Mercury, planet of thought and speech, is combust by the all-powerful Sun, first in Aries and then in Taurus from May 1st to 26th 2026.

As it moves towards the Sun’s burning light, Mercury becomes invisible in the sky and increasingly underpowered in the horoscope. When these two planets are at their closest, combustion is like an eclipse, where your thoughts are overwhelmed by a specific real-world problem, or general psychological pressure or anxiety. Mercury is currently moving quickly, and by May 13th, it will gradually catch up to the Sun in Aries, when you may become fixated on a pressing issue to the exclusion of all else.

This leaves you feeling off your ground and needing to hold your tongue, where you may have to defer to somebody else’s authority for a time. This can put stress on your usual confident and assertive attitude. The Sun and Mercury change signs close together on the 14th and 15th of May, where you move to a slower and more deliberate way of communication. It pays not to commit yourself too stubbornly at this point, or throw your hands up if a plan runs into difficulties, especially in a group project where there are competing egos.

When both planets are in Taurus, they also receive the influence of karmic Saturn, and you may be given extra responsibility in your work. Your freedom of expression is more narrow at this point, but you can use this limitation to your advantage and deliver results to order. A period of tension is useful if you feel compelled to speak to somebody about your concerns and work an issue out openly.