You Should Have An Astrologer On Speed Dial

These days, it seems like everyone “knows a guy,” whether it’s a facialist with a months-long waitlist, a trainer to make sure you’re doing your bicep curls properly, a masseuse who knows exactly how to get the knots out and will come to your house, or an Etsy witch to make sure the weather cooperates. What was once considered woo-woo, whether it be witches, psychics, astrologers, tarot readers, or spiritual practitioners, has become increasingly commonplace. Celebrities from Jonathan Anderson to Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore, have publicly talked about working with spiritual practitioners. But what’s more interesting is that, for some, these relationships have become much more than a once-in-a-while reading. They’re on the payroll, checking in with them regularly or calling when they have a big decision to make. 

“I think ‘my psychic’ has entered people’s vocabulary in a completely different way,” says psychic and spiritual coach Zeta Webber. “There’s less secrecy around it and much more willingness to recommend someone you trust. There’s almost a sense of, ‘I have someone you need to speak to.’”

It’s more than just love spells and “are they going to text me back?” Spiritual practitioners are increasingly being consulted about decisions that have very real consequences. Webber says her clients come to her for clarity around career moves, contracts, investments, business deals, property, hiring decisions, and major life changes. “These aren’t necessarily topics people would traditionally associate with calling their psychic about, but that’s a large part of my work,” she says.

Corbin Chamberlain, an intuitive and tarot reader, has noticed a similar shift, particularly among clients who might not fit the stereotypical image of someone seeking out a tarot reader. “I’m essentially a second set of eyes,” he says. His clients include lawyers, finance-bros, and other high-powered professionals who ask him to weigh in on potential hires, partnerships, acquisitions, launches, and negotiations. Sometimes, he says, they’ll deliberately give him very little information because they don’t want to influence what he picks up on.

A similar shift is happening in astrology. Astrologer Francesca Vuillemin says her clients come to her with questions about when to launch a product or brand, when to pitch investors, when to set a wedding date, and even when to book a dermatologist or aesthetician. Vuillemin says she typically spaces out sessions six to 12 months apart, giving clients time to apply what they’ve learned and observe patterns. 

But for Webber and Chamberlain, the relationship is much more ongoing. “Most of my private clients work with me on an ongoing basis, and some have for 12+ years,” Chamberlain says. “With my corporate clients especially, I become familiar with the business almost the way another advisor would.” That can mean a call before a board meeting or a text asking him to look at something before a client signs it. “Sometimes it’s simply, ‘This landed on my desk. What are you seeing?’” Webber’s private clients can have similarly ongoing access. “I can be the person they check in with before making a decision around love, career, money or business,” she says.

And it’s not just about the answers themselves. For some, having a spiritual practitioner on call has become a status symbol in its own right. There’s something inherently alluring about having access to someone who feels like a private resource, particularly when that person is highly sought-after, has a waitlist, or counts celebrities among their clients. Much like getting an appointment with a sought-after facialist or a reservation at a coveted restaurant, getting in with the right spiritual practitioner comes with its own set of bragging rights.

For Laura Villalobos, general manager of Etéreo, Auberge Collection, whose guests pay a premium for some of the resort’s more spiritual offerings like Mayan calendar readings, the definition of luxury itself is changing. “For people who already have access to beautiful hotels, restaurants, fashion, what starts to feel more valuable is something very personal, especially access to someone who might help you understand something about yourself in a different way,” she says.

“I also think people are much more open now about wanting to understand themselves better, and that kind of inner work isn’t something people necessarily hide anymore,” she adds. “There’s also a curiosity factor and, yes, a little bit of exclusivity sometimes. But I think the novelty only takes you so far. If there’s no substance or real connection behind it, you’re not going to keep going back.”

For Alexis Elmer, director of spa and wellness at Hotel Chelsea, where guests can book everything from tarot readings and Reiki to a “Witching Hour” involving intuitive divination, the hardest part of finding a spiritual practitioner is finding someone who’s actually tuned in and, most importantly, accurate. “Because spirituality is so ephemeral, finding someone who's actually tuned in (and, most importantly, accurate…) is genuinely hard to do,” she says. “So once you find that person, it becomes a very coveted thing. It gives real ‘IYKYK’ energy.”

She also thinks our current cultural moment is primed for this kind of hyper-personalized guidance. “We’re in an era where society is reacting to mass homogenization, largely driven by social media, at the same time existentialism is at an all-time high,” she says. “Both factors push people toward hyper-individualized guidance. People are craving direction, and spiritual guidance offers that. Someone listening specifically to you, hearing your exact needs, validating those thoughts, and handing you next steps on a silver platter.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean people are abandoning their other wellness routines or practices. “I don’t think one replaces the other,” Webber says. Her clients might have a therapist, coach, accountant, lawyer, or business adviser. “They also have their psychic.”

“The people I work with are usually surrounded by very smart people,” Chamberlain says. “They have attorneys, financial advisors, therapists, chiefs of staff, consultants. They’re not coming to me because they lack conventional resources. They come to me because I’m looking at the same situation differently.”

“We have access to more information, opinions and choices than ever before, but that doesn’t necessarily make making decisions any easier,” Webber says. Sometimes, it’s just nice to have someone you trust to call when you’re lost or confused. Because in a world where everyone seems to have a person for everything, maybe the newest flex is knowing who to call.