The Astrology Podcast — Aquarius 2026 Year Ahead Horoscope

Host: Chris Brennan
Guest: Leisa Schaim
Date: December 23, 2025

Overview

This episode provides an in-depth look at the astrological transits for Aquarians (especially rising signs) over the course of 2026. Chris Brennan and Leisa Schaim break down year-defining planetary movements, eclipse cycles, and retrogrades, offering practical guidance on how Aquarians can navigate the shifts in areas such as finances, relationships, career, and identity. The tone balances practical advice with nuanced astrology, addressing both the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead.

Major Planetary Shifts and Themes

1. Saturn-Neptune Conjunction & Third House Shift

Timestamp: 00:22 – 05:55

• Transition: Early 2026, Saturn and Neptune leave Pisces (2nd House of Finances) and enter Aries (3rd House of Communication, Siblings, Neighbors).
• Past Focus: 2023–2025 brought constraint and nebulousness around finances; now, those burdens ease.
  • “That energy is moving out of your personal financial sector. So that's really good news for a lot of people...” — Leisa (01:21)
• New Focus:
  • Attention and challenges shift to communication, local travel, and relationships with siblings and neighbors.
  • Potential strain, coldness, or distance in these relationships; possible practical issues with vehicles or communication tools.
  • Neptune–Saturn Conjunction in February: Heightened confusion; “...the reality distortion field, which can make it hard to tell the difference between what's real versus what's not...” — Chris (03:21)
  • Recommendation: Avoid making big decisions about siblings/neighbors in February due to lack of clarity.
  • Potential for issues with learning, writing, or launching communication projects.

2. First Eclipse Season: February–March

Timestamp: 06:59 – 10:14

• Eclipses in Aquarius (1st House) and Virgo (8th House)
• Personal Identity:
  • Aquarius eclipse marks a new cycle focusing on self, appearance, health, and individuality.
  • “...you're going to be starting to focus more closely on yourself and figuring out who you are...” — Chris (08:04)
• Shared Resources:
  • Virgo eclipse highlights beginnings/endings related to taxes, loans, debts, partner’s income, insurance.
  • Watch for changes in shared financial arrangements or partner’s financial circumstances.

3. Uranus Moves from Taurus to Gemini

Timestamp: 10:14 – 16:19

• April 2026: Uranus finishes in Taurus (4th House: Home, Family) and enters Gemini (5th House: Children, Creativity, Romance).
• Past Years: Radical changes in home and family since 2018; final activation in February.
• New Cycle:
  • Unpredictable, liberating, or disruptive events in love life, sexuality, children (yours or others), and hobbies.
  • “...Uranus tends to bring this drive for freedom and rebelliousness. So if you have younger children, they may go through a phase of greater rebelliousness...” — Chris (12:54)
  • Potential for surprising new romances, changes in sexual orientation/identity, or discovery of new hobbies.
  • Expect the unexpected in matters of pleasure, creativity, and self-expression.

4. Jupiter Transits: Growth in Work, Health, then Relationships

Timestamp: 16:19 – 19:46

• January–June 2026: Jupiter in Cancer (6th House)
  • Positivity and growth at work; improved coworker relations; health improvements.
  • “It's a better time to find good relationships around those types of things, good working relationships. And it can also be a better time to improve your health in some way.” — Leisa (16:56)
• Late June onward: Jupiter enters Leo (7th House)
  • Expansion, luck, and optimism in relationships or partnerships—romantic or business.
  • Singles may meet someone significant; partnered Aquarians enjoy warmth and growth.
  • If you work with clients, expect positivity there too.

Auspicious Venus–Jupiter Conjunction in Cancer

• Early June: Temporary boost for work/health.
  • “...very auspicious Venus Jupiter conjunction... will probably be really positive for things related to work and things related to health...” — Chris (19:46)

Eclipse Season Two: August–September

5. Eclipses in Leo (7th House) & Pisces (2nd House)

Timestamp: 22:10 – 24:57

• Leo Eclipse: Key beginnings or endings in relationships and partnerships.
  • Can signify new romantic or business partnerships, or closure of existing ones.
  • “...there's something really weighty and important that starts happening in the sphere of relationships and partnership for you at this point.” — Chris (23:11)
• Pisces Eclipse: Culminates years of challenges in personal finances; time for closure or new starts.
  • With Saturn and Neptune gone from Pisces, this final activation resolves long-standing limitations.

