Mercury Retrograde: Feb 25 - March 20

 

Image: Roman Oleh Astrology

Mercury Retrograde

Feb 25, 2026
10:48pm PST
(22 Pisces 33)

2/11: Mercury shadow begins
2/25: Mercury stations Retrograde (22 Pisces 33)
3/20: Mercury stations Direct (8 Pisces 29)
4/9: Mercury shadow ends

All Mercury retrogrades in 2026 take place in emotional water signs. Mercury rules communication and thinking. It can be expressive but not emotional, even when discussing things that are sad, mad, or happy. Those emotions are filtered through the brain.

The last wall to wall Mercury retrograde in Pisces was March of 2019 between 16 and 29 degrees. If you remember what was happening in your life then, you may see similar themes surface during this cycle.

Mercury in Pisces brings fogginess, dreaminess, creativity, metaphysics, humanitarian concerns, art, and compassion. During a retrograde, those themes can take on a tone of martyrdom or struggle. Fears can rise and a sense of “wtf” or “why bother?” can surface. Periods of heaviness can permeate this transit.

There may be a mitigating factor. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, who has Saturn on its butt. Saturn is a disciplined worker and may be influencing Neptune as both deal with Aries. Saturn rules time and timing, and he may be telling Neptune, “Hey dude, there is no time for complaining during this Mercury retrograde. Ain’t no time for pity parties.”

During any Mercury retrograde we should double check everything before we hit SEND. Given this is Pisces. Given Neptune is getting jacked by Saturn. Given this is happening in an Aquarius lunar month that began with a solar eclipse. Double check anything sent or signed. Check any meme, news, or photo for accuracy before sharing. The AI factor is in play. False players who want to create chaos could be loud this retrograde. Use this time to fine tune intuition. If you uncover a lie or artificial video or image, take a victory lap for trusting your gut. In Aquarius, friends let friends know when they are being duped.

The gift of this retrograde is that the best way to navigate it is to slow down. The whole-body benefits when we slow down. Think about your ancestors a hundred years ago. Their lives were slower than our 24-hour days. It was not easier, but the stimulation they received in one day was far less than what we experience in 2026. We benefit when we unplug and take our time. Saturn, the timekeeper in Aries, pushes us to be measured even in fast moving situations. Slow the brain. Be conscious of what you are doing. This practice will benefit us long after the retrograde ends.