Pulleys

I think this song is about the use of psychedelic drugs for either mind expansion (like with lsd, psilocybin mushrooms, etc) or self-discovery (like with mdma).

the first verse is about finding truth outside of your mind whereas the second verse centres around finding truth within the human mind. the two verses are line-by-line parallel to each other in form as well as content.

Pulleys and vines — are needed to lift yourself up to / climb to new heights, i.e. reach a “higher” state of mind. The natural cages — the limitations of the human mind in a normal state. Trees said their smarts aren't in the books they wrote, wooden notes — when using entheogens like lsd, you may feel a sense of connectedness to/oneness with nature (“trees”)/ the universe and gain a new kind of higher, intuitive wisdom (the trees’ “smarts”) about them that cannot be achieved by scholastic education (“books they wrote”, also see “book smart” = “able to succeed scholastically, and not necessarily in the real world”), which in comparison seems like clumsy side notes (mere “wooden notes”). (“wooden notes” might also be a metaphor for the seemingly paradox, incomprehensible way this wisdom is given to you by nature: like a sound made of its wood.) Pulleys like vines — for “pulleys” as well as “vines”, i.e. for all types of psychedelic drugs... Like minded people do they feel afraid? — ...you need the right setting (e.g. with “like-minded people”). only then you will not feel afraid (“do they feel afraid” = rhetorical question) Feel Afraid? — could also be understood as a question directly aimed at the drug user Pulleys or vines and they use them for all kinds if you mind it grows — people (“they”) use psychedelic drugs for all kinds of purposes, but if you use them mindfully (“if you mind it”), i.e. in a the right (mind)set, then the uplifting, mind-elevating effect will increase (then “it grows”) Mind it grows — and your “mind, it grows” :) Pulleys and vines Why do they want me to move up? (you go) — why do psychedelic drugs pull you up to this consciousness-expanding state of mind, why do they “want” or even command (“you go!”) your mind to change in such a way.

Tunnels and caves — are means of escape, but may also describe the inner world of a human being (physical as well as mental). The humanoid mazes — the “mazes” of the human brain/psyche that in a psychedelic state may feel alien and like something not human, but human-like (“humanoid”). Heart said a place to hide is a head. Oppose! — feelings (“heart”) may be suppressed or “hidden” under the guise of reason (“head”). psychonauts “oppose” this condition by opening their mind up to explore their true hidden feelings. Up the nose — i.e. straight into the head. mdma may also be taken nasally. Tunnels not caves — the nasal cavity is a tunnel rather than a cave. then when taken, the substance flows through the "tunnels" of the human body (i.e. in your veins). additionally, the drug may create a “tunnel” to the inner self, i.e. something shines through the tunnel rather than the darkness you see when looking into a cave. Different people can they kiss amazed? — entactogen drugs like mdma also evoke feelings of intimacy and love for others, which may result in most different people caressing each other in amazement. Kiss amazed? — this repetition could again be a direct question aimed at the drug user, as if to raise doubts. were you really amazed? was the feeling real or fake? Tunnels and caves are magnificent places to escape you'll go — the “tunnels and caves” opened by the drug may be great for escapism(“are magnificent places to escape”), almost sending you off (“to escape you will go”)
Escape you'll go — the repetition of this might be a reminder: if you use them only for reasons of escapism, then escapism is the only thing you will experience. Tunnels and caves We're here to help you, are you feeling low? — when asked if he’s “feeling low”, the drug user actually faces two questions: first, the seductive question whether he is depressed and therefore the drugs are available to “help” him out or show him an “escape tunnel”. second, the sentence “we’re here to help you” when read alone may signify that euphoric empathogenic or “tunnels-and-caves” type of drugs generally exist to help their consumer. in this case, the question whether he’s “feeling low” in general is added a double-check type of dimension: if he is still depressed now despite (ab)using the substances e.g. on a weekly basis, then he is acting contradictory to the spirit and purpose of the drug (which is “to help you”.) feeling low? feeling low? - the repetitions suggesting that it is an important question he has to ask himself again and again.

also note that by the end, when avey repeats verse 1 again, the last words are changed to “books they wrote - wooden notes on pulleys.”, i.e. the scientific reseach on the topic of psychedelic drugs (“on pulleys”) seems equally petty and “wooden” when compared to the insight that may be gained from using them.