Tool-related quotes

[Thrakandor]

Well, this is somewhat an evolution of my poetry thread idea... any quotes, poems, songs etc that reflect any of the band's philosophies, or just decent philosophies on life, post them here. We'll see how this one goes.

This is an extract of Nelson Mandela's inauguration speech, he is quoting someone (a writer, I guess) named Marianne Williams. It seems to fit in rather well with many of Tool's evolutionary thoughts.

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

There's nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us;
It is not just in some of us - it's in everyone

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others."

If you're atheist or don't believe in a single father-figure type deity (as I don't), then it's pretty easy to replace "God" with the uncconscious, or if you're atheist... well... who are you? You're here.

[euthanasia]

"We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, we are spiritual beings on a human journey"

I first viewed this quote on a tool related site. It maked so much sense to me, I will treasure this quote for a long time.

I got interested about the God thing. After going through a lot of doubt process, rediscovering process, I have come to accept the Deity, the Universal Energy that holds up the world.
Not as much as an energy as a counsciousness, perhaps a higher being. Im still in the quest, though.
The fear of death, still haunts me. My thoughts are not clear.

[ombre-et-flamme]

Yes - Doubt. Rediscovery. That's a great and very compact summation of what our human journey is for.

It is interesting that Deity, as you call it, can be described both as Energy and as Consciousness. For Energy creates, constituting all that exists; while Consciousness is the thought of why it is creating in the first place.

[Aenimal]

I read that nelson mandela quote in Grey's Transfigurations, I suppose that's where you found it to. Those lines really hit me when i first read them, especialy while you're staring into grey's paintings.

[Aenimal]

Also, one of my favorite quotes, among many many many i suppose, is " There is no surer way of corrupting a youth then to encourage him to hold higher in esteem those who are alike then those who are different." Or something like that(quoted it from memory so I'm not sure if the wording is correct). It's by Neitzsche.