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Tool - Reflection Song Meanings

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Starting from the beginning of the album, the running theme seems to be letting go of the past. Reflection seems to continue with this by saying let go of your selfishness and the unimportant things in your life.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2005-12-16 15:15:04     Rating:

I love this song, for the reasons that it is a universal truth in everyones life I think, to feel despair, absence of light, of hope..to be human basically. and the desire to look up for comfort, "the moon, my confidant". Throughout the song, it lifts you up and you can feel a presence lifting the song up through despair. However, I don't like the one part where he puts so much emphasis on "crucifying the ego" and "leaving behind this place so blind and cynical". I think the ego has a purpose; whether its good or bad is not known, maybe it has no other purpose but to instruct, and introduce you to other realms of experience, like being human, and dwelling in the beauty of human error. Without this error, how would you know to crawl up towards the light? In this sense, Lateralus is much more accurate I think in embracing the ultimate reality,"I embrace my desire to
feel the rhythm, to feel connected
enough to step aside and weep like a widow, and still be human"(paraphrasing of course, but you get the drift)

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2005-12-20 07:46:46     Rating:

I agree with both of you. I only would like to add on that, "crucify the ego", is simply IMO referring to letting go of a person's belief that they are better than everyone else. In retrospect he is saying that you need embrace humility before death so you can go to a better place. (Not in reference to Heaven knowing he doesn't believe in God). The whole song all together means to me, that no one is alone, and no one can live alone. We all need one another to survive. So "crucify the ego" and be a part of humanity. IMHO

Submitted by: Zaq
Added: 2006-01-16 19:51:35     Rating:

I think the moon is the collective subconscious, and if people only knew about this they wouldn't think so much about themselves. Also this knowledge would give people hope.
"And in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping." I think this is about feeling suicidal(the end), and then the "moon" comes into view above your "hole"(depression) and bathes you in it's light.
"It's source is bright and endless. She resuscitates the hopeless."
i agree with the previous post that said you must give up your ego before you die or you may not reach this collective.

Submitted by: AllenTehAwesome
Added: 2006-02-20 23:44:53     Rating:

In short: Giving up your past and transcending everything that it molded you into before you fall too deep to realize the horrible state you are in.

Submitted by: VaryingArtist
Added: 2006-04-07 00:36:20     Rating:

Reflect on what he says, and what you see
Reflection on Reflection
The moon, the dark side (like the shadow for Jung) holds the key to self development. To self actualize, one must step into the shadow, learn, then either unlearn or relearn. What's to relearn??? Who knows, maybe nothing, learning and believing nothing is the key to understanding everything. Think for yourself about everything you think of, then understand we are all one mind. One observation I must point out is that what is published as being said, is not what is necessarily always said. This also goes for Maynard's words, hell probably even my words. The differences between lyrics on the official TOOL site, vs. what is heard is different. Not drastically, but enough to change contextual significance. Example of "I have come curiously close to the end, down" vs. "I find that I can see light" show a difference between beginning and endings. To begin to understand is a birth, but to end is also a birth of death itself. The circle, the point, they are all cyclic. They continue, and are perpetual. To perpetuate, one must feed off oneself. Absorb, and learn the truth (BUT THIS TRUTH CAN NEVER BE EXPRESSED. That is the only way to never say never, is to acknowledge its existence by denying it.) It's like taking all the light, all opinions, all that is observable, but at the same time seeking the darkness, emptiness, and being at one with everything. Take this light that is not your own, and recognize what it is, go to the dark side of the moon in your mind, and see the nothingness. That is what the wall is: nothing. It is the barrier of nothing that prevents you from seeing nothing. Outer space and the space in synapses, or within electrons is the same sort of barrier towards/against development (Rocky Kolb, a cosmologist has evidence that suggests 95% of the universe is composed of either 'dark matter' or 'dark energy'). By looking for something always, people are blind to the fact that nothingness exists when it is right in front of them. If it's nothing will you perceive it? No, you have to imagine it. That's the only perception. That leads to another misprint I perceive from the song when compared to the lyrics. "Just", or "Don't" let the light touch you...the dif being that "just" would be submission, while "don't" would be the way to let it pass through, and bring out hope and reason, the two guiding forces or traits that lead to existence, and more importantly, consciousness. Hope and reason power survival. But if they are nothing, then people must power themselves. Light yourself, don't rely on others and theirs. This will let you leave this place (life as commonly perceived) that is so negative and blind and cynical. To do so is complicated, and I have a hunch that crucifying the ego is key in that living off of the id and superego working in tandem will be more productive than having one's ego operational. Self actualization may be the ending of anxiety by leaving the ego to it's own space, and dealing only with the id and superego which should be able to balance each other out once they have an agreement. Kinda like the saying "Two's company, three's a crowd" The too many chefs spoiling the broth syndrome could be the cause of chaos within the mind. Then again, if everything was about light and darkness, the only way to know about darkness, is to extinguish the light, and vice versa. What is needed is the other, but not a third party. Crucify the ego before it's far too late. - VA69, Oct 23rd, 2004. P.S. Peace of mind to all who can imagine it.

