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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.