00:00 Episode Preview

00:24 Opening

01:00 Introduction

02:12 Interview Begins with Dov

05:57 From Inspiration to Completion

09:11 Musical Themes and Artistic Freedom

13:59 AD – Download the Mystic Mondays App https://www.mysticmondays.com/pages/app

14:26 Dov’s Musical Interpretation

15:46 From Doubt to Determination

17:35 The Impact of Community and Commitment

19:41 Fulfilling a Promise

20:28 Honoring Guidance and Expansion

21:19 Fostering Creativity and Community

23:50 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Deck Design

25:58 Reflections on Personal Growth

26:23 Closing Statements

26:45 End of Episode – Make Sure to Leave a Podcast Review!

27:01 End Screen

Welcome to the GRACED Podcast! A space for everyday magic for your everyday life. We do this through rituals, aligning yourself to your soul’s purpose, and creating Alchemy to heal our mind, body, and spirits so that you can bring in more love and joy, manifest your desires, and believe in your dreams. Listen and watch over at grace.com/podcast and on YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok and all the places you can find me on social media. Now let’s dive into today’s episode.

💖 Introduction

Grace: Welcome to the GRACED Podcast, a space where we talk about everyday magic for your everyday life.

In this episode, we’ll hear more about Dov’s 10 year long process and journey of creating his own tarot deck, getting stuck, and how he’s propelled his deck creation process ever since he joined the Create Your Deck Club.

One of the most touching parts about this conversation was he had essentially taken a pre order from a friend, but she passed away before he could finish it. This was a huge motivator for Dov. Along with his passion for creating his deck to finish it once and for all. We also talk about imposter syndrome and building that confidence through practice, rituals, and overall showing up over and over again and doing the work that is in front of you.

If you’ve ever wanted to create your own deck, check out the Create Your Deck Club and join our membership with deck creators from all over the world. If you’re curious or even hesitant about getting started, the first step is to get going. And what better way to do that than to surround yourself with other deck creators who are on the same journey as you.

You can check out more information about the Create Your Deck Club at mysticmondays.com. Now let’s dive into this episode.

✨ Interview Begins with Dov Gertzweig

Grace: Hello everyone, I’m Grace Duong, the creator behind the Mystic Mondays decks and the Create Your Deck Club, where I teach students the complete deck making process from concept, execution, and marketing. And today we have one of our Create Your Deck Club members with us. Dov, tell us who you are, your background, and about the tarot deck that you are creating.

Dov: Well, hi Grace, it’s really a pleasure to be talking to you today and to be sharing my excitement about being part of the Create Your Deck Club. I am an artist, I’m a musician, I’ve played the violin for many years, orchestral, new age, rock, I write songs, and my journey has been really interesting too. I gravitate towards tarot and cards and still in the conceptual and executing phase and I know marketing is on the horizon but it’s been really comforting to be able to get a handle on my sporadic at times indulgence in doing this because it seems like very esoteric to be taking time out to you.

I’m going to work on a tarot deck, but it’s actually seems very practical at this point, because It’s making, it’s giving me time and gives me some reason to analyze a lot of these, the cards that are, I see little steps in the circle of life and places that we all get to and we just get so caught up in our jobs and our relationships and our kids and our families and the world and what’s happening out there that We need to take time to, to just go within and sort of see the bigger picture, and as an artist, I loved just painting, and I got to see that things came on the canvas that sort of spoke to me as reflections of what was going on inside of me, and as a tool of being contemplative and I didn’t know who I am, and it turned out that my paintings had similar structure to the templates of the tarot deck, and I realized I was making the tarot deck, so I have kept going, and I found out about this club, and Grace, and I joined and it’s really allowed me to focus and see other people that are doing them.

A deck, and hear their personal stories and realize that it’s similar to what I was like, even though the decks and concepts are completely different, the process is very similar. We’re focused on a card and information that we search for, or it comes from your intuition, and then we work it, and it actually inspired me to keep, to move forward on these decks.