Submitted by: overanalyser
Added: 2006-04-20 15:25:14     Rating:

I'm not going to read the lyrics anywhere anymore. Reading them changes the context so much for me. I would have to write down my ideas for the lyrical content before I read the official lyrics because I find it hard to relearn my original themes. For example, this tune is about burning out for me. I'm talking here about what the music says to me as well as the vocal lines. I hear Maynard singing "before I hide away" meaning that once he has expired all of his emotional energy he will probably fall away and rest his mind and his conflict. Only through silence can he realize his own existence. But he knows he's not there yet. That's why he's still writing songs. "I have come curiously close, this I have no doubt". He knows when he has finished burning his light (which is not 'my own') he might "find comfort" but he finds it shameful ("how pitiful") to be that way, that's why he's not there yet. But he still wants to get there. Because he is "beyond one doubt" that he doesn't want to remain the way he is...feeding his narcicism.

Submitted by: narduzzi1120
Added: 2006-06-01 23:27:15     Rating:

I think that this song is about leaving behind your ego and realizing that there are forces more powerful than you. "I have come curiously close to the end, down
Beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole.
Defeated,
I concede and move closer. I may find comfort here.
I may find peace within the emptiness. How pitiful." He's saying that he's digging a deeper and deeper hole to find comfort, but the deeper he gets, the more screwed he is, and he's not finding any comfort. I think he's trying to say that if people would stop being so stubborn and admit defeat, we would stop getting ourselves in horrible situations. We need to allow ourselves to be wrong because you can't win by getting into deeper and deeper shit. And the deeper you get, the harder it is to get out. "And it's calling me, calling me..." I think that here, he is referring to the urge to prove that he's right, even though he knows he's wrong.

"And in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping.
The moon tells me a secret. My confidant.
As full and bright as I am, this light is not my own and
A million light reflections pass over me
It's source is bright and endless...." Here, I think he's describing the revelation that there is something greater, and we are more insignificant than we think. This force, whether you believe it's a God or whatever your beliefs are, has shown him greater purpose.
-Drew

Submitted by: Toolio
Added: 2006-09-19 11:49:28     Rating:

I've always thought this song was so beautiful. Although...I never really thought to much about it...Until my friend told me what he saw in this song, and I thought it was interesting...So I'll share it with you:

this song is about how a man is trying to cope with his problems, although he feels like he is the only one. "you've got it easy; life is just peachy for you." is something that the man would say to someone else. Though sitting and thinking about his troubles, the moon speaks to him and says, "hey, look around you...You're not the only one with problems in this world. Take me for example, I am not composed of myself, I get my light from another, but I'm not sitting here and complaining about it." but the moon can be significant to just one other person...Like most Tool songs, you must read between the lines.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2006-09-20 13:09:50     Rating:

