Oarfish and Meteorites

What does it all mean?

In ancient Mesopotamia, priests compiled large omen collections where celestial phenomena (eclipses, planetary appearances, unusual stars) were read as signs for kings and states: “when x happens in the sky, y happens on earth.” This was the beginning of what would evolve into the sophisticated practice of astrology. Along the way there was a very systematic method of observation that developed of cataloging sky events with corresponding outcomes. This was a practice known as Omenology.

One the earliest and most notable sources of such observations is contained in an ancient text known as the Enuma Anu Enlil which dates back to 2nd millennium BCE. This is a large Mesopotamian series of celestial omen tablets, mainly concerned with how phenomena in the sky portend events. The collection consists of 68–70 cuneiform tablets containing roughly 6,500–7,000 omens. The focus being on political, military, agricultural, and dynastic outcomes.

The following table summarizes these tablets:

Section focus	Tablet range	Main contents
Moon omens	1–14	First lunar appearances, position relative to planets/stars, haloes and crowns, lunar visibility scheme.
Lunar eclipses	15–22	Rules using date, night watches, and lunar quadrants to judge which regions or political entities are affected.
Solar phenomena	23–29	Sun’s appearance, color, markings, and interaction with clouds/atmosphere at rising.
Solar eclipses	30–39	Omens from types and timings of solar eclipses, mainly for kingship and state fortunes.
Weather and atmospheric omens	~40–49	Thunder, wind, rain, and related atmospheric signs (“Weather Omens of Enūma Anu Enlil”).
Stars and planets	Later tablets	Behavior of stars and planets and their implications for the realm; later transmitted to other cultures.

It's important to note that many cultures have traditions where unusual events, patterns, or animal behaviors are read as omens and signs that indicate future outcomes or hidden conditions. Here are examples of such from around the world:

Region / category	Culture / context	Main omen practices and examples
Mediterranean & Near Eastern	Ancient Greece	Bird‑flight (ornithomancy), entrails (haruspicy), dreams, and oracles; unexpected phenomena read as messages from the gods about politics, warfare, or personal matters.
Mediterranean & Near Eastern	Ancient Rome	State augurs watched lightning and bird behavior and other signs to decide on battles, laws, and building projects; bad omens could delay or cancel public actions.
East Asia	China	Eclipses, comets, unusual planetary patterns, and strange animal appearances used as omens for dynastic fortune, disasters, or the ruler’s moral state.
East Asia	Imperial court astrologers	Court officials produced omen reports linking rare celestial and terrestrial events to the Mandate of Heaven, similar in logic to Mesopotamian omen compendia.
South Asia & Islamic world	Indian traditions	Jyotiṣa and śakuna traditions read animal behavior, bodily twitches, dreams, and travel encounters as good/bad omens, alongside celestial indications.
South Asia & Islamic world	Islamicate scholars	Inherited and adapted Near Eastern and Hellenistic omen and astrological material, blending it with Islamic theology; attitudes toward divination varied.
Indigenous & shamanic traditions	Native American cultures	Certain animals (e.g., cougars, owls) or calls at specific times seen as warnings, messages, or confirmations, tied to spirits, ancestors, or clan powers.
Indigenous & shamanic traditions	Native American cultures	Weather signs, dreams, and land encounters function as omens guiding hunting, travel, conflict, or ritual decisions.
Contemporary folk omenology	Global modern superstitions	Black cats crossing the path, owls hooting, certain dates or numbers, or taboos around the aurora borealis continue omen logic in informal ways.
Contemporary folk omenology	Global modern superstitions	Belief in the “evil eye,” unlucky behaviors (e.g., cutting nails at night), and specific animals or weather as good/bad omens persists across many world regions.

