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Aztec god of sorcery, night, ancestral memory, time, the night winds, and change through conflict

Tezcatlipoca is one of the most important gods for the Aztecs, sometimes he is even viewed as being the highest god of the pantheon. Tezcatlipoca’s name means “Smoking Mirror”, the Nahuatl term for the black obsidian mirrors used for divination. Tezcatlipoca also had several titles, as he was considered a fearsome god who people did not always mention directly out of respect. Tezcatlipoca has two nahualli (animal spirit) forms; Tepeyollotl, the jaguar god of the Underworld (Mictlan), and Chalchiuhtotolin, the Jeweled Fowl god. As Tepeyollotl, he roams Mictlan, causing earthquakes with his roars. As Chalchiuhtotolin, he appears as a beautiful fowl, covered in jeweled feathers. But as beautiful as Chalchiuhtotolin is, he is also terrifying to behold.

His physical representation was carved from obsidian (black volcanic glass), and He was pictured cloaked in a mantle with skulls and crossbones on it, holding an atlatl (spear thrower), and shield, His mirror (called Itlachiayauhque, “Place From Which He Watches”), and adorned with jewelry and feathers. This statue was kept behind a dark curtain in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Tezcatlipoca, and few but the priests were allowed entrance. The priests offered incense to Tezcatlipoca four times a day, and rose at midnight to pierce their shins with maguey thorns to offer their blood to their god (auto-sacrifice such as this was a common practice given in devotion to various deities). In my experiences, I have seen him as a man in his fifties with great vitality. He is like a shaman, but walks strangely and can be a little unnerving sometimes.

Tezcatlipoca was told to be the son of the supreme deity, Ometeotl, who has both a male and female form, which allowed them to create. Ometeotl had four offspring, Tezcatlipoca (also called Black Tezcatlipoca), Xipe Totec (Red Tezcatlipoca), Quetzalcoatl (White Tezcatlipoca), and Huitzilopochtli (Blue Tezcatlipoca). These brothers were at times seen as aspects of Tezcatlipoca because of his praise as being the supreme god. In the creation story, Tezcatlipoca ruled the first world of the Sun but was later overthrown by Quetzalcoatl. Though the two eventually cooperated in order to create the 5th Sun. They transformed into giant snakes and attacked and dismembered the female reptilian-monster called Tlaltcuhtli, one part of her became the earth and the other the sky. Trees, plants and flowers sprang from her hair and skin while springs and caves were made from her eyes and nose; the valleys and mountains came from her mouth.

While Tezcatlipoca is a god of multiple things, he is first and foremost a sorcerer. He has great knowledge on magick and divination, and uses his smoking mirror for these very purposes, as he is a master of mirror magick. Tezcatlipoca governs the fate of mortals, seeing into their minds and hearts with his obsidian mirror. He has a very impartial approach toward humans, and will bless or punish as he sees fit. As the night wind, Tezcatlipoca rushes through the streets in the night, giving terror or luck to any he comes across in accordance with his judgement of them. Tezcatlipoca is also the god who challenges us with conflicts and struggles, making us face our fears so we can become more like warriors in attitude. He can also act a bit like a trickster, but in a more serious way where he aims to teach or punish. He is also very cunning and knows how to manipulate in order to achieve things, also being able to transform his appearance to look attractive.

Tezcatlipoca is one of the four brother gods who rule over the directions. His own direction is the North, the realm of darkness, which is in contrast to the West, Quetzalcoatl’s realm of light. Since Tezcatlipoca were opposed in methods and philosophies, they were considered as rivals and would fight each other for power. One of the things they were said to disagree on was human sacrifice; while Tezcatlipoca desired this, Quetzalcoatl only wanted animal sacrifices.

Tezcatlipoca is primarily the patron of sorcerers, warriors, and young men.  Tezcatlipoca was also the patron of the Telpochcalli, the schools where young men were trained to be warriors. Although he was not always protective to soldiers, since sometimes he could be found at crossroads in the dead of night, ready to challenge any unsuspecting warriors to test their mettle. Tezcatlipoca often tested mortals’ bravery, even non-warriors. He would sometimes appear in the night as Chalchiuhtotolin, uttering an eerie cry, or as a huge, decapitated man with a gash in his chest that opened and closed, making a sound like a chopping ax. Humans would either summon their bravery to investigate these strange sounds or flee in terror. Those who were brave would find Chalchiuhtotolin or the headless specter, and their courage would be further tested. If the person fled, Tezcatlipoca would not favor them, for he is not a god who values cowards. Yet if the person was brave, they could grab Chalchiuhtotolin by the tail and capture him, or reach into the specter’s gaping chest to grasp its heart. If they succeeded in facing their fears, Tezcatlipoca would bestow a blessing on them.

