The Deeper Meaning of Triangles in Kali

Ever notice how triangles seem to be everywhere in Filipino Martial Arts? Logos, footwork patterns – they're everywhere. But the triangle goes way beyond just shapes of movements. It's a powerful training tool used to explore concepts. Here is an example of how the triangle is used in Kali, according to Guro Dan Inosanto:

The triangle can help us understand and organize our training, yet it also helps us understand concepts beyond the physical techniques. Kali uses the triangle to bridge the gap between physical training and the mental and spiritual aspects of the art. Here’s another example from Guro Inosanto:

Here’s how the triangle resonates with me, and how I’ve used it beyond my training in martial arts. The word for triangle in Tagalog is tatsulok, which comes from the words tatlong sulok, which means “three corners.”

In life, we often get caught in a duality or binary—two opposing perspectives or contrasting forces.

This can happen, for example, when trying to make a decision where we see only two viable choices. Or in an interpersonal conflict, where two people have competing perspectives, unable to see the other person’s side.

When we reflect on the shape of the tatsulok, however, we realize that a whole new perspective can emerge—a third way, And that third way represents the potential of infinite possibilities.

When I think about how we, as modern-day warriors, can use the triangle to address our current challenges, I believe our task is to hold space for the emergence of new solutions to our flat land problems. These solutions may not be available with our limited dualistic thinking or current level of consciousness.

But the tatsulok, or triangle, reminds us that there’s the possibility of another solution emerging or having the potential to be birthed—a third way or a new perspective, perhaps even better than what we could have imagined with our limited one.