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Old 10-28-2006, 12:08 PM   #1
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a meaning

what does the parabola video mean, from the intro with the small interlocking particles to the guys with the weird faces and everything else, someone let me know, thanks just curious
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Old 10-29-2006, 12:54 PM   #2
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Re: a meaning

This is why it's so beautiful to be a Tool fan: it means something DRASTICALLY different for each and every single one of us!

The core behind Tool is just that: their music is just a tool for exploring your own mind and finding yourself. Every song and video means something different for everyone, and that's what makes Toolheads so unique and different from each other in how we use and develop this music.

Personally, I've always listened to Tool in combination with different hallucinogens to help blow the dust off of seeing my spirituality, my sexuality, and my mindset on how this universe works and what it means to me. Parabol and Parabola happen to be my favorite, especially when it comes to hallucinogens.

To put it simply, these songs were written about the chemical compound Salvinorin-A, which is found in the Salvia Divinorum plant. This chemical is arguably the most potent hallucinogen known to man. Maynard had an extremely intense experience with salvia, just as I have. Here's what the video means to me.

At the start of the video is a very psychedelic video which looks a lot like what I see on THC (Marijuana) with my eyes closed, except the video isn't as vivid and intricate as what I actually see when I'm stoned. And my hallucinations always move and weave through each other a million times per second, whilst videos will never be able to show how complicated and intricate the patterns you actually see when tripping are. This psychedelic trance melts into reality, which are actually one and the same. It's just more "normal" to see things the way your eyes usually do.

The three men represent the three Hydrogen atoms in a Salvinorin-A molecule. Now we're getting to the juicy stuff. The apple represents the subconscious. Slicing the apple is exactly what salvia really does to you: it brings your subconscious to where you can see it. Your brain begins to let ITSELF control the rods in your eyes instead of LIGHT controlling the rods in your eyes. This is why it's EXTREMELY important to smoke salvia in absolute darkness. Any light whatsoever can fuck with how your brain is trying to control your eyes. This is why hallucinogens are so much more intense at night, in a pitch dark room, with your eyes open. Alex Grey himself sells a product that submerses you in complete darkness with your eyes open because he knows this and most of his paintings are based on visions he's had in complete darkness.

The apple then shows 5 seeds in a pentagram, 6 seeds within a hexagram, then 7 seeds within a heptagram. This video and what it did to me emotionally is the reason why there is a 7" heptagram tattooed into the back of my head with the apple seeds tattooed in the center. This is a very religious statement by the band, if you'd like to learn more, PM me but I don't really want to get into anything but reality here.

At 3:17 or so, the flame sparks from the man's fingertip. This is where you light your bowl of salvia. A salvia trip lasts about as long as the rest of the video from this point. (Salvia trips only last a few minutes.)

Here comes the most important part of the video by far. The hydrogen atoms discharge a thick black ooze onto the table. The table is square, which represents the very finite or limited. The ooze forms a circle INSIDE the square. Circles represent the infinite, unlimited, and eternity itself. The fact that the circle is contained within the square is very important, because this is how salvia trips themselves are. They can seem to last months or, in the case of the ONLY man who has ever taken crystal salvinorin a orally, eternity. That's all he could describe his trip as, and he still is writing every day about what he saw on that trip. I've had 15 minute trips which seemed to last only half that time. These trips aren't that scary. It's the 5 minute trips which seem to literally last for months which scare the hell out of me. The song Parabol and Parabola is literally about this in every way. Listen to the lyrics very intently, he's describing a salvia trip perfectly.

Here's where nature plays it's part, as well. So remember, salvia can be an infinite amount of PERCEIVED time condensed within a finite amount of ACTUAL time. (Or, in not as harsh cases, simply months confined within minutes.) This relates to a circle being contained within a square symbolically and mythologically. What really freaked me out about this subject is the fact that Salvia Divinorum plants are one of the only plants in nature to have an almost perfectly square stem.

Take that stem, lay it on a flat surface. Cut across it very quickly with a very sharp razor. Look at the cross section. What will you see?

A circle within a square.

Try it for yourself. Spiral out. Keep going.

