Upon the release of Tool’s new album Fear Inoculum, a whole new generation now has the opportunity to be introduced to the power of Tool’s music and its profound wisdom shrouded in metaphor. To truly understand Tool’s music it is extremely helpful to understand that there are two streams of knowledge running throughout human history – the exoteric – that of mainstream science, religion and culture, and the esoteric – that of visionary science and spirituality that has profoundly shaped human consciousness behind the scenes.
This esoteric stream of knowledge has been expressed throughout human history by varied religious, mystical, philosophical and scientific viewpoints including: Alchemy, Ancient Egyptian traditions (Doctrine of the Anthropocosm), Ancient Greek traditions of Pythagoras and Plato, Ancient Persian traditions of Sufism, various sects of Buddhism, Ancient Celtic and Druidic traditions, Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Vedic Hindu traditions, Mystic Judaism (Kabbalistic traditions), Mystic Christianity, Taoism and other ancient Chinese traditions, Theosophy, Anthroposophy, Zoroastrianism, Native Indigenous and Shamanic traditions from the world over, Yoga…and more.
The esoteric stream of knowledge has also been expressed throughout the artistic realm of human history in music, literature, film and the visual arts including the work of Dante Alighieri; Albrecht Durer; Alex Grey; St. Augustine; Beethoven; Joseph Beuys; Helena Blavatsky; Bob Dylan; Bob Marley; Bram Stoker; Carl Jung; Cervantes; Conscious Hip-hop artists such as Blackalicious, Jurassic 5, Blue Scholars, Macklemore, Kendrick Lamar, The Roots & Logic; Fyodor Dostoevksy; Emmanuel Swedenborg; Fernando Pessoa; Francis Bacon; Francois Rabelais; Allen Ginsberg; Giordano Bruno; Goethe; Wilhelm Leibniz; Antoni Gaudi; Guillaume Apollinaire; G.I. Gurdijeff; Walter Russell; Henry Miller; Henry Thoreau; Hieronymus Bosch; Homer; Ibn Arabi; Jacob Boehme; James Joyce; Johannes Kepler; John Michell; Jonathan Swift; Keith Critchlow, Jack Kerouac; Lao-Tzu; Led Zeppelin; Leonardo da Vinci; Manly P. Hall; Meister Eckhart; Michelangelo; Friedrich Nietzsche; Oscar Wilde; Paracelsus; Pablo Picasso; Pink Floyd; Plato; Pythagoras; Raphael; Arthur Rimbaud; Roger Bacon; Rudolf Steiner; Salvador Dali; Vincent van Gogh; Shakespeare; Thomas Aquinas; Umberto Eco; Virgil; Voltaire; Walt Whitman; William Keats; William Wordsworth; Wu-Tang Clan; Frank Chester; John Martineau; Buckminster Fuller; Robert Lawlor; Hermann Hesse; Rumi; Mozart; Paul Cezanne; F. Scott Fitzgerald; Herman Melville; Tom Robbins; Kurt Vonnegut; The Flaming Lips; Ernst Haeckel; The Brothers Grimm; Anthony Burgess; The Grateful Dead; The Beatles; Beck; Cat Stevens; The Dave Matthews Band; David Bowie; The Doors; Jack Johnson; Janis Joplin; Jimi Hendrix; Nahko & Medicine for the People; Neil Young; The Rolling Stones, Tool…and more…so many more.
These are widely varying in their style, perspective and execution of skill yet they are all translations of the esoteric stream of knowledge to one degree or another.
There are several basic premises of the esoteric stream of knowledge. These universal principles have most often been expressed in tales, metaphors, parables, myths, music and art. The meanings are shrouded so that one must take the effort to find the hidden truths. Sure there are subtle differences of translation among groups and there are also infinite perspectives, but there are still only a few basic universal principles that the esoteric stream of knowledge, and all its implications, are built upon.
I am not telling you to believe or not believe this perspective of reality. I am simply alerting you as to what this ancient perspective is.
It is extremely helpful to read these explanations in order to understand the translations. The main principles of the esoteric stream of knowledge are:
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Consciousness creates matter and not the other way around. Consciousness came first.
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Everything contains consciousness, without exception.
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The fundamental principles of the Universe are Unity, Infinity and Harmony.
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The three principles above are illustrated by geometric principles, patterns and ratios common to all scales of reality. This means all in reality has a fractal-holographic geometric underpinning to it.
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All in reality, seen and unseen, are interconnected and interpenetrate one another. There are infinite dimensions that are interconnected to make a unified harmonious whole. All points in space, time and consciousness are connected.
