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This episode centers on the idea that spiritual wealth should not be hoarded; instead, it must continuously diffuse and move through us, much like global ocean currents or wind powering a windmill. By examining the intersection of the crown and solar plexus chakras, the hosts highlight the balance of sharing your spiritual treasures without sacrificing yourself, and gracefully receiving help without taking from others.

The hosts also heavily integrate the tarot into their chakra readings, specifically exploring the often-misunderstood "Swords" suit. Pulling the "Source of Storms" card, which Dean equates to the Queen of Swords in traditional tarot, they discuss how the tumultuous energy of a storm actually originates from within, reminding us that we wield the power to direct our own energy rather than letting external forces batter us. Later, they draw the "Nine of Storms," corresponding to the tarot's Nine of Swords. While traditional tarot often depicts this card as highly negative or painful—such as someone surrounded or pierced by swords—Dean reframes it as the bracing, sharp touch of an icy wind that brings sudden, undeniable clarity to the present moment.

Bringing these cosmic concepts back down to earth, the episode concludes with a profound look at human connection through the lens of the "third eye," likening individuals to water droplets ultimately returning to the same cosmic ocean. However, the hosts do not shy away from the real-world friction this interconnectedness can bring. They engage in a candid, vulnerable discussion about the tension between broad societal inclusion and the painful erasure of distinct, lived experiences and personal labels. Ultimately, even when dealing with grief or navigating the frustrating zeitgeist of the modern world, the hosts remind listeners that spiritual energy is not ours to keep—it is just passing through us, and we must allow it to flow.

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In Episode 65 of Show Me Your Deck, hosts Dean Sage and Jack Kervin dive into the concept of "Prioritize Your Polish," discussing the value of intentionally refining your skills by creating inviolable sessions and eliminating distractions. They caution against over-refining or striving for an unhealthy level of perfection, noting that hyper-focusing on one single area can lead to burnout. To illustrate the need for balance and a diverse set of life skills, they explore how different personality traits—categorized in this episode as Eagles, Parrots, Doves, and Owls—influence the specific areas we choose, or are forced, to polish.

As the oracle reading progresses, the hosts draw a few direct connections to traditional tarot cards to deepen their insights. They pull "The Creator," linking it directly to the number three in the major arcana, also known as the Empress in the tarot, which embodies generativity and the idea that "what you imagine you can shape". Later in the draw, they reveal the "Sovereign of Flames," which they explicitly identify as the tarot's King of Wands. This card brings a powerful message about releasing shame—a feeling that ultimately blocks you from taking creative action—and prompts a conversation about maintaining proper discernment and self-trust when receiving harsh feedback.

The episode concludes with a joyous call to action: "Gush your brilliance". Dean and Jack encourage listeners to celebrate their accomplishments, brag in their journals, and express positivity without the fear of judgment. They remind the audience that true freedom comes from letting go of the guilt of not being able to do everything perfectly at once. Ultimately, the hosts invite you to fully embrace being average at some things, noting that you don't need to be an expert in every aspect of life to be successful and happy.

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In this episode, we explore the powerful intersection of sudden inspiration and the heavy, deflating physical sensation of grief. When profound loss leaves empty spaces in your life—described as missing "standing stones"—that negative space must be intentionally filled to keep you from sinking. We discuss how acting as a "lightning rod" or obelisk allows the electric strike of creative inspiration to flow smoothly from the crown chakra down to the root, offering a way to stitch together a new lattice of active creativity and positive space in the wake of profound loss.

Our reading brings up several specific connections to the tarot to guide this journey of healing and expression. The Sovereign of Storms is directly linked to the King of Swords in the tarot, echoing the broader suit of swords' themes of loss, grief, and finding balance on the cutting edge of life, much like the Page of Swords. We also draw parallels between the Four of Seeds and the tarot's Four of Pentacles, serving as a warning that the "cupboard can only hold so much harvest" and a reminder to share your psychic energy and ideas rather than hoarding them in fear. Finally, the fiery process of refining these creative ideas is mirrored in the Eight of Flames, which connects to the Eight of Wands in the tarot, representing the crucial moment when raw fire is internalized into a furnace to harness creative pressure.