Last edited by Leng; 10-29-2006 at 01:02 PM..
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Old 10-30-2006, 03:15 AM   #3
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Re: a meaning

agree on halucinogens... ive never had salvia but i had a lot of mushrooms and the thing you said about the darkness and light comes together wioth shrooms as well... this is my fav video as well because it always reminds me of the shrooms trip... infinity, normality, divinity and appreciating the time of being a human... the first time ive been 'enlightened' i couldnt believe how obvious it was... how clear and normal... and how different from all the other drugs... ill try saliva if i have a chance but judging from the descriptions it comes pretty close to shrooms... and they are the normaliest and safest 'drug' ive ever had...

notice - gray's sacred mirror frame have a mush there...
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Old 10-30-2006, 08:56 PM   #4
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Re: a meaning

Quote:
Originally Posted by haloocyn View Post

notice - gray's sacred mirror frame have a mush there...
What? mush?

I missed something
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Old 10-30-2006, 11:59 PM   #5
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Re: a meaning

Wow Leng... you make me feel not so alone.
The very first time I tried Salvia... I immediately likened it to Parabol. Nearly 10 seconds after I inhaled, my mind went completely blank. The room I was in, the people I was with, the clothes on my back... it all became a vague memory that required slow recollection. It felt like being born again (We barely remember...).
Salvia struck me as one intense drug... yet I was fascinated by its ability to completely dissociate me. I decided to try it again... but this time, alone in my room. I realized that I would be completely immobilized for about 5 minutes, so attempting to do this without a 'sitter' would be somewhat frightening. My solution: tack a piece of paper to my ceiling that stated "REMEMBER", while playing Parabol/a as I released the smoke. I figured that the combination of these two things would snap my consciousness back to my body while I was dissociated, similar to when you realize you're asleep during a dream (lucid dream). That way, I would be able to experience the sensation with little loss in the quality of my awareness.
Anywho, it was an interesting experience, I encountered what some people call the "Salvia Goddess", and felt unnaturally refreshed afterwards.
And thats my story.
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Old 10-31-2006, 05:14 AM   #6
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Re: a meaning

Quote:
Originally Posted by intermitent View Post
What? mush?

I missed something
http://www.sacredmirrors.org/mirrors_view2.html

you probably know heard or even see alex gray's sacred mirrors - look at the frame again - at the closeup of it, at the top - between buddism and godess on the left side of eye of god is a mushroom...
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Old 10-31-2006, 06:52 AM   #7
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Re: a meaning

Quote:
Originally Posted by Leng View Post
Maynard had an extremely intense experience with salvia, just as I have.

Where'd you find out this info?
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Old 11-24-2006, 12:57 AM   #8
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Re: a meaning

Quote:
Originally Posted by intermitent View Post
Where'd you find out this info?
Err, good question. I believe I heard this from the person who introduced me to Tool, and never looked it up. I can't find any evidence that Maynard has done salvia, other than the music itself and the symbolism relating to salvia experiences. I apologize, should have tried to get my facts straight... a lot of what I talk about when it comes to Tool is just what I've taken from their music.

Morning Glory, that's an amazing story. Your piece of paper is very similar to what I repeat in my head during a bad trip. "This is all me. This is all me." It's to try and remind myself that I'm not in any danger and to also help me realize how amazing the human brain is by reminding myself that the intense patterns and visuals I'm seeing are completely generated by my brain.

However, there is a point in every intense trip where, despite any reminders and any logic, you KNOW it's real and it is always beautiful and frightening at the same time for me. Some people call it the "Holy Moment" or "Moment of Eternity".