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The point of existence is to take the cosmic journey of the evolution of the soul and to encourage others to wake up and recognize this task set before each of us.
Read this for deeper explanations of these principles: https://www.cosmic-core.org/free/the-six-principles-of-the-esoteric-stream-of-knowledge/
Tool is one such example of how an individual, or a small unified group of individuals, can express these profound truths in their uniquely personal and creative way and how this translation can reach other people – inspiring them to learn to rise to their unique highest potential for the greatest good.
I will now translate many of the lyrics from various Tool songs according to the esoteric stream of knowledge. I will then, through this series of articles, discuss many other individuals or groups and how they have uniquely translated this same knowledge through their music, literature, film or visual arts.
We will start with Pneuma, the second track on Tool’s Fear Inoculum. Pneuma is one of the more obvious references to the esoteric stream of knowledge. It begins:
We are Spirit bound to this flesh.
(We) go round one foot nailed down.
(But) Bound to reach out and beyond this flesh, become Pneuma.
We are will and wonder, bound to recall – remember
We are Born of One Breath, One Word.
We are all One Spark, Sun becoming.
[We are Spirit bound to this flesh.] This is obviously referring to the idea that each human has both a spirit and a physical body. The spirit, or consciousness, is permanent and the physical body, or flesh, is temporary. This realization that each human being is more than one body, more than one lifetime, is an important concept of the esoteric stream of knowledge. First you must remember that you are more than flesh. Then you must remember that your spirit goes on after your flesh disintegrates. Life goes on after death. The spirit remains. This means the consciousness or spirit of an individual does not disappear after death. We go on, intact, with our memories and personalities so that we may continue the journey of the evolution of the soul which takes many, many lifetimes. We build ourselves, or transform ourselves as we evolve. Therefore we grow on the progress we have made. This progress is not lost to us after each lifetime. We do not have to start again at the beginning of each lifetime…starting over from scratch. This is one of the most important aspects of the esoteric stream of knowledge whether you choose to believe it or not: We go on after death. We do not lose our individuality, our personalities or our memories. We keep these and grow with them as we evolve. So there is no need to fear death.
[We go round one foot nailed down.] This is referring to the cycles of existence. “We go round” means that there are cycles within cycles (spirals within spirals) and there is no escape from these cycles. This is a universal principle. These cycles refer to the cycles of the cosmic evolution of the soul and are the cycles of day, week, month, year, lifetime (reincarnations), and level of consciousness (larger cycles of reincarnation). While we move through these cycles in physical reality we have “one foot nailed down.” This means that there is an aspect of us that is fused to physical reality while we are ‘alive’ in bodies. We are essentially stuck in physical reality while we are incarnate. We have consented to experience physical reality so we cannot escape it. Yet we are still moving though the cycles of evolution even though we are half-stuck in physical reality. Our foot is nailed down, but our consciousness is not. We can learn to use our consciousness to transcend physical reality and experience metaphysical reality.
Furthermore, the “one foot nailed down” is symbolic of Jesus being nailed to the cross, with nails being driven through the feet and hands (or ankles and wrists). The cruxifiction of Jesus revolves around the aspect of forgiveness. We are each partially crucified in this physical reality. This means we will all suffer; we will all feel pain; we will all be made fun of or belittled or blamed or insulted. Yet the symbolism of Jesus on the cross (which is barely alluded to here) is a reference that forgiveness will set you free. Until you forgive you will always suffer – you will remain “nailed down”.
[But Bound to reach out and beyond this flesh, become Pneuma.] Pneuma refers to the vital spirit, soul or creative force that is so central to the esoteric stream of knowledge. Pneuma also refers to breath. In the esoteric knowledge when ‘breath’ is mentioned this means not only the actual breath that keeps us alive each day, but also the “Cosmic Breath” of which we are a part. This Cosmic breath is the eternal oscillation from the physical to the metaphysical. It is the process that creates and maintains the physical reality. It is the process from which we were all born, and it is the process that keeps each and every person connected to their source while they are in the physical reality. Once we realize we are more than a body – we are spirit – we can consciously reach out towards this knowledge – we can reach out beyond this body or flesh that seems to imprison us and reach towards the truth that we are pneuma. We are eternal spirit. Again, when we die, we go on. The conviction that this is true can set the mind free and free the human from the fear of death and dissolution.