The night warrior in contrast to Huitzilopochtli’s day, Tezcatlipoca also uses sorcery and cunning to exact his will, in addition to warrior might. He is also a princely god, a patron of nobility. Yet he is also the patron of slaves, who were considered his beloved children. Because of this care for the slaves, those who treated their slaves badly during the thirteen-day period of Ce Miquiztli would be punished, losing all wealth or becoming sick with leprosy, tumors, gout, scabies, or dropsy. Tezcatlipoca then served as an example to the nobles of proper treatment towards their subordinates. He rewarded virtue by bestowing riches, and he punished the wrongdoers. He would make certain to bring humility into his people, reminding them that in his eyes, they are all his servants.

The main rite of Tezcatlipoca’s cult took place during Toxcatl, the fifth ritual month. Every year at that time, the priest selected a young and handsome captive to become the Ixiptla (image) of Tezcatlipoca. He was chosen to be the god’s own representative on Earth for a full year, selected from among the captives caught in Aztec campaigns abroad. He would then begin living in luxury, attending ceremonies and banquets laid out by nobles, and all those that met him in the street would prostrate themselves before him in reverence. Twenty days prior to the end of the year, he would be wed to four maidens that were chosen to be images of the goddesses Atlatonan, Huixtocihuatl, Xilonen, and Xochiquetzal. Then after the year ended, the Ixiptla would be sacrificed to Tezcatlipoca, and as a way to signal the beginning of the spring Toxcatl ceremonies. His sacrifice would take place without spectators, in a temple far from the city center. Once with the priests, he was held down and his chest would be cut open, allowing his heart to be pulled out. Even though this will seem horrific now to many, the Aztecs saw the Ixiptla as having a great honor and they respected him. 

Offerings: obsidian, jade, turquoise, flint, red jasper, smoky quartz, jet, thorns, peyotl, copal incense, black and red ritual beads, skull prayer beads, obsidian mirrors, glass mirrors, polished metal mirrors, sacrificial daggers, ritual tools, magic artifacts, animal bones, crystal skulls, tobacco pipes, xocolatl made with water and three types of peppers (ghost pepper, habanero, chipotle), corn cobs, pinto beans, red beans, black-eyed peas, tortillas, beef carnitas, yellow tequila (like Jose Quervo), blood offering*

*animal sacrifice should be offered to him if this is legal in your area, if not, you can just do an auto-sacrifice of your own blood through a safe means

"S'Accabadora" is a figure from Sardinian culture. Until a few decades ago, euthanasia was practiced in Sardinia. It was the task of the female "accabbadora" to bring death to people in agony. Detailed studies and analyses of documentation found in Sardinian curiae, dioceses, and museums have confirmed the existence of this figure.

The "s'accabadora" was a woman who, called upon by the relatives of a terminally ill patient, would provide a compassionate death, ending their suffering. It was an act of mercy towards the dying person and also a necessary act for the survival of the family, especially for the less privileged social classes. In the rural areas of Gallura and in small towns far from a doctor, it served to avoid prolonged and excruciating suffering for the patient.

The "s'accabadora" would arrive at the house of the dying person always at night. After the family members who had called her had left, she would enter the room of death. The door would open, and the dying person, from their bed of agony, would see the "s'accabadora" dressed in black, with her face covered, and understand that their suffering was about to end.

The patient would be suffocated with a pillow, or the woman would deliver a blow with "su mazzolu" causing death. The "s'accabadora" would then leave quietly, as if she had completed a mission. The family members of the patient would express deep gratitude for the service she had rendered to their loved one, often offering her agricultural products in return.

Usually, the blow was directed at the forehead, which likely gives rise to the term "accabbadora," from the Spanish word "acabar" meaning to finish, literally giving a blow to the head.

"Su mazzolu" was a kind of specially constructed stick that can be seen in the Gallura Ethnographic Museum. It is a 40-centimeter-long and 20-centimeter-wide piece of olive wood, with a handle that allows for a secure and precise grip. The "su mazzolu" found in the Gallura museum was discovered in 1981. The "s'accabadora" had hidden it in a dry stone wall near an old farmhouse that had once been her home. The Su Mazzolu in questione see here is made from a single piece of wood (probably a fig tree) and is manageable and robust at the same time. It bears three notches engraved in the upper part, probably referring to the number of victims.

The practice of the "s'accabadora" existed in Sardinia until a few decades ago, mainly in the central-northern part of the island. The last known cases of "accabbadura" occurred in Luras in 1929 and in Orgosolo in 1952. In addition to documented cases, there are numerous stories passed down through oral tradition and family memories. Many people remember a grandfather or great-grandfather who had some connection with the woman dressed in black.

