Today we’d like to introduce you to L’lia ‘Tizzle’ Thomas.
Hi L’lia ‘Tizzle’, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
A fun fact about me is that my name, L’lia, pronounced EYE-LEE-UH, is from the first Star Trek movie character Lt. Ilia. This character was played by Persis Khambatta, and she shaved her hair for her role in the film.
My journey into Arts education began when I was a senior in High School and I had the opportunity to co-teach a preschool that was held on campus for my ROP course. That experience let me know that I was really excited and interested in teaching as a career. My focus has been on Arts education as it is so integral to our daily lives! That was back in 2000 and now in 2023, my world looks a lot different. I’ve been teaching for 23 years. I have taught most K-12 grades, I have taught at a college level most recently at CSULB for about two years. I can honestly say that Middle School students are my absolute favorite age group to teach. There’s something about their transition into become a full-blown teenager but also still being a little kid that is so endearing. My pedagogy for teaching really centers on being student and elementally-centered. I say student-centered because if you think about teaching, it’s like you’re marketing yourself to these young, brilliant minds! In business, it’s important to get to know your customer base so that you are consistently interacting and communicating with them. Your business wouldn’t exist without them, and that’s how I feel about teaching. You have to have the student’s best interests and the highest timeline involved all the time. Next, I say you have to be elementally centered because the elements: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, and Heart are all essential components that help us to survive and thrive. When you focus your pedagogy on the elements, you are able to help support students’ innate gifts and abilities instead of seeing them as issues. I really began leaning into this a few years ago when I linked with the Cosmic Labyrinth, led by Charlie Trinh and Indy Singh and other elementally centered educators, where they use edutainment to help teach folks about neuroplasticity, astrology, soil regeneration, and supporting entrepreneurship amongst a slew of other things.
Years ago, when I was teaching high school, a student (who I still keep in touch with to this day) asked if he could call me “Miss Tizzle”. When I asked why, he exclaimed that I reminded him of Miss Frizzle from the Magic School Bus. That name and energy has stuck with me all these years later and I introduce myself as Tizzle all the time. Just recently I decided to decline my professorship for Fall 2023 so that I can focus on my business full-time. I’ve been in an accelerator program called LEEAF through CSULA and that’s been a great resource. I’ve applied to become a Women & Minority Owned certified business, and that’s exciting as it will help me receive a lot of opportunities to help my business grow. Under TIZZLE LLC, I have Soul SiSTAR Mystique feat. Aromachaura. Soul SiSTAR Mystique utilizes a variety of techniques to help folks align with their highest timeline for their highest good. I offer Reiki facilitation, hand-made Reiki-infused Intentional perfume oils, Oracle card readings/channeled messages, Astrology chart interpretations, sound healing, and my most recent offering is providing Intuitive Healing Arts sessions. I am working on rebranding so that I can combine all those offerings for folks in a clear and concise way on my website. Aromachaura is the branch of my business that focuses on creating perfumes. I have 12 perfume oils in total. Seven are based on the celestial bodies that rule each day of the week and include corresponding gemstones and the other five are based on personal stories. I Reiki-Infuse the perfumes so that it helps support folk’s subtle body energy and so they stay aligned with their home frequency. I decided to pursue this business full-time because I really desire a way to be of greater service to the collective and I believe that is best done in the world, which is a whole university in and of itself, where I am able to connect with a broader range of people.
I am 40 years young and know that I will grow up to be a centurion (someone who lives to be 100+). I love being of service to others, dabbling in esoteric practices, and using my gifts to share with others. This is the first time in my life that I feel so deeply connected to my work and am doing exactly what I want to do without feeling any external pressure or force. Being a soulpreneur is definitely like an initiation. I am learning so much about myself and what I am capable of. I am a Pisces Sun, Leo Rising, and Gemini Moon. I am most grateful for my business, it is called Soul SiSTAR Mystique featuring Aromachaura. His name is Lucien Tommy, and he keeps me incredibly grounded and focused. He is very practical and also one of my biggest cheerleaders in life. My mom, Rose Barr, is the main cheerleader in my life and I am forever grateful for her support and guidance throughout my life! I am looking forward to buying her a house and helping her not worry about anything financially through the success of my business!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of my biggest challenges have been allowing myself to be more focused on things that people say. I’ve had experiences where people say great things about me, my energy, and who I am, but only see it as a means to support them and their vision. I’ve always had the challenge of going through self-doubt and questioning and asking who I am to have authority over certain things. I made a podcast called “Our Forth Period” years ago and never released the survey feedback about how schools need to change due to a fear that was all-consuming. I just started the podcast back up again as I’ve since overcome that fear. Currently, I am working through money wounds and increasing my knowledge on financial literacy. That has been a tough spot for me, but I am learning how to have a better relationship with money. Another thing is boundary setting! I used to have very weak boundaries and was always concerned with people pleasing, but these days my boundary game is strong and I have greater confidence in who I am, what I believe, and what I stand for.
