THE HISTORY OF THE O.T.O.A. (1921-2001)

In 1905, the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim was introduced into Germany from England by John Yarker, 97, who was then the Grand Hierophant of the rite. The first German leaders were K. Kellner and Theodor Heuss, who created a magical order known as the Ordo Templi Orientis by means of a reduction of the magical grades of the Rite of Memphis-Misraim from 97 to 9, with a 10th grade, which was purely administrative.

Lucien-Francois Jean-Maine was born in Leogane, Haiti, on January 11, 1869. He died in Boston in 1960. He had been initiated into the four grades of Voudoo, both religious and esoteric, by the time he was consecrated as a Gnostic patriarch in 1899. In 1910, he received the succession of the O.T.O. from Encausse, who had received it about 1908. Encausse gave Jean-Maine his magical consecrations in order to establish a magical order similar to the O.T.O. in Haiti. Following the return of Jean-Maine to Haiti, the Ordo Templi Orientis Antiqua was created officially December 22, 1921. Latterly the Couleuvre Noire was organized in Haiti, in 1922, on the basis of the Haitian O.T.O.A.

Following the death of Encausse in 1916, the French O.T.O. underwent an internal schism. One group, led by Jean Bricaud, appealed to Theodore Reuss for a new line of succession and initiation. Reuss gave this neo-Gnostic order his approval and transmitted to them his magical line: of consecration. Jean-Maine found himself at the head of the original order, which followed the original constitution of Papus and Synesius. He decided to move to Spain, where the original order was stronger, and thus in 1919 relocated in Madrid. There he learned that as early as 1907 Jean Bricaud had organized a Gnostic church by separating himself from authority of Synesius. Disturbed greatly by these conflicts within the Gnosis, Jean-Maine consecrated as his vicar for Europe Martin Ortier de Sanchez y Marraga in 1921. Jean-Maine departed for Haiti, and upon arrival there entered into an arranged marriage with the youngest daughter of the Voudoo patriarch in Leogane. Only one child was bom of this union, which was based upon the magical idea of producing an ideal body for the incoming soul of an advanced adept. This child, a son, was born on January 18, 1925, and named Hector-Francois. The child was circumcised according to Voudoo rites by his father, who later baptised him into the Gnosis.

Gradually, the Couleuvre Noire developed and absorbed the O.T.O.A., the later alone continuing in Spain, under Lucien-Francois Jean-Maine's authority. In France, the O.T.O. of Bricaud became more and more centered about his used occult book store. Aleister Crowley had inherited the O.T.O. authority for England and Germany with the death of the Grand Master Reuss, about 1921. In Scandinavia, however, there continued an O.T.O. jurisdiction, following the original constitution of Papus, and linked to the Gnostic Church of the Ophites, which had been organized within the O.T.O. current by Jean-Maine about 1912. This Scandinavian Gnostic order is now entirely under the jurisdiction of the Monastery of the Seven Rays. From 1922 until his death in 1960, Jean-Maine devoted himself to magical studies and the education of his son Hector-Francois. Both men held the offices and magical orders of Masters Zothyrius, Mercurius, Aquarius and Capricorn, which officers and orders held latterly by Michael Bertiaux.

Jean-Maine on several occasions sought to bring about unity within the total Gnostic family and sought to communicate this idea to Bricaud and his successors. However, out of fear of a magical takeover, making use of the techniques of esoteric Voudoo, the records of the older Gnostic churches were destroyed, making any evidence of Jean-Maine's link with Encausse difficult to prove. Only in the Spanish Sovereign Sanctuary of Memphis-Misraim, from which all French occultists admit that Encausse derived his Memphis-Misraim authority, were these documents cherished. As these documents form the basic link between the Monastery of the Seven Rays and

the systems of esoteric and Gnostic Voudoo, they are guarded carefully, in order to keep them from being destroyed by those who wish to deny Gnostic initiation to the black race. This is the reason why the Order of Martinists in Paris does not give out the initiations of the Rite of the Elect Priesthood to any Haitians, for they fear that such Haitians would find out about their original right to these grades of magical attainment and theurgy, and then set about to destroy the entire facade of modern Parisian occultism. For this reason, the only valid Haitian Gnostic bishops will be found within our tradition, and at present subject to the Jurisdiction of the Haitian Patriarch, Docteur Pierre-Antoine Saint-Charles.

