Why the Aztec Religion Should Not be Mixed with Wicca/Eclecticism

The following document is meant to be a respectful look at why Aztec beliefs and practices should not be mixed with those of Wicca, witchcraft, or other forms of Neopaganism. By respectful, it is meant that both beliefs will be treated in a respectful fashion in this document. However, respect does not mean agreement, nor does it mean that two respectable beliefs should automatically be combined.

I realize that Eclecticism is popular in the Pagan community today, and widely accepted. However, it is only logical that some things were never meant to be combined, and would not work well if they were (take anchovies and chocolate cake, for example). While many forms of Eclecticism may work well for the individual practitioner, it must be kept in mind the sources one draws their Eclecticism from. If two beliefs or systems are diametrically opposed, it makes sense not to combine them. At best, opposing belief systems cancel each other out, rendering them impotent; at worst, they are potentially dangerous, something like a backfiring gun, and a potential insult to the gods.

Disclaimer: I offer this article not out of an opposition to Wicca or Eclecticism in and of itself, but for the good of both the Aztec religion and Wicca, as well as out of respect for the original Aztec people. That said, I will not tolerate blind attacks disregarding this article or myself as being “anti-Wiccan,” because I am not. Some of my greatest friends have been, and continue to be Wiccan. Also, I realize that not every Wiccan or Neopagan holds all the beliefs mentioned here, but these are among the more common beliefs in the community, and there comes a point when you must ask yourself if what you’re really doing is trying to combine Neopaganism and Aztec beliefs, or whether you’re trying to practice Aztec paganism in and of itself.

That said, I follow with a list of various points on which common Wiccan and Neopagan beliefs differ from Aztec religion and philosophy, and why these points render the two belief systems incompatible with each other.

1. “All gods are one god, all goddesses are one goddess.”
The Aztecs, like many ancient cultures, were a fully polytheistic people. If you were to tell an ancient Aztec that Huitzilopochtli was the same god as Zeus, simply in a different mask, there would be a problem. In fact, the Aztec deities would likely be very unreceptive to this attitude, as they tend to be very proud and individual beings. Each Aztec deity is fully unique and possesses their own various traits in their own right. In fact, a belief that all deities are aspects of one does not work well at all with one of the basic beliefs underlying all Aztec spirituality: That constant conflict and cycling between separate opposing powers is necessary to the continuance of existence. The separation of these powers is integral to the inner philosophical workings of this belief.

Not only must one be careful which Aztec deities one calls on when other non-Aztec deities are being called, one must also be careful which Aztec deities one calls on together, as several deities simply “don’t get along.” The individuality of Aztec gods is very important, as I shall discuss more later, and disregarding their existence as individual beings is a disservice to them and could lead to troubles.

In Aztec belief, the source of the universe was believed to be Ometeotl, the Divine Duality. Ometeotl is divided into the dual components of Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl, two opposing forces of the same source. While Ometeotl could be misconstrued as “the God and the Goddess,” this is inaccurate to Aztec belief, in which Ometeotl is merely the unconscious and uncaring source of all divinity. Rather than being deities, Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl were primordial forces, remote and unfocused upon the mortal realm, or any other thing in particular. The gods were seen as individual beings created by Ometeotl, its “children,” rather than mere aspects or facets. The earth and all things on it were seen as creations of the gods, in turn. Importantly, the Aztecs did not do much in the way of worship in regards to Ometeotl, as it was considered inaccessible and unaware. Therefore, to invoke Ometeotl in rituals and spells the way that Wiccans often invoke the Goddess and the God, would be viewed as essentially pointless in Aztec thought. The numerous gods were seen as the ones to turn to, truly conscious beings which were the true creators and influencers of the mortal realm.

2. “An it harm none, do what ye will.”
This statement of the Wiccan Rede is at complete odds with Aztec spiritual beliefs and philosophy. To the Aztecs, violence was an important and irremovable component to the creation of the earth, the ages of the world, humankind, and even corn. While, in today’s society, violence may be frowned upon under any circumstances, the Aztecs had a deeper appreciation of its value.

One can point to the presence of human sacrifice as a perfect example of this. While the Spanish numbers given for human sacrifice are likely to be quite exaggerated, sacrifice did take place. Not only did it take place, but the philosophy and ideals behind sacrifice were very important and integral to the Aztec religion. It was not a simple matter of “The gods demand sacrifice!” as is so often stereotyped. Because it was not a simple matter, it is impossible to extract the ideals behind sacrifice from Aztec spirituality without removing one of the most vital components.

I am not implying that Aztec religious practices cannot be viable without human sacrifice. Obviously, people cannot perform human sacrifices today, and it must not be a part of any current practice. It is fully possible to engage in Aztec practices without human sacrifice; it is not, however, possible to discard the philosophies surrounding sacrifice from Aztec beliefs. These philosophies are deeply entwined with all areas of Aztec mythology, ritual, and belief. There were many other forms of sacrifice, outside of the sacrifice of human life, which were valued portions of Aztec practice, and which were integrally linked to the same concepts as those behind human sacrifice. Aztec religion is deeply involved with the philosophies of conflict being a necessary force in the universe, pain as piety, and sacrificing in various meanings of the word being important catalysts to cosmic events. These philosophies are inherently contradictory to the belief that “An it harm none, do what thou wilt.” And with that in mind, it should be noted the Aztec gods still value blood.