And now, I’m in a routine, where I’m over the major Arcana, and I’m in the minor Arcana, like Getting, posting my newest card as a way of completing and saying, okay, I can let it go and go on to the next one for now. And it’s just been really fun more and more to dive into each card and I so respect people that have done tarot decks.

I think, wow, they’ve put all that effort in and they’ve been able to see the big picture of how each card plays in their theme. Yeah. I just respected that ability to have the art and the philosophy, the concepts all going together. Eventually, I just needed the push to move forward, and I think this choice I made joining has been a good one.

✨ From Inspiration to Completion

Grace: That’s awesome. So, to give people background information, you had been making your deck for Several years now before joining the Create Your Deck Club. So you already had done painting, I would say, for all of the cards, right? And I feel like when you joined the Create Your Deck Club, and you’ve been on fire, by the way, posting in the private group, the descriptions that you’ve been writing.

And I think that was something I had noticed about your process was that you’re just going over the artwork over and over again. And for me, for you to join the Create Your Deck Club, it was really for you to get across the finish line so that you could have a finished deck and guidebook in your hands and start selling it if you want to.

I would just love to hear how long you’ve been working on your deck before joining the Create Your Deck Club. Also, what your deck is called and the concept behind your deck.

Dov: Sure, I went to Europe. Over 30 years ago, I went to the museums and just saw the art, and I just came back from Europe and started painting, and I did a lot of murals to cleanse the neighborhood of graffiti, and I didn’t know what to say.

You know, that was a very rewarding thing, so I kept studying more, and so I would say at least 15 years I’ve had this in mind to turn this art that I was doing into a deck. And, but I’ve also been a musician, and also writing, and doing life, so it wasn’t a full time thing. So it was. 

So what I’m finding is that every time I work on a card and I start writing about the card, the lessons come to me in life, the reflections are out there of that exact card that I’m working on and it’s like up there, it’s undeniable to me. And I get, and I write about it, and it’s very personal, and I’m enjoying it, because it’s engaging, and it’s, it feels cumulative, like, over time it starts to, these little puzzle pieces start to fit, and I’m sure we’re all like that with the things we do in life, you know, where we get satisfaction, When things start to work together from different perspective and you feel like you’re on the right track and you’re out of the real, you’re not as lost as you were.

So plus you’re working on things that are all about upgrading your life and what’s important and how the world is made and how this all, how we all work together and the archetypes and the suits. Whatever the deck is, it can be the Oracle Decks, or Flower Decks, or Animal Decks, or Word Wisdom Decks.

I mean, those are so important to have constant reminders of our connection to ourselves so we can heal the planet and have a beautiful world of peace and harmony. And that’s what artists’ basic job is, to bring in harmony and peace. With decks, you give explanations. It’s not, it’s, it could be abstract images you do, but the point is to transcend our living conditions so that we can live in a world where this wisdom is shared.

✨ Musical Themes and Artistic Freedom

Grace: Yeah, absolutely. I always say making a deck is like a spiritual evolution because you learn the lessons of the cards as you go along and it’s pretty wild how the universe evolves. Just shows up for you in that way. So making a deck is not just about making cards that don’t have any meaning. There’s absolutely purpose in making these cards, and there’s meaning through you.

So the lessons that you learn, you channel that through your own filter of experiences, and you make the card, and you write the words, and you never know who that’s going to help and inspire on their own journey. Because you were brave enough to share what you’ve experienced and what you’ve learned through the cards.

And that’s what I love about tarot and oracle decks, is that even though there’s a general sense of what the card means, you can always have your own take and perspective on what that card means to you. I might have a way of saying something, and then you might have a way of saying something for, let’s say, the Chariot card, which is behind me in this video.

