Mercury retrograde is coming soon — but before that, the planet of communication enters dreamy Pisces on February 3. And at the same time, on February 2, the Mercury retrograde pre-shadow is beginning.
Mercury is considered in its “fall” in Pisces, “meaning that it is its least comfortable sign to be in,” explains Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer at Astrology.com and Horoscope.com. However, it’s not all bad. “While it is true that Mercury’s logical and analytical capabilities will be debilitated, this retrograde won’t be as bad because the degree in which Mercury will station retrograde is a degree ruled by Venus, according to ancient astrology,” she says. The planet of love's influence will help mitigate the negative effects of the retrograde.
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Pisces is known for emotion, creativity, and intuition, and as Mercury moves through this sign, “it’ll make us all extra dreamy and sentimental,” astrologer Lisa Stardust says.
Neptune’s position in the cosmos will affect this transit, too. “Our emotions will deepen throughout the next month, as Neptune comes to align with Mercury,” Stardust says. “Confusion will consume our minds and we may feel gaslighted by others, or conversely gaslight people. Our brains may feel a little foggy. But, we can prevail as long as we don’t let our anxieties get the best of us.”
Before Mercury retrograde begins on February 16, we’ll experience a pre-retrograde shadow, which begins on February 2, right before Mercury moves from Aquarius into Pisces. During this time, we’ll begin to see the effects of the retrograde begin. “This marks the beginning of our personal retrograde stories,” Stardust explains. “Keep your eyes and ears open for any strange behaviour and bizarre information.”
After Mercury retrograde begins “in full force,” as Stardust puts it, expect the usual miscommunications, travel mishaps, and technology glitches. While it’s retrograding, Mercury will move back into Aquarius on March 4. Mercury moves direct again on March 9, and moves back into Pisces in March 16. And then there’s the post-retrograde shadow to deal with, which lasts until March 29.
Montúfar explains, “Out of the three times Mercury is going to be retrograde this year (it will retrograde two more times, in the summer and in the fall), this retrograde is Pisces is the most positive one.” That’s because of the planet of love.
“This retrograde will be infused with the positive, pleasurable vibes of Venus,” she says. “Yes, there will be the classical misunderstandings and technological glitches, and when we communicate it will feel like we are talking underwater. So when frustration knocks at our door, the best thing we can do is take a bath, go for a walk on the beach, watch a movie, or even better — do something creative.”