Not only is the idea of harming none incompatible with Aztec belief, “do what thou wilt” does not fit well either. The Aztecs had very deep values as to what one should or should not do, particularly in regards to religious practices. The gods tend to appreciate an observance of these traditions more than less structured ones.

To use an example, the Aztec religion was based very strongly around the presence of a trained clergy. While the common person also had a very deeply spiritual relationship with the gods, and most Aztec homes had their own altar, this was very different from the common Wiccan/Eclectic view that everyone is a priest or priestess in their own right. While a philosophy of “do what thou wilt” might affirm such an approach to clergy, to the Aztecs, becoming a priest or priestess was a very solemn thing that required years of training and dedication to a particular deity. The point here is this: please don’t claim to be an Aztec priest or priestess unless you are worthy of the title. I doubt the deities in question would appreciate it much.

In addition, as a moral code, the Aztecs also had very deep philosophies on morality, which involved codes of conduct much more structured than a simple “do what you will.” While times have changed and morals change as well, many ancient pagan cultures had codes of conduct which could continue to have relevance and value to people today.

3. The Elements and the Four Directions
Most modern witchcraft and Neopaganism makes use of the classical European elements in ritual and magick. For the most part, the Aztecs didn’t care much about the elements. An elemental assignment for the four directions can be found in Aztec culture, but not only is it given little importance, the only element which the Aztecs agreed with the Wiccans on as far as direction was concerned was Earth.

The four directions were given more importance in Aztec spirituality. East, not north, was considered the first direction to the Aztecs. “Calling quarters,” however, would be a very bad idea under most circumstances while using an Aztec system. The reason: the Aztecs did not have generic “guardians of the directions” as is present in the Wiccan system. Rather, four of the more major Aztec gods were said to govern over the directions. This might seem perfect for calling quarters at first, until you realize that some of the directional deities are opponents who would not be good to call on in the same space, during the same ritual. Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl are blatant examples in this instance.

The Aztec assignments are as follows:

East: Fire, Xipe Totec
North: Earth, Tezcatlipoca
West: Air, Quetzalcoatl
South: Water, Huitzilopochtli

4. Nature
Wicca and the majority of Neopaganism considers itself “nature based.” However, not all ancient religions fit this label well. While Aztec religion could, on some level, be seen as “nature based,” due to the fact that many deities correspond with natural forces, plants, etc, it is not a religion which focuses on nature in and of itself. One must keep in mind that the Aztecs were quite literally an urban culture, and that most of Mesoamerica had existed in urban societies for thousands of years. Therefore, while the Aztecs honored the corn and rain deities in festivals for sustaining the people in their cities, there was little in Aztec thought that could be likened to the simple love for nature which much of Neopaganism seems to be based on; i.e. going skyclad, wild festivals in the forest, etc, are on a level of “naturalness” that the Aztec religion isn’t.

While there was quite a share of deities for natural forces, and most deities had some visible representation in the world (different times of day, different animals, etc), among the most honored deities were those who presided over less tangible or natural things. For example, Huitzilopochtli, the war god; Tezcatlipoca, the god of sorcery, strife, and darkness; Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom and knowledge. While more nature-based forms of Paganism also tend to have deities for similar things as well, just as the Aztecs do have deities associated with nature, the place and precedence that nature deities vs. “concept” deities have in these two forms of religion differ.

How is the Earth itself seen in the Aztec worldview? There are various Aztec deities closely associated with the Earth; Coatlicue, Tlaltecuhtli, and Tepeyollotl being among the more prominent. While most forms of Neopaganism see the Earth as a kindly or benevolent being of nature, the Aztecs tended to associate the Earth itself with the supernatural forces lying beneath its surface (darkness and the underworld), or occasionally the violence in nature. Coatlicue, the major Aztec Earth goddess, was a fearsome being who wore human hearts and hands strung around her decapitated neck. Tlaltecuhtli, the Earth Monster, was the being that the lands were said to be formed from. Rather than being a loving mother who wanted to give life to the inhabitants of Mexico, Tlaltecuhtli was a monstrous being who had to be forced to remain on the surface of the primordial sea, and was hungry for blood to placate her forced inhabitation. Tepeyollotl, the jaguar form of Tezcatlipoca, was considered an “earth god.” He was, however, responsible for earthquakes, and made his home beneath the mountains, in the depths of the underworld. Tonantzin was one of the few examples of an earth-related deity who was particularly benevolent, but even then she was associated more with the sustenance given by crops and seen as a grandmotherly goddess of the Aztec people, rather than being deeply associated with the forces of untamed nature.