I call it the "Holy Fucking Shit Moment" for a very strange reason. Whenever I'm tripping, I'm with one or two close friends who are also tripping. As we go, we discuss different philosophies and views of the universe and religion and other exciting topics. We describe our visuals to each other and any auditory hallucinations as well as how it feels across our entire bodies. When I reach a certain point, my descriptions of what's happening to me dwindle away as the visuals and feelings become indescribably infinite and the only words I can squeeze out just before I completely enter the moment are "Holy fucking shit..."
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Old 11-28-2006, 10:10 AM   #9
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Re: a meaning

Heh, I havnt done salvia in years, and i havn't posted on here since all the hype around the last album. I was just getting into Tool before Lateralus came out and was just getting into halucinogens too; the two facts are certainly related ;)

The track (and the video) for me are the culmination point of the Tool phenomena. I see transcendence as the subject matter, they are talking about how the body contains the spirit, so you're right in that they are talking about the infinite circle being contained within the bound square, but I think your approach to what this means is just one of many, and drugs, especially hallucinogens as powerful as salvia are, can be a path toward confusion as well as transcendence.

Be careful what you're dealing with, I have seen the keep left sign showing me the right-angles to reality and the fourth dimension, experienced a month of infinity in a small tent, I have felt your holy fucking shit moment, I have felt a soothing godlike presence, I have also lost at least one very good friend to psychosis and rolled around in a field dribbling and giggling while exclaiming: "look man, my hands are green!", thinking that drumming with a coke bottle alongside 30 other stoned idiots makes me some sort of buddha.

Never forget that the body is what contains you and holds you close, and if that is destroyed, your infinite views of the universe will be cut short as quickly as that small doll's life is in the video. Although pain can bring you closer to nirvana, as you free yourself of it, that pain is not fun.

Man I hate being preachy, but that's just my view, reminds me though, I gotta take some salvia again, I havn't explored my own inner space for a while :)
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Old 12-03-2006, 11:41 AM   #10
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Re: a meaning

this video is a symbol of progression and choosing to be a part of life and being inspired (*hint8 the flame eyes) and everything else. it is basically the entire progression of the band up to that point and is preparing you for 10,000 Days.
Hasn't anyone noticed the guy's eyes right about the time he opens his third eye? they are the 10,OOO Days eyes.

interesting.

basically, to me, the video is about progression and choosing to be a human being and settling for no less.
it is also an advertisment for 10000 Days. LOL.
In a way... its like... "look how cool its been so far... just wait!!!"

i think its kinda funny.
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Old 12-18-2006, 09:59 PM   #11
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Re: a meaning

so can someome quickly list the single symbolic features of the video and state their meanings... like what the tree symbol stands for..etc.

i believe the part when the man puts his head on the glass object represents the process of attaining a higher consciousness.. 46 +2 vibes....

i''m still tryin to put together what i gather from the video you seee

Last edited by YKM; 12-18-2006 at 10:02 PM..
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Old 01-06-2007, 11:43 AM   #12
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Re: a meaning

YKM can i ask why you would want someone else to give you their opinion on the video and you are just going to accept these as 'the right answer'? where is the user participation? its like standing at the finish line of a race and exclaiming you have won.
btw thanks for your thoughts on this video people.
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Old 02-04-2007, 05:53 PM   #13
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Re: a meaning

I don't know what any Tool video means.
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Old 02-04-2007, 10:51 PM   #14
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Re: a meaning

There is really no point in asking what a Tool video means...

BUT there is another good question to ask: what does a Tool video mean to you? Every time I watch this video I get a new interpretation, and I do get a different vibe from the video than from the song.

Jello Biafra's interpretation is pretty good, just listen to the commentary and he'll tell you what it's all about.
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Old 02-14-2007, 06:13 PM   #15
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Re: a meaning

Just a n00b here, but I think that parabol/a video is about evolution. Btw, I have no idea if anyone else has posted anything like this before, and I don't really have an explaination for all the symbols and every little detail in the video.
After reading The Return of Quetzalcoatl, by Daniel Pinchbeck (which, by the way, everyone should read) this is what the video means to me:

Anyway, in the beginning the spikey-cell like things represent our evolutionary start, a kind of primordial being that every life on earth originated from.

As the scenes progress, we see the three men, stoic and unemotional (kind of like how society is starting to move out of today) with the rejection of anything spiritual for logic and technology. I'm not really sure about the apple, but it looked to me like it came from the stinkfist world, and perhaps cutting the apple is dissecting the slightly primitve emotions from stinkfist.

