Triplex Unity Theory - The homepage for information on the Triplex Unity Theory

Triplex Unity Theory is a new and exciting way of comprehending the world around us, using simple but profound ancient strategies from Eastern philosophy. It enables us to reorganise our current mental frameworks of knowledge into simpler yet more effective systems. It also allows us to rapidly absorb new information and be able to integrate it into our current worldview as we try to keep up with the pace of our fast moving lifestyles. We are also given new tools to more thoroughly analyse systems of knowledge, and more importantly to be able to recognise the inter-connecting linkages between a wide variety of everyday and/or cutting edge subjects.

This is achieved through the double process of 1) distilling complex conceptual frameworks of information into simple but logical trinary systems called "Triplicities", and 2) relating them to other trinary systems through the notion of "Unity", which is a method of identifying analogous systems of Triplicity and applying our understandings of the known, to learning and understanding the unknown.

Triplex Unity Theory draws upon the Taoist doctrine of Trinity[1], and the martial strategies of the Japanese defensive art of Aikido, both of which hold that phenomena possesses three-fold nature, and that events proceed according to three stage processes.

Once we understand the way in which Triplicity and Unity works, we can then apply it like a filter to all that we encounter in the real world, helping us function at higher levels of efficiency. It will enable us to more easily handle meta-tasking operations and multi-disciplinary approaches within ever increasingly complex technical environments.

The only effort required on your part, after reading the content on this website, is to engage in deep thought.

For centuries, geometrical symbols have been used to represent both objects and ideas, in art as well as technical education. The use of the triangle, circle and square has been prevalent in many esoteric traditions around the world, ranging from the Sangen no Hosuku (three element rule [2]) of Japanese Shintoism, to the Ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Euclid. It was through my training in Aikido, which itself utilises Shintoistic principles of the Omoto-kyo sect as its philosophical basis, that exposed me to the use of triangle, circle and square as geometrical shapes symbolically representing both knowledge and ideas, as well as the three-fold nature of all things.[3]

Triplex Unity Theory consists of two main parts. The first, governed by the term “Triplex”, is the notion of triplicity”, which describes the three-fold aspect of phenomena, how things can be reduced to three major elements that are connected to each other in some way, so that they form what is called “polarities”. The ways in which these polarities are related to each other is what constructs and defines the Triplex aspect of the system itself.

The second part of the theory, governed by the term “Unity”, describes how various “three-fold systems of polarities” relate to others that also exhibit a “three-fold system of polarity”, thereby making it possible to compare and connect seemingly unrelated systems together by virtue of them each possessing an internal three-fold nature.

While the theory is based upon Taoist Yin-Yang theory, it is actually the next logical step in a progression of ideas of which Yin-Yang thought is a part. Yin-Yang theory divides things into sets of dual polarity, such as Heaven and Earth, day and night, black and white etc. Of course, the real world is not exactly separated into sets of pairs that exist in such absolute terms; the Yin Yang system is simply a way of describing how individual objects or phenomena are related to each other, within a particular system. This means that something’s Yin-Yang nature is purely relative, and relative only to its opposite. For example, if you took two different shades of grey and placed them side by side (see centre pair in example below), we could say the darker shade is Yin, and the lighter shade Yang.

But if we then placed the lighter shade of the two next to white (see left pair), it would in fact appear darker, so it could now be said to be Yin, while the white is now Yang. It is important to remember then, that when things are labeled Yin and Yang, it is only when in relation to its opposite. It is never an absolute state. This is what confuses so many people, and this misunderstanding is unfortunately what fuels the arguments for the detractors of Yin Yang theory.

If we were to continue the example using the colours black and white in relation to photography, we will be able to follow the progression of ideas from Yin Yang theory towards that of Triplex Unity. A black and white photograph is one that contains a selection of greys. We tend to define these shades of grey by the amount of black or white they contain, e.g. a greyscale, which is measured in percentages of either black or white. Therefore we tend to separate the photograph into definitions based upon black and white. However, when we look at the photograph, we don’t see black and white so clearly defined, what we see are greys. The black and white colours are simply the extremes of the tonal range, which when mixed in various proportions, form the various shades of grey. By labeling the photograph based upon these two extremes it simply makes the exercise of understanding the system of black & white photography easier.

But if we were to examine a black & white photograph in a different way, one that appreciates not only the pure blacks, and pure whites, but also the tonal range in between that is neither 100% black or 100% white, then we now have a 3rd element, which is all the greys. If we then give the greys a recognition of their own, we end up with a black & white photograph which actually has three elements, black, white, and all the greys.