In Haiti, Hector-Francois Jean-Maine sought to revive an interest in the work of O.T.O.A. This order had developed in Spain along very interesting sexo-magic lines. Therefore, in 1948-49, he began to work the rites and degrees (there were 16 magical degrees) of the O.T.O.A. under the form of Lycanthropie Kabbalistique, which is a very highly developed form of sexual magic reserved for the best adepts of the Couleuvre Noire. This magical current, which was formally established in January, 1949 drew upon the Gnostic, Ophidian, Naasenic and Tantric ideas of the original constitution of Papus. On January 5, 1949, Hector-Francois, entirely nude and with his body painted with the red, orange, yellow, cream and purple symbols of the highest adepts of Lycanthropie Kabbalistique, opened the Temple of the Two Yggdrasills (the Solar-Legbha and the Stellar-Legbha) by performing sexo-magical rites before the assembled Grand Master of the Haitian Esotericism. With this type of work, he soon ritualized the entire Ophidian system of magical points, which is discussed in the Monastery of the Seven Rays courses. With the ejaculations of each orgasm, he materialized to sensible form the mighty Choronzon and other beings from beyond the limits of our universe, who are ever seeking to pour into this world and reestablish their rule forever.

In order to show that the O.T.O.A. was different from the Couleuvre Noire and in no way connected with the O.T.O., on January 17, 1949, Hector-Francois proceeded to a high mountain, outside of Leogane. There at the top of the mountain, and attended by 16 master-initiates of the O.T.O.A., he began the process of calling down the Host of Heaven. Again, entirely nude, with his body painted with the magical symbols of the 16 magical planets of the Gnostic cosmology, the 24-year-old magician, possessed by the Cosmic Serpents, danced the mysteries and performed sexo-magical rites with the attending priests. The resulting materializations in the orgasmic aether served to show that the Haitian O.T.O.A. had captured the true magical current of the age and that Hector-Francois was indeed the magical high-priest of the new age of magic.

In 1955 Hector-Francois, with the approval of his father, transformed the O.T.O.A. into a Gnostic and Ophitic church. The reason for this was quite simple. First of all, he was interested in the possibility of unification and simplification in all areas of initiatic activity. Knowing that there were other groups making use of the name O.T.O., he sought to avoid any confusion between his magical order and work and the non-Voudoo orders of Western Europe. Secondly, he wished to develop his own system so that it would be possible to explore newer areas in sexual magic, without any idea of having to fulfill the requirements of an already-existing magical order. With this in mind, he sought to develop his own Temple of Lycanthropie Kabbalistic. Because of his many travels in connection with his education, and especially in regard to his researches in Africa for his dissertation on those magical plants that had been brought to Haiti by the Voudoo high-priests who came as slaves in the early colonial times, he was able to make many contacts with magicians and sorcerers in various parts of the world. By means of exchanging initiations with these adepts, he was able to develop a truly universal gnosis of sexual magic. His father died in 1960, and the government of the Gnostic Church of Mempnis-Misraim was given to Docteur de Sanchez y Marraga, who ruled the widespread, but very small, order of adepts from his monastery in Spain. Yet, due to his many health problems, he found the responsibilities far too heavy to bear, and pleaded with Hector-Francois to assist him.

Michael Paul Bertiaux was bom in the USA in January, 1935 and studied theurgy under Haitian masters and Voudoo adepts from 1963-1975. On August 15, 1963, while he was visiting in Haiti, Docteur Jean-Maine explained to Bertiaux that he was about to leave for Madrid to be consecrated to the patriarchate of the Ecclesia Gnostica, and wished to know if Docteur Bertiaux would be willing to assist him in his esoteric work. An agreement was worked out, and Jean-Maine entered into a magical pact with Bertiaux. Upon his return to the USA, Docteur Bertiaux then devoted himself entirely to the cause of esoteric studies, while keeping himself in telepathic contact with Docteur Jean-Maine.

Hector-Francois Jean-Maine was consecrated to the Gnostic patriarchate on November 2, 1963. This Feast Day of the Catholic religion, and known as All Soul's Day, is sacred in Voudoo as the Festival of the God of Magic, the Mighty Guedhe-Nibbho. Shortly afterwards Docteur de Sanchez y Marraga took seriously ill and died. However, for the next five years, he was held astrally within the magnetic sphere of the Earth by magical means, and fed with sexual energy of Hector-Francois, in order to help him to learn every detail of his magical office. Indeed, it was by this method that de Sanchez y Marraga assisted Hector-Francois in the magical consecration of Docteur Bertiaux in 1966. Since 1966, as the influence of the Gnostic Church has become world-wide again, Docteur Jean-Maine had been able to release the astral self of Docteur de Sanchez y Marraga, and then to rule the rite ancient et primitif de Memphis-Misraim, assisted by Michael Bertiaux and the other Gnostic patriarchs. In 1970, Hector-Francois consecrated Docteur Bertiaux as the Sovereign Grand Master of the O.T.O.A., following his election to that office by the Grand \ Masters of Spain, Haiti and Louisiana-Illinois. This grade is usually held by the assistant to the" Grand Hierophant of the Rite of Memphis-Misraim.

