His name in the Nahuatl language is often translated as `` Smoking Mirror '' because of his connection to obsidian , the material from which mirrors were made in Mesoamerica and which was used for shamanic rituals . His name in the Nahuatl language is often translated as `` Smoking Mirror '' and alludes to his connection to obsidian , the material from which mirrors were made in Mesoamerica and which was used for shamanic rituals .