That can mean different things, even though there’s a general sense of what that can mean in context to whatever the question is or whatever guidance that person needs for that day. And I think that’s a really beautiful thing that you can pass that along to yourself because you’re learning these lessons, but also to whoever else picks up your deck and wants to use it on their journey.

So for you, you’re using a style of painting, and you have a lot of dolphins in your deck, so I’d love to hear about the inspiration behind your deck and what the dolphin means. And I know you’ve also changed some of the words. So cups are, I believe, chalices in your deck. Tell us about these stylistic choices that you’ve made and the artistic direction behind it.

Dov: Sure. I guess dolphins hit me a long time ago as symbols of joy and freedom and beauty. I guess the way they All of these cards are just pod together, and work together, and sing together, and they’re just uplifting, and I thought, what a great symbol for art, and I always started putting them in my art, as it just felt right, and then I realized I was creating, that’s the main theme of my deck, so now it’s called the Royal Dolphin Deck, and it’s both the court cards and the, all the Major Arcana, almost all the cards have dolphins somewhere in there, As spirit guides, as our higher selves, as our joyous selves, talking to us in playful ways.

I think it’s a playful deck, even though the art style, I kind of, I’m a classical musician, symphonically trained, classically trained, and so I, to the some of the classics of art, too, and as inspirations, but it’s playful and colorful and I’m not as formally trained in art as I am in music. I’m a little more free, maybe, to just come up with things that are from Inspiration and intuition, and it’s just been fun to find how it can play itself out.

So whatever theme you’re thinking of in your deck that you’re doing, then you just translate it to the different suits, and the chalices on the cups that I get to use. Things like sponges in the ocean as a cup, or I have a musical theme, so it’s a musical theme, and dolphins in the trumpet as a cup, so I have various different themes.

Ways of showing the chalices, and then I have notes as swords, and it’s just writing the descriptions it’s reinterpreting Tarot as, with the tools of it, in the mind of a dolphin, How, I guess we, I feel like their energies are out there and they’re connecting and they’re, and we can pick up on them and it’s still ongoing.

I’m still learning. It’s like when you decide to do a deck or decide to join the club, you don’t have all the, that’s just the beginning of the process. You start to open up and you figure out the pieces start to make sense once you make decisions. So Grace is really helpful in helping me, just in holding the space for making important decisions so I can move forward.

✨ Dov’s Musical Interpretation

Grace: Yeah, that’s awesome. And also it’s very unique to you and your experience because you’re tying in your music background into the artwork and how music notes are overlaid in the art. And we even talked about how you could use music with your deck. Perhaps cards tie into songs and it could be a whole experience for people that purchase your deck.

They could also have access to music that you create.

Dov: Yeah, that’s, it’s like two sides of a coin, the music and the art, to me, and there’s a lot of music to share, and I’m thinking that this deck is a vehicle to set up a way to better share my music, since it’s been challenging to get the music out, honestly, it’s like, I’ve done a lot of music and performed with a lot of great people, but I feel like when I was, record company, think a record company’s gonna take you on and support you and put your music out, but, unless, you have to do that yourself, and that’s very, that just takes, The marketing and the diligence and I get, use art for that to be, to balance out my music.

So I think there’s a connection that’s going to come up. It’s going to be fun to share the music as this deck progresses.

✨ From Doubt to Determination

Grace: Yeah, so what would you say has been the biggest momentum for you when joining the Create Your Deck Club? Because before you joined the Create Your Deck Club, you had been making your deck on and off for the past 15 years, and I know there was, like, some resistance to joining the Create Your Deck Club at first, and so I just want to hear what has been the most helpful for you?

Because I have seen momentum from you since joining, and I just really want to applaud you for that as well, because Something you mentioned was taking yourself seriously and taking this vision for yourself seriously.

Dov: Yeah, you hit a good point. And it’s a good question because I was reticent. I was doubtful that this could even happen, that I could get to this, to the level where I’d be cranking it out.

