Whether they are embraced as tools for self-improvement and clarity or viewed with deep scepticism, the practices of astrology, horoscopes, tarot, and spirituality have undeniably entered the mainstream. Today, many urban professionals and entrepreneurs with demanding jobs turn to them – not only to enhance self-awareness and inform their next major move, but also to gain a wider perspective on their lives. One of Hong Kong’s most sought-after spiritual counsellors and astrologers, Letao Wang, is perfectly positioned to understand this shift.
Wang now guides countless individuals worldwide on their journeys of self-discovery, yet his own career began in a very different field. While working a corporate job in a bank, he developed a personal interest in esoteric subjects, leading to a spiritual awakening at the age of 29. This prompted a 180-degree turn: Wang returned to college to study clinical counselling before founding the Healing Kingdom.
Today, he is a renowned astrologer and counsellor, often featured in media outlets such as the New York Post (you can read his Year of the Horse predictions for each zodiac here). He identifies as a Jungian, advocating for an approach that blends clinical counselling with astrology – a method he compares to the combination of Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
The Bay spoke to Letao Wang ahead of his upcoming Mystical Salon on 20 March, an event hosted by the Entrepreneurs Organisation Greater Bay Area Metropolitan.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How did you end up following this career path?
I met my first spiritual teacher in my early twenties, and I naturally developed some interest in the spiritual world. He was a very successful fortune-teller based in Sydney. In the very beginning, I was studying under him and learning the techniques behind reading cards and astrology.
After doing this for a year, I became independent as a reader, and realised that the most important thing not just for me but also for the client, is not about predicting the future. What people really need is counselling. I went back to university and did my master’s degree in clinical counselling. I wanted to combine the academic and scientific approach with spirituality as both of them are able to contribute to our mental health.
That’s why what I do is called spiritual counselling. I’m a Jungian. I follow the teachings of the late Carl Jung, who was the first to bring spirituality and astrology into psychology. To me, this is the best approach.
How often should clients see you to check in on their spiritual well-being?
There’s never a ‘should.’ But one of the things I’ve noticed in my clients is that they only come to me when they’re in crisis mode. That’s a little bit too late. If people are already at the point of breaking down, there’s nothing much we can do. It’s important to prioritise your mental health. As a general guideline, I would recommend a session once every six months.
How would you sell a reading if you had to?
I’ve had someone ask me in the past ‘tell me why I need a reading’ and I said, ‘If you don’t know why you need a reading, then you’re not my client, you don’t need a reading.’
Astrology and reading sessions are helpful in terms of becoming more self-aware of what we are doing and, subconsciously, what we are feeling. What we truly need and what we truly want. It’s about clarity.
Sometimes, the reading might be telling you that, at this moment, it’s not the time for action. A session won’t always lead to some decisive action. Sometimes it’ll tell you that you need to relax, you need to find peace, you need to meditate and let go of the anxiety. Sometimes it’s just about finding the so-called peace within yourself.
[See more: ‘The first instrument is your mind.’ Meet cellist Lokteng Pao, Macao’s rising musical star]
What impact has your guidance had on clients’ lives?
The most important feedback that I get is not really about my clients telling me how they feel about my session, but them coming back. That tells me everything I need to know.
Anxiety is chronic in the modern world. What do you say to people who suffer from it?
It’s very important for us to be aware that there’s a divine order out there. Most of the time, when we’re experiencing anxiety, it is because we are so afraid that things are collapsing. We are afraid things are not going to go our way. We all have our own plan, a vision of how things must be and how things must go. But we only understand why certain things are happening in hindsight.
When we are going through that anxiety, we don’t see that. All we see is potential disaster. Only after a few years do we look back and understand why that makes sense, that something happened. Then we think, ‘if that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be where I am now.’ In astrology, if someone has a horoscope chart that is too easy and smooth, it’s actually not a good thing for them.
It’s better that we have some hardships to deal with in life so that we grow and become stronger. It’s like muscle training.
[See more: The magic of slowing down: A conversation with Drummond Money-Coutts]
There’s a lot of scepticism around astrology and tarot reading. How would you respond to that?
A lot of us have misconceptions about astrology, readings … about predicting the future. But this is not about predicting the future. It’s about learning from our past, looking at history. When certain planets progressed into certain positions, certain things happened in history. The current Middle East crisis? It was sparked many years ago.
Through thousands of years, astrologists have been tracing those patterns. As individuals, we need to look at the history and be like ‘ok, this can give me hints about my life or the path I am taking.’
A lot of things will make sense then.
