A criticism of undisciplined spiritual exploration/ignorant pschedelic use

[young-pilgrim]

Is exactly what this song seems to be about, just going on the lyrics posted on the main site.

An ignorant psychedelic neophyte could easily go too deep too fast and end up like the narrator in this song, experiencing bizarre phenomena and delusions of grandeur. The song seems to ridicule such people ("Such a heavy burden now to be the One.... but I forgot my pen. Shit the bed again") drawing attention to the fact that in such a state a person might feel as if they've reached enlightenment or heightened consciousness or whatever while they''ve really gone backwards and placed both body and mind in a sad state.

To give an example - once in the early days of my psychedelic use I had a very powerful mushroom trip that I was totally unprepared for, failed to integrate and thus gained almost nothing from. I was staying in a country house and right after taking my truffles I went out into the garden to smoke a cigarette and do a simple mind-clearing meditation and affirmation (as I always do before a trip). Within five minutes I was feeling effects of the mushrooms and by fifteen minutes I was gazing at a rainbow across the lake and weeping (lol) at the beauty and perfection of nature. Nothing bad there.

An hour and a half into this trip I was curled up on a couch, unable to speak to anyone because my mind had progressed into the hyperabstract. I was possesed by the feeling of having the ultimate epiphany - but was completely unable to articulate this knowledge. The next morning I was unable to grasp what this ultimate epiphany had been. It wouldn't have helped if I'd even had a pen the night before lol. I had very little structure around which to base my experience and I had no one to guide me through it. I had gone into that trip with a vague feeling that I wanted to further myself spiritually - but I came away with the realisation that I was going to need guidance in doing so successfully.

And the majority of spiritual leaders in the world stress the importance of discipline in spiritual practice (admittedly they're likely to say that if they want to continue having followers but I believe it). As an example the development of Kundalini is reported to have some serious risks especially if you try and force a Kundalini awakening that you are prepared for in neither body nor mind. Problems related to this can include "breaks with reality requiring hospitalisation", ego inflation, emotional fluctuations and yes, even gastrointestinal diturbances. Shit the bed again, typical!

So it seems to me that the song is a warning for those of us who would deign to question the nature of our reality. By all means we should do it if we feel it will help us grow; but we should be aware that there are risks inherent in such practices and guidance and prepartion can be just as important as questioning established views. To put it simply: don't just dive in, you'd better listen first!

[young-pilgrim]

Oh also there's the "don't know, won't know" at the end, it's like saying that this is the absolute wrong way to about seeking spiritual knowledge. You're just not going to find anything this way.

[theprosperone]

Oh also there's the "don't know, won't know" at the end, it's like saying that this is the absolute wrong way to about seeking spiritual knowledge. You're just not going to find anything this way.

I don't think they feel like that. Psychedelics are like everything else, if you approach them in the right way they can be used in a positive manner but everything has room for abuse and misuse.

[Garguantua]

I kind of agree with the original poster. Very well articulated, as well.

I believe the band have mentioned this in interviews. People taking drugs, but then not doing the work to "re-capture" the epihany when they are in the now and present.

Many people use LSD and other drugs for purely recreational use. Or more aptly..."get fucking hiiiiigh, maaaan!, Yeaaaah...cool dude!".

I'm not sure these folks really get anything from them, and they just go back to smoking weed and snorting coke.

I have had a few powerful experiences with LSD and mushrooms. I don't particularly feel a need to go back and revisit those experiences with continued and over-use of those kinds of drugs.

But what I really like about the lyrics is that I can totally relate to the "forgot my pen" line. Fuck. I have woken up the next day and thought..."I...had the secret to the universe...it was on the tip of my tongue....I can't remember or articulate now.
Oh well...fuck it."

Lol.