Ultimately, true healing and inspiration require a constant process of active engagement and refinement, much like adding water to clay to keep it supple, moldable, and safe from cracking. We remind you not to be overly precious with your creative output; whether you are writing fanfiction, philosophizing on camera, or simply putting a "five out of ten" idea into the world, your work needs to be shared to have a life of its own. Releasing your grief means letting your ideas flow back out into the community, trusting that dynamic balance and shared inspiration are far more valuable than static perfection.

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Welcome to episode 63 of Show Me Your Deck, where hosts Dean Sage and Jack Kervin sit down with Joey Stocks, the Creative Director of Summoners Ensemble Theater in New York City. The trio dives deep into the power of the second chakra when Joey shares a profound story about witnessing a vibrant, spinning wheel of orange energy during a family crisis. This visceral, "I feel" energy sets the tone for a fascinating conversation about trusting our visceral sensations, the danger of ignoring our inner truths, and Joey's upcoming haunted house production of an Edgar Allan Poe play featuring a psychic medium.

During the oracle reading, Joey opens up about a personal solo storytelling project he has been putting off for over 30 years out of self-doubt. Through a series of insightful card pulls—including reminders to be mindful of self-inflicted words and to find lift from within rather than relying on external storms—Dean and Jack encourage Joey to finally bring his project to life. The reading culminates in a beautiful discussion about exchanging "juicy juju," emphasizing the deep, energetic gratitude and joy that is shared between a storyteller and their audience.

Tarot Mentions in this Episode: Traditional tarot makes several distinct appearances throughout the conversation. Early on, Joey shares that his husband is an avid tarot practitioner who has taken formal classes and practiced readings on him. Additionally, Dean reminds listeners that his original oracle deck was designed with a direct one-to-one correspondence to the traditional tarot. During Joey's specific reading, Dean draws two cards with direct tarot equivalents: "The Source of Storms," which he notes is the Queen of Swords, and "The Primal," which represents the ultimate call to action of The Magician.

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After some opening banter about highway speed limits, the hosts pull a card bridging the root and crown chakras that sparks a moving discussion about performing "unexpected miracles". Unlike the expected miracles we actively pray for, unexpected miracles are spontaneous acts of giving that catch people by surprise and inspire future generosity. Through a touching anecdote about a pizza shop that created a perpetual community fund for a local women's shelter, Dean and Jack illustrate how small, authentic moments of humanity can ripple outward to create a beautiful, generational footprint in the world.

The conversation then grounds itself in the "Three of Seeds," exploring how we must deliberately tend to the people and projects that support our broader community. The hosts use the metaphor of a garden to explain that while we should be generous, we also have limited energy; therefore, it is sometimes necessary to "weed out" toxic influences or misaligned relationships so that the rest of the garden can thrive. This focus on mindful energy management seamlessly transitions into a warning about the power of our words. Drawing an air-element haiku about "self-inflicted tornadoes," the hosts caution against the destructive nature of negative self-talk. They encourage listeners to speak truthfully and from a place of pride rather than arrogance, calming their internal winds to avoid tearing themselves apart with anxiety and obsessive thoughts.

Finally, the episode shifts into the realm of action and personal accountability. When pulling the "Eight of Flames" to discuss harnessing internal energy for a greater purpose, the hosts draw direct parallels to the tarot. They compare their deck's flame cards to the tarot's suit of wands, noting that just as the "Three of Wands" in tarot is about finding direction and setting stakes in the ground, and the "Two of Wands" is about choosing a path, their flames represent giving your internal fire a focus. They also mention the tarot's "Seven of Wands" to illustrate the danger of action, warning that engaging with other people's flames can sometimes leave you burned. The reading concludes with the empowering "kiln" card, declaring, "I profess that I am the architect who builds my life". Touching on the toxicity of cancel culture and the paralyzing nature of shame, Dean and Jack remind us that we are not fossilized by our past mistakes; we always have the power to heal, evolve, and rebuild ourselves.

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In this episode the hosts kick things off by pulling a card centered on seeing our knowledge and ideas as valuable gifts to share. This sparks a deep conversation about overcoming the inner critic, finding the courage to speak your truth, and understanding when to use a filter versus when to be bold. During this segment, the hosts mention how the "lovers" card from the tarot inspired the "dreamers" card in their own deck as well as characters in an upcoming book.