As you know, we’re big fans of Soul SiSTAR Mystique feat. Aromachaura. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Besides what I shared earlier, this business is the embodiment of me leaning into my truest self and who I have always been. It’s a testament to not hiding or being ashamed of being different, eccentric or unique. I call my business Soul SiSTAR because soul/heart is the foundation of every product and service I offer. It is the umbrella in which all of the services I provide are housed in and mysticism is something that we really need in our lives these days. I am always intrigued and excited about the extraordinary, and I love having the opportunity to share that with people to help support them and enhance their lives. Aromachaura is listed as being a feature of Soul SiSTAR Mystique because it was actually my first business venture. Aromachaura is the combination of the words: Aromachology, the science of how scent impacts our behaviors and emotions and then the word Aura which is a synonym for our sense of smell. I create Reiki-infused intentional perfume oils to help people tap into their subtle body energy and to help them stay aligned to their true selves no matter what they may traverse. My perfumes do this in the way that scent is closely tied to memories and if you can smell something that reminds you of who you truly are or what you’re working to be, then how amazing is that?!
Additionally, other services I offer under Soul SiSTAR Mystique have to do with utilizing my clairvoyance, clairsentience, clairaudience in tandem with Oracle Cards & Astrology chart insights, Reiki training, 23 years of using Art as a tool for healing and connection, using sound frequencies to help and align folks, and ultimately holding space and creating containers to support people on their journeys to their truest self. The services I provide are steeped in intuition, a reverence for the elements, the four directions, being in tune with nature and spirit in all its forms. The thing I want people to know is that the products and services I share are my heartwork. These are things that I love creating and do so to really help support them with their highest timeline for their highest good. For example, one of my offerings is called a “Divination Blend”. I have folks fill out a survey, that survey includes their birth chart information and I use that information coupled with my clairs and oracle cards, to create a perfume blend to support them and their goals. Sometimes people don’t like the blend because it’s not what they are used to smelling when it comes to perfumes they wear, but it’s not about the surface likes, it’s about what’s needed to reach and connect to the depths of who you truly are. I should maybe change the name to emphasize that more. I enjoy working with folks in terms of their inner child, their shadow self, and their 3D self. It’s important to integrate all those aspects so that we can operate in the fullest capacity as is made available to use no matter where we are in our life journey. I love doing 1:1 sessions the most because I really get to pour my all into the individual.
When I’m at an event or show, my attention is still pretty strong and focused on the person I’m working with, but it’s a very different energy than just scheduling time with me 1:1. I am working towards having a non-clinical practice someday where I see clients regularly the way they see a therapist. I say this because I am often given feedback about how 1:1 sessions are better than their therapy sessions and really provide them a level of insight and knowledge they’ve been seeking. I know Clinical therapy is incredibly essential, however I also know that there’s another way for people to get the support they need for their journey. As I don’t have my own brick-and-mortar, you can find me at a variety of shows throughout California. I have done every Patchwork show the past 2 seasons, I love showing up to Echo Garden LA, I sometimes work at Phoebe Peacock in Burbank blending perfume oils. I typically only offer Oracle Card Insights, Brand perfumes, quick Custom perfume blends, and sometimes Astrology insights at events/shows. 1:1 sessions are much more personalized and not filled with distractions or interruptions.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice would be to never be afraid to ask anything. Curiosity is a lost art these days and people always feel like they have to know it all. I disagree with that. Asking questions is a way to learn about yourself as well as the person you’re able to get the answer from. I would also suggest always being your true and authentic self. That way you are always able to magnetize the folks who are meant to help and support the journey you’re on. Being my truest self has been a great way for me to connect with folks who have a tremendous wealth of knowledge. If you can’t be true, then it’s not for you!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.soulsistarmystique.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aromachaura_ssm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089003757404
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/misstizzle
- Other: https://linktr.ee/MissTizzle
Image Credits
Patchwork Show Photographers Stephon Latham
