Parabola Lyrics - Tool

The video to Parabol, Parabola is epic. It's technically named the Parabola video, but it's actually Parabol and then it plays right into the song Parabola.....just like on Lateralus, the album. The video somehow makes the song even better. It's probably the best video I've ever seen.

Feeling eternal all this pain is an illusion
A lie
I unbiasdly listen to music and I've always thought he was saying a lie, not alive. In the song I never hear a v sound when he says that lyric. Interesting...

Anyone who thinks there is one specific meaning to a Tool song, especially one from Lateralus, is most likely wrong. The objective of the entire album is to open the listener up mentally and spiritually. Maynard seldom talks about the meaning of songs because the meaning to each song is open to interpretation by the individual. This isn't specifically a holy song or a love song or a reincarnation song. It, along with its intro, Parabol, act as music enlightenment to you as an individual in your own mind. Just as Disposition, Reflection, and Triad all do together later in the album. None of you are right, but, none of you are wrong either.

And Cassie, this is definitely not a song portraying one world order in the sense you mean. Tool may have many references to things being one, but it doesn't fit into NWO and political crap. It ties in with the nature of all existence relating and being one. The eyes forming the third eye at the end of the video represents opening your "third eye" to see the truth of the nature of existence.

if you havent watched the official video yet then you should because the reviews ive read so far dont fit the video. the video says it all and it plainly symbolizes one of the plagues that we face as we are brought to one world order and it shoes the exact process as the parabolas enter the body then upon exiting are multiplied. love and spiritualism are not what maynard is portraying unless its love for the 1% that wiill survive

Ups. Forgot text. Whatever. I'm not sure wheter it literally is about love or not, but truth is I agree it is about a moment that feels good, wheter it is a state of love, a state of drugs or whatever triggers the moment.

In essence, there is no spiritual or 'higher' meaning behind Parabol/Parabola

In this song, Maynard describes a moment, and how this moment makes him feel.

It's a moment mostly anyone can relate to, portrayed in a way only Maynard can achieve: a hug. A hug from the one you love the most.

Your 'counterpart'. The one you want to spend your life with.

When you hug, it feels as if you become 'whole'. One body. One being.

Maynard just tells us how this feels: really good!

I think this is the best love song ever written.

First things first, this song has nothing to do with sex or birth. Tool uses sexual metaphors in nearly every song. If your going to interpret Tool of all bands, you need to think deeper than that. The song is of spiritual matters, Maynard has found divinity and follows eastern philosophy.

In the first stanza, Maynard is stating that no one can remember what came before your infant stage. How you choose the body you use as your vehicle in a game we call "Life".

In the main chorus, Maynard says that we are eternal, and pain does not exist. We really can't die, we are immortal, our bodies may rot and such but our souls will live on.

After the second chorus, he says that we should cherish our chance to be here, in a breathing body. We get a chance to be human.

And finally at the end, Maynard advises you to embrace life and remember that no matter what sort of pain you go through, your soul will never be damaged or tainted.

Thank you for reading, as I am only 15 but I do my best on trying to interpret Tool and A Perfect Circle. May Tool live on.

This song, to me, is a short writing of the ultimate truth one can attain while being alive on this earth, in this vibration, and on this plane of awareness. The "parable" here is that "we", humans are an extension of our cosmic counterpart i.e. God. We are ALL one being and Life, is the experience of a divided single consciousness within human avatars. Meaning, we, all, us, god, CHOSE to "divide" and live! "This body. This body holding me. Be my reminder here that I am not alone" Not alone meaning, life is many. Consciousness of ONE is alone.
The "illusion" is that there is NO DEATH! But only a constant cycle of infinite existence/consciousness.
Destroy the ego side and experience "death" of the "self" only to come back "here" and realize we are humans and ONLY this "reality" will end... Our fleshy vessels will retire... mortality. "This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember; we are eternal,
all this pain is an illusion." The "moment" being when you return to the consciousness of ONE, when the ego dies.
These men have experienced "death" of the ego as have I. I KNOW this is exactly what they are trying to convey... I hope you will consider what I have said and pay more attention to other lyrics from other songs. Their core message, their entire mission, is to be the 'Tool' for humans to find this truth... The Philosopher's Stone, the Holy Grail...

For me, this song is about how I deal with the end of my relationship. I was hurt en felt alone, but I flet into music (and a bit of drugs..), got high of it, and came to realise that I'm not alone, and all this pain that I feel is just a illusion of which I can decide how long and intense I feel it, because I stand much higher than this pain. I hasn't killed me because it can't, and realising that i feel reborn

This song is about recognizing that you chose to incarnate yourself to this world to experience birth and death in physical form. You chose to learn from this reality, so that one day you may construct one of your Own, as a consciousness separate from the Whole. This reality is merely a tool to teach your soul how to become the true Creator. Look inside yourself. Examine your energy, which is at least as old as the Universe itself. Pure energy cannot die, it merely changes form. Your energy is your soul. You were present at the time of creation; the time that science identifies as the Big Bang. You are God. Now seek knowledge and truth so that you fulfill your ultimate purpose. Seeking truth brings Enlightenment.

Love and light to all.

You all fret over the meaning of this song and fret about what purpose it has. What a surprise, humans overlooking the irrelevance in simple lyrics. In my very own opinion, all this song is symbolic of is the appreciation for the exsistance of ourselves in human bodies with all of our potential, Tool incorporates their appreaciation for pure life and exsistance ignorning the unappreciative humans that obsess over material items, such as those of you swearing by what this song means. Have your own take on it and dont force it upon what other imaginative thoughts others may have on the lyrics. Quit overlooking this and just appreciate what you are as a human.

I didn't understand what people meant with feeling & understanding the music without absorbing the lyrics until I bought High quality headphones, I really felt as I haven't actually heard any of the songs before, I just laid down in my bed & enjoyed this sensation, it's a truly indescribable experience. Invest in good headphones people!

It's not about sex. And it damn sure ain't a baby inside the mothers womb speaking. It's about how we are more than our bodies. We are an eternal conciousness. Everything we are and see here on this earth is just and illusion. Listen to Third Eye then Parabola back to back. Man you crazzed out Tool fans are Dumb. You forget to feel the music, then listen to the lyrics.

"ITS NOT ABOUT SEX OR BIRTH.... IT IS ABOUT SOMETHING BIGGER THAN THAT .. SOMETHING TRANSCENDENTAL"

If you don't think that sex can be just as transcendental as yoga, then I'd suggest that you study tantra in the Eastern traditions, or sexual alchemy in the Western. No matter which path you follow, sex with love and spiritual intent can be used as one of the most powerful and effective means of approaching Godhead. It's so potent that even the uninitiated can touch on it from time to time.

It's possible that I'm misunderstanding the song, but I read it precisely as that: experience of revelation through sexual union.

Not only does that apply to psychedelics, meditation has much the same effect, the itching/vibrating feeling in certain parts of your body (the eyes going in to the body) up until the opening of 3rd eye or vibrating (not really, but can't find a better word atm) sensation around your brain area, where the 3rd eye is located.