Tezcatlipoca means Lord of the smoking mirror.

The Mexica people (name Aztecs used to refer to themselves) made mirrors of varying sizes with cut iron pyrites and obsidian (a volcanic glass). They were sometimes used in divination and healing practices. For example, if a child was suffering from ‘soul loss’ the healer would look at the reflection of the child’s image in a mirror or a container with water. If the image were clear the child would soon recover; if it were shadowy, the soul had been lost. Like the Mexica, some people in parts of Mexico today believe that ‘soul loss’ is a cause of illness.

Mirrors were also associated with Tezcatlipoca, the Mexica god of rulers, warriors and sorcerers. His name can be translated as ‘Smoking Mirror’. In many depictions during the Postclassic period (AD 900/1000-1521) his foot is replaced by a mirror.

The name ‘Smoking Mirror’ derives from the Nahuatl (Mexica) word tezapoctli, meaning ‘shining smoke’ and representations of Tezcatlipoca are typically characterised by distinctive black stripes on the face and a smoking mirror generally displayed in his headdress, at his temple or in place of a torn-off foot.

In the natal chart Tezcatlipoca depicts our ability to see what lies hidden beneath the surface our ability to look honestly within our own souls and that of others.  This asteroid gives us an ability to intuitively feel what lies behind the actions of others.  As God of the night he confers the ability to see through the darkness and follow the path before us.