026 began under Capricorn skies, with emphasis from Mercury, who entered the ambitious, serious sign on January 1st. Next, the inner planets ventured into electric Aquarius, where busy, buzzing circuits were supercharged by Pluto conjunctions. Those alignments gave the year’s start a frenetic, and possibly overwhelming, feel. The Sun’s coming journey through gentle, holistic Pisces indicates that it’s time to relax, review and to perhaps revise the year’s timelines and plans. One of the largest contributing factors to this atmospheric change is Mercury’s extended presence and coming retrograde in poetic Pisces. This unusually long stay in the mutable water sign by the speedy planet will last from February 6th until April 15th. Additionally, Venus and Mars will be transiting the twelfth sign, and expansive Jupiter will station direct in the fellow water sign of Cancer and make some supportive trines to the planets traveling through Pisces.
On February 6th Mercury quietly entered the subdued realm of Pisces, followed by Venus on the 10th. While the astrology world’s attention was focused on Saturn’s February 13th ingress into activating Aries, it would have been easy to miss the subtle signals coming from the Mercury and Venus shifts. Those signals will come in more clearly, possibly muting the loudness emanating from the rowdier parts of the zodiac after the Saturn Neptune conjunction in combustible Aries on February 20th. A gorgeous Venus Jupiter trine will form on February 22nd, and Mercury’s retrograde will officially begin overnight from the 25th-26th, depending on time zone. All of Mercury’s 2026 retrogrades will take place in water signs. Given the copious supply of planets in air and fire signs throughout the year, and their ongoing and powerful connections, the Messenger’s visits to and slowdowns in the softer, reflective water signs may prove a welcomed relief. Sweet spots during this first retrograde include a Mercury Venus conjunction on February 27th, a Sun Jupiter trine on March 5th, a Sun Mercury conjunction on the 7th and a Mercury Jupiter trine late on the 8th. Also, Mars will transit Pisces from March 2nd through April 9th, making his Jupiter trine on March 21st. From this Pisces perspective, even the con-questing, aggressive force of Mars can be applied in thoughtful, measured and cooperative ways. Lastly, this is also the only Mercury retrograde that will be accompanied by benefic Jupiter in a fellow water sign.
For example, the year’s second Mercury retrograde, in Cancer, will begin on June 29th, the day before Jupiter’s Leo entrance. Following that ignition point, enlarging Jupiter will only be fueling the flames lit by Saturn and Neptune in Aires. For now, Mercury and Jupiter are mingling in the soothing waters of compassionate Pisces and caregiving Cancer. Jupiter will emerge from its retrograde at 15° Cancer 05′ on March 11th. This retrograde began on November 11, 2025 at 25° Cancer 09′, in the heart of last year’s Grand Water Trine. Is the wisdom that the planet of principles and philosophy gleaned during the preceding four months ready to be imparted? Nostalgic Cancer is concerned with the past, so it may be time to make peace with or to release outstanding issues or to find resolutions to lingering conflicts. To make determinations, mental Mercury will have to feel its way through situations and problems. Ancient astrologers considered a Pisces-based Mercury to be in its fall and its detriment, circumstances that are adverse to a planet’s strengths. Goodness knows that too much of a groovy Pisces thing can easily get lost in confusion, spaced out in indecision and muddled in inertia. It can also inform through sensitivity and empathy. In any case, Pisces presents an invitation to navigate life via intuition and creativity. Jupiter’s water-based support will add some extra prescience.