When: February 25th – March 20th, 2026

What: Mercury retrograde in Pisces

Takeaway: When Mercury appears to loop backward in the sky, miscommunications and tech glitches tend to surge. This retrograde takes place in Pisces. Messy? You bet. But also full of helpful lessons and detours.

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Prepare for muddy waters as Mercury stations retrograde in Pisces

Mercury appears to spin in reverse three or four times a year. The messenger planet doesn’t actually backpedal in the sky, but this optical illusion tends to wreak real havoc here on Earth, so get ready to double-check your texts and back up your hard drives. Mercury stations retrograde on February 25th, and this time around, it’s making waves in Pisces.

Mercury is in detriment and in its fall in Pisces, meaning it has an especially hard time in this sign. The planet of thinking and communication loves gathering information and digging into the details, and Pisces is more interested in zooming out and absorbing how things feel. In this mutable water sign, Mercury can get lost at sea, and our plans and conversations can be more confusing and frustrating.

That said, this is a great time to check your internal compass. Do you feel like you’ve taken a wrong turn, but you’re not sure how to reroute? Mercury retrograde may struggle with pinning down precise answers, but Pisces is sensitive and can teach you how to follow your intuition. To navigate this period, pay attention to your body’s signals. Notice the emotions that come to the surface in your interactions. And stay as flexible and adaptable as you can.

Over the next few weeks, you can expect plenty of mix-ups and slip-ups. Just remember: Mercury retrogrades aren’t all about making messes; they show us what we need to adjust so we can get back on track.

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A Mercury cazimi in Pisces sheds light on your Mercury retrograde lessons

There’s one especially clarifying day during this retrograde period, when Mercury and the Sun come together in a helpful event called a cazimi. This is the moment when the messenger planet is close enough to Sol to be bathed in its light. And this time, the cazimi happens on March 7th.

Around this date, any lessons you’ve been learning from Mercury retrograde are likely to show up more vividly. Important messages can arrive through any channel, so pay attention to the signs, cues, and pearls of wisdom you stumble upon. Dreams, recommendations from friends, or even random billboards could have crucial insights for you. Keep a journal or your notes app on deck to jot down any words or phrases that strike a chord. Absorbing this knowledge is essential for sharpening the ways you think, communicate, organize, brainstorm, and act on your ideas.

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When in doubt, laugh it off

Getting your ducks in a row ahead of time can help you stay afloat during this Mercury retrograde period. Still, even if you’ve tied up all your loose ends, you can’t entirely avoid confusion — but whenever it arises, you have a superpower on your side: your sense of humor. Laughing off awkward misunderstandings and choppy internet connections is the best way to get through this potentially bumpy transit. And in case you need more suggestions for these weeks, here’s our official list:

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Your Mercury retrograde survival guide

Do…

• Expect delays. Allow plenty of buffer time in your schedule. When things go smoothly, you’ll have space to relax — and when they don’t, you’ll be grateful to have plans B and C.

• Back up all your files. Documents, emails, photos — everything. Get ahead of potential technology glitches. Your future self will thank you.

• Reflect, review, revise, reorganize, and take note of anything you repeatedly think about. There is meaning in what keeps popping into your mind.

• Streamline your life and update your internal and external systems. Triple-check your appointment dates and times. Comb through your calendar. Confirm (and re-confirm) the details. If things get messy, try not to be too hard on yourself. Prep to the best of your ability, then roll with the surprises.

• Focus on long-term solutions. Off-the-cuff decisions don’t always support your highest self. Commit to making deliberate choices that align with your broader goals.

• Pause, rest, and belly-breathe through the frustrations. ICYMI: The CHANI app has an audio library filled with guided meditations and affirmations that are tailor-made for those moments you need some extra grounding.

• Edit your messages carefully. Communication is slippery right now, so you might be tempted to say the first thing that floats into your head, but it might come out in a way you didn’t mean. Take your time gathering your thoughts and rereading your drafts before sharing your ideas.

• Laugh at yourself when you make obvious mistakes. The point of this transit is to keep you humble and open to learning.

• Listen to the Astrology of the Week Ahead podcast and Your Readings in the “This Week” section of the CHANI app, from the week of February 23rd to the week of March 16th. Throughout this retrograde period, you’ll also find journal prompts and other resources that will help you work with the lessons that Mercury retrograde is teaching you.

• Learn how Mercury retrograde is impacting your natal placements by checking the Transits tab in the CHANI app. You can also read your free planetary horoscope to find out how Mercury in Pisces will show up in your life.

Don’t…

• Fear Mercury retrograde. It may be annoying, but remember that worrying is simply fixating on what you don’t want. Instead, treat this period as an opportunity to reassess your strategies.

• Buy tickets, sign contracts, or organize events during this time, if you can avoid it. If you can’t, stay flexible and assume that adjustments may be needed after — or even before — this retrograde cycle is over.

• Plan any big launches or make major life changes, if you can — unless you schedule them around the Mercury cazimi on March 7th. (That said, you may still want to work with an astrologer to pinpoint the most fruitful moment possible.)

• Put your life on hold. If you can postpone some things, great, but if not, just brace yourself for hiccups. Again, you shouldn’t fear this Mercury retrograde — just approach it wisely.