Marcelo Ramos Motta

Marcelo Ramos Motta (June 27, 1931 – August 26, 1987), also known by his magical names of Parzival X0, and Parzival XI0, was a Thelemic writer from Brazil, and member of A∴A∴.

Early life

Motta was born at the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Very little is known about his childhood, only that he was born into a family with Swiss-German ancestry and received a very strict education, amplified by his admission at the Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro (Colégio Militar do Rio de Janeiro). His father was a follower of the doctrine of Allan Kardec and his mother was Catholic. At eleven years of age he became interested for the first time in the mysterious "Rosicrucians", after reading Zanoni, the novel by Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, He also read works by Papus, Blavatsky, Patanjali, Paracelsus and Arnold Krumm-Heller. He "decided to search for them and to become one of those mysterious Adepts". But his first contact with a self-proclaimed Rosicrucian society, the Brazilian branch of AMORC, did not satisfy him and he started his search for an initiatory school of the sort he found in Arnold Krumm-Heller's novel "Rose-Croix."

His time at the Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro gave him a sense of duty and discipline, which he applied to his occult research. During that time, he became interested in astrology and tarot, among other esoteric topics. Those interests were not very common among his fellow students, but they gave him some knowledge to argue with his philosophy teacher in a debate that became famous for years.

At the age of 17 he made contact with the Fraternitas Rosicruciana Antiqua, Arnold Krumm-Heller's Rosicrucian order, and took his first initiations in 1948. Local political tension impelled him to move to Europe and then to the United States of America. His mission on this voyage, given by the Brazilian leadership of the FRA, was to meet Parsival Krumm-Heller (son of Arnold Krumm-Heller and then legal leader of FRA) and mediate the contacts between the Brazilian group and the international leadership.

Thelema

Motta's first contact with Thelema was through John Symonds' book biography of Aleister Crowley, The Great Beast. Motta saw many connections between the Law of Thelema and parts of his initiations at FRA, but he had never previously heard about Thelema or Aleister Crowley. Furthermore, the book gave him some serious doubts about Crowley's initiations. After asking P. Krumm-Heller about the subject, Motta received from him considerable material about Thelema and Crowley, readings that completely changed Motta's opinion about Crowley and his methods and philosophy. Later, in the USA, P. Krumm-Heller introduced Motta to Karl Germer, leader of Ordo Templi Orientis at that time.

Returning to Brazil in 1962, Motta translated and published Crowley's Liber Aleph and wrote Calling the Children of the Sun, the first Thelemic writing published in Brazil (later this work was suppressed by Motta himself for fear of political repercussions). From this year to 1987, Motta, as a member of A∴A∴ had numerous students under his tutelage.

Karl Germer died in 1962, and in 1969, Grady McMurtry assumed control of O.T.O. based on his letters of "emergency authorization" given to him by Crowley. In 1975, Motta published "The Commentaries of AL", as The Equinox, Volume V, Number 1. This book was published by Samuel Weiser, Inc., and contained commentaries on The Book of The Law written by Aleister Crowley and by Motta himself. He also used this book to announce his claim to be the Outer Head of the Order (O.H.O.) of O.T.O.. This claim was rejected by U.S. court in 1978, when Motta unsuccessfully sued for ownership of Crowley's copyrights. The case was finally rejected on appeal in 1985.[1]

Later years

Motta admired and practiced oriental martial arts, especially Judo and Tae Kwon Do. In 1973 Motta self-produced a movie called "O Judoka" ("The Judo Fighter"). Apparently, the movie did not pay for itself, forcing him to pay for its debts in the few following years.

In 1975, Motta wrote lyrics for some of the songs of The Novo Aeon (New Aeon) Album which was released by musician Raul Seixas in the same year.

Motta never had any kind of economic stability, jumping from job to job and making a living as an English teacher, aided by the help of his followers. He died on August 26, 1987, in the city of Teresópolis (Brazil) at the age of 56 of myocardial infarction (a heart attack.)

