A flat planet in the centre of the universe.
Who punctured us?
Who thrust the needle into our flesh?
Geocentrism came crawling back - licking the needle marks -
"Copernicus was never right", and our world turned as
Introvert as our minds.

Kepler, Copernicus & Galilei suffocating in the vacuum of
The microcosms.
The inside can wait as long as we're preoccupied with
Shining the facade.

We brought this upon ourselves - the connection breach.
We cut the rope, we shut the power down.
The line does not reach out any more.
Diagonal traded for horizontal - there is no up and down.
Gathered, trapped, closed into a linear thought.

Kepler, Copernicus & Galilei suffocating in the vacuum of
The microcosms.
The inside can wait as long as we're preoccupied with
Shining the facade.

Somehow we lost the ancient connection.
All perspective eaten by newborn abilities.
Entangled no more? - Simplicity the order of absent
Relations.
Complexity a distant relative or a strange rumour.

Reflective surfaces mirroring skin, cores diminish slowly
And silently.
Nourishment torn away, light dimmed to the unrecognizable.
Show us your universe and we'll give you our world - we do
Not recognize it anyway!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Borknagar's song Relate delve into the idea of humanity's disconnection from nature and the universe. The song starts with the assertion that our planet is flat and at the center of the universe. This is a reference to the geocentric model of the universe, which placed the Earth at the center and was later replaced by the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus. The rhetorical question "who punctured us?" refers to the idea that humanity has been separated from the natural world and the universe at large, and we don't know who or what caused it.

The following lines make a metaphorical comparison between the needle marks on a drug addict's skin and humanity's inward turn. The rejection of the heliocentric model in favor of geocentrism is seen as a regression, and humanity is depicted as being stuck in a cycle of addiction to a limited worldview. The names Kepler, Copernicus, and Galileo are mentioned to reinforce the idea that we've lost touch with their discoveries and the brilliance of scientific inquiry. The lights are on, but nobody's home.

The second verse emphasizes humanity's role in cutting off our own connection to the larger universe. The metaphor of the rope being cut and the power being shut down emphasizes the severing of our ties to nature and the cosmos. The switch from diagonal thinking (thinking outside the box) to horizontal thinking (staying within rigid limits and frames of reference) reflects a focus on superficiality rather than depth. Finally, the lyric "gathered, trapped, closed into a linear thought" implies that humans have become more insular, isolated, and limited.

Line by Line Meaning

A flat planet in the centre of the universe.
Our view of the world is limited and one-dimensional.

Who punctured us?
Who or what caused us harm?

Who thrust the needle into our flesh?
What caused us pain?

Geocentrism came crawling back - licking the needle marks -
The idea that the earth is the center of the universe is returning to prominence, despite being disproven.

"Copernicus was never right", and our world turned as Introvert as our minds.
Denying scientific evidence has caused us to become self-absorbed and closed-minded.

Kepler, Copernicus & Galilei suffocating in the vacuum of The microcosms.
The idea of scientific progress and discovery is being stifled by our obsession with the superficial.

The inside can wait as long as we're preoccupied with Shining the facade.
We are too busy trying to project an image of ourselves to care about our inner selves and true priorities.

We brought this upon ourselves - the connection breach. We cut the rope, we shut the power down. The line does not reach out any more. Diagonal traded for horizontal - there is no up and down. Gathered, trapped, closed into a linear thought.
Our own actions have resulted in a breakdown of communication and exchange of ideas, leading to a lack of growth and limiting our perspectives.

Somehow we lost the ancient connection. All perspective eaten by newborn abilities. Entangled no more? - Simplicity the order of absent Relations. Complexity a distant relative or a strange rumour.
Our focus on modern technology has caused us to forget or ignore the lessons and insights of our ancestors, leading to a narrow and superficial view of the world.

Reflective surfaces mirroring skin, cores diminish slowly And silently. Nourishment torn away, light dimmed to the unrecognizable.
Our obsession with self-image and outward appearances has caused us to lose touch with our true selves and what truly nourishes us.

Show us your universe and we'll give you our world - we do Not recognize it anyway!
We are so focused on our own limited view of the world that we are unable or unwilling to see the beauty and wonder of other perspectives and experiences.

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