Astrology Is NOT for Everyone

Debunking myths and uncovering wisdom with astrologer Gwen Yi.

Welcome to the midweek letter, a rotating assortment of personal writing, interviews, recommendations, AMAs, giveaways, and other fun things.

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I have a confession: I’ve never quite taken to astrology.

To be clear, I have nothing against it. Astrology books grace my shelves (Linda Goodman forever) and in my younger days, I was known to check my horoscope every morning, in the hope it would foretell some stunning future. (It never did.) But when it comes to the practice of astrology — beyond zodiac signs, to the world of angles and stelliums and transits — I’m as clueless as they come.

So, I was thrilled to chat with Gwen Yi, the Malaysia-based astrologer who writes the newsletter The Asian Astrologer, to debunk common myths and uncover what this practice is truly about. Her style is warm and inviting, and her love for her work bursts through the screen. I hope you’ll enjoy her insights as much as I did.

The lovely Gwen Yi.

I was initially drawn to your story — from the startup world to professional astrologer (with an all-too-familiar stop at burnout in between). How did you find your way to your current career?

It wasn’t a running leap into astrology. I grew up in a very traditional Chinese Malaysian household, and I didn’t have crystals or hippie parents or anything that would typically predate an interest in astrology. My parents divorced and went bankrupt, and money was always a big deal in our household. This brought up a lot of emotions, including shame and secrecy in a society that values appearances. So, I decided to focus on work, thinking maybe then I could prove myself and get my parents’ approval.

By the time I was 19, I was jet-setting around the world on a gap year, doing conferences, speaking, mentoring, 100% laser-focused on my career. I spent years trying to make it in Silicon Valley — winning competitions, building startups. But I burned out. My mental health was crumbling. I was getting sick a lot, I developed cystic acne, I was bloated, I wasn’t sleeping well — the physical symptoms were a reflection of the parts of myself that needed healing. During the pandemic, my love of astrology started showing up.

Gwen in the “before times.'“

Was there a moment when you knew you’d found your calling? How did you decide to take the leap?

There wasn’t one particular moment that stands out to me — all along, there were breadcrumbs. In Malaysia, the Sunday paper always had a horoscope section in the back. As a teenager, I was head over heels for this boy, and I would read the horoscope for my sign and his.

When I was 19, I applied to the Thiel Fellowship, where Peter Thiel gives young people a grant and support to build their companies. I got into the semifinals, but ultimately wasn’t chosen. One of the people who did get in was a woman named

Ocean Pleasant

. I continued to follow her work for years and she remained in my online circle.

During the pandemic, I came across the Applied Astrology school, which offers prospective students a discovery call, to see if you’re a good fit for the program. When I had my call, the person on the other end of the line was Ocean! I felt the synchronicity, I got full-body chills. Talking to her was the first time I realized that I could be a professional astrologer. That call really cemented my conviction, and I dove in head-first.

Some of Gwen’s study cards from astrology school.

How did it feel to be doing something aligned with your true self?

Astrology broke me open. It unlocked deeper parts of me, truer parts of me. When you’re on the journey, you’re living it — you’re not necessarily conscious of what’s going on. But I believe the universe rewards conviction. Once I committed to astrology, I gave it my all, and the pieces began clicking into place.

Often people come to me looking for confirmation of whether they’re on the right path. And my answer is always yes — because we’re always on the right path. The wrong turns will teach you what is right.

I believe all paths lead to Rome. It’s like that Ram Dass quote, “We’re all walking each other home.” Whether we’re drawn to astrology, tarot, breathwork… whatever it may be, find what speaks to you and use it to come home to yourself.

“Astrology is a system to better understand ourselves and the cycles of time we live in.”

What is astrology? And what does an astrologer do?

At its most basic level, astrology is a visual language. It’s an ancient system first developed in Babylonian times. An astrologer is someone who can cast and interpret a natal chart, which is essentially the positioning of planets at the exact moment of that being or thing’s creation. Everything that exists has a chart. This interview has a chart. Your dog has a chart. A Substack post has a chart.

