Zaq February 24th, 2006 07:01PM  
Definition of "Mantra"

- (Hinduism) A sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation, such as an invocation of a god, a magic spell, or a syllable or portion of scripture containing mystical potentialities; literally a "sacred utterance."

Zaq February 24th, 2006 07:13PM  
PLEASE take my advice and listen to "Mantra" with an open mind and someone you are very close to. After some reflection into your true feelings towards this person, just say what comes to mind.
You will understand "Schism" if you understand "Mantra."

simostylie March 4th, 2006 05:13AM  
What does uninitiated mean? Does it mean i have 2 be a member 2 this thing coz i am now. And i still don't get mantra and i really want 2 know what its means.

anonymous March 26th, 2006 03:22AM  
Are you sure a member of the band wasnt just screwing around with synths and shit that thought..."Fuck, this could be a great filler track"? But!....This is Tool were talking about so who knows.

QTOOL666 April 8th, 2006 08:06PM  
Even though I enjoy discussing the meanings of Tool I really do not think it should carry on your are meant to work it out for yourself. In my opinion I Woudnt think Maynard would want people telling other people the knowledge what you really have 2 work at to gain. Your views and you own should be kept personal and never mentioned. The second you take your mind off completing what the songs want you to achieve, by trying to express it to another, who will never understand what you are thinking because it is in you mind not theirs. That is when you are incapable acheiving enlightenment

drumx7 April 11th, 2006 05:42PM  
Zaq....i listened to it like you said, with an open mind and with a person very close to me. I dint know what to expect but while I was listening I found out. through the whole song, all I could think about was the bad experiences I had with the person next to me. not one good time popped into my head, but every single thing that I have gotten mad at my friend at came back to me, a reminder...it was weird, something I thought I was over and never to think about again, came back to me....and it made me really think about the person next to me, it was really weird. I think if a band can have this big of an effect on someone, then they are doin something right

wildbill06 May 2nd, 2006 02:01PM  
What I have always gotton from "Mantra" is that it sounds like whales communicating with each other. Thats why its such a great intro to "Schism" since that is about the bands ability to communicate with each other.

anonymous July 11th, 2006 09:32PM  
Its Maynards cat actually

anonymous February 3rd, 2007 10:53PM  
Selo, you are wrong, this song has a lot of meaning, but you just don't get it, listen to the song, but really listen don't just use it for backround music.

anonymous February 12th, 2007 09:53PM  
Sounds like several people crying

anonymous February 15th, 2007 12:23PM  
To the anonymous post above: that would be ironic for it to be slowed down synchronized crying... Since much of what Tool does includes subtle references to "lachrymology" (sp?). AKA: the study of crying and its healing potential. I believe TOOL wants us to see it as pointless or for purpose, so we may rediscover COMMUNICATION.

Zaq March 8th, 2007 08:25PM  
goddamn, shit the bed...

OK, I said it once, I'll say it again. Listen to it using headphones. It will sound clearer. listen to just one side of the headphones at a time. then try the other. It's someone saying "I love you - love... I love you - Love..." then guess what the next song on the album is. It's "Schism." a song about... well, go to the Schism page and find my interpretation. It makes sense, and Tool may be UNIQUE, but they aren't RANDOM. Their songs have meaning, even "- Ions."

thanks for reading, and if you don't believe me, then whatever. Think for yourself if you think I'm the authority.

~Zaq~

burningpeaches March 11th, 2007 10:36PM  
I heard it was a slowed down recording of the lead singer's cat. I re-recorded and sped it up like four times, and it actually did sound a bit like a cat meowing, but four times. It sounded absolutely nothing like someone saying I love you; but hey, I'm using shitty gear. Try it yourself.

anonymous April 11th, 2007 04:25PM  
A mantra is a religious or mystical syllable or poem, typically from the Sanskrit language. (here is where it gets interesting) The Sanskrit language is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. * Note the 23...Viginiti Tres...last track on 10,000 Days. Any connection or cool coincidence???

OldNo7 April 12th, 2007 06:47AM  
The sound being made is Adam Jones blowing through a long tube into a synth made to simulate the humming sound of the Hindu monks chanting. The meaning of the song isn't just in the song itself but also in the placement of the song. There's a good reason that a section of Mantra is tagged onto the beginning of Schism on the video and comes before it on the album. I believe it is supposed to focus and center the person who is feeling torn by the things that Schism discusses.

As for Schism itself, it is open to interpretation but Maynard did not intend it as a love song. It's about his relationship with God and Christ and how their absence in his life has led him to feel jaded towards them.

paja713 May 4th, 2008 05:38PM  
I fucking love TOOL and Ive always viewed Maynard as a great philosopher and shit, but dude, I'm really quite torn between believing the sides (filler track v.s. deep meaning). I kinda think only the title has a meaning and the actual sound itself is a filler.

anonymous July 4th, 2008 10:22AM  
If you rearrange all the tracks of lateralus to make 13 eg, 6&7, 5&8, 4&9, 13, 1&12, 2&11, 3&10 in this order the first 7 songs blend into one another making one massive song. At the end of ticks & leeches which is number 8, it says "I hope you choke!" then it blends seamlessly into mantra which sounds like a person choking. I'm sure there are others around who know about this, and why you rearrange the tracks.

anonymous October 23rd, 2009 09:19PM  
Um apparently hearing a cat getting gently squeezed and slowed down a lot gives the same affect as preforming a mantra. I would love to hear Mantra sped up.