The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World - Judika Illes 2005

Tezcatlipoca
The Divine Witch: Goddesses and Gods

The Aztec Lord of Night, Tezcatlipoca means “Smoking Mirror.” He is the Patron of Sorcerers, Shamans, and Witches.

Tezcatlipoca is an omniscient, all-knowing, all-powerful, somewhat dangerous figure who sees everything in his obsidian mirror. He is most famous as the rival of the god Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent, whose fall from grace is maneuvered by Tezcatlipoca’s smoke and mirrors.

Because post-Christianity, Quetzalcoatl became identified as a Christ-figure, Tezcatlipoca, the unrepentant sorcerer, became identified with Satan. In many of his existing myths he appears threatening and malevolent; it is unclear whether this was always the case or whether his malevolence has increased with time and distortion.

He is a shape-shifter: his traditional forms include coyote, jaguar, monkey, owl, and skunk. His sacred bird is the turkey. Tezcatlipoca’s sacred animal and nahual is the jaguar. He manifests in jaguars and in obsidian. He lives in the core of the Earth in a mirrored realm filled with jaguars.

See ANIMALS: Jaguars, Nahual.