Marilyn Manson's 'Holy Wood' Spread and custom deck info

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Jun 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

EYE	04 Jun 2005
At the following link http://www.nachtkabarett.com/tarothw.html you can find pictures and info about Marilyn Manson's own customized tarot cards used as artwork in his album 'Holy Wood' along with the meaning of his 'hidden' spread found in the cd booklet. For those interested the site also has information documenting the occult symbols and imagery used through out Manson's career. I would like to hear peoples opinions of the 'Holy Wood' Deck/Spread and also any other info they may have found with connection to Manson or the symbols he uses.

Moonbow*	04 Jun 2005
Hello EYE Welcome to Aeclectic As far as the spread goes, it looks like a variation on the Celtic Cross to me. This thread will now be moved to the Tarot Decks forum, which is more appropriate for discussion on the deck itself. Moonbow* Moderator Tarot Spreads

tao51	04 Jun 2005
It is a simple variation of the Celtic Cross. The cards displayed are more of a celebration of Manson's views. I do feel that the art work is carefully composed.

closrapexa	04 Jun 2005
The artwork is quite thought out and interesting. I don't know if i could read with such a deck, though. Firstly, I don't care for Manson, and secondly, the deck is quite harsh and negative in my eyes. However I would be quite interested in seeing the rest of the deck, about which Manson say that he has replaced the Swords with Guns. Personally I disagree with that, since I go by the Air/Mind conception of Swords. But perhaps guns are a modern representation of Swords, and work just as well.

ros	04 Jun 2005
Eerie kind of loneliness! For me, decks like this you either love them or hate them! This deck looks like it would be hard to read with just because I feel it looks negative. I may be wrong, have been before! LOL

Emeraldgirl	07 Jun 2005
Wow I like it. Gotta agree the spread is a vartiation of the celtic Cross. I can see why people have found the deck to be negative but I still like it a lot :)

FantasyWorld	07 Jun 2005
Can't sleep. This deck reminds me of night of the living dead meets tarot;) I also think the spread looks like a celtic cross type.

Sorceress_Jade	10 Jun 2005
First, I'm a Manson fan, please don't think my opinion of the deck stems from some gutteral reaction in response to my dear Marilyn. Anyway, I find the imagery in this deck trite. I'm not surprised. It feels as though the creator had no concept of what he wanted to portray as far as imagery and meaning. It is all, as Manson always is, about shock value & immitation & remastering of classic mythology & tradition. I'm not impressed.

Cerulean	10 Jun 2005
Well, the backgrounds and settings were well-done and richly textured. I would have preferred not to have M.M. on practially all the cards---that made the deck as a whole rather silly. But the title, this design and his postures--aren't they supposed to be an absurd parody? Or just a sarcastic comment? That's just my opinion. Cerulean

Sorceress_Jade	10 Jun 2005
Cerulean wrote: But this design and his postures, aren't they supposed to be an absurd parody? That's just my opinion. Cerulean I'm not saying that wasn't the intent. In fact I said it was his intent, and I don't find it appealing. I like the artwork, and it is VERY Mansonesque. I don't like it as a Tarot deck. :)

rainwolf	10 Jun 2005
No comment on the deck, except I don't like Manson's "character" and I would have biased comments on the deck. The spread is a CC...generally at least. I hope he doesn't name it something to take credit for it.

The Marilyn Manson's 'Holy Wood' Spread and custom deck info thread was originally posted on 04 Jun 2005 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.