Significance of Fetus in Skull?

[jsn]

there are several pics of this.

any idea about what this represents?

life from the mind?

an idea born of creation?

creating ideas?

[njm]

once upon a time (http://toolnavy.com/showthread.php?t=40689) I thought:

think the idea of that alex grey piece is that there is a continuation from life (foetus) to death (skull) as well as afterwards (interbieng). confused? Maybe the idea that there is the presence of the interbeing (which I believe Alex has also depicted in web of being) during the entire course of our physical existence.

Another thing is that Alex Grey has explored in his entire career (?) is opposites, and importantly the union of opposites. Hence the tendancy towards buddhism which offers a taste of the experience of the union of form and formlessness, ie non-dual awareness. So obviously one of the biggest opposites in our life is that of life and death. I feel that is what is trying to be expressed in this piece.

[Kedzie_Matthews]

my initial interpretation of it was an undeveloped mind

[F!end]

Could mean many things...
Our inner child, maybe?

[msbtool]

Brain Child, thats all i got but it seemed like an obvious answer

[pjmd3]

my first thought was our fear of death is what drives us through life, thats why there are so many wars, but i think the undeveloped mind in the spiritual sence is a great interpretation.really it's kind of the same idea when you think about it.

[jsn]

interesting thoughts.

in case you haven't seen there is also a fetus shape in the yellow/blue skulls/face pic.

[MemphisM]

my initial interpretation of it was an undeveloped mind

agree...perhaps signifies how in today's society, the ability and desire to think often seem to be aborted at an early age...

[Metalgod666]

Brain Child, thats all i got but it seemed like an obvious answer
thats what I thought

[britishempire]

it has many meanings, they're all quite obvious.
but it rocks. has anyone got a scanned copy? I'd really like one.

[jsn]

"WOW I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE!!!! NICE FIND DUMBASS."

um... eat balls... thank you.

[cjbarker02]

That ain't a human fetus in there...


(Blast me if this has been said already)

[Randall]

You ever think of life and death, Fetus=life skull=death. Shouldn't over question.

[Bubba_Phat]

WOW I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE!!!! NICE FIND DUMBASS.

Wow. You've been a member of the forum since February. Thanks for your intelligible contribution to the discussion. I'm proud that there are people like you who consider themselves Tool Fans.

[Mike Okherts]

I have a tattoo very similar to this. Oh yea, JSN, you are an ignorant piece of shit.

[njm]

In another post in this forum, someone said that the fetus feeds into the eyes of the skull. Is the fetus then living vicariously through what the skull sees?

[jsn]

other people didn't notice the fetus in the blue and yellow pic so i pointed it out.
fuck the both of you assholes.

[Arthein]

http://www.sria.org/hermes_m_trism.htm

[Grimgrumthegnome]

perhaps it's the idea that we must keep the future in our minds at all time... rather than living for ourselves as individuals, we must constantly consider the consequences our actions will play on the future; the fetus represents a future generation, and the fact that it's residing in the skull, where the mind would be, means that our future generations should be occupying our thoughts... for more on my beliefs, check out my entire theory...

http://toolnavy.com/showthread.php?t=46514

[Benjamper]

BIRTH OF A THOUGHT!!! is my name for it

[Exact Functor]

The painting by Alex Grey (2002) is called "Bardo Being" and comes from the "Progress of the Soul" series.
In any case, from dictionary.com, bardo means: in Tibetan Buddhism, the state between death and rebirth which varies between 7-49 days depending on the person's conduct in the previous life and their age at and manner of death
Etymology: Tibetan `between the two, inbetween state'

Make of this whatever you wish.

[Loveboat Captain]

I didnt think of death when I saw a skull.

[Tathagata]

From the beginning I didn't question the placement of the fetus in the skull.I just thought that's where, space wise, it fit best. I just saw three stages from the cycle of life and death. Birth (fetus), in the human plane of being (the face), and death(skull). I'm def with Randall and Exact Functor here... placement doesn't matter it's the fact that the images are present at all.

[Buffalo]

I always thought it was about how you are always connected to your dead ancestors. Specifically I thought of Maynard and his mom, but that's probably because that's the first thing that pops into my mind about any Tool stuff now...

anyway...

Even though his mom has passed on, he is still connected to her and always will be. There is a bond that nothing can break, even death. She still nurtures and protects him, and everything he will ever be in life is thanks to her.

[hbynoe]

The painting by Alex Grey (2002) is called "Bardo Being" and comes from the "Progress of the Soul" series.
In any case, from dictionary.com, bardo means: in Tibetan Buddhism, the state between death and rebirth which varies between 7-49 days depending on the person's conduct in the previous life and their age at and manner of death
Etymology: Tibetan `between the two, inbetween state'

Make of this whatever you wish.
between the two eh...another clever inclusion of balance..of divide on this album
thank you for sharing this

[TXFO]

Its like Finnegans Wake. You string a bunch of nonsensical crap together in a way in which you can almost find a method to the madness and a bunch of people will call you a genius. ;)

J/P. rock on Tool, even if I cant and wont try to understand everything you do.