And was felt really brought to a special place when I had that first talk with you. And I realized you had conquered things I couldn’t conquer yet. As far as getting a deck finished, and being proud of it, and having success with it, lots of people responding, and that’s the place I wanted to get to, but I just didn’t see how I could do it, and then you said here, I’m here to show the way for that, and I still felt a bit, it was still a big leap, even though I had done Tarot classes, I had been going to a group workshop 20 times, we met at a coffee house, and people would talk, and the person would lead the group, but I’d never come across someone who was actively helping other people make their deck, and that was, Unfortunately, I got to come across you and I still haven’t met anybody like that, but here it is.

So I took the opportunity. I felt this is for me. I gotta do it. And I made it a priority.

✨ The Impact of Community and Commitment

Grace: Dov, you’ve been making your deck on and off for the past 15 years, and you’ve had life things come up, as you said, and I just wanted to hear how joining the Create Your Deck Club, how has that impacted your momentum in creating your deck?

Dov: Sure. Over that period of time, I’d show different pieces to different people that were aware of Tarot and ranged. Responded here and there encouraging me actually somebody I really admired Wanted to buy the deck, and I was okay. I’ll just finish it and send you a copy Because I felt like yeah, that’s Something I want to do, but it really seemed out of my abilities to pull it all together, even though I was into it.

So like I had been to a coffee shop where we had gathering weekly or biweekly for months at a time, and I enjoyed that. And that was basically reading and studying the cards and with a group of people. And I got. I really liked it, and I remember at one of the last meetings I came to, I made myself a little deck, and I printed it out, and I showed people, and they were like, wow, this is great!

But I thought it was still amateurish, and I wasn’t ready to show it to too many people, but then I heard about the club. The class and my momentum got to be really focused and just streamlined and getting into a groove or a rhythm with it now. So I think when Grace suggested I work on the book itself as well as the paper.

And so I’ve found that it really moved forward and hearing the other people helps a little bit too, to hear them going through their process and finding themselves. It’s really a great place to put out your intentions and drag yourself forward to a place where you can see what you’re doing.

✨ Fulfilling a Promise

Grace: Yeah, that’s awesome. So what ever happened to that person that wanted to buy your deck?

Dov: Well, her name is DJ, she was at a really wonderful musical. DJ, and I used to perform on her radio show and go out to gain a point and perform for a group of people out there.

It was like my music, it was, and, but she saw that I could, that I have this death and she’s one of the few people I knew that was in a tarot, but she passed away like a few, like several months ago. So she’s not on this plane. But she did give me that, she did want to buy it, and I made that intention, and in fact, the day that she passed away, I tried to finish, I was like, I’m going to finish this, because I got to get it for her, and then I heard she passed away.

✨ Honoring Guidance and Expansion

Grace: Yeah, and I feel like she’s with us. Especially with you, during your deck creation process. And just giving those boosts. The boosts of energy to really get to the finish line.

Dov: That’s a really good point. That’s a very good point. And, we do, the point of these articles and these decks is to connect with people.

Spirit and to be, to see the unseen, to bring in messages. This place needs to live on the highest dimension we can and people that cross over or become our guides and our spirit connectors and on honoring their work here and their guidance. Still, it’s the stars, the nature, it’s all, the decks are here to expand our consciousness and our awareness.

✨ Fostering Creativity and Community

Grace: For sure. Yeah. So you mentioned going to these classes at a coffee shop, in person, a tarot workshop it sounds like, and I was just wondering what your experience was going to these in person workshops. Yeah. Because the Create Your Deck Club is a completely virtual experience because we have people from all over the world in the Create Your Deck Club.

And you mentioned how it’s nice to be around other people who are also creating their deck and going on a similar healing journey while creating their deck. So how has it been a part of this virtual experience? But also impacting your physical life, because you’re making these cards, you’re painting, you’re writing, you’re making movements towards getting this deck created.