Motta established his version of O.T.O. called Society Ordo Templi Orientis in Brazil and elsewhere. The order never reveals the number of its members but it was significantly smaller than the legally recognized Ordo Templi Orientis. The legally recognized O.T.O. is now headed by a student of Motta's named William Breeze. Motta's pupils included the Brazilian celebrity novelist Paulo Coelho,[2] mathematician and philosopher Gary Costner (Frater P.L.S.), and musician Raul Seixas. He originally bequeathed his succession to the care of three pupils (William Robert Barden, Claudia Canuto de Menezes, and Daniel Ben Stone) on the condition that they agree. (Deed and Trust, dated October 15, 1984). They failed to do so. Barden did succeed in publishing some authorized editions of Motta's work.

The Australian branch of Motta's S.O.T.O. was named the Parzival XI0 O.T.O. Foundation and operated from a post office box in Belconnen, A.C.T. up until the early 1990s. Its book distribution was handled out of a post office box in Collins St, Melbourne. As well as distributing Motta's other publications, the Parzival IX0 O.T.O. Foundation issued five numbers of a journal, The Journal of Thelemic Scholarship, which reprinted rare Crowley writings and other Thelemic materials.

Ray Eales and H.O.O.R.

Following Motta's death, S.O.T.O. was headed by Ray Eales (b. 1978) a.k.a. Frater 939, the author of such volumes as Essays to Keph-Ra, Essays in the Astral Light, The Journey and the Waiting and other Thelemic Poems and Magick Revised. The Fourfold Word. Volume I number I. The Journal of Scientific Illuminism. The Official Publication of the A.:.A.:. formerly The Equinox. In 1991, Eales established H.O.O.R. (Holy Order of RaHoorKhuit), an outer Thelemic order, and has published various volumes by Motta under the imprint of H.O.O.R. Publications from Tampa, Florida. . H.O.O.R. also began issuing the journal Warriors LVX in 1993; this had reached Vol 11, No 1 by Spring 2004 - its 'Aeonic Centennial edition'.

Published works

In Portuguese
  • O Equinócio dos Deuses (being the translation of Crowley's Magick (Book 4) Part IV)
  • Yoga e Magia (being the translation of Magick (Book 4) Part I)
  • Magia e Misticismo (being the translation of Magick (Book 4) Part II)
  • Ataque e Defesa Astral ("Astral Attack and Defense", 1978, written by Motta)
  • Carta a um Maçom ("Letter to a Brazilian Mason", written by Motta). A startling affirmation of the true spiritual and Gnostic meaning of the Christ, and damning indictment of how it has been abused and misinterpreted throughout the ages.
  • Dos Propósitos Políticos da Ordem ("Of The Political aims of the O.T.O.", written by Motta)
  • Moral e Cívica Telêmicas ("Thelemic Political Morality", written by Motta)

In English

The publications of Thelema Publishing Company and Troll Publishing Company emanated from Nashville, TN.

Pamphlets
  • Thelemic Political Morality (S.O.T.O., 1978 2nd pr 1980)
  • Manifesto (S.O.T.O., 1980 [USA]; UK edition published by Society Ordo Templi Orientis of England, 1980 - designated '2nd ed')
  • Of the Political Aims of the O.T.O. (S.O.T.O. 1980; expanded ed Dark Star Press [USA] 2005)
  • Letter to a Brazilian Mason (Troll Publishing Co, 1980)
  • Liber AL vel Legis — The Book of the Law (Troll Publishing Co, 1980 - hardcover; German ed by Aton Lodge Press, Bochum, 2013)
  • Calling the Children of the Sun (S.O.T.O. 1983-84; reprint lulu.com, 2019)

The Equinox series

All volumes in this series were issued as limited edition hardcovers and also in trade paperback editions, with the exception of The Commentaries of AL which was officially published in hardcover only. (There was an unauthorised paperbound reprint published by Joseph J. Zver of Allentown PA in 1985).