As the reading progresses, the hosts discuss the importance of moving ideas out of the mind and manifesting them into the physical world. They pull the "two of seeds," which is directly connected to "the two of pentacles in the tarot," representing material value and the conscious choice of balancing our physical efforts. This transitions into a dialogue on the concept of "potlucking your gratitude," fueled by fire and solar plexus energy. The hosts emphasize freely giving from a place of joy and abundance rather than expecting a return, contrasting this with toxic forms of giving disguised as sacrifice. This shared community abundance is related back to the tarot by likening the food brought to a potluck to "seeds as coins" and physical wealth.

The episode builds toward taking collective action, highlighted by drawing major arcana number seven, which the hosts identify as "the chariot in the tarot" and call "the director". This card serves as a reminder to harness your will to guide others, even if you are simply finding the best vessel or medium to share a difficult truth. Finally, the reading concludes with a haiku about sensing your "innate north," urging listeners to trust their gut to navigate complex dilemmas. By leaning into an internal, intuitive guide, the hosts assure us that even when the specific path forward is murky, we can always align our actions with an encompassing sense of universal good.

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In this episode of Show Me Your Deck, hosts Dean Sage and Jack Kervin explore the uncomfortable but necessary process of intellectual growth. After a brief detour into the numerological significance of the number 60 and why circles have 360 degrees, the conversation turns to the concept of true learning. Dean describes how integrating new information often requires destroying one's existing internal "honeycomb" of understanding. Drawing on Jack's experience in graduate school, the hosts discuss how deep learning requires you to consent to having your worldview "shattered" or dissolved so it can be rebuilt into something stronger. They apply this philosophy to modern political polarization, suggesting that rigid mindsets are currently cracking under the pressure of new information, forcing many to reorient their beliefs.

The episode is anchored by a series of tarot pulls using the hosts' original decks and a unique "tetrahedrin of rounded off edges doom" die. The reading begins with a card from Deck 3, "I profess that I love learning especially from the wisdom of others," which serves as the "contextualizer" for the episode, reminding listeners that they cannot know everything on their own. This is followed by the "Five of Seeds" (akin to the Five of Pentacles), which offers the message "The door to your storehouse is not truly locked," symbolizing that community support is available even when one feels destitute. Later, the "Two of Waves" (Two of Cups) appears with the instruction to "Merge your emotions. Make bigger waves," encouraging the hosts to find common ground beneath rational disagreements. The reading concludes with a profession from Deck 2: "I profess that I say what I feel knowing that sharing it will help me to mature".

Ultimately, the hosts argue against the "othering" that dominates current discourse, urging listeners to realize that most people share the same core desires for safety and stability. They emphasize the importance of engaging in good-faith conversations where one assumes good intentions rather than looking for a fight. By focusing on shared emotions rather than political talking points, they suggest we can find the "common waters" that connect us all. Listeners interested in the decks or extended discussions can find the hosts on Patreon or at their website.

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In this episode, Dean and Jack explore the powerful intersection of the Sacral chakra ("I feel") and the Throat chakra ("I say"), focusing on the courage required to give voice to guttural instincts. The conversation begins with a "Context Card" (Profession 11) that affirms, "I profess that I feel that my expression of myself is powerful". The hosts discuss the concept of the "second brain" located in the gut and the vital necessity of allowing visceral reactions—even those rooted in trauma or raw emotion—to be spoken aloud rather than letting them "curdle" inside,.

The reading progresses into a dynamic conversation about the creative process, explicitly referencing the Tarot. Dean draws the "Seeker of Flames," which he identifies as the Page of Wands, representing the moment of "hot inspiration" where one decides to take an idea into the forge of creation,. Later, the "Ace of Storms"—identified as the Ace of Swords—introduces the concept of la petite mort (the little death),. This card serves as a reminder of the necessary peace, and sometimes grief, that follows the lightning bolt of creativity, emphasizing that the actual work of art often happens in the quiet moments after the initial frenzy,.

Finally, the episode concludes with a "Capstone Card" (Card 27) that bridges the Heart and Sacral chakras, offering the affirmation: "I profess that I love all my experiences because they have made me stronger". The hosts reflect on the idea that the ultimate goal of expression is connection; just as a tree grows around rusty nails to become stronger, we grow around our painful experiences by sharing them. The discussion challenges the listeners to move beyond the fear of being heard, asserting that art and performance require witnesses to truly exist.