Other Key Influences and Cycles

6. Venus Retrograde in Scorpio & Libra

Timestamp: 25:37 – 27:39

• October–November:
  • Retrogrades from 10th (Career) into 9th (Travel, Education).
  • “...revisiting your thoughts about how you're going about your career...do I need more education in order to move forward...” — Leisa (25:37)
  • Potential returns of old colleagues; reassessment of career direction; possible combining of education and career; echoes of events from 2018 and 2010.
  • May relate to significant journeys, studies, or revising beliefs impacting your profession.

7. Mars Slowdown and Pre-Retrograde Shadow in Leo & Virgo

Timestamp: 27:40 – 34:52

• September–December: Mars slows in 7th (Relationships) and 8th (Shared Resources); full retrograde starts Jan 2027.
  • Tension, increased effort, or reworking in relationships and shared finances (debts, taxes, inheritance).
  • Business or romantic partnerships may face challenges—potential for conflict, disputes, or old issues resurfacing.
  • “It could also connect things in terms of an inheritance, issues related to mortality, issues related to taxes or debts...” — Chris (30:29)
  • Exercise caution not to escalate conflicts (“...a little fire can turn into a whole forest fire if you let things get out of hand...” — Chris, 32:35)
  • More acute for day chart people (stronger extremes), more moderated for night chart people.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Financial Relief:
  “That energy is moving out of your personal financial sector. So that's really good news...”
  — Leisa (01:21)

• On the Saturn–Neptune 'Reality Distortion Field':
  “...the reality distortion field, which can make it hard to tell the difference between what's real versus what's not or what's true versus what's false...”
  — Chris (03:21)

• On Self vs. Relationships Cycle:
  “...teeter-tottering back and forth between sometimes focusing more on yourself and your own identity, and other times focusing on your relationships more and going to extremes, but then eventually trying to find a balance...”
  — Chris (08:04)

• On Uranus Surprises:
  “...sometimes Uranus transit through the fifth house can bring unexpected children, like coming out of nowhere or something surprising about the topic of children that you hadn't anticipated.”
  — Chris (12:54)

• On Jupiter in Relationships:
  “...it's just traditionally one of those transits that's represented as a yearlong period in which you're having good fortune in the sector of relationships.”
  — Chris (18:01)

• On Mars Pre-Retrograde Caution:
  “...a little fire can turn into a whole forest fire if you let things get out of hand. And if you don't think about it and exercise restraint ahead of time.”
  — Chris (32:35)

Segment Timeline

| Timestamp | Segment | |-------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–05:55 | Saturn–Neptune into Aries: Finances to Communication shift | | 06:59–10:14 | Eclipse Season One: Self-identity and shared resources | | 10:14–16:19 | Uranus leaves home/family, enters romance/creativity/children | | 16:19–19:46 | Jupiter: Growth in work/health, then relationships (7th house) | | 19:46–24:57 | Eclipse Season Two: Relationship and financial culmination | | 25:37–27:39 | Venus retrograde: Revisiting career, education, travel beliefs | | 27:40–34:52 | Mars slowdown: Rising conflicts in relationships, joint finances| | 34:52–End | Wrap-up and 2027 preview tease |

Summary of Advice

• February: Avoid big decisions regarding siblings/neighbors; reality may be distorted.
• Midyear: Use the auspicious Venus–Jupiter conjunction in June for work/health opportunities.
• Whole Year: Focus alternates between self and partnerships; give relationships attention, but don’t neglect your own identity.
• Throughout: Be open to surprises in love, pleasure, hobbies, or children.
• Late Year: Prepare for potential relationship strife; handle financial disputes with caution.

This year sets up a period of transition for Aquarius risings, beginning a multi-year journey redefining identity, relationships, personal interests, and how you approach shared resources. Major life areas are in flux—embrace growth where it appears, stay alert during periods of confusion or friction, and use peaked optimism to your advantage. As Chris and Leisa note, “Some major stuff with relationships is on the horizon for Aquarius rising in 2026 and 2027.” (33:59)