We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tory Sjovall. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tory below.
Tory, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
I started my spiritual journey in my mid-late 20’s when I was working a corporate retail job in NYC. I was traditionally successful – making 6 figures before 30, a busy social life and had just met the guy that later became my husband, but something always felt just slightly off (or more than slightly depending on the day). I was exhausted, anxious and forgetful.
I started to get curious about why and began to explore the “wellness” world. I started by healing my allergies and asthma with learning about food and its power to heal, took astrology classes and learned how to read birth charts, joined yoga classes as often as possible and eventually tried reiki.
I remember leaving my first energy healing session and thinking “that will be my job one day” – I just didn’t realize how soon it would all unravel.
My reiki therapist, Asha Surti, then became my teacher and broke open my intuition and deeper connection to who I truly am at my core. I’ll never forget our first session together when she told me something along these lines “You have a strong connection to your third eye but most of your energy is focused up there, on your higher chakras. You cannot truly tap into the full potential of your intuition if you are not fully IN your physical body. The connection to your root is the key to deeper intuitive connection”.
That was my first major lightbulb moment!
I began untangling years and years of disassociating and began practicing truly being PRESENT in the moment. Soon after, I started seeing healing clients in the living room of my one-bedroom apartment and guided them to do the same.
My second major realization was in 2020 when I gave birth to my first child. I fell back in a pattern of disconnection and all over the place.
*Disclaimer: having your first baby at the onset on a global pandemic with virtually no support is not something I’d recommend* – HA but it did lead to majorrrrrrrrrr upleveling and growth.
After months of anxiety and hot-mess-ness (I just made that up lol) I pulled up my daughter’s birth chart and started using her astrological placements as a tool for connection and a guide for my parenting style.
IT CHANGED EVERYTHING! My Taurus Sun and Cancer Moon love to go with the flow and her Virgo moon was beggggging for structure!
After astrology helped me show up as a better mom (and partner), I knew I had to share my knowledge with other moms and families!
I’ve noticed that modern moms are looking for ways to show up for their kids differently (me included!). Every generation wants to “leave it better than they found it” and astrology as a tool for parenting is a huge key to helping future generations feel seen and loved from the day they are born!
Each time I end a reading I am LIT UP! Exploring moms/dads/kids’ cosmic blueprints and how the energy of each unique family works together is a gift I’ll never get sick of!
Tory, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a Taurus mama of an (almost) 3- and 5-year-old. My passion is connecting moms and their families through easy-to-understand astrology!
My life changed forever when my daughter was born in 2020 and I was deeply struggling with how to best parent and bond with her. Once I came out of the newborn haze (it took me a while tbh), I pulled up her birth chart and started to apply what I learned about astrology in classes before she was born to how I connected with her day to day.
It provided SO much clarity and immediately changed our dynamic.
Knowing that my daughter has a Virgo moon, and my son has a Libra moon is a game changer. Your moon represents your emotions/inner world and understanding the differences between my kids helps to shape the way I show up for them. For example: she craves structure and attention to detail, while he desires peace and harmony above all else.
Everyone’s chart is so unique and, in my opinion, knowing your kids’ placements is like having a secret key to parenting!
As an Earth sign, my gift is taking the complicated world of astrology and making it EASY. As a full time, mom and business owner, I know how limited time (and brain space) is.
My most proud moments are meeting with parents that know nothing beyond “I’m a Leo and he’s a Cancer” and providing them with the knowledge and tools to encourage deeper understanding of each other and their kids. There have been many special moments where parents swell with pride when I reflect back to them their children’s unique gifts or when their eyes well with tears when they are reminded of the reasons they fell in love with their partner and their own unique superpowers.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Ooooo being open to change… not exactly a typical Taurus strength but I am proud to say I’ve mastered knowing when it’s time to switch it up!
I started my spiritual business offering reiki sessions as Bulls Eye Reiki. It worked… until it didn’t.
When I had my daughter in 2020, my identity was so deeply attached to my new role as a mother, and I changed my business name to Energy Reading Mama. I was still offering energy healing sessions and started dabbling in other modalities like Spirit Baby connection (which is connecting with souls prior to conception and in pregnancy!).
Then something funny happened in 2022 after the birth of my second kid – I started to reject that “mother” was my only identity. I learned tarot, started integrating astrology into my offerings and changed my business name to my full name.
I realized (as a Gemini Mercury) – I need space to change my mind and flex with my ever-changing creative endeavors. With my brand just being ME, I feel free to move and flex as needed because the only constant in this life really is change!
My blunt advice if you’re resistant to change in your life or your business is JUST DO IT because no one cares as much as you. No one is thinking about it as much as you. They won’t care and you’ll feel free to be more aligned with the version of you that wants to shine now!
It sounds harsh but realizing that no one gives as much of an F as we do is so freeing!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.torysjovall.com
- Instagram: @torysjovall
Image Credits
Sarah Ginder Photography @somewheregrounded www.somewheregrounded.com