5. The Gods
So far, I have mentioned various points in which the Aztec deities differ from the typical Wiccan and Neopagan views on the gods. There is more, however. In witchcraft and Neopaganism, the gods are often viewed as being laid-back in terms of how one should approach them. Virtually all deities are seen as having the best interests of humankind in mind; even the darker ones are often seen as being quite benevolent in the end. The idea that the gods would ever ask for anything difficult or painful from their followers is mostly disregarded, people need only give what is easy to give, the old adage “it’s the thought that counts” seems to be behind most rituals and offerings. A person “works with” a deity, or “uses” the deity in spells. The gods are often viewed as being equals to humans, who walk along side their devotees or even frolic with them, perhaps more than guide them. The idea of worshipping deities is not very ingrained in most Neopagan practices, although the word “worship” may be used, the approach is rarely of a worshipful variety. While I know that different members of the Pagan community may have vastly different approaches to what kind of conduct is “appropriate” as far as the gods are concerned, this does seem to sum up the more pervasive viewpoints in the community. Considering that the Wiccan Rede states “An it harm none, do what ye wilt,” it really isn’t a stretch for Wiccans and others to take this approach to deities. If taken as a universal rule, the gods would never harm humans or ask them to do anything that might be interpreted as “harmful,” and it would be perfectly acceptable to do whatever one wants in regards to how to approach deities.

However, just as the Wiccan Rede does not fit well with Aztec beliefs, neither does the common Neopagan approach to deities. To the Aztecs, the gods were very much beings to be worshipped. In modern society, there is often an aversion to the concept of “worship,” many interpreting it as groveling and scraping like slaves before the gods. This is unfortunate, as it has caused many to discard the idea of revering the gods as greater in any way. To the Aztecs, the gods were worshipped as the creators, the fathers and mothers of the people, their protectors and the givers of their sustenance, and as simply awesome cosmic powers. In Aztec thought, the gods were very much beings to be revered and honored as elders and superiors, although this is much different than the idea that many have that “worship” means that one must debase and degrade oneself before the gods.

As the creators and sustainers of the world and the people in it, however, the Aztec gods were not universally benevolent parents. They were perfectly willing to exact discipline upon their human wards, but more than that, the gods were seen as existing beyond human needs. By this, I mean that the gods were acknowledged as having their own “divine plan,” their own concerns and plots, beyond humanity. While many see the gods as existing mainly as caretakers for humankind, the Aztec gods had their own interests beyond the mortal realm. The gods had their own desires which often conflicted with one another, and they might use people for their own devices on occasion. This was not a one-sided relationship. The gods gave humans a great many things, and even sacrificed of themselves for the good of the people many times, but they expected things in return.

What follows from these various points is that the Aztec gods expect treatment of a highly respectful degree. Being “used” for a spell, or “working with” a person would likely be seen as disrespect. That is not to say that the Aztec deities are averse to participating in rituals or spells, but that they expect some reason to be established as to why they should do so, and appropriate conduct in doing so. For example, the Aztec deities do care about what they are given as offerings. Different deities have different preferences, but in Aztec thought, what one is offering is just as important and carries just as much meaning in it as the thought behind the offering. Different things have different values in Aztec belief, and a piece of jade, a beautiful feather, or even some blood will have more meaning to an Aztec deity than a piece of old jewelry one doesn’t want. Generally, the Aztec deities expect the person calling on them to establish a decent relationship with them prior to asking them for something, rather than simply adding their name to the invocation list during an Eclectic ritual. After all, how would you feel if someone you’d never seen before knocked on your door, asked you for some money, and then threw you a trinket that meant nothing to you in return?

6. An Old Native Religion
The inherent contradictions between common Wiccan and Neopagan beliefs and the beliefs of the Aztecs can be traced to a root cause: the fact that Aztec and Wiccan beliefs have vastly different backgrounds. At its heart, the Aztec religion is a native tradition of the Americas. This means that it evolved completely independently of European thought, and the common spiritual occult beliefs that arose in Europe. The Aztec religion existed before the New Age movement and Aleister Crowley. Wicca and much of Neopaganism have been deeply influenced by these things, as well as by Western philosophy and Eastern mysticism. The Aztecs possessed their own unique religious practices, spiritual beliefs, and philosophies, which were valid and relevant in their own right. When attempts are made to make such an original belief system fit into the very different molds of Wicca and common Neopaganism, you end up with something that is a mockery of it.

Furthermore, I have to personally object to the morality of “Eclecticizing” the Aztec religion. 500 years ago, the Spaniards did their best to eradicate the Aztec religion. What survives and what can be reclaimed is, I believe, very precious. I would suggest that anyone who has a sincere interest in Aztec beliefs approach their practice respectfully, rather than diluting them through a mold that doesn’t fit. This is something we owe to the gods and the ancient Aztecs themselves.

Many Eclectics make the mistake that all ancient beliefs are reconcilable or easily molded to be what the individual desires, but that simply isn’t the case. There are many more points to Aztec beliefs and philosophy which do not fit well with most Wiccan and common Neopagan beliefs. For these reasons, and out of sheer respect for this ancient religion, I hope that I have persuaded those of you who have interest in the Aztec religion to approach it in an authentic and honorable manner.