In simple terms, we now have what is no longer a dualistic Yin Yang concept of the photograph, but a triplex concept consisting of Yin, Yang, and Yin/Yang mixed. By no means coincidentally, this leads us back to the Tai-ji, or Grand Ultimate symbol, found in the Wu-ji diagram of Chen Xi-yi, where the two halves of a circle, one black, and one white, intermix and form what is called the Tai-ji, which is the famous Taoist symbol everyone is familiar with nowadays, as shown in DIAGRAM 1.

If we relate Yin Yang theory to phenomena of the modern day, we can see it in operation in many aspects of our lives. Governments operate with a two party system, more examples here then get to the point by showing that the truth actually lies somewhere in between, being somewhat a mixture of the two. (-emic and –etic points of view etc…)

In Triplex Unity Theory, it is the fact that various sets of knowledge and information can be divided into three main areas, which comprises the “triplex” aspect of the theory. As can be seen from the various examples above, if we look at a particular set of information from a certain perspective, say a somewhat “static observational” one, we can separate the elements of that system into two opposing sides, or polarities. If we were then able to look at that same system in terms of a more “dynamic, immersive” perspective, where those opposing elements now intermix and interact, then we can see that the phenomena is better described by a system containing three polarities, or a triplicity.

That various, seemingly unrelated sets of knowledge can be related to each other through the similarities in their “triplicity” is what constitutes the “unity” aspect of this theory. Putting it in perhaps more simple terms, we could state that it is not so much that “three things join to form one” that makes this theory a “unity”, rather it is that various and different systems are “unified” by the fact that they each possess an internal, three-fold relationship, or “triplicity”, and this relationship is shared among these systems.

The value of Triplex Unity Theory of course is in how it can be applied to use in daily life. The theory is not merely an observationalist one, whereby a phenomena is simply described, or reported, and beyond that, serves no real function. In this respect, I believe we cannot thus compare this theory to the Christian Trinitarian doctrine. Trinitarian thought does indeed consist of a three-fold description of “God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”, and so appears to bear a resemblance to Triplex Unity Theory, however the doctrine itself does not espouse any particular use or application of this knowledge in one’s spiritual practice, save for the understanding that the three persons mentioned are aspects of God.

For a theory to have any practical use, it must be able to withstand the rigour of testing, be able to be taken and applied by others in conditions of their own design, and be able to assist or improve upon the ways in which things are currently performed. This, I believe, is where the beauty and simplicity of the theory really stands out.

I envisage Triplex Unity Theory as being a highly effective learning tool, applicable to areas that involve the need to rapidly and systematically approach and fully comprehend new sets of knowledge which is already organised into well defined, and possibly complex organizational structures. Furthermore, because the theory can be so universally applied due to its inherent “unified” nature, Triplex Unity Theory will allow an individual to simultaneously involve themselves quite deeply with a multiple number of knowledge frameworks, in a meta-relational way. This will provide great advantage to people who require interlinking a wide variety of separate and highly complex skill sets into a personalised, informal, yet logically structured system of inter-operability. Mastery of such a tool will empower the active individual to function at a highly capable level, which in the end will give the individual a competitive edge over others in an increasingly complex global society.

When we are faced with the sometimes daunting task of learning a body of knowledge which is new to us, we generally have no formalised internal framework or mental structure that fully accommodates or organises the knowledge we will be learning. We may have some ideas about the subject, based upon our preconceptions, but it is not until we actually begin the learning process and directly encountering the knowledge itself that firstly, we realise our preconceptions about things are generally incorrect, and need to be adjusted to more accurately represent what we are absorbing, and secondly, the development of an organized structure that accommodates this newly acquired knowledge generally comes after we have spent considerable time and effort in the learning process.

In the beginning stages of our study, information is encountered and processed in a singular, linear “string” of units, connected together by no more than the understanding that we learned each unit sequentially. This is termed “uni-structural” learning, and it continues until we encounter a unit of information of a familiar nature, something that we can relate to any of the previous units we have encountered. Acquiring knowledge in a uni-structural way is often confusing, because we are always in unfamiliar territory; we have nothing familiar that we can relate this new information to.

Once we have the opportunity to relate this initial string of incoming knowledge to something familiar, we are thus able to orientate ourselves and form a less confused and somewhat more organised structure which we can use as a reference point for when we acquire further knowledge.

As we develop several concurrent yet different strings of incoming knowledge, where the knowledge relates only to other similar units of knowledge within its relevant string,

When incoming knowledge is related to a particular unit of knowledge in the initial string, we then recognize a connection, and naturally join these two pieces of knowledge. Doing this forms a second string of incoming knowledge. We are thus improving our capacity for absorbing new information, as we now have more than a single line of input of information. This stage of learning is called “multi-structural”, and is the beginnings of forming mental frameworks to organise our newly acquired knowledge. We are now absorbing knowledge and apportioning it to its various, relevant “strings”.

