This song is about something that all travellers on spiritual paths eventually come to realize. Esoteric traditions all keep a secret of their highest redeeming knowledge about the nature of life and the human condition. This includes secret societies, religions, governments, gurus, etc. etc. It's all enshrouded in mysticism and symbols. But for the masses yearning for enlightenment, they've got 'nothing to say'.
This is for several reasons. One (evil) is for control - if the masses understood how to control and take part in their lives fully, the power structures and economic engines would fall apart ("but if I share it with you, you would stand to gain and I to lose"). Verse 1.
Another (good) is that those who are unready or immature spiritually (i.e. almost everyone) would not understand (at best) and would misuse (at worst) such knowledge. So again the enlightened have 'nothing to say', despite having great wisdom.
The masses generally feel resentment toward these 'enlightened ones' because of their lack of help in a hard life. (verse 2) Some even find their own enlightenment and then for the "good" reason above, don't feel the need to try to correct the secret institutions or even explain to their loved ones. ("so don't ask me will I explain, I won't even begin to tell you why").
When seekers eventually find spiritual enlightenment and understand the symbols and mysticism and gain personal freedom, they are now beyond being able to explain it, and understand why it's a secret - the unenlightened can't understand until they travel the path. (Verse 3) So they invariably practice the same secrecy and don't see the possibility of explaining to others ("Climb a tower of freedom, paint your own deceiving sign. It's not my power to criticize or to ask you to be blind To your own pressing problem and the hate you must unwind.") Each person must travel the path and 'unwind their hate' on their own. In this way each person is indeed an island. "So ask of me no answer, there is none that I could give you wouldn't find."
"I went your way ten years ago" means that the enlightened were all where we're at now, and we all need to get there on our own. Kind of encouraging.
After thinking about it, this may be the most profound Tull song of all. I'm 37, and it took me 20 of those years to come to this understanding after being immersed in every spiritual tradition I could find all that time. They all say the same thing, despite your unwillingness to hear it - selfless love is the answer to unwinding yourself. It's essentially so simple that there's nothing anyone can 'say' that will get you there. The riddles and mysticism can get 'trick' or 'hypnotizing' you into understanding it, but don't ask for them to be explained. Experience is the only key.
This song is about something that all travellers on spiritual paths eventually come to realize. Esoteric traditions all keep a secret of their highest redeeming knowledge about the nature of life and the human condition. This includes secret societies, religions, governments, gurus, etc. etc. It's all enshrouded in mysticism and symbols. But for the masses yearning for enlightenment, they've got 'nothing to say'.
This is for several reasons. One (evil) is for control - if the masses understood how to control and take part in their lives fully, the power structures and economic engines would fall apart ("but if I share it with you, you would stand to gain and I to lose"). Verse 1.
Another (good) is that those who are unready or immature spiritually (i.e. almost everyone) would not understand (at best) and would misuse (at worst) such knowledge. So again the enlightened have 'nothing to say', despite having great wisdom.
The masses generally feel resentment toward these 'enlightened ones' because of their lack of help in a hard life. (verse 2) Some even find their own enlightenment and then for the "good" reason above, don't feel the need to try to correct the secret institutions or even explain to their loved ones. ("so don't ask me will I explain, I won't even begin to tell you why").
When seekers eventually find spiritual enlightenment and understand the symbols and mysticism and gain personal freedom, they are now beyond being able to explain it, and understand why it's a secret - the unenlightened can't understand until they travel the path. (Verse 3) So they invariably practice the same secrecy and don't see the possibility of explaining to others ("Climb a tower of freedom, paint your own deceiving sign. It's not my power to criticize or to ask you to be blind To your own pressing problem and the hate you must unwind.") Each person must travel the path and 'unwind their hate' on their own. In this way each person is indeed an island. "So ask of me no answer, there is none that I could give you wouldn't find."
"I went your way ten years ago" means that the enlightened were all where we're at now, and we all need to get there on our own. Kind of encouraging.
After thinking about it, this may be the most profound Tull song of all. I'm 37, and it took me 20 of those years to come to this understanding after being immersed in every spiritual tradition I could find all that time. They all say the same thing, despite your unwillingness to hear it - selfless love is the answer to unwinding yourself. It's essentially so simple that there's nothing anyone can 'say' that will get you there. The riddles and mysticism can get 'trick' or 'hypnotizing' you into understanding it, but don't ask for them to be explained. Experience is the only key.
Hope this makes sense to SOMEONE.
@rainwalk it makes perfect sense and has given me a lot of clarity personally. Thank you.
@rainwalk it makes perfect sense and has given me a lot of clarity personally. Thank you.