As both a Shaman and Astrologer, observing patterns, signs, and messengers comes naturally to me. I can't imagine living or functioning in the world without acknowledging these sacred and ancient signals. A mantra I highly value and share with others is "pay attention to the mystery, and the mystery will pay attention to you." I am trained in a shamanic tradition rooted in the Inca culture, now practiced by the Q'ero people of Peru. This tradition is rich and deeply grounded in practices attentive to patterns: animals, weather, stars, coca leaves, and ritual behavior are all interpreted as meaningful communications within an animate, relational cosmos rather than as random occurrences. Even the movement of smoke trails during a saging ceremony can bring insights. The strong belief in the inner connectedness of it all was much more pronounced anciently than it is in our modern era. The rational mind has become king and the intuitive one the subject of ridicule. Looking away from our divinely inspired inheritance in favor of our purely human desire and a quest for material power seems to be Atlantean hubris coming full circle.

All of this has been long introductory way of saying we have some omens going on. Some will brush them off and go about their business, others will feel them deeply and act in a corresponding manner. Don't get me wrong, the rational western mind has its benefits, but as with so many things, balance or the middle path helps us navigate life's extremes. In this case, remembering the mysterious nature of our existence (our instinctual side) in addition the functional and known elements is important. Look no further than the animal kingdom for clues to how this instinctual gift operates. There are many historic accounts of animals behaving oddly before disasters, especially earthquakes, tsunamis, and eruptions. One such recent example comes from the BBC reporting on the 2004 tsunami in the Indian ocean.

"Eyewitnesses in places like Thailand reported elephants running inland and up hills, flamingos abandoning low‑lying nesting areas, and dogs refusing to go outside before the waves arrived; some buffalo reportedly stampeded to higher ground just before the tsunami hit."

And there is this from the CBC concerning the eruption of Mt. Edna, Sicily:

"Goats fitted with tracking collars showed unusual agitation and movement hours before several documented eruptions; researchers were able retrospectively to “predict” multiple eruptions from the movement profiles"

And one final anecdotal observation also from the CBC:

"Migratory birds sometimes reroute or cut migrations short before major storms or cyclones, and bat movement patterns are being studied as potential indicators of environmental shifts and even future disease outbreaks"

What recent events have historically been seen as omens? We have two significant ones. Over the past month, there has been a surge of meteorite sightings, including one on March 17, 2026, at 8:57 am, which caused the windows to rattle and the house I am in to shake as I write this article. In the last three weeks, meteorite sightings occurred on March 2, 3, 8, 11, 17, 21, 22, and 23. These have been observed in the Pacific Northwest, California, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

The second event has been multiple sightings of the doomsday fish, known as an Oarfish. From Wikipedia: "This is a large, deep-sea fish that is rarely seen by humans. It has gained this nickname due to historical beliefs that its appearances near the surface may signal impending natural disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis, although scientists state there is no evidence to support this connection." I purposely selected this description because of the last part concerning what science states... This reminded me of a statement I heard on multiple occasions during my 43-year career as a financial advisor, “Economists have predicted nine of the last five recessions.”. The point being experts aren't always experts.

After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami which killed over 20,000 people, many in Japan pointed to the 20 oarfish washed up on the country's beaches in 2009 and 2010 as being a traditional harbinger of doom. The slender oarfish, known in Japanese folklore as the "Messenger from the Sea God's Palace", is said to portend earthquakes. Recently, there have been Oarfish sightings popping up again. The most remarkable in my estimation as well as highly synchronistic happened on February 20, 2026. Why remarkable? Because this was the same day as the Saturn-Neptune Conjunction at 0 degrees of Aries, something we have no record of in recorded history. This happened in Cabo San Lucas and a quick search on YouTube will yield videos of people who recorded this event. Further, there was an Oarfish sighting on March 4, 2026, in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam. And finally, there is a widely reported ribbonfish encounter on December 30, 2025. It occurred off McAbee Beach in Monterey Bay, Monterey County, California, where diver Ted Judah filmed a rare juvenile king‑of‑the‑salmon ribbonfish (a deep‑sea species in the ribbonfish family) near the surface. Although not an Oarfish, this is also a deep-sea species rarely seen at the surface of the ocean.

As both a Shaman and an Astrologer, these are occurrences I cannot overlook. When I combine these recent events, which historically align with the realm of omens, with the unique astrological phenomena unfolding in 2026, it would be difficult for me to dismiss them lightly by saying, "Oh, it's nothing!" It's definitely something... Stay alert, it's going to become quite unusual.