From January 27th to February 14th, Mercury — the planet of learning and communication — travels through Aquarius. In this innovative air sign, Mercury dials up our analytical prowess and sharpens our perceptions of the systems we live in — including the restrictive boxes we’re ready to bust out of. Whether you’re fact-checking a friend’s blog post, competing for a debate club trophy, articulating your campaign platform for city council, or dissecting stale social norms, lean in to the questions, conversations, and data sets that move the needle closer to a more equitable future.

As the messenger planet enters Aquarius just a week after Inauguration Day in the United States, we can all benefit from Mercury’s newfound ability to zoom out and take in the bigger picture. Mercury in Aquarius has a gift for thinking beyond reductive binaries and focusing on the good of the collective — this is crucial medicine.

Yet detaching too much from the messier facets of being human doesn’t serve anyone in the long run. A blueprint or manifesto that seems foolproof on paper won’t work in practice if it doesn’t factor in fluctuating emotions and unpredictable experiences. Over the coming weeks, lead with your trailblazing research, but remember to leave wiggle room for the mysteries that can’t be plotted, graphed, or computed. Doing so will help you bring your utopian ideals down to Earth and express your vision for building a more interconnected world.

From January 8th to January 27th, Mercury — the planet of communication — moves through Capricorn. When the trickster and chatterbox of the cosmos settles into this no-nonsense earth sign, clear and pragmatic thinking wins the day. Over the next few weeks, stretch your mind to take longer-term plans into account. Invite yourself to map out what you want the coming month, season, or year to hold.

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Working hard ≠ burning out

Mercury delights in logic and systems, and Capricorn loves a good challenge. When their powers are combined, there’s no goal that can’t be achieved, no matter how long it takes. You can harness this industrious, go-getting attitude by breaking down your projects into bite-size, doable steps. Read: doable. In other words, don’t burn yourself out. Mercury in Capricorn is more interested in playing the long game than in shooting for overnight results, and it teaches us just how effective patience and dedication can be.

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Reminder: Be kinder

That said, notice when your self-talk curdles into harsh critique. It can be a little too easy to judge yourself when Mercury in Capricorn is involved. But who says that the toughest feedback is the most motivating? You don’t have to bully yourself into success. During this transit, ditch the notion that strict discipline is the best way to get the outcomes you want. Instead, remind yourself as often as possible that it’s more than okay to be kind. Self-compassion won’t undermine your progress; offering yourself soft, supportive words of encouragement will elevate all your efforts.

When Mercury — the planet of communication — travels through Sagittarius from November 2nd, 2024, to January 8th, 2025, self-expression gets fast and loose. Think: big ideas, blunt assertions, and lots of soapboxing. This Jupiter-ruled sign seldom sweats the small stuff, since it’s too busy seeking out the grand meaning and purpose of it all. During this transit, mythologizing the epic highs and soul-stirring lows of one’s life story over appetizers may be more appealing than carefully scanning the dinner menu — and starting a raucous political debate before dessert may take precedence over ending the night cordially. When the celestial centaur has the mic of the messenger planet, our conversations tend to be focused less on exercising tact than on pursuing Truth with a capital T.

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#Nofilter, no problem?

Mercury is in detriment in this mutable fire sign, meaning it doesn’t operate at its fullest potential here. At its best, this analytical planet is very choosy about its words, whereas Sagittarius is the ultimate hype person of the zodiac, preferring to inflate mundane facts into more inspirational fictions. On the plus side, this combo can make Mercury in Sagittarius a world-class motivational speaker, wise philosopher, and red-hot op-ed writer. But navigating this transit skillfully requires staying as faithful to humdrum accuracy as you are to your loftiest aspirations.

This guidance is especially valuable once Mercury stations retrograde on November 25th, prompting us to review and rework our belief systems and long-range plans. During this time, we can prevent mishaps and miscommunications by pausing before letting rip in the comments section. Connecting all the dots between what we think and what we say will help our points land more powerfully. And we can recalibrate our inner compasses on December 5th, when Mercury saddles up next to the Sun in a clarifying event known as a cazimi. Insights and epiphanies that arrive around this moment are meant to steer us toward our desired destinations. By the time Mercury stations direct on December 15th, our most expansive personal roadmaps get much easier to follow.

No matter how prepared we are, bloopers are inevitable during a retrograde period. But luckily, Mercury in Sagittarius knows how to laugh. We can treat mistakes as humorous detours on our journeys and dust ourselves off, since there’s always more to learn and discover on the path ahead.