In Luras, in Gallura, the "s'accabadora" killed a 70-year-old man. The woman was not condemned, and the case was closed. The Carabinieri, the Public Prosecutor of Tempio Pausania, and the Church all agreed that it was a humanitarian act. In fact, everyone knew, and everyone remained silent. No condemnation seems to have ever been carried out against this missionary woman who physically and morally took it upon herself to end the suffering of the sick.

Her existence was always considered a natural fact. Just as there were midwives who assisted in childbirth, there was the "s'accabadora" who helped in dying. It is even said that they were often the same person, distinguished by the color of their clothing (black if bringing death, white or light if bringing life into the world).

Let’s talk about the cursing/black magic crowd that lights a candle and casts a ward because they're afraid of the energies they just summoned.

If you have to protect yourself from your own spell, then:

You either don’t know what you’re doing,

Or you don’t trust what you’re doing,

Or worse—you're just parroting steps someone else told you without ever forging your own damn path.

Why would you invite something in and treat it like a threat? That’s not magic, that’s spiritual gaslighting. If you truly bonded with that demon, spirit, guide, or part of your shadow—why are you caging it like it’s going to bite you?

You say you "work with spirits" but treat them like they're going to jump you the moment your back’s turned. That's not a relationship. That's trauma cosplay.

You say you’re “cursing,” but cleanse and banish the second you finish, like you summoned something filthy you’re ashamed of.

If your power scares you, that isn’t respect. It’s insecurity dressed up in ritual.

If your space doesn’t already feel sacred, no amount of sage is going to fix your broken connection to it.

If your guides require a disclaimer, they’re not guides—they’re strangers you're poking with a stick.

Magic is Relationship. Magic is Risk. Magic is Power.

If you’re not ready to own that, then sit back down. The dark doesn’t need tourists.

And if you can’t do that—if the spirits you work with feel like threats you constantly need to defend against—then that isn’t a relationship. That’s a hostage situation with incense.

I’m not here to stroke egos. I’m here to challenge the idea that surface-level ritual = depth. Because it doesn’t. If we’re too afraid to stand before the spirits we invoke without a dozen magical security blankets, then we’ve not built trust. We’ve built a prison.

Step 1: Perform a 3-card spread.

Shuffle your cards for every question.

• Card 1 (at the top): Why did I dream about [insert dream element]? • Card 2 (on the left): What is my dream trying to tell me? • Card 3 (on the right, upright): What happens if I heed its advice? • Card 3 (on the right, reversed): What happens if I do not?

Step 2: Interpret your spread.

Read the cards using the meanings you know.

• Card 1: Five of Wands You dreamt about [having blood on your hands] because you are currently embroiled in a conflict. • Card 2: Knight of Swords Your dream is telling you that you must keep fighting. Stand up for what you believe in. • Card 3 (upright): The Chariot If you heed its advice, you will be the victor. You will come out of this conflict the winner. • Card 3 (reversed): The Chariot If you do not heed its advice, you will feel defeated. You will always see yourself as a failure.

- Necoc Yaotl, Señor de la buena y la mala fortuna.

- Tintea de verde y rojo mis caminos y que en ninguna encrucijada me encuentre la desgracia.

- Titlahuacan, soy hijo de tu voluntad.

- Permite que mis caminos auguren buenas noticias y que la buena suerte sea parte de mi sustento.

- Señor Yohualtecuhtli, noche creadora y destructora.

- Deja crecer tu telaraña hacia el oriente, por donde el sol y la esperanza nacen cada mañana.

- Moquequeloa, Señor del caos y del conflicto.

- Quiero ser merecedor de las cuatro espinas de maguey.

- Acepta mis ofrendas, Señor Tezcatlipoca y permíteme vislumbrar el camino a la victoria.

• hydrate it by drinking lots of water

• eat dark chocolate and blueberries and walnuts and salmon and other foods high in antioxidants!!

• play little brain games on your phone; I like wordconenct! anything that makes you think!

• read books. It’s simple but necessary. Even better - join a book club, or read with a friend, so you can have discussions after. This will improve your reading comprehension.

• do puzzles - it doesnt have to be sudoku, I love playing Beat Saber on the Oculus Rift because it makes my brain have to match colorful patterns to physical movements very quickly!

• learn a new dance - even a tik tok trendy dance. Learning new dance moves are proven to strengthen synapses!!

• go bird watching, or foraging, or anything outdoors that requires you to explore pattern recognition and visual searching

• watch a movie with the intent of analysis - this is best done with a cinephile friend!! talk about tropes and symbolism and character growth

• cross stitch, or sew, or do anything that requires matching nimble hand movements to patterns

• play or learn an instrument!

• develop a consistent sleep schedule (or as close to consistent as you can get!)

• when eating, try to identify the ingredients and flavors you’re perceiving!

“Kissing the ground”, 

An Ethiopian orthodox nun praying at the entrance to one of the many rock churches of Lalibela.