Reviews for Parabola Lyrics

In addition to what reviewer "indian god" wrote, the molecule that is represented within the video could also represent a release of an endogenous psychedelic compound such as N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and is not necessarily limited to an external source. Overall I think indian god's interpretation is an accurate one. Especially given that from the point in the video where the leaf becomes a flame all the way to the end, all of the visual material is that of spiritual/psychedelic artist Alex Grey.

So the way I see it is that this song can mean whatever you need it to mean. The interpretation of the song is really up to the person listening to it.
If such an answer does not satify you then look up interviews or better yet write to the band and ask. After all it's their song, who better to know what it was supposed to mean than the creator of the song.

well... here is my understanding of the song ::

the song talks about perception of reality and influence of psychedelics on the same... it saysw that psychedelics are a tool for opening the third eye .. now what the third eye means is the vision of something beyond reality...

the video shows a small creature that is with the main human.. that little thing is the EGO OR OUR PERCEPTION OF REALITY... and once it is killed then the man is free to go in the forest and this ultimately leads to discovery of fire.. which signifies one of the most important discoveries of mankind..

also the video shows a small molecule like thing which kills the small creature.. now that molecule is the molecule of awareness of the hoax of reality which can be attained by psychedelic drugs..

the third eye and the end scene where the man feels the whole universe pouring into him is nothing but a traditional indian yoga technique called KUNDALINI JAGRUTI ..meaning revival of the spinal strength .. which is knowing how reality works....

all in all GREAT VIDEO... BUT ITS GOT A VERY DEEP MEANING..

P.S. : ITS NOT ABOUT SEX OR BIRTH.... IT IS ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THAT .. SOMETHING TRANSCENDENTAL ///

I believe this is a song about if souls where sent to each and every one of us by god and could give us a simple message about life it would be that life love and true happiness is a holy gift for all of man and that physical and emotional pain is simply and illusion of are minds. I believe one who can learn these lessons can become a strong person inside and out

"We barely remember, who or what came before this precious moment." We have all chosen to believe whatever scientific evidence, religious doctrine,
what someone we look up to has told us, or a
combination of all 3 to believe.

The truth is, no one KNOWS the 100% truth about anything... It's all belief.

"This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember; we are eternal,
all this pain is an illusion."

Science has discovered the possibility of a "soul" to exist, within the brain. Religion as a backup explains this. Our flesh is short lived, full of pain, and shows us what a mortal life means. In the end, it's all an illusion, for our "soul" will move on.

this album is one of the few albums which can be called a true art....it's different from the other tool's album and it raised a lot of question on tool's progress because it's less aggressive and more constructive....talking about parabola would be unreasonable....not considering the previous tracks...and the main ideology of the band ( Maynard & jones )....which is everything is connected to the mind and body....there is no fucking soul!!...this song is not about sexual intercourse because tool tends to use a lot of sexual metaphor for it's purpose...like stink fist....this song is about our mind and being....we have no idea how we got here,who we are...but we should know...everything that is....is just a creation of human and human's society mind....that's why everything is an illusion....we are just part of the nature and we need to learn that....there is no purpose....we are just part of a whole...therefore we can let go of everything that is bothering us and just enjoy this life....because don't matter who we are and where are going...we are going to die...and sooner we learn this...we can live fully....considering the last scene in the video clip that the creature holds a leaf and suddenly they connect to each other....and open the third eye...or chakra or what ever...meaning these are all not something spiritual...they are part of our existence...
just remember these people are not some cheap monkeys....they put their time and energy into this stuff...they are educated...not college educated...i'm not saying everything they say is deep and meaningful and rite...their lyrics are simple...if you're on the rite track...they just work hard to make a track like this and it's dis respectable to say something absolute about their art!

The lyrics are not hard to understand. The official music video, however, is another story. Long story short, the lyrics are most likely narrarating a sexual experience with a partner. However, apart from that, the lyrics also alude to our spirit, our body being the vessel, and existence essentially being an illusion that we can manipulate with our mind.
Every moment is precious, we are eternal. Respect your body. And all these things are magnified during sexual intercourse.

its a child speaking to its mother inside the belly. Its birth. :\ each new experience when we are children everything is new. The body holding you inside it. The reminder of not being alone. Yup its birth!

when you try to think hard on this song, it gives out hundreds of deep meanings. i hear it saying "the body holds in the spirit, the soul being held in the spirit, all twirling and moving around and through each other,choosing to be one instead of 3 like a personal trinity. we choose our moments in time, we choose our paths in life, we choose our actions,and one of each parts of ourselves tells us what to do. our body is a mortal vessel of our spirit. our spirit is an eternal vessel of our souls. pain is an illusion, as is all feelings, but our spirits and souls are eternal." when i think to hard, but then i stop thinking and just read, and then it says "sex. sex is a holy gift and as pain is an illusion, we escape it during sex as the two+ bodies intertwine, wrap around each other, and take each other to a high of euphoria. it may only be a mortal pleasure, but it is a pleasure in a painfull world, none the less."
no, i do not take halucinagins to figure these things out. lol

I thought this had some deep meaning (some shit to do with the soul) the first few times I listened to it. Then it came to the lyric "this body holding me" and I thought, "Wait... sex?" Then it all made sense.

It's just a song about sex and realising a moment of beauty in a painful life. Y'all think too much. "This body holding me" is the sexual partner and the release of true intimacy that said partner imparts...

I used to use alot of psychs and smoke alot of weed, but meditation is the only real opportunity your going to get in being able to pry open the third eye and keep it open, not for just a short duration. And i know what you mean about hating it, only just started recently, it's very hard to get into the rhythm of doing it but the hard work will pay off in the end, the knowing that you are progressing spiritually is a good motivator.

This is a song about a soul inside a body

"We barely remember, who or what came before this precious moment.
We are choosing to be here, right now. Hold on, stay inside...
This holy reality, this holy experience. Choosing to be here in..." Talks about how we were in 'heaven' and chose this moment to be carnated on earth.

"This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone in
This body, this body holding me, feeling eternal all this pain is an illusion." Talks about the body holding the soul and that pain is an illusion because ur soul doesnt feel pain ur 'flesh body' does.

I am a huge tool fan. Do me a favor and just listen to the melodies and how this song like many others creeps up and then BAM your banging your head and singing along (my case screaming along ha ha) NOW SIMPLY SAID, I think this song is referring to a soul that is inside the body and how the two are connected. That is it! Now enjoy the bass and sht the F up.

This body is the most eternal thing you're all gonna get. We die and become worm-food. Enlightened and in-tune with the universe or not, until you been walking on the sun you're not getting out of your skin, whether it's rotting in a box or walking on the topsoil, you're just a slug until you can willfully shrug off this physical suit. So fuck it, eh? Leave existentialism to those who don't connect with other people through manufactured means.