Western Esotericism in Brazil: The Influence of Esoteric Thought on the Valley of the Dawn
Nova Religio February 1, 2020 K. Hayes
The Valley of the Dawn, a Brazilian new religious movement founded in the 1960s by clairvoyant medium Neiva Chaves Zelaya (Aunt Neiva), is examined through the intellectual contributions of her partner Mário Sassi. Sassi, an early convert and intellectual seeker, selectively drew on esoteric ideas from theosophical and spiritist texts to interpret and systematize Aunt Neiva's visions, shaping the movement's Doctrine. This collaboration produced a Brazilian form of Western esotericism, now an international movement with over 600 affiliated temples across Brazil and worldwide.