"I have come curiously close to the end, down
beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole.
Defeated, concede and move closer. I may find comfort here
i may find peace within the emptiness.
How pitiful."
he has become depressed and suicidal in his misunderstanding that he may find comfort in that state of mind from what ever he did/realized to make him feel this way. How pitiful.
"the moon tells me a secret.
My confidant.
As full and bright as I am, this light is not my own
a million light reflections
pass over me
it's source is bright and endless. She resuscitates the hopeless.
Without her we are lifeless satellites driiiiiifting.
And as I pull my head out I am without one doubt
don't want to peer down here serving my narcissism
i must crucify the ego before it's far too late
i pray the light lifts me out
before I pine away"
the moon represents the collective unconcious. Its not his, but everyones. He then pulls his head out of his depressed hole and realizes he must crucify the ego (crucifixion is how jesus died. Christianity/catholicism is based on one god, or one ego) before its far too late (he will be too deep in his hole to pull his head out from this depressed hole).
"so crucify the ego before it's far too late
to leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical
and you will come to find that we are all one mind
capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable.
Just let the light touch you and let the words spill through
just let them pass right through, bringing out our hope and reason."
get rid your ego, and you will realize that we are all part of the same mind, we are one. You will realize that christianity/catholicism bases eternal love from god on fear, when in fact there is no love in fear (the belief that we will go to hell if we are not done as we are told and suffer for all eternity). If you are to leave behind these blinding cynical beliefs you will get out of your self-indulgent pitiful hole, and prevent yourself from pining away.

Submitted by: jaadster
Added: 2006-11-24 19:40:14     Rating:

Ok, I love Tool and Danny Carey is one of the greatest drummers in the world, but I don't really listen to the lyrics that much in this song because I think the way the instrumentals all combine just makes the song a relaxing happy thing to listen to

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-01-21 21:05:02     Rating:

This I think is an absolute kick ass tool song.......especially if you listen to the lyrics

I believe that this is about the reflection of people on people.

Maynard in this is from the point of view of an ignorant asshole that takes credit of other peoples work. He uses the metaphor with the moon of how it is not the moon that gives the beautiful light. "The source is the light and endless sheen
The source that makes the hole black
Without her, we are lifeless satellites drifting" AKA the sun which is basically the source of life.


he uses the "Before I hide away" to simulate that the people that take credit just thrive from it then hide away and pat themselves on their back (growing ego)


so Maynard says "Crucify the ego" and stop all this bullshit credit taking and ego building of ignorant people who didn't do the work.....because really "you will come to find that we are all one mind capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable" (that we really all are connected in thought and that we should be equivilant for what has been discovered)

this song seemed to me to be more of an angry criticism of what Maynard and Tool see today in this world.

sorry if my interpretation is a little confusing...its hard to explain but if you look at the lyrics under this concept you will see it in your own way.......but either way it is another great song by Tool

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-01-22 19:32:14     Rating:

This song is about "the moon." Even at night, when things are as dark as they can get, there is still a small amount of light from the moon which it gets from a source other than it's own, and reflects that positive energy onto everything. And the source of this energy, the sun, is always burning and always will be.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-02-15 11:43:25     Rating:

Someone on another lyrical analysis site found a correlation between this song and the Greek myth regarding "Narcissus." Pretty interesting if you wikipedia it, or what have you. After I read more about this interpretation, it's all I can picture now. Basically about a man in ancient Greek times who was so in love with his image, that all he'd do was stare into a lake at his reflection. He was then cursed to live out the rest of his life in that spot staring at his "perfect" image, until he "pined away". Another thing that convinces me that this story plays at least a small role in the song, besides the basis that I described above, is that Maynard does mention the word "Narcissus" in the song. Coincidence?? I don't think the song itself is about this story, but I do believe it could very well be yet another brilliant reference. Tool's songs are infinite in possibilities, and it's cool to think outside the box, and imagine Reflection to reference to this, amongst a thousand other personal interpretations.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-02-21 11:10:04     Rating:

some people have got it nearly perfect, but you are all neglecting to mention ACID!!! seriously.. "I have come curiously close to the end","defeated,i move closer I may find comfort here-within in the emptiness-how pitiful..." when tripping you feel naked scared and you see your true human self!this is crippling for those who haven't seen it before.also when one realizes he is eternal one can get full on his spiritual ego,and believe this light is his own-but Maynards saying don't be fooled by that!!!realize we are part of it all!!but just a part!!!
capable of all that's imagined and all concievable...when we all realize that, we can progress as a race and let the light shine through in art, music creations of all kinds.
this is the most beautiful song EVER wrote by a human being.hats off

Submitted by: OldNo7
Added: 2007-03-20 22:05:24     Rating:

This is probably my favorite Tool song because it's so close to existentialism, which is something I take comfort in ironically.