[Caduceus11]

While I believe that the use of psychedelics have greatly influenced my current self, (I was opening my 3rd eye at this time in my life) I too often consider, and shudder to think of going back there. I cannot seem to understand why I feel this way, but do not really want to do it anymore. I think I learned alot when I 'tripped' but most of the people I tripped with were not prepared for what was to come. Many of my own were spent directing some of those whom were unable to realize what was happening. But the good ones, (I do not claim to have had a "bad-trip") I sat and thought deep thoughts on topics that intriqued and confused me. Not to say that ultimate final conclusions were met, but the focus I obtained "over there" had a great influence. I listened to a lot of TOOL during these sessions as well. In fact, my very first trip (mushrooms - good ones!) was on the very night after attending my very first TOOL show after years of listening and wanting to go. In any case, I do agree that one is social critiscism as mentioned before.
I think too many people take ONE meaning and try and put it in stone. But theres always more. The main idea of the song to me is that regardless of whether or not this is only a trip or if the narrator truly was abducted...he (or we) is (are) not capable of retaining ALL the greatness of the enlightenment he recieved. We ARE not so great. We would ALL forget our pens....overwhelmed by all of the grandeur....which is ultimately our downfall. The details of our ending: "I forgot my pen" SInce my mind is so ill-used and wasted on these recreational trips, we are incapable (read unwilling) to use our minds to their potential. Our being overwhelmed by being "THE ONE" clouds our views...the narrator surely remembers that part--"they chose me" Because (same as Right in Two') its all ME. If only I had been smart enough or prepared enough...I would have remembered my fucking pen. And the irony...this guy's the one...yet he's over there shitting himself...hmmm....are any of us really prepared>? Could YOU be "the one" I think not....

[young-pilgrim]

I don't think they feel like that. Psychedelics are like everything else, if you approach them in the right way they can be used in a positive manner but everything has room for abuse and misuse.

Ah you seem to have misinterpreted what I was saying; the *misuse of psychedelics(which is what the narrator seems to be describing)* is a path which is unlikely to result is spiritual growth - hence the "don't know, won't know". The song criticises people who approach psychedelics in such a way.

[young-pilgrim]

I think too many people take ONE meaning and try and put it in stone. But theres always more. The main idea of the song to me is that regardless of whether or not this is only a trip or if the narrator truly was abducted...he (or we) is (are) not capable of retaining ALL the greatness of the enlightenment he recieved. We ARE not so great. We would ALL forget our pens....overwhelmed by all of the grandeur....which is ultimately our downfall. The details of our ending: "I forgot my pen" SInce my mind is so ill-used and wasted on these recreational trips, we are incapable (read unwilling) to use our minds to their potential. Our being overwhelmed by being "THE ONE" clouds our views...the narrator surely remembers that part--"they chose me" Because (same as Right in Two') its all ME. If only I had been smart enough or prepared enough...I would have remembered my fucking pen. And the irony...this guy's the one...yet he's over there shitting himself...hmmm....are any of us really prepared>? Could YOU be "the one" I think not....

I agree there man.

[lizbiz]

I agree, I was going to post something like this. In a recent interview, Adam stated exactly this when asked about The Pot and Rosetta. He said the Pot is not about drugs, it's about the Pot calling the Kettle black and Rosetta is about the misguided uses of drugs in search of enlightenment.

The band has publically stated that they are not opposed to drugs, but they are opposed to relying on them. ie. having an enlightened moment and then believing that taking drugs is the only way to bring you back to that place.

Hallucination can show you the way, but you should walk the path on your own.

[Caduceus11]

....wow, that's cool. I have not read that interview, but that's kind of how I feel about it....

[Caduceus11]

Seek and ye shall find.....man, I've been researching sacred geometry these past few days. All of these "religious" references people seem to want to be in this music....not quite. Its just like I thought all along....its not RELIGION....its SPIRITUALITY....man, its all there...you want to know what TOOL means, look this stuff up....

[FIGJAM]

The nature of duality is such that through drug use, you may gain positives from what is essentially a negative thing.

For example, ketamine use causing real time out of body experiences caused me to question the nature of consciousness. Turned me from staunch atheist, to gnosticism!

Would I trade in those experiences, given the change it had in me? Definitely not. But that there was a ray of light from a binge of the ego, does not mean that the initial process of drug abuse, is firmly in the Klipoth (hellish realms of consciousness). It contravenes the Buddha's Eightfold Path, as such, it generates negative Karma.

Unfortunately the late Bill Hick's joke at the start of Third Eye is wrong; nobody on acid, or any other hallucinogen will gain an everlasting insight into the nature of the Universe. They might temporarily be availed of something different, but enlightenment can only be achieved via upright action and spiritual practices. Anything else, is as futile as doing nothing, and potentially more damaging!