Has the group helped you overcome some barriers in creating your deck? And does it give you motivation to continue working on your deck?

Dov: Yeah, I don’t think the virtual component is a deterrent or anything. I don’t feel like I’m missing any interpersonal experience. I feel like it’s sufficient because it’s convenient. It’s an amazing place we’re in where we can go on our computers and see people and talk. It’s really the future. 

I remember so many years ago knowing this was going to happen. And here we are doing it every day, taking it for granted it’s a blessing and it’s amazing that we use this technology and this purpose to help each other navigate life, know what our unique gifts are, why we’re here and to do it. It’s highly prioritized to take the time and nurture that.

So I feel like the. The opportunity itself and just to show up and commit to it, says to yourself and your higher self that you’re willing to do what it takes. And so other people doing that come together, you create space and you get this momentum and just to be able for me personally to host these.

Even if one or two or nobody looks at it, for a week or not, I had some great comments from, honestly, from some of the other people, and I was just taken that, I just helped, made me feel really good, that they were looking at it, and they liked it, and that was a key, that you’re connecting, even with a few people.

You can keep going. You can turn that into a reason.

✨ Overcoming Self-Doubt in Deck Design

Grace: That’s awesome. So final question, you mentioned you printed out a version of your deck, a mini version of your deck, and brought it to your Tarot class at a coffee shop. And people were very encouraging, and yet, you felt this, I would say, self doubt.

That this wasn’t good enough still, and etc. Whatever the feelings are that are associated with that. And I just wanted to understand, because it does seem like there is a shift in your energy in terms of confidence around your deck. And has being a part of the Create Your Deck Club helped shift your mindset around the deck?

Being a deck creator, finishing your deck, and what that means for you.

Dov: Yes, it’s our, and each of us have identities, and we start with identities that are there, they branch out, and only ourselves can figure out how to make that branch happen. So being an artist, being a musician, kind of branched to being an artist, and then I wanted to be an artist that had a message about the environment, and then I realized, I’m not there’s a structure that you can put it in.

You can put it in a deck. So, it’s been an evolution, and I really have seen that those cards, I mean, they’re still here. I was able to just print them out and show them to some people and use them here and there. And they became, and they worked. The thing is, does it work? You have to test it out.

And I would test it out on myself, and I’d use it a lot. And a lot of times, it was like, this is good information. And studying, so what was keeping me back was maybe some of my artistic skills. I wanted a little higher level of my art, so I studied a lot of YouTubes, and great masters, and I really enjoyed looking at the history of art from a new perspective, and it gave me some confidence.

And the time and you have to maybe take some sidetracks to develop some skills, but that’s part of everything in life. You do it right, you need to grow and learn, and then you embody those side journeys.

✨ Reflections on Personal Growth

Grace: Absolutely, and it’s all a journey.

Dov: It’s all a journey, and what I didn’t expect was that these lessons are coming to me.

So I can better understand these elements, and I think we need to do that as a society, as the world, it just doesn’t seem like the wisdom is finding its way far enough. And it’s all within us, and these are reflections. So I’m excited to see how it turns out.

✨ Closing Statements

Grace: Me too. Well, thank you so much, Dov, for your time today and sharing your experience being a part of the Create Your Deck Club.

You’re making amazing progress, and I can’t wait to see more of it.

Dov: Thanks, coach. I appreciate that very much. Really nice to talk to you and

Grace: Yeah.

Dov: Good luck to everybody.

Grace: Yeah.

✨ End of Episode – Make Sure to Leave a Podcast Review!

Grace:

Thanks for tuning in to today’s episode with Dov and hearing about his experience being a member inside the Create Your Deck Club. Check out the Create Your Deck Club and more information about it on mysticmondays.com.

Sending you grace today and every day.

Thanks for tuning into this episode.

Remember to subscribe and check out more GRACED Podcast episodes for how to apply everyday magic to your everyday life.

See you next time.

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