Maynard is expressing a feeling of total disgust and resignation to the nature of man and life. He has com 'curiously close to the end', in that he has experienced and seen enough of life and he is picking in his brain for answers and reasoning to it all. He is coming up short and whats something solid to stand on, something that is absolute truth and definite. He begins to indulge in the shallow parts of life as expressed in his views of self indulgence and pitiful egotism. He sees within himself the truth of such things, that they are empty and have no meaning. Despite knowing this, he continues on with it because it gives at least some sense, even if hollow, of purpose.

This pitiful farce eats away at him and he rbeaks down. He considers nature and how it is such the opposite of him. In his talk to the moon he begins to understand how selfless it is despite it's grandeur and that it is only great because of it's coexistance with other things. The moon would mean nothing if it did not have millions of people to gaze upon it and bask in it's glow. It would just be a hunk of rock floating around. The moon reveals that he is the same only on a smaller scale. The key to meaning is his effect on all that exists, and how all that exists effects him. The only way to prove your existance is through other existances.

To find peace and meaning we must become as selfless as the moon and satelites that form in union to create the beauty of our universe. We must come to realize this or we will fade from existance because we will have no impact on anything but ourselves. If we leave behind narcissism and unite in selflessness we can all prosper and find meaning in each other and our universe.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-07-16 05:05:27     Rating:

This song is exemplative of Tool to me. It represents the transcendent nature of their music. Their music is indeed a 'Tool' for your own self-discovery. They manage to mention facets of every major religion and a lot of the minor ones (christianity, islam, bhuddism, hermeticism, wiccan outlooks, alchemy even!) and one of the tenets of all religions is that by looking through yourself and your feelings, if one searches hard enough, you can find a deeper meaning to life, and connection to that everything out there, that for some reason still is such a big part of us. He talks of the process of that growth in this particular song, as a reaffirmation of the decision to work against our own selfish tendencies and transcend life itself.
"Must crucify the ego,
before it's far too late!
I pray the light lifts me out,
before I pine away..."

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-10-29 23:57:12     Rating:

I have come curiously close to the end, down
Beneath my self-indulgent pitiful hole.
Defeated,
I concede and move closer. I may find comfort here.
I may find peace within the emptiness. How pitiful.
And it's calling me.
It's calling me.
It's calling me.
It's calling me

- This is obviously about someone contemplating suicide. Coming "curiously close to the end," and "sulf-indulging" refer to an adverse state of depression and narcissism. Someone is finding solace in their pitful self-dillusions about the hole that they have found themselves inAnd in my darkest moment, fetal and weeping.
The moon tells me a secret. My confidant.
As full and bright as I am, this light is not my own and
A million light reflections pass over me
It's source is bright and endless.
She resuscitates the hopeless
Without her we are lifeless satellites dreaming dreams
And as I pull my head out I am without one doubt
Don't want to be down here soothing my narcissism
I must crucify the ego before it's far too late
I pray the light lifts me out before I pine away.
before I pine away.
before I pine away.
before I pine away.
, and the idea of "ending" it is melodically calling them.

- The moon, an illustration of the light at the end of the tunnel (excuse the cliche), represents a beacon of hope. The personification bestowed upon the moon (She) could possibly refer to MJK's mother, Judith, a common symbol of hope in many of his lyrics. Regardless, some driving force of hope and faith has forced the person to transcend their insecurities and seek a new spiritual plane before their depression consumes. (The crucification reference is a mere emphasis of the religious and spiritual undertones of the song.. and whoever said that Maynard does not believe in God is merely speculating.. we know nothing of the man.. only what he writes.. and that should satisfy us.)
So crucify the ego before it's far too late
To leave behind this place so negative and blind and cynical
And you will come to find that we are all one mind
Capable of all that's imagined and all conceivable
Just let the light touch you and let the words spill thorough
Just let them pass right through, bringing out our hope and reason.

before we pine away.
before we pine away.
before we pine away.
before we pine away.

- We must trade our self-indulgence in for spirituality and become one in peace rather than in dillusion before we become our own demise.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-11-13 00:07:55     Rating:

This song is about a person who has fallen into such a well of negativity that they don't know how to get out. However, this person looks skyward and sees the moon, and realizes that just as the moon doesn't make it's own light, we don't make our own happiness. Our happiness comes from our friends and family and not from ourselves.

Submitted by: anonymous
Added: 2007-12-30 19:24:15     Rating:

This is Plato's "Allegory of the Cave."

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