to perform an action in synchrony: Now, on the count of three, everybody pull! Assuming the counter is proceeding at a uniform rate, the first two counts are necessary to establish the rate, and the count of "three" is predicted based on the timing of the "one" and "two" before it. Three is likely used instead of some other number because it requires the minimal amount counts while setting a rate. There is another superstition that it is unlucky to take a third light, that is, to be the third person to light a cigarette from the same match or lighter.
In cricket, a bowler who is credited with dismissals of batsmen on three consecutive deliveries has achieved a "hat-trick". In Gaelic games (Gaelic football for men and women, hurling, and camogie), three points are awarded for a goal, scored when the ball passes underneath the crossbar and between the goal posts. In ice hockey:
Scoring three goals is called a "hat trick" (usually not hyphenated in North America). A team will typically have three forwards on the ice at any given time. In professional wrestling, a pin is when one holds the opponents shoulders against the mat for a count of three. In rugby union:
A successful penalty kick for goal or drop goal is worth three points. In the French variation of the bonus points system, a team receives a bonus point in the league standings if it wins a match while scoring at least three more tries than its opponent. The starting tighthead prop wears the jersey number 3. In rugby league:
One of the two starting centres wears the jersey number 3. (An exception to this rule is the Super League, which uses static squad numbering.) A "threepeat" is a term for winning three consecutive championships. A triathlon consists of three events: swimming, bicycling, and running. In many sports a competitor or team is said to win a Triple Crown if they win three particularly prestigious competitions.