Is Your Existence Meaningful? Tool – Pneuma Lyrics Meaning

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Tool – Pneuma Lyrics Meaning

Pneuma is the second track from Tool’s debut album “Fear Inoculum”. Let’s learn the meaning behind the lyrics of Pneuma by Tool.

The song is produced by Joe Barresi.

[Introduction]

The meaning of “Pneuma” can actually differ contextually. It is an ancient Greek word for “breath”. On the other hand, it is either “spirit” or “soul” in a religious context.

The song tries to tell us that the physical form of human body is not enough to live a life. In order to truly live our lives, we should take care of our “Pneuma”, i.e. spirit or soul.

Pneuma Lyrics Meaning

Let’s learn the meaning behind the lyrics of Pneuma by Tool section-wise.

[Verse 1]

In the first verse, Tool wants us to forget our current lifestyle so as to truly understand the meaning of the song.

We, human beings, are spirits trapped inside flesh that is too weak to hold us forever. The two stages in human lives are the most fragile ones, childhood, and late adulthood.

We feel like we have everything figured out for us in our life when we are young. Everyone gets infatuated by the idea of accumulating a lot of materialistic possessions.

In the process, people forget about their spiritual health. Then, they pass away with regrets and remorse.

[Chorus]

A human mind is made up of two natural dogmas. It is designed to be very unconscious all the time.

There is a constant battle between our will and our wonder. We forget even the most important things sometimes. But the miracle is, we recall them sooner or later.

A human brain is designed to be very vulnerable.

We are alive only because we chose to take our first breath as soon as we came out to this earth from our mother’s womb.

Everyone on earth is a product of a spark from the Sun who is trying to become a whole Sun.

[Verse 2]

The second verse calls its listeners a child. The song urges us to wake up and live the reality, see the reality and feel the reality.

We ought to leave the idea of possessions for a moment and treat everyone around us the same.

As human beings, we must think differently. It is possible for us because our human brain is too fragile on itself. It forgets and remembers things in its own pace.

The artists want us to release the light of the truth that people have been seeking.

We are nothing more than soul trapped inside the flesh.

[Verse 3]

People should never forget that we all are human beings from the core. We shouldn’t disguise ourselves as being someone who is not us.

This is similar to the concept behind “Third Eye”.

According to Genius Lyrics, opening your third eye allows one to see beyond this earthly existence, and waking up.

Releasing the light means roughly the same thing.

[Outro]

In the outro, the artists are telling our inner self, our soul and our spirit to reach out to seek the truth.

We’ve been lied to by teaching us about all the earthly possessions.

Now, it is time to wake up and remember that we are born off of a single breath we took.

It is time to let go of all the hard feelings and negativities and relive your life with the truth.

Conclusion

What do you think about the lyrics behind “Pneuma” by Tool?

Is your existence meaningful?

Let us know by leaving feedback below!

Read more about the meaning behind the lyrics of “Pneuma” by Tool on Genius in detail.

Laviasco

Laviasco is an entertainment website run by a single person, the Admin himself, Mr. Suraj Marahatta, from research to blogging to website maintenance. Here, I have been providing the meaning of the lyrics of the songs little by little since 2019. My goal is to provide authentic sources for the facts and stay up-to-date.

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. Mike

    I like your interpretation. However, it is important to note that Fear Inoculum is not Tool’s debut album. It is their 6th.
    That said, I interpret Pneuma to be about unity, spiritual growth and breaking down social programming to move past the labels and all the things in life that divide humanity. Recall, remember we are born of one breath, one word……the word of god, the breath of god. My breath is your breath is her breath. Reach out beyond this flesh…..become pneuma. Grow, be what we are meant to be. Breath is unrestricted. We are stronger as one…… “we are all one spark, the sun becoming”

  2. Tami Shelton

    I LIKE TO THINK I REMEBER THE DAY I WAS BORN-TWO BIG HANDS TOOK ME AND LAID ME ON A METAL BED, AND SAID-SHES DEAD-WHOS PASSING AWAY! I LOOKED AT MT MOM LAYING ON BED-TAKE ME BACK TOHER-THEY TOLD MY MOM I WAS HERE NO MORE-THEN SHE SAID MY DAD CAME IN THE ROOM AND TOLD HER I SUDDNLEY STARTED CRYING-OH I REMEBER MY FIRST STEPS-I WAS STILL IN DIAPERS-THEY WHERE IN CHURCH! MY MOM ALWAYS CARRIED ME WHILE I SEEN OTHER KIDS WALKING HOLDING THERE MOMS HANDS-SO MAMA USED TO STAND ME BY THE BENCH..PEW-AND I THOUGHT IM GONNA SHOW MY MOM I CAN WALK-ILL WAIT 3 DAYS TO GET UP MY COURAGE-AND ILL GO WHEN THAT MAN SAYS THOSE CERTAIN WORDS WHEN EVERYONE WALKS DOWN THE ILE!–WELL OUR CHURCH WAS AT A SLOPE-SO I ACTUALLY RAN DOWN THE ILE (MAMA SAID) WHEN CALLED FOR PEOPLE-ANY WAY I SEEN YOU MENTIONED MY 3RD EYE-WHILE STARING INTO A MANS EYES THAT STOLE MY LIFE AWAY FROM ME AND MY KIDS-BOTH HIS EYES TURNED INTO ONE-…HIS NAME IS ZOGAR-WHILE SEEING A DEMON CASTED OUT OF A YOUNG GIRL HE YELLED ZOGART AS THEY SENT HIM BACK DOWN, I THOUGHT WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE TO DECIDE WHO NEEDS TO GO TO BAD PLACE-SO I PRAYED TO MY GOD-IF I CANT FIND ONE MAN TO KEEP AND LOVE ME W HONESTY-LET ME MARRY HER WHEN I DIE—–NOW YOU THEAVING SOBS WRITE A SONG ABOUT THAT!—-

    1. Aaron May

      I am completely confused how your comment relates at all to the lyrics or message of this song at all!?

  3. Brandon Auclair

    Tools debut album?!?! Are you joking or just ignorant?

  4. Aaron May

    I enjoyed your analysis of this song however I have a different opinion. I don’t believe he is talking about the first breath we took to be born but rather the breath of word of the Creator at the moment of creation all was born of one breath or one word and we are still part of that breath now even in this physical illusion we need to wake up and remember this simple truth and become aware that we are all one spirit that has incarnated into a physical vehicle for the purpose of soul evolution. The spark of the creator dwells inside each and everyone of us but because we have free will it is a personal choice to wake up and remember this truth.

    As others have stated, this is not tools debut album. If this was not known to you and you enjoy there music you should definitely check out all 5 of there previous albums. Also Maynard’s other bands, A Perfect Circle, and Pucifer are both amazing bands as well with multiple albums each.
    Seek the truth and you shall find it.
    Love/Light

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