Looking for rules in troubled times
Mercury in Pisces Rely on inspiration to explore the meaning of the world. And just as it Trine Jupiter This week (February 16, 2026, 1:31 PM PST, 15°53′ Pisces/Cancer), 16 Cancer, “A man studies the mandala in front of him with the help of an ancient book” Mercury is located at 16 Pisces in the Sabi constellation, The flow of inspiration. Here’s an idea on how we can make the most of this lovely trine.
When things seem chaotic, look for patterns. If you work hard enough and long enough, you’ll find one. Study your birth chart mandala. Think about what your ancestors did in similar situations. Stare at the clouds and look for pictures. Use ancient wisdom and your own intuition to find patterns.
poke with lightning
For most of my life, Aquarius was a foreign country to me. I was born with several planets in its opposite sign, Leo, and somehow I can’t relate to the strong desire for independence and unconventional nature of Aquarius – even though my chart ruler Jupiter is in this sign, and I have evidence of Aquarius traits throughout my life.
As I get older, I can more easily find Aquarius in my inner landscape: the exhilaration of the dry, cold air, the glint of skate blades as they circle the surface of a frozen lake, and the friendly, distant wave to other skaters. I recognize this by my sudden outbursts of protest when I feel the wall closing in, and by the itch I get when I’m not alone for too long.
The contradictory nature of Aquarius reflects the structural conflict of its two rulers: Saturn, the ruler of tradition, the master of impermeable boundaries and fixed perspectives; Often, Aquarius’ warm nature is interpreted as coldness and ruthlessness, and when I got in touch with this side of myself, I had to admit there was some truth to that.
Aquarians are afraid to try to blend in for fear of losing the qualities that make them unique. It’s our resistance to being typecast or pigeonholed, and our absolute refusal to compromise our beliefs. This sign has a cool, aloof feel, but is also unruly, wild, and beautiful.
This New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Aquarius (February 17, 2026, 4:01 AM PST, 28.49 Aquarius) at Sabian symbol 29 Aquarius: A butterfly emerges from its cocoon, And squaring Uranus, suggesting all the exciting unpredictability. We find the Saturnian aspect of the Aquarius self anchored to an immovable surface, daring the world to topple us. And our Uranian nature is right there, stabbing us with lightning and determined to drive us out of our chrysalis and onto new, unexpected paths.
Pisces Soup
The moms in the farm community where I grew up had a soup recipe that went something like this: Get out a big pot. Add whatever is left in the fridge from this week’s remaining recipes. Pour in some water or broth and cook for a long time. Serve it with some crackers or cornbread and you’ve got dinner.
We call it Pisces Soup – a little of this, a little of that, and use up the rest. Sometimes it tastes good, sometimes… it doesn’t taste so good. But the funny thing is, what you eat is different every time.
Pisces season is similar too. Throughout the year, we get leftovers from various events: a new tablecloth from the flea market, a guitar we want to learn to play, and a few books we’ve been meaning to read. when Sun enters Pisces (February 18, 2026, 7:52 AM PST), it’s time to tap into some of these treasures and make room for new experiences.
So you reach out to a few close friends and invite them over for a potluck brunch. You lay out that special tablecloth, brew some coffee, and start a crackling fire in the fireplace. Friends filed in with casseroles in hand and stopped in front of the stove. A musician friend picks up your guitar and teaches you some new chords. Someone discovered one of your new books on the coffee table, read it, and was excited to share some thoughts. Before you know it, everyone is chatting, eating, and smiling.
What did you bring to the party? A little of this, a little of that – it all goes together to make your own very delicious Pisces soup.
Big changes in small lives
In 1989, when Saturn conjunct Neptune for the last time—that time in Capricorn—I fell into a shockingly dull government secretarial job that epitomized Saturn’s boring limitations. But I have a dream: to become a full-time, professional astrologer. I had been studying with a wonderful, inspiring teacher for over a year and I was excited about astrology while feeling bored and frustrated with my day job.
By the end of that conjunction, I had rolled up my Saturn sleeves and taken the first steps toward turning my Neptune dreams into a Saturn reality by taking on my first paying client.
This week’s Saturn conjunct Neptune (8:54 am on February 20, 2026), the collision of reality and illusion is complicated. You’ll read and hear a lot about it, and none of your reading or listening will be a waste of time. For example, you’ll learn about Saturn-Neptune and the 1989 conjunction, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union; 1953, the polio epidemic and the Salk vaccine, the peak of McCarthyism, and the death of Stalin.
But I’m particularly interested in how large transits like this express themselves in the human stories of ordinary people like you and me. Saturn and Neptune only come together approximately every 36 years, so each of us only experiences two or three of those years in our lives. Preparing to change my career is a huge story for me personally, even if it doesn’t compare to the beginning of the Cold War, or to Salk’s development of the vaccine that saved my mother from polio a decade ago.
We are all influenced by our country or world, and these things are being broken down so that new visions can emerge. At this Saturn/Neptune conjunction, the first degree of Aries, you may well be on the verge of a major personal transformation in your life. Where do you hope to break the limitations that keep you feeling stuck and move in a new, exciting direction?
On the day of this conjunction, why not create a ceremony to commemorate this important moment? The house in your chart at 0 degrees Aries, and any planets near this degree (or its opposition or quadrant: 0 Libra, Cancer, or Capricorn), describes how you are affected and where you are prepared to manifest big changes.
Wonderful things, maybe not money
There’s an oft-repeated adage: If you do what you love, the money will follow. As someone who spent half my life doing something I loved without getting rich, I usually roll my eyes at these clichés.
But replace the word “money” with words like “satisfaction,” “fascinating interest,” or simply “pleasure” — well, then I think you’ve got it right.
Venus is the planet that clearly points to the “love” part of the equation. And just as it Blissful trine to Jupiter in Cancer This week (February 22, 2026 at 12:02 PM PST), love may indeed bring financial gain, or it may not. Venus in Pisces is often more concerned with emotional connections than money. But this combination will almost certainly lead to new interests, broader perspectives, and lots of laughs with good friends. This is all great stuff, even if it doesn’t do anything to increase your bank balance.
Text and images © 2017-2026 by April Elliott Kent