A natal chart is a tool to cut through all the bullshit and see the essence of a person — what they’re like, what they’re interested in, how they think, how they communicate, what pisses them off, what kind of careers suit them. As I’m talking, it sounds so predictive, but it’s really a path to self-inquiry.

It’s also an art, where a lot is up to the interpretation of the reader. The more experience you have with humans and conversations and feelings, the more you are able to interpret a chart in a way that feels supportive.

Let’s talk about some of the common “myths” around astrology, particularly where signs and horoscopes are concerned.

The number one myth of astrology is to read horoscopes written for the sun signs (the sign associated with our birth month). But pro tip: We are more interested in the rising sign, which can only be determined by your exact time of birth.

Another big myth is that what’s written in the stars influences fate. I don’t read in a predictive sense, and I believe people have free will. At the end of the day, how you experience your life, and how you make the most of it, is up to you.

I get why people don’t want to “believe in” astrology — half the time horoscopes are wrong and a lot of accounts use fear mongering to get you to click. But at the end of the day, astrology isn’t about answers, it’s about information. Astrology is simply a system to better understand ourselves and the cycles of time we live in.

A (skeptical) friend recently offered this understanding of astrology: “Once upon a time, someone looked up at the sky and said, ‘Those stars form the shape of Taurus, the bull, thus everyone born under the sign of Taurus is stubborn.’ I know this is reductive and essentially incorrect, but can you explain why?

Astrology isn’t based on the shape of the stars, it’s based on the four solstices. The moment of the equinox is when 0 degrees of the wheel starts.

The constellations we know as the signs are merely a reference point — ancient astrologers could have used anything to name the phases, it just so happens they picked whichever constellation was closest. The traits and archetypes we associate with sun signs aren’t actually based on the shapes of the stars or the names of the constellations. They were simply a tool the people on earth could use to look up and remember.

Of course, we aren’t going to fit into twelve personality types! We’re all multi-faceted beings, which is reflected in the overall chart. When a skilled astrologer interprets your chart, they aren’t talking about your sun sign. They’re talking about the complicated things at play.

You’ve said astrology isn’t for everyone. What do you mean by that?

I like to think of astrology as a spectrum — of acceptance, of attraction. On one end you have the zealots, who structure their existence around it. They take the information they receive as fate, and surrender their autonomy. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the people who are against it — the skeptics who are looking for astrology to prove something. Astrology isn’t for either of them. Both ends of the spectrum are coming in with preconceived notions, and what comes through from a reading will not serve them.

So, who is astrology for?

I think the only people who should get readings are curious people. That’s the operative word for me. Curiosity denotes that openness to receive.

Astrology has nothing to prove. I see it as a tool, to help you understand yourself, as a whole. My deepest belief is that you already know who you are, how you want to be in the world, that crazy dream that you don’t dare touch. But maybe you just need that loving push in the right direction.

What has your astrology practice taught you?

In my everyday life, astrology helps remind me of the passage of time. This planet is going to move, this moment is going to pass, I am going to feel differently. Also, considering how something 300 times the size of Earth is moving is also a good reminder that some things are genuinely outside of my control. Astrology teaches me to zoom out, and to surrender.

Are there any interesting astrological phenomenons on the horizon?

Jupiter is heading into Gemini, where it will remain until June 2025. Jupiter is the planet of bounty, luck, and blessings, while Gemini rules communication and writing. So, if you’ve wanted to launch a blog or start a podcast, or make any other investment in communication, this is a great time. Astrologically speaking, this is a time for Substack to thrive.

And if you want to know where this lines up with your own chart…get a reading!

Thank you so much, Gwen. ❤️

More interviews, if you’re in a reading mood, including a jewelry designer and a working witch.

As always, thanks so much for reading. I’ll see you on Sunday. x