Mandala

This song is actually what it's called: a mandala (albeit in audible form). It is just a few ideas that are designed to get the mind thinking about high level ideas, just like a mandala is designed for meditation and spiritual teaching.

Here is a breakdown of the different thoughts (they remind me of kōan):

"Dance with me / For I'll be leaving soon" - We only have a short time here so spend it with other people and enjoy them.

"The afterbirth on the keypads overwhelm" - How technology has changed how we live (new generations are now born with it).

"Did he who make the lamb make thee"? - Can someone that created good have also created evil? (This is a quote from a poem that asks this ["thee" is a tiger])

"In a cartoon house / In a cartoon car" - A look at the meaning of material objects - in the grand scheme of things worrying about houses and cars is like worrying about cartoons.

"There are cities buried underneath our cities" - We are who we are because of those in our ancestors and we should be thankful for what we have because of the work of others before us.

"Let the people see we so obviously had another hand And so separated / How can I act like I've made this when I so obviously had another hand." - No one is alone in this world or in their accomplishments. Don't forget all the support that you have been given from whatever the source. Be humble in your success and don't forget to help others, as you've been helped by others.

im confused. i read on here somewhere that anthony doesn't write about religion and that he just uses religious references to get his point across. but i agree with some of you guys..the entire album seems to be based on religion.

you probably read that about the last album... this album seems pretty anti-religion oriented.

"Did he who make the lamb make thee"? Help me find its origin

obviously it's about religion you guys.

commme on.

This might sound crazy, but I get this feeling this song is about...human existence and outside influence. Haha I know it sounds weird, but I've always wanted to know there's something else out there and we never got to where we are today on our own. "How can I act or feel like I've made this when I so obviously had another hand."

this ones about someone leaving someone, and they helped them alot but act like they did it on there own, in a cartoon hosue and cartoon car implies fake things because tehy didnt get them on there own, and there cities buried underneath because behind the successful one is the person that got them there that their not acknowledging, hes sayin let it be known that they were helped by someone else that left them, and they cant act like they did everythin on there own because its so clear someone helped them greatly(i know he doesnt write about saosin but it kinda sounds like it in this song how they dont really acknowledge him and think theyre famous on there own but its prolly not cuz hes deper than that

this song sounds so good it's unbelievable.

to the person who commented above me...shut your pie hole.

'circa survive green' you need to calm the eff down.

this song is sooo amazing! i love how the intruments seem to collide in the beginning.

You know...I think it may really have to do with religion. How can we as people feel so accomplished with the things we do if we think about how much of a hand god played into it? If god made us then he gave us all that we have. Circa Survive songs...meant to breed questions.