The next stage of this process is when we begin to relate units of knowledge from one string to another string. We thus begin to see an interconnectivity between not only the units of knowledge within each separate linear structure, but also between other linear structures. This stage of learning is called “relational”, because we are now recognizing relationships developing between our strings of previously absorbed knowledge, forming a structure that is connected on many different levels. This gives us the facility to then place newly acquired knowledge into an existing framework, providing us with a well-established and familiar foundation from which we can compare and compartmentalize new information with old.

As we encounter more knowledge, most probably now of a much more detailed nature, as well as to a much greater reach beyond that which we initially encountered, we may then find that we develop a number of separate multi-structural agglomerations of information, perhaps sub-categories of information, or perhaps completely different areas, and that these agglomerations of information also have an inter-connectivity on many various levels. The information that we absorb can be related to all other units of information, in a way that forms an overall picture of the subject that we are learning.

This stage of learning is called “meta-relational’, and we generally reach this stage of learning where we are nearing the higher end of the level of professional expertise within a chosen field. It is also at this stage of our learning where we tend to be able to form a mental construct of the body of knowledge we now possess. This means that we are able to consider all the aspects that we know of this chosen field of study, and build in our mind a mental picture of this knowledge, forming the necessary relational pathways between various units, strings and structures of grouped units and strings. When we have built such a mental construct, we are thus able to now quantitatively and qualitatively assess all the information we have learned, and use it productively for our own purposes, such as for work, or teaching.

Putting all the above in simpler terms, when we are faced with the task of learning a new subject, not only are we required to learn its content, but also the way the content is organized. The reason for learning the content is understandable, for it is the content of any subject that attracts us to learning it in the first place. The reason for also learning the way the content is organized may not be immediately apparent, but it is nonetheless as equally important as the content. Having a structured mental framework of content arranged in some systematized way allows us to comprehend the content itself, as we need such a method of storing information, firstly to give us a frame of reference against which we compare it to other frameworks of knowledge, and secondly so we can remember, process, and use the content for our needs. Without a framework within which we can store the information we learn, we simply would not be able to function as intelligent beings, as we commence forming frameworks and knowledge structures from birth, as we exercise our capacity for acquiring language, and developing our cognitive processes to the point where we can use memory, logic and reason, and to think in abstract and creative ways.

If it were possible to learn a subject completely new to us, but with some form of mental construct related to that subject already in place, imagine how less difficult and lengthy the task of learning would be. This is precisely where Triplex Unity Theory comes into play. Firstly it allows us to examine a field of study, or a subject area, and identify within in it various types of information which can be grouped together into more general sub-categories which are then applied a polarity to fit within a three-fold, tiered structure. Among these three groups of information, we then identify the type of relationships that exist between them, and assign to them a unique geometrical figure that represents both the three polarities within the group, and the relationship ties between them. Once this has been done, we can then develop our mental construct of the entire subject, based upon this geometrical form. This form thus becomes our template for storing and structuring all new knowledge and information that we encounter when studying a new subject. This is the second function of Triplex Unity Theory.

As we absorb new information, we then group it together, in a way that we recognize it, according to its relevant polarity within the previously established three-fold structure. With a working structure already established, we can thus devote more of our time and energy to studying the subject’s content, resulting in a more rapid acquisition of information and understanding of the subject.

As a consequence of identifying relationships between these polarized groups of information within different subjects, we also develop the capacity to form a wide-ranging perception of the world that encompasses a wide variety of topics and subjects. It develops within us the ability to take a “global view”, much like the way interdisciplinary studies operate within academic institutions. This global view allows us to make connections between seemingly unrelated topics, make judgements, arrive at conclusions, and forecast things that one wouldn’t normally be able to make with a more limited view.

Furthermore, having a relatively simple framework where we can easily attribute certain aspects of a topic to various parts of this three-fold system, we are thus also in a better position to improve upon the system, by either adding elements to, or by changing positions of the various polarities within the geometry, such as adding an extra step to a process, or by changing the sequence of a process from one type to another. Using this framework of structuring knowledge allows us a greater mental capacity to organize information, visualise processes, and to understand working systems that need to be used in real world applications.

1. Orientate ourselves quickly and efficiently within a new and unfamiliar subject area.
2. Understand a knowledge framework more deeply and more thoroughly
3. Enable ourselves to apply, or implement a system more rapidly
4. Enable ourselves to add, change, and generally improve upon an existing system.
5. Interlink various systems to form a combined multi-tasking system.

[2] The three element rule in Shintoism uses the symbolism of the triangle, circle and square for a variety of esoteric uses, such as forming the basis of a sacred geometry for shrine architecture.

[3] For this reason, I will continue to use these three geometrical forms as the representative shapes for the three polarities to be discussed at length in this work.