From: Sebastião Carvalho To: Peter Koenig koenig @ cyberlink.ch Date: May 1996
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As to the OTO I have also been "initiated" in Rio, but I think that the most important of all it was the INITIATIONS I could receive on other planes and the works that, oriented by the Master Therion's instructions (and other Masters) I have accomplished, specially THE NEO LIBER LEGIS. (Which I hoped you would appreciate!). As to historical matters, there is an interest, but not so much. Instead I prefer to MAKE HISTORY! See the SCT history in "the rest". Love is the Law, Love under Will! ONIRACIOCONSUPRA!]
EXPLAINING SOME FACTS When I say "initiated" I refer to one ceremony held by a group self- intitled MAAT that tried to establish an OTO representation in Brazil in the year 1989 (?), in Rio de Janeiro city. The self-called Grand Master was an individual named Marcos Antonio de Azevedo Pereira (Frater QVIF) associated to other masonic and non-masonic individuals. They opened a commercial firm to sell esoteric (exoteric) articles, and tried to run an OTO Lodge in the same space. They have practiced several bad actions, resulting in the crushing of the group. Later, I decided to join the OTO (the so-called Califado) that a young group was trying to run in Rio de Janeiro. My intention was to help them to work Master Therion's material, to perform the Great Work. I hoped there would be a space to our new contributions to the Thelemic Philosophy and the Gnostic Religion. I was wrong! What I could see then, was an almost insane group of young people with little knowledge but much thirst for power. And also, from the USA, the Califado's ruling group forcing to dominate all the thelemic manifestation in our country! I cut all contact with the Brazilian leader of that order, Marcelo Santos.
HOW IT ALL BEGUN Well, I was a member of the FRA when I came to find Crowley's Liber Legis in a bookstore in Rio de Janeiro. I noticed then that FRA rituals (First and Second degrees) were based on it... It seems that I was one of the first persons to translate Liber Legis to the Portuguese Language. This work was presented to FRA Third Degree Masters in Niteroi in 1982. There was a contact of Marcelo's Motta organization in São Paulo (Ribeirão Preto) with my order, the SACRED CIRCLE OF THELEMA, but they have practically cut it when they received a copy of our NEO LIBER LEGIS. Another contact has been made with the SOCIEDADE ALTERNATIVA of the late pop star RAUL SEIXAS, through TONINHO BUDA (co-author of a book on Raul). SILVIO PASSOS (Raul's secretary) wrote us a letter saying that Raul was very much impressed with the NEO LIBER LEGIS message and would like to know me and more about our work. But his health was not good at that occasion and the meeting didn't happen. Also EUCLYDES LACERDA DE ALMEIDA came to know our order, participating of some public events. He showed great enthusiasm but soon we could see it was not a deep sentiment...
As a matter of fact he did not accept the NEO LIBER LEGIS, proposing a treaty to work only on the LIBER LEGIS. So we had to give up the intention of working together with his institution.
Appendix February 2000 HOW WE ARE TODAY After these experiences I came to the conclusion that I had to work alone, or with persons not involved with organizations that had already petrified in its process!... So I went on with my work based on the SPIRA LEGIS, the ORACLE OF THELEMA and the NEO LIBER LEGIS, creating our site on the Internet and establishing our Sanctuary in the city of Niteroi RJ. Some important additions to our work was a Charter to found Memphis-Mizraim Lodges, an authorization to run a FRA Lodge in Brazil and the power of a Gnostic Bishop. To our SACRED CIRCLE OF THELEMA (SCT) and IGTU = GNOSTIC CHURCH OF UNIVERSAL TEMPLARS were then associated the FRATERNITAS ROSICRUCIANA ANTIQUA NO BRASIL (FRABRAS)and the RITO ORIENTAL DE MEMPHIS-MIZRAIM NO BRASIL (ROMMBRAS) and more recently the SUPREME INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE ORIENTAL RITE OF MEMPHIS-MIZRAIM (SICORMM). Besides our THELEMA LODGE in Rio de Janeiro, we have under our Obedience, the ETERNA LUZ DE RÁ LODGE in Buenos Aires, and we exchange material and maintain fraternal relations with several organizations, including AMORC, The Martinist Order, the Rosicrucian Order of the Grail and several important Initiates all over the world (specially via Web).
Now we are working to found a Lodge in Uruguay and another in Martinique. The same in Sao Paulo State (Brazil). We are members of the "regular Masonry", and next May, 2000, we are to receive the 31* Degree of the Scottish Rite. As to the other so-called "Supreme Councils" of the MM, we have to say that it is very difficult to establish connection with them, since each one claims to be THE ONE! But note: Our High Degrees are completely free from any link with any organization. Our tradition is: YARKER/GENELOHIM, and our work is based on the contributions of John Yarker, Marconis de Negree, Calvin Burt, Robert Ambelain, Albert Pike, Manuel Lamparter and others... The recently established SICORMM is directed by our Grand Hierophant, Master Genelohim, 97°, Frater Sannyasyn, 33°, 90° and Frater ATAL, 33°, 90°, 95°. It rulers the ROMMBRAS (Brazil) and the ROMMARG (Argentina). We certainly know that the OTO doesn't go further Chesed! This is done by the A.·. A.·. and the SCT! If you observe the SPIRA LEGIS and study the NEO LIBER LEGIS, you will come to this conclusion. The same to the "privilege" of the VIII°.
As to the FRA being a branch of Reuss' OTO and not Crowley's, it is well known here (not by many) that in the beginning the FRA masters honored the Beast as we can see reading the GNOSE bulletin of 1930 decade. And what about the use of Master Therion' material internally? Remember that Reuss had accepted Crowley's work. And this was our struggle here and the reason why we came to the foundation of the Sacred Circle of Thelema: We wanted to rescue the work of Aleister Crowley — but freely, not ruled by FRA or OTO. (Remember that in 1983, we had only Marcelo Motta with the OTO in Brazil, with very little acceptance, since Euclydes Lacerda — Kenneth Grant's — was isolated). After that, there was a moment I felt I could have been the OTO head in Brazil, if I contact the right persons abroad. But it happened the reception of the NEO LIBER LEGIS! Since then, everything has changed!... All these official OTO's papers that people look for to have power and rights are of little value if not linked to real initiatic work! Read the NLL! Everything's important, including History, but time is running! And the Initiation?