Between April 10 and 17, in the city of Liege, Belgium, in the year 1973, there was held a meeting of the worldwide synod of Gnostic Bishops of the true Gnostic succession and communion. The following organizations were present through their representatives:

1. The Monastery of the Seven Rays
2 . The Ecclesia Gnostica Spiritualis
3. The Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Misraim
4. The Ecclesia Gnostica Ophitica
5. The Universal Martinist Federation of Initiatics
6. The Albigensian Gnostic Rite of Haiti
7 . Die Vereinigung fur gnostisches und magisches Christentum
8. Die Vereinigung fur gnostische und theurgische Ontologie das esoterischen Christentum. (7 and 8 are Swiss Gnostic and magical orders, based upon Catholic tradition and initiatic order-foundation)
9. The Esoteric Rite of the Rose-Croix
10. The Church of the Mandala of Giordano Bruno
11. The Fraternitas Hermetica
12. The American Synod of Gnostic Bishops
13. The QBLH Alchemist Church
14. The Martinist Order of Rose-Croix and Aleph-Initiates
15. The Interior Sanctuary of the Elect Priesthood
16. The Naasenian Gnostic Brotherhood of Initiates and Adepts

These mystical orders of initiation, derived from the ancient Gnostic and Hermetic traditions of western occultism, approved the publication of the magical history of the Ecclesia Gnostica (Rite of Memphis-Misraim) as well as the exchange of initiations and consecrations among all adepts present. These orders of magical adeptship agreed to the formation of a world-wide magical brotherhood of adepts, to be located within the Inner Retreat of the Monastery of the Seven Rays, and having as its name "le rite ancient et primitif de Memphis-Misraim", wherein each constitutive body, order or society, will be able to provide the initiatic traditions and work for the various sections within the Memphis-Misraim degree system. As a result of this action, Docteur Jean-Maine, the Grand Hierophant of the Rite of Memphis-Misraim, becomes the ruling adept of each of the 16 member orders and their sub-orders.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's, at the request of the synod of the Bishops of the Ecclesia Gnostica Spiritualis, Docteur Bertiaux wrote the four years of lesson courses, which form the basic course of the Monastery of the Seven Rays Outer Retreat, directed from the Inner Retreat in Chicago.

Originally, the Monastery of the Seven Rays was a Roman Catholic and Benedictine institution, as its name implies. Much of this original tradition still seems to survive in many of the practices of this school. In the 18th Century, the Monastery was a center of research for the Gnostic Catholic Church in Spain. This Church must be understood to be of the "Old Catholic Spiritualist" tradition and not connected with Aleister Crowley's group.
In the present century, the Monastery became the center for a series of courses and magical instruction. The Monastery was also reorganized due to the activities of the Rite of Memphis-Misraim, a one time Masonic order that is now entirely theurgical in its work. The Outer Retreat of the Monastery became the school for an international correspondence class in magical subjects, while the Inner Retreat, which is not physically located in Spain, became the center of research and initiation.
The teachings of the Monastery are derived from Gnostic, Bon'pa, Tantric, Voudoo, Cabalistic and Extra-Terrestrial Sources. Although the Monastery's aims have always been in accordance with Thelemic principles, stating clearly in the early stages of the course that self-discovery is the ultimate goal of occultism, it has always been absolutely non-dogmatic in its approach. However, some adepts of the Inner Order realized the importance and the desirability of participating in the Work of the New Aeon and on August 15, 1973, formal acceptance of the Law of Thelema was allowed. From August, 1973, Hector-Francois Jean-Maine asked Marc Lully to serve as Grand Master-Conservator of the O.T.O.A. for a two year term, in order to integrate the New Aeon posture into the O.T.O.A. among young students. Marc Lully served in his office until he moved on to work with the psychiana movements in spiritualism.