The fact that Tool says we are “bound” to reach out and beyond this flesh means that whether you believe it or not, whether you realize it or not, you are Spirit and eventually you will recognize this. This freeing of the body and mind and the evolution of the soul is a process that everyone is going through and everyone is ‘bound’ to wake up to it eventually. There really is no other way. None can escape the truth, although they can run from it for quite some time.
[We are will and wonder, bound to recall – remember] – We are “will” and “wonder”. This speaks to the importance of the Will – the aspect of our consciousness that makes choices from seemingly endless possibilities. We cannot evolve if we do not use our will. This is an important aspect of the esoteric stream of knowledge – the importance of the Choice. This choice refers to waking up to the truth of your spiritual nature and choosing to consciously evolve. This choice also refers to the importance of choosing between the path of unity, compassion and forgiveness or the path of separation, control and manipulation. Our will is thus an extremely important aspect of our evolution and the function and use of the will must be better understood.
We are also “wonder”. This aspect of wonder – of curiosity and interest and an open-mind is also an important aspect to pull us forward, or inspire us to continue moving on our journey of evolution. As Albert Einstein said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead —his eyes are closed.”
This aspect of wonder is what can shake us out of mundane, boring, complacent conformity. It can push us to see beyond the physical reality and experience the Cosmic nature of our existence. Wonder keeps us searching and questioning. If we lose our wonder, we become slaves to the physical reality. And again, Tool uses the word “bound” to recall. We will all remember. We have to remember, eventually, even if it takes millions of years. We will all recall the truth of our existence. We are “bound” to. Learning to use will and wonder appropriately will help one recall and remember much more quickly.
[We are Born of One Breath, One Word.] – We all arise from the same source – Cosmic Consciousness. This Cosmic Consciousness moves the Cosmic Breath of the Universe – the eternal oscillation of the matter/consciousness feedback loop. We are all connected through our consciousness. The totality of our consciousness is akin to the divine infinite spirit. The spirit is akin to the breath because its flow keeps us alive. So we arise from One Breath – from One Spirit that is unified.
We are born of “One Word” – this refers to the “Word” or Sound that puts the Universe in motion. This is discussed in many spiritual and religious traditions throughout time, not just Christianity. This is another key aspect of the esoteric stream of knowledge. The “Word” equals Sound or vibration. Vibration (waves consisting of wavelength, amplitude and frequency) creates physical reality. Vibration arises from consciousness. Consciousness therefore creates reality. Vibration creates physical matter. Geometry is embedded within vibration. This is easily illustrated through Cymatics. The same geometric patterns are seen on all scales of reality from the subatomic to the galactic clustering level.
Vibration (from consciousness) = Geometry = Matter.
This is also one of the many reasons geometry is so important to the esoteric stream of knowledge and why it is used so abundantly in the art for Tool’s albums and the art of Alex Grey, among many others.
[We are all One Spark, Sun becoming.] – Again we see here that Tool is telling us “we are all One”. That is, we are all connected. We are all unified and we are all from the same Source. This spark is the spark of each of our individualized consciousnesses. We are made of light – of photons. The spark of our individualized consciousness is more like a reflection from a divine light. So we are sparks or reflections of the same Unity.
We are “Sun becoming”. This is a deep concept that refers to the cosmic evolution of the Soul. First off we are all made of light. Consciousness creates light. This is literal as well as metaphorical. The oscillating waves created by consciousness create photons that carry electromagnetic energy. Everything in physical reality is made of light (photons). Furthermore, not only will we evolve to be “sun-like” – that is radiant, powerful and full of light, but we will literally evolve to experience a “sun-like” consciousness. We will become Suns. Suns = Stars. We will become stars. This does not mean we will turn into giant flaming balls of gas. This means that our neighborhood will become the solar system or galaxy rather than the tiny neighborhood we experience now in our communities. We will be able to communicate with other consciousnesses throughout our galaxy as easily as we are able to communicate with our neighbors today. We will be able to move through our galaxy just as easily as we are able to move through our cities and towns today. This evolution of the spirit or consciousness is an evolution that takes us beyond the false laws of physics pushed upon us today. When we evolve for the greatest good we will be able to teleport, materialize and dematerialize as well as all the other things we can do when we lucid dream. We are able to move outside of time and space when we have evolved to other levels of consciousness including the consciousness of Suns or Stars.
This same concept is so powerfully and poetically expressed in Dante’s Divine Comedy which relates the “Hero’s Journey” and the movement through Separation (the Inferno), Initiation (Purgatory) and the Return (Paradise). The Divine Comedy was written in 1320! Yet is full of profound mystical truths relating to the esoteric stream of knowledge. Dante ends all three sections (or Canots) with the word “Stars”. This is because he is cluing us in to the concept that we will evolve to have a Sun-like consciousness.
