Deck Review: Angelarium: Oracle of Emanations

Peter Mohrbacher (artist) and Eli Minaya (book co-writer), Angelarium: Oracle of Emanations. Torino, Italy: Lo Scarabeo, 2017  ISBN: 9780738754338. (Link to artist website)

Genre: oracle deck

Subgenre: angels, Kabbalah, Angelarium (artist's concept)

Format: Kit with 33-card deck and a small companion book

Source: I own this one 

Chesed (Right Hand-Empathy) 

 

I first used this deck in November 2024, and I carried it through December 2024. I've had the deck for a while, and I finally got to work with it. The art is by Peter Mohrbacher. He also wrote the instruction book with Eli Minaya. I have been a fan of Mohrbacher's art since our daughter introduced me to the artist's work, so I am happy to own this deck. 

Let's start with the companion booklet. In typical Lo Scarabeo fashion, it is written in multiple languages. The languages featured this time are English, Italian, Spanish, French, Russian, and Chinese. The book is 144 pages long. The English content is 35 pages long. We do get an actual small book, which is a vast improvement over the publisher's usual little white books. 

The book's text includes: 

• A note from the author. Here the author briefly explains his Angelarium project and how it blends with aesthetic with Kabbalah. Note the Tree of Life is a core concept here, and it has 11 Emanations and 22 Paths. 
• Entries for the 11 Emanations. Each entry has card name, keywords, and text with description and interpretation. 
• Entries for the 22 Angels. Each entry has angel's name, their domain or area, and text with description and interpretation. 
• Using the cards. This includes tips for a daily meditation, using a focus card. 
• In addition, the book features some illustrations throughout. 

This is a book that I wish was larger and a bit more substantial, but you do get enough to get you started working with the deck. I enjoyed reading the text. The entries are interesting, and they add to the understanding of the cards. The text just weaves a setting that draws you in. If anything, I would love to read more and go deeper, but what we get works well enough to work with the deck. 

The cards of course are the reason to get this deck, and they are divine. I am not sure how to describe this celestial art that is magical, a bit abstract yet feels so real and alive. You can lose yourself looking at the images. Often, just when you think you have got the hang on an image,  you discover a new detail or idea. 

The art is colorful, but not too bright. Kind of a bit of low light. It feels very ethereal. At times I felt I could just float as the angels do when looking at the cards. 

Zadkiel (Angel of Mercy)

Can you read the cards without the book? Probably. This deck can work very well for intuitive readers. I found myself reading the cards intuitively. Still, I read the book, and I found it useful. I suggest you read it too. Do you need to know Kabbalah to use this deck? No,  but if you do, you may appreciate the deck better. I have a passing knowledge, due in part to fulfilling some reference request for a client (and this is a story for another time), Anyhow that very basic knowledge was helpful to me. Down the road I would like to learn and study a bit of Kabbalah. 

For me, this is one of the most beautiful decks I own. It works great for meditation and single card draws. It can work well with some Tarot decks. For some folks, this deck could be a good option for shadow work. This is a deck that I consider essential, and I would definitely get a back up copy. The artist did some excellent work, and I would get any other decks they make. 

The cards measure about 5 inches by 3 1/4 inches. The cards have a glossy finish, but you can still shuffle them without difficulty. Art is borderless. The card back is reversible. The book, however, does not mention reversals, but I suppose someone could attempt reversed readings. I am not telling folks what to do. 

5 out of 5 stars. 

This kit qualifies for the following 2025 Reading Challenge: 

 

Note: photos are mine from my deck. I chose an Emanation card and an angel card as samples.