Lewi was born in Albany, New York. He attended Hamilton College and graduated from Columbia University. He taught English at Dartmouth College, the University of North Dakota, and at the University of Delaware.

Lewi married Carolyn Wallace in 1926. He began his study of astrology with his mother-in-law, Athene Gayle Wallace.

In 1934, Lewi began working as a professional astrologer.

In 1935, Lewi's book Heaven Knows What was published under the pseudonym Scorpio. Lewi pioneered chart synthesis with 144 Sun/Moon sign delineations and aspect cross-references that he developed on the basis of thousands of questionnaire responses.

In 1940, Astrology for the Millions was published. In it he provided a short outline of his life.

Lewi edited Horoscope Magazine in the late 1930s and 1940s.

Lewi began his own magazine, The Astrologer, in 1950.

Lewi moved to Arizona in the early 1950s, and died July 15, 1951.