Forty Six 2 Tool

Forty Six And 2 by Tool

A Tool is a term used at West Point Military Academy to describe someone who follows rules and regulations to the letter, simply because they are rules. Tools do not think for themselves and as a result, are often manipulated into doing the dirty work of others. Keenan spent 2 years at West Point.

The major underlying principles here relate to chromosomes and Jungian theory. Some of the ideas behind this song are based on the teachings of the spiritual explorer Drunvalo Melchizedek. Here's a snip of an interview with him (Leading Edge, 12/95): "There are three totally different kinds of humans on the Earth, meaning that they perceive the One reality in three different ways, interpreted differently. The first kind of human has a chromosome composition of 42+2. They comprise a unity consciousness that does not see anything outside themselves as being separate from themselves. To them, there is only one energy - one life, one beingness that moves everywhere. Anything happening anywhere is within them, as well. They are like cells in the body. They are all connected to a single consciousness that moves through all of them. These are the aboriginals in Australia. There might be a few African tribes left like this. Then, there is our level, comprising 44+2 chromosomes. We are a disharmonic level of consciousness that is used as a steppingstone from the 42+2 level to the next level, 46+2...These two additional chromosomes change everything."

According to Melchizedek, our planet is covered with geometrically constructed "morpho genetic grids" that extend from about 60 feet under the Earth's surface to about 60 miles above the Earth, arranged in geometric patterns (see "Sacred Geometry"). Each species has its own grid that supports life and connects the consciousness of its particular species. Before any species can come into existence or make an evolutionary step, a new grid must be completed. When a species becomes extinct, that particular species' grid dissolves.

A new grid was completed in 1989 - the "Christ-consciousness" grid. This grid will allow humans to evolve into our next version. We'll develop two additional chromosomes (which are really "geometrical images" designed to resonate with our specific grid) for a total or 46 + 2.

The main change will be a shift to the "unity consciousness." Every cell in your body has its own consciousness and memory. You, the higher being that occupies your body, make the millions of different consciousnesses in your body work together as one being. How does this relate to this grid? Think of yourself as a cell and the grid as the higher being. We will still have individual consciousness, but will be united in the form of a higher being in order to work as one entity."

This OP copied and pasted the above directly from songfacts webpage and only grammatically changed an "or" to an "of" in the second to last paragraph...

Maynard James Keenan Vocals
Adam JonesGuitar
Paul D'Amour Bass-1995
Justin Chancellor Bass post-1995
Danny Carey Drums

My shadow's shedding skin and
I've been picking Scabs again
I'm down, digging through my old muscles
Looking for a clue
I've been crawling on my belly
Clearing out what could've been
I've been wallowing in my own confused
And insecure Delusions
For a piece to cross me over
Or a word to guide me in
I wanna feel the changes coming down
I wanna know what I've been hiding

In my shadow
My shadow
Change is coming through my shadow
In my shadow
Shedding skin
I've been picking
My scabs again

I've been crawling on my belly
Clearing out what could've been
I've been wallowing in my own chaotic
And insecure delusions
I wanna feel the change consume me
Feel the outside turning in
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and
Cleansing I've endured within
In my shadow
My shadow
Change is coming, now is my time
Listen to my muscle memory
Contemplate what I've been clinging to
Forty-six and two ahead of me

I choose to live and to
Grow, take and give and to
Move, learn and love and to
Cry, kill and die and to
Be paranoid and to
Lie, hate and fear and to
Do what it takes to move through
I choose to live and to
Lie, kill and give and to
Die, learn and love and to
Do what it takes to step through
See my shadow changing
Stretching up and over me
Soften this old armor
Hoping I can clear the way
By stepping through my shadow
Coming out the other side
Step into the shadow
Stretching up and over me