The Inferno ends with this:
“My Guide and I crossed over and began
to mount that little known and lightless road
to ascend into the shining world again.
He first, I second, without thought of rest
We climbed the dark until we reached the point
Where a round opening brought in sight the blest
And beauteous shining of the Heavenly cars.
And we walked out once more beneath the Stars.”
The Purgatorio ends with this:
“I came back from those holiest waters anew,
Remade, reborn, like a Sun-wakened tree
That spreads new foliage to the Spring dew
In sweetest freshness, healed of Winter’s scars;
Perfect, pure, and ready for the Stars.”
The Paradiso ends with this:
“Here my powers rest from their high fantasy,
But already I could feel my being turned –
Instinct and intellect balanced equally
As in a wheel whose motion nothing jars –
By the Love that moves the Sun and the other Stars.”
Did you ever realize how much the band Tool from the 21st century has in common with Dante Alighieri from the 14th century? I will write a series of articles discussing The Divine Comedy in much more detail and we will see Dante come up again when discussing Tool.
The remainder of the lyrics of Pnuema are as follows and relate to the same concepts we have already discussed, with a few additions.
Child, wake up.
Child, release the light.
Wake up now, child.
Spirit…
Spirit bound to this flesh, this guise, this mask, this dream.
Wake up, remember –
We are born of One Breath, One Word.
We are all One Spark, Sun becoming.
Pneuma.
Reach out and beyond.
Wake up, remember.
We are born of One Breath, One Word.
We are all One Spark, eyes full of wonder.
Tool calls us “Child” because we are all children of the greater universe and we are only children as far as the evolution of the spirit is concerned. We are immature and only just beginning the journey. We are children. We need to wake up from the dream, or nightmare in some cases and release the light within ourselves. Don’t keep that light trapped inside, hidden in a cage behind the darkness and pain of physical reality. “Child, release the light.”
Tool repeatedly tells us to “Wake Up.” This refers to waking up to the truth of our spiritual natures and the truth of the cosmic spiritual evolution of the consciousness. The concept of “forgetting” shows up in the esoteric stream of knowledge frequently. This is because we all “drink the waters of forgetfulness” when we become incarnate in a body. Even though physical reality seems like it is all there is, we must be able to “pierce through the veil” of forgetfulness and remember the truth while we are still alive. This is very difficult to do for most people – to “wake up” and see through the narrow illusion. Yet Tool is encouraging us to do just that: to wake up from the temporary: “this flesh, this guise, this mask, this dream.”
The truth is that we are spiritual beings that decide to undertake certain lives in order to learn. These lifetimes are the “dreams” and the cosmic spiritual nature of ourselves is the true reality. We must “reach out and beyond.” We have to consciously search, consciously reach out for the truth, and then consciously endeavor to live according to universal principles in order to evolve. We must take action to evolve. We cannot be passive and wait for someone to bestow truth or enlightenment upon us. It doesn’t work that way. We must “reach out”. No one will do it for us. We can’t just listen to music or look at art. We cannot just talk the talk. We must walk the walk. We must reach out and do it ourselves. We must go through the process. We must learn to heal and transform. We must learn to live harmoniously in order to evolve.
Read more translations of Tool's lyrics according to the esoteric stream of knowledge here: https://www.cosmic-core.org/free/culture-tool-song-meanings/
These include:
Schism - Lateralus
The Grudge - Lateralus
Fear Inoculum - Fear Inoculum
The Patient - Lateralus
Descending - Fear Inoculum
Parabola – Lateralus
Lateralus – Lateralus
Reflection – Lateralus
Invincible – Fear Inoculum
7empest – Fear Inoculum
Vicariously – 10,000 Days
Jambi – 10,000 Days
10,000 Days – 10,000 Days
Intention – 10.000 Days
Right in Two – 10.000 Days
Stinkfist – Aenima
Eulogy – Aenima
H. – Aenima
Forty-Six & 2 – Aenima
Jimmy – Aenima
Pushit – Aenima
Aenima – Aenima
Third Eye – Aenima
Intolerance – Undertow
Prison Sex – Undertow
Bottom – Undertow
Undertow – Undertow
4° – Undertow
Disgustipated – Undertow
Submitted September 10, 2019 at 08:16PM by Cosmic_Core https://ift.tt/31a2znu
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