Be careful what you wish for: Astrology and oppositions with Colin Bedell

Summary

Oppositions as Paired Values

Colin Bedell presents astrological oppositions as tensions between two values that need to be held together, rather than as a choice between one side and the other. The six zodiacal axes discussed are Aries–Libra, Taurus–Scorpio, Gemini–Sagittarius, Cancer–Capricorn, Leo–Aquarius, and Virgo–Pisces. The speakers briefly joke about Ophiuchus before returning to the traditional twelve-sign framework.

Themes From the Client’s Chart

The astrologers discuss a client’s chart, which they say contains prominent Taurus–Scorpio, Leo–Aquarius, and Cancer–Capricorn oppositions.

• Taurus–Scorpio: Joy, gratitude, and honest requests. Colin describes this as a particularly difficult opposition because joy can feel vulnerable or even frightening. He recommends practicing gratitude to become more able to receive joy. The chart’s Mars–Pluto opposition is also discussed in relation to fixed habits, risk avoidance, and reluctance to confront difficult issues. Colin suggests checking whether decisions reflect one’s values, speaking up, and making requests rather than silently deciding or allowing resentment to build.
• Leo–Aquarius: Self-expression and belonging. The client reportedly felt embarrassed after stepping into the spotlight at a family wedding and worried that their Leo qualities might be “too much.” Colin encouraged them to get curious about those fears and check what others actually thought. Their sister reassured them that the moment had been received warmly. The lesson is to treat the tension between personal expression and consideration for the group as a both/and challenge, not an either/or problem.
• Cancer–Capricorn: Care and boundaries. The Jupiter–Saturn opposition is interpreted as a tension between being emotionally attuned and nurturing, and setting practical limits or challenging family members to take action. The speakers describe the challenge of combining empathy with accountability.

Practical Tools for Emotional Awareness

The speakers connect emotional habits to practices that can make more constructive states easier to access:

• Use curiosity as a starting point. One speaker describes a “mood elevator” framework in which curiosity sits at a neutral middle point between disempowering emotions and more constructive ones. Becoming curious about feelings, circumstances, and assumptions can make positive states more accessible.
• Question shame-based assumptions. In the wedding story, the client’s fear that they had acted badly was checked against other people’s reactions rather than accepted as fact.
• Practice gratitude. Colin cites research and advice discussed by Marty Seligman and Laurie Santos, including the idea that gratitude can counter the brain’s negativity bias and help people tolerate joy.
• Notice “miswanting.” The term refers to wanting things that may not actually serve one well. The speakers use the humorous example of wanting brownie batter for dinner to illustrate it.
• Treat gratitude as a habit. A gratitude journal is suggested as one possible practice, especially for someone who does not naturally gravitate toward routines.

Service Work and Astrological Consulting

The speakers reflect on how retail and other service-industry work can build empathy and interpersonal skills useful in astrology consultations. One speaker argues that astrologers benefit from customer-service experience; the other advocates more broadly for public or civic service before higher education or a degree-dependent career.

Horary Example: A Desired Outcome With a Cost

The host presents a horary-style reading of the hiring and quick departure of a White House press secretary, using the date and event times described in the subtitles. The reading illustrates a traditional astrological warning: an opposition may bring the outcome someone sought, but at a cost that makes them regret pursuing it.

The host attributes this principle to 17th-century astrologer William Lilly, who described horary cases in which people technically obtained what they wanted but paid dearly for it—for example, a marriage that became unhappy or a debt recovered only through costly legal action.

In the host’s interpretation of the charts:

• The Moon’s approaching opposition to Saturn at the time of the hiring suggested risk or difficulty connected with the appointment. The Moon is described as a messenger, while Mercury represents the channel used to communicate.
• Saturn was treated as a possible significator of the president because it ruled the Ascendant. The host also considered the 10th house as representing the president or government.
• The host read Saturn’s condition, the early Midheaven degree, and other placements as signs of a premature decision and insufficient due diligence.
• The host associated the press-secretary role with the 9th house and interpreted Venus’s position and its approaching square to Mars as pointing toward trouble and the possibility of dismissal or resignation.
• The chart for the reported resignation several days later was presented as echoing the earlier chart, reinforcing the host’s interpretation that the appointment was an instance of getting what was wanted but regretting the result.

These are the astrologers’ interpretations of the event, not independently established explanations of why it happened.

Speakers and Sources Featured

• Wade Caves — Host; presents the horary example and discusses the client’s chart with Colin.
• Colin Bedell — Guest astrologer; discusses oppositions, client consultation, and practical approaches to gratitude, curiosity, and communication.
• The client — Their chart and consultation stories are discussed, but they do not speak in the video.
• William Lilly — Cited for the traditional horary warning that an opposition can deliver a desired result at a regrettable cost.
• Brené Brown — Mentioned in connection with vulnerability and fear of joy.
• Marty Seligman and Laurie Santos — Cited in the discussion of gratitude, well-being, and the brain’s negativity bias.