Then the next scene is with the destroying of the stones (which I think someone said was the table with the three men) by the man. This represents the breaking of the suppressive male aspect of society (logical and technological) , and allowing the feminine (intuition) to come forth. This man is more evolved than the other three, but not complete yet. I noticed that the small humanoid creatures feet are like a monkey's, which makes me believe that it represents the archaic nature of humans, which is necissary for further evolution.
(This I get from reading The Return Of Quetzalcoatl 2012, and Daniel Pinchbecks view of the Aboriginal tribes--who live for the day, and are much more connected to the natural world around them than society is today.)

The tree/face thing is the natural world, and a connection to our own nature. The man studies and observes it, while the humanoid just becomes immersed in it.

When the man puts his face down, he does so to think about himself, his own flesh. After he gets up, he sees the round ball thingy, which to me represents technology (for a full explaination, refer to the book mentoined above). He is fascinated by it, and it complies to him. After he looks away and looks back to it, he sees that it has increased-- in relation of how technology has increased exponentially this past century.

While the man's not looking, the technology-ball has increased almost dangerously. the little humanoid sees it and tries to warn the man, but does not succeed, and the humanoid is crushed by technology. I see this as representing what technology has done to our planet, and as a result, the people of the planet, such as the indigenous tribes who's homes and environments we have destroyed as a result of industrialism.

The man recognizes the dangers of the ball, but too late. he disects the humanoid I think to try and understand it, almost as an apology.

He walks through the forest, I think searching for answers, while the ball follows him. He chooses to turn away from it, and technology, in order to achieve a more pure, organic connection through enlightenment and nature.

He picks up the leaf (nature) and then it transforms into an eye. The eye enters his body and combines both the feminine and the masculine--the logical mind and intuitive spirit--and becomes light and is connected to everything.

I don't think it's what they intended, and I'm sure I'm missing a bunch, but that's what the video means to me.
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Old 02-17-2007, 04:28 AM   #16
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Re: a meaning

All plausible interpretations and glad to hear em. I had a different take on the ball and the little guy. I saw the ball as a representation of evolution (getting more 'nodes' the more he paid attention to it), after the character started on his path by putting his head down, meditating or w/e.

The little guy represented the ego, and the main character eventually crucifies him with the ball. Seems like the character was sad about killin the little guy, evidenced by the holding of his hand, but it had to be done. I think he learned more about himself by cutting him open. And then ultimately he was free of illusion and stepped through to eternity. The leaf is symbolic of natures awareness, consciousness, energy, and he merges with it as it slides through the chakras.

"and becomes light and is connected to everything"
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Old 02-18-2007, 02:25 PM   #17
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Re: a meaning

existentialism.
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Old 02-19-2007, 07:25 PM   #18
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Re: a meaning

hell, i'll post my quick interpretation of parabola.

As some said evolution, i cant help but remember the word 'god' in the brain of humans. The odd 'spikey' things to me represent dna, moreover dna evolving to us, monkeys who are bipedal, it also reminds me that on the subatomic level chance is always a variable. Then the scene with 3 fat asses to me represents religion/government figures (holy trinity perhaps). All standing around vomiting out this black goo which most of humanity holds as truth. ..oh the apple for me was a simple reference to the biblical story of adam and eve, how eve was tempted with knowledge, and that knowledge forever was bound with sin.

Then the video kinda gets fuzzy.. the rocks breaking has occasionally reminded me of breaking down barriers.. but i dunno.

The goofy dragon tree thing seems to me like another bible refrence, tree of life/burning bush thing that some twacked out guy talked to and though was god.

The floaty balloon ball multiplies... yay.

BTW, this is my favorite tool video.
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Old 03-08-2007, 05:35 PM   #19
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Re: a meaning

It's funny because the impression I get of just the song Parabol/Parbola is much different from what I get from just the video. The video, with audio, gives me a whole new (3rd) impression.

It's tough to recount (while sober) but basically embrace this world--namely nature--and celebrate our time on this planet.
Our bodies are mortal, but our minds, our souls, our spirituality are eternal. (this body holding me reminds me of my own mortality).
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