  • The Equinox — Vol. V n. 1 — The Commentaries of AL. (Routledge, Kegan, Paul, 1976, red cloth; 2nd ed with expanded index, purple cloth, published Canberra, A.C.T. Australia by a small group of A.'.A.'. Neophytes and O.T.O. Members under the authority of William Robert Barden, sole surviving Director of the Society O.T.O. at the time of Motta's death.) Preface by James Wasserman. Includes Crowley's 'Old' and 'New' Commentaries on Liber AL, together with Motta's own commentaries.
  • The Equinox — Vol. V n. 2 - (Liber) LXV Commented (Thelema Publishing Co, 1979). The hardcover edition, limited to 200 copies signed by Motta, was the only limited/signed edition of the series. Though popularly known as 'LVX Commented', this volume includes various other texts by Crowley and others including Motta and Fernando Pessoa. Liber XV is Crowley's Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente - The Book of the Heart Girt With a Serpent.
  • The Equinox — Vol. V n. 3 — The Chinese Texts of Magick and Mysticism. Includes Crowley's versions of the Yi Jing; the Dau de Jing; and the Jing Gan Jing, with other texts by Crowley commented. Also includes work by comic book writer T. Casey Brennan (as referenced at this Australian site:[3]) and texts by others including Ray Eales.
  • The Equinox — Vol. V n. 4 — Sex and Religion. Includes Crowley's The Bagh-i-Muattar; The Paris Working; The Wake World; Diary 1906-07; and other texts, commented.

The Oriflamme series

All volumes in this series were issued as trade paperbacks only.

  • Yoga and Magick — Book Four Part I Being the Oriflamme VI, No 1 (1982; 2nd pr Dec 1984)
  • Magick and Mysticism — Book Four Part II Being the Oriflamme VI, No 2 (1982). German edition combining Oriflamme VI Nos 1-2 as Yoga, Magick and Mysticism, Being Book Four Parts I & II Commented, Bochum Aton Lodge Press, 2013
  • Magick Without Tears Unexpurgated Commented— Part I Being the Oriflamme VI, No 3
  • Magick Without Tears Unexpurgated Commented— Part II Being the Oriflamme 6, No 4
  • Thelemic Magick Unexpurgated Commented — Part I Being the Oriflamme Vol VI, No 5 (1987). Prints Crowley's Magick (Book 4) Chapters 1-12 and other material.
  • Thelemic Magick Unexpurgated - Part II Being the Oriflamme Vol VI, No 6 (1991). Prints Crowley's Magick (Book 4) Chapters 13-21 together with rituals and A∴A∴ documents.
  • The Equinox of the Gods Being the Oriflamme VI, No 7. This volume was announced but appears not to have been published.

H.O.O.R. Publications and Silver Star Publications (Tampa, FL) (Ray Eales)
  • The Equinox Vol. VII, No. 1 by Aleister Crowley Marcelo Motta. Edited by Ray Eales & Vance Borland. Published by Silver Star Publications, Tampa, 1992. A collection of texts, a number of which were written by Aleister Crowley, others by Motta and also many other pieces by members of SOTO. Includes the full text of Crowley's Liber 231, and is followed a 60 page text, "Liber CCXXXI Visions by S.T.S", which is a magical record of qliphothic workings, and resulting visions - recorded by S.T.S. between May 1978 & Dec, 1980.
  • Two Essays [ "Letter to a Brazilian Mason" by Motaa; and "Thelema, Politics, Society and You, an Essay" by Eales] (1996)
  • Astral Attack and Defense (2006). Translated by Monica D. Rocha with commentaries by Ray Eales. Though in English, printed in Brazil.

Other
  • Letter to a Brasilian Mason [bilingual Portuguese and English edition] (From the "Tracts on Brazilian Masonry" series & now including a "Biographical Note"). Dark Star Press [USA], 2005. Addendum translated by Monicha [Monica] D. Rocha.
  • Tracts on Aquarian Masonry (lulu.com, 2005)
  • A Literary Selection from the Works of Marcelo Ramos Motta (lulu.com, 2017). Contains poetry from Marcelo Ramos Motta's Poesias, first published in Brasil in 1951 e.v. It is here translated from Portuguese into English for the first time. The volume also contains two screenplays and a novelet written under the pen name 'Mark Hellington'. Both screenplays were produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the late 1950s e.v, and his sci-fi novelet, "The Silver Cube", first appeared in Future Science Fiction in 1958 e.v.

References
  1. "Marcelo Ramos Motta, Etc., et al., Plaintiffs, Appellants, v. Samuel Weiser, Inc., Etc., Defendant, Appellee, 768 F.2d 481 (1st Cir. 1985)". Justia.com. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  2. Morais, Fernando (2009). Paulo Coelho: A Warrior's Life. HarperLuxe. ISBN 978-0061885884.
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20050220130811/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~realoto/eqv3c.html
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