The Taro Reveled:

For the pages of Holy Wood, Marilyn Manson recreated himself and his band mates as the subjects found on Tarot cards, modeled after the Rider Waite Tarot deck, which is the most widely used and formally renown set. It is also the deck I use personally in divination. Each card has a different meaning, depending on the direction it was dealt.

The album cover contains the Hanged Man. The design is altered to include the missing jaw, which Marilyn described as commentary on the figure of Jesus. "My jaw being removed is to represent the silencing of people with dangerous opinions." (Hotpress, February 2001) And it's a fitting card for the cover of the work itself. It is a card meaning wisdom, circumspection, and discernment. It represents sacrifice, which also corresponds to the wounds of Jesus upon Manson's portrait. It also represents intuition, divination, and prophecy, which are necessary in the use of Tarot in general.

Next, we see Marilyn as the Card of death. The image on the card is quite different than that of the Tarot deck, but the meanings don't change. It is a card of end, destruction, corruption, and mortality. This follows the line that the album was to be the end of a trilogy, and also represent the corruption of the concept character, Adam Kadmon. In the end, Adam comes to recognize his own mortality, just as in the making of the album, Marilyn came to recognize his, especially in the early stages of research.

As we continue to unfold, Twiggy Ramirez appears as the High Priestess. This card is as mysterious as the person who is portraying it. It literally represents secrets, mystery, and the future as yet unrevealed. In divination it represents the woman who interests the Querent, if male, or the Querent herself, if female.

Pogo, in an almost ironic display, is in the card of Justice. Especially noticeable is that the scale of justice contains a brain and a bible, and they are equally weighed. The card of justice is one of equity, rightness, probity, and executive. Perhaps the most important message of this card is that in the eyes of death (the most potent judge) all things are really created equal.

John 5 portrays the fool in the next card. The imagery of John F. Kennedy in the background can also be taken into the divinatory meanings, because the fool is a card of extravagance. The era of the Kennedy's, something to which Marilyn refers to much on this album, was one of high extravagance. It also represents folly, frenzy, and bewrayment. It can also represent mania and intoxication, which I'm sure went into the process of making this record, and delirium.

Ginger Fish, as we see as we unravel the inside of the booklet, is the hermit. This card represents prudence, but also and especially treason. It represents dissimulation, roguery, and corruption. These are also qualities of Adam Kadmon in the concept album.

Next we find Marilyn Manson as the card of the Emperor, the qualities of the card being well fitting. It represents a great person, one of reason and conviction. There is a great deal of power associated with this card, as well as stability. That was something, especially at the time of writing the album, Manson did not have. The card also represents protection.

Marilyn also dons the goat head for the card of the devil. This is a card of violence, which is a theme taken to heart in the album itself. It also represents ravage, vehemence, force, and extraordinary efforts. it is also a card of fatality, which is something we see the concept character dealing with at the end of track 19. It represents that which is predestined (this album was considered by Marilyn to be a beginning, not an ending) but not for this reason evil.

Another card displayed by Marilyn Manson is that of the Magician, which is the first major card of the Tarot deck. This card represents the Querent, if male, and so probably represents Marilyn himself. It is a card of skill, diplomacy, will, and self confidence, all which describe Marilyn. It also is a card of sickness, pain, loss, and disaster, which have followed him in his life as well. Again, this describes the concept of the album, of how someone wanted so greatly to be part of the high life, that they become something they hate, and must then incite a revolution to break free (thus continuing into Antichrist Superstar)

Finally, we see the card of the Heirophant, which in several of my own personal readings, has actually been identified as Marilyn Manson. It is a card of Marriage alliance, captivity, and servitude. He is a slave to his passions, as we all are slaves to our addictions. By another account, the card represents mercy and goodness. Most importantly, it represents inspiration, and the man to whom the Querent has recourse. This is most true of Manson. He constantly provides his own inspiration, especially in this album, relating his introspective ideas to other people. But the concept of Marilyn Manson as an identity is the man to whom the Querent (perhaps Brian Warner) finds an alternative, and a way out.

Diviner's Note: Remember, that these are only some of the references of the cards. I encourage you to research into all of the major and minor Arcana before attempting to use these analogies in your life or anyone else's.