Mercury, planet of the mind, goes retrograde in Aquarius from February 26th to March 21st, the planet’s longest and slowest retrograde phase of 2026.

There are classic experiences associated with this three-week-plus window, where communication and commerce come into focus, and you have the opportunity to reassess your plans. Mercury remaining in Aquarius throughout (and altogether up to April 10th after its retrograde phase) makes this an impactful transit, and the affairs of this sign are influenced strongly. A number of other planets are also in Aquarius at this point, emphasizing your progressive and future-oriented thinking and adding complexity to your decision-making.

You are not satisfied with any one approach or opinion, either personally or professionally, and may encounter other people who also send mixed messages. You may be looking for lost information or researching your subject, and a book, website, or other plan goes through a major edit. Take it easy with a big decision, however, as Mercury retrograde has a way of throwing up an important detail you could not possibly have known at the time. You are stubborn and insist on things being done your way, but your own view may also switch back and forth between extremes.

Take particular care around Mercury’s approach to direct motion from March 16th to 21st, when shadowy Rahu gives you colourful or rebellious ideas. Both these planets in retrograde motion see a radical answer appealing to you, as you seek to escape the pressure of the mundane. The atmosphere may be intense or dramatic, and you should avoid being pressured into committing to a proposal simply for the sake of being different.