On 1975, Docteur Bertiaux was appointed by Jean-Maine as Grand-Hierophant Conservateur of the Rite de Memphis-Misraim, and the same year he appointed Ken Ward, a Canadian chela of the Monastery, to serve as the liaison for Thelemically-oriented Monastery students and raised Ward in 1976 to the rank of Grand Master of the O.T.O.A. in order to direct the research circle and communication program and publications of the Monastery students who were formally committed to the Law of Thelema,
Since this year the O.T.O.A. was operating within the MS7R system and headed by the Grand Master Ward, who was in direct contact with the Inner Retreat and the Grand Hierophant Bertiaux. It began to issue a quarterly publication called Instrumentum available only to the members. The O.T.O.A. became then a non-initiatory order in the usual traditional sense. The Order became also a non-teaching one, although discussion and exchange of ideas was encouraged between members. The Monastery of the Seven Rays became a part of Technicians of the Sacred and still is the teaching vehicle for the O.T.O.A. The official public organ of the O.T.O.A. and the L.C.N. is a publication entitled Societe Journal. Instrumentum is the quarterly journal for members only of the O.T.O.A. and L.C.N.

In December, 1981 Ken Ward retired himself from the outer activities of the O.T.O.A. and named Manuel C. Lamparter as the Sovereign Grand Master under the sanction of Docteur Bertiaux. Docteur Lamparter was a personal chela of Michael Bertiaux and a student of the Monastery of the Seven Rays since 1976.

Under Docteur Lamparter, the O.T.O.A. continued the same lines given by Ken Ward in establishing friendly and fraternal links with other Thelemic and Gnostic groups around the world. In December, 1982 Manuel C. Lamparter was consecrated Gnostic Bishop by the Most Reverend Rosa Miller in Seville, Spain. Tau Rosa was in possession of all the valid Gnostic successions, and she accepted the request of Docteur Bertiaux to go to Spain in order to consecrate Manuel C. Lamparter there. In 1983 the Spanish Gnostic Church was reorganized by Lamparter under the name of "Ecclesia Gnostica Latina" (Ecclesia Gnostica Spiritualia) on the basis of the O.T.O.A. structure and the teachings of the Monastery of the Seven Rays.

In December, 1988 Courtney Willis was appointed Sovereign Grand Master of the O.T.O.A., by Docteur Lamparter, under the sanction of Docteur Bertiaux. In 1989 Michael Bertiaux declared Courtney Willis as Ogdoade-OrefoVIII while Manuel Lamparter resigned all offices in the OTOA by 1995. Docteur Willis, also a personal chela of Michael Bertiaux, is a natural magician and leading force in the neo-African religious and magical movement. Docteur Willis was so able to carry on the tradition of the Franco-Haitian O.T.O. (F.H.O.T.O..) as he was given the ritual process of the Obligation of the Secret by Michael Bertiaux which was not passed to Ken Ward or Manuel C. Lamparter as Sovereign Grand Master of the O.T.O.A., and without it authority for the F.H.O.T.O. can not be possessed. Docteur Willis was appointed Sovereign Grand Master Absolute (S.G.M.A.) of the O.T.O.A. by Michael P. Bertiaux and he has and continues to be the head and supreme authority for the O.T.O.A.,there is no other. So in 1991 Docteur Willis was given the true and valid succession to the O.T.O.A. directly from Michael Bertiaux.

In May ,2005 David Beth of Germany was appointed Sovereign Grand Master of the O.T.O.A., by the Sovereign Grand Master Absolute, Docteur Courtney Willis. Docteur David Beth continues the rich traditions of the O.T.O.A., and brings with him knowledge, experience and integrity .
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Under Docteur Willis and Docteur Beth the O.T.O.A. continued friendly and fraternal links with magical, Gnostic, Thelemic, neo-African, African and occult groups world-wide. But it was no longer a "Thelemic" organization, and became more Gnostic and magical in nature, because Courtney Willis wished to return to the spiritist roots in Voudon or the original and esoteric intentions of the Jean-Maine Famille, with the encouragement of Michael Bertiaux.

Nowadays, the O.T.O.A. is a Gnostic-magical organization. There are 16 grades and degrees (seen as an extension of the four elements into the four dimensions of space consciousness) which are felt to be necessary simply as a structural tool. These grades and degrees are not to be considered as status symbols, one being as equally important as another. The O.T.O.A. is intended to function as a magical machine powered by the occult energy of its members. This is why structure or degree system is important. Any efficient machine must be precisely structured; otherwise, energy is lost. This energy cannot be lost needlessly because it comes as bright powers from-LesVudu.