History
The Temple of St. Brigid's Well (TSBW) is a hived coven (2010) of The Temple of St. Brigid's Moon (TSBM) previously located in Fresno CA. Our history is their history. When The Temple of St. Brigid's Moon (TSBM) closed in September of 2016, The Temple of St. Brigid's Well (TSBW) assumed TSBM's heritage. Our Grand High Priest is Rev. Dr. Michael "Doc" Farrell. Our Grand High Priestess is Lady Rev. Fox Feather and our High Priestess is Lady Moon Willow. The Original Coven, founded in 2004, re-organized in 2016 as TSBW. TSBW was originally sanctioned at Beltane 2011. It has 5 core members at the present time, including an fourteen year old. We are located in Upland CA. [Membership is down due to members relocating.]
The original coven, Te Temple of St. Brigid's Moon, began sometime in mid to late 2004, but probably had the seeds planted some time before spring of that year!
Stonehawk Wolf (aka "Doc") was, at the time, a Wiccan Adept with over 45 years on the path! Fox Feather (already Third Degree by a Familial Tradition of another coven) was looking for further training.
After meeting through a mutual friend, Stonehawk was asked by Fox Feather to mentor her and, after much thought, he agreed. Fox Feather had a number of other friends who believed as she did and they too, eventually asked in turn for a mentor. This became a challenge for Stonehawk!
Mentorship of these young men and women very rapidly developed into formal training, actually utilizing a classroom and more or less following standard teaching practices for college level students. Since most of them were college students, this worked to their advantage. A meeting place was secured at the Woodward Park Library with classes held twice a week for the first year. Students came and went but a small core group developed and remained together.
When the second year began, necessity required that time and place for classes be changed in order to accommodate everyone equally. We began meeting at a student's home. This had the effect of bringing us all closer together and we began to explore the possibility of becoming a formal coven, especially since it was apparent to all that we were behaving more like one than not.
The Coven Forms
After much careful thinking and planning, a large portion of the group had taken Coven shape to everyone's amazement! Officially, we formed TSBM in early of June 2004. We then began actively searching for things to do as a coven and found a number of community service projects to investigate and pursue. We are a supporter for the Fresno Pagan Pride Day celebration held in September each year.
NOTE: In late 2005, Doc was contacted by an Assistant Warden from the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. The prision wished to start a Wicca Program as they had the potential of over 20 or more interested inmates! Doc agreed to consult with them and approached the Coven about taking on this responsibility. It was enthusiastically received! Two of us designed and administered a Wicca Program with an average of 45 inmates at the facility twice a month for two years before turning it over to the inmates and the prison advisors.
The Temple of St. Brigid's Well (TSBW) Forms
In 2010, Doc and his wife decided, after living in the Central Valley for over 40 years, that it was time to return home to Southern California and be with family for their final years. They settled in the small town of Upland, CA, after spending two and a half years looking for an appropriate home. Doc had already established a learning core group in the area. The coven was formed about a month after their arrival after the core group had begun meeting several months before, lead by Lady Amber, who has since moved on. The Coven was sanctioned by the Fresno Coven's High Council at our first Beltain ritual in 2011.
What We Do
As with the Fresno Coven, TSBW is a teaching coven as well as a healing coven. We teach all Degree levels, giving "Generic" Wicca instruction and training through First Degree. Beginning with Second Degree, teaching is based more closely on our traditions, but still covers much of the generic concepts and ideas of Wicca. Third Degree and beyond are strictly under our traditional requirements.
Also like the Fresno Coven, we are a healing coven and offer healing services and training in the Sha'u'-Me' Energy Therapy™ technique. Secondary services include legal weddings (planning and performing), Handfastings and Handpartings, memorials (no funerals yet), Wiccanings, Life Change rituals/ceremonies (Births, Puberty, Croning or Eldering) and special requirements, some for which we charge a small and amazingly reasonable fee.
Our Tradition
We follow the Green and the Celtic traditions, eclectically, adding in small amounts of Native American teachings without stepping on their toes, along with some Irish concepts, and even incorporate some of the Scottish Clan traditions such as tartans and sashes, although these are not used as much now. We have given a name to our tradition: The Celtic Woodland Tradition. We are a relatively dry coven. limiting alcoholic consumpsion during any assembly to beer and wine in literally very small quantities. Hard liquor is restricted. We are not a skyclad coven by choice. However, this is not a restriction and skyclad is allowed as long as everyone involved agrees and children are excluded from the skyclad ritual (to date the skyclad option has yet to come up, anyway).
Membership in The Temple of St. Brigid's Well
The Coven currently has seven members. At any one time, there may be more students, most of which are distant from us, by more than 50 miles, and who study through the Internet using the SBAS web site and customized lessons. Members range in age from 11 to 71, with a mean average of about 41 and come from all walks of life. Where some groups have a limit of 13 members, we currently have no limit as to the number of allowable members. We also have very few restrictions on members and do not require secrecy documents and oaths because membership implies secrecy regarding our training! There are no membership fees but occasionally we ask for a voluntary donation of $2 to $3 per per person if a lesson becomes costly.
Adept training beyond Third Degree is available but is very rarely undertaken. Our Adept Master only accepts students of the highest calibre, integrity and devotion and no more than one student every two or three years. Adept studies involve considerable study time, personal evaluation, changes in lifestyle and IS in complete secrecy when actively pursued. Adept study is not defined here. If you do not know what it is, you have no need for it!
We do not advertise for members (this website and our Witch Vox entry do not qualify as advertizing!) or energetically pursue them unless they initiate contact. Anyone interested may apply for membership. Accepted applicants 18 or older (13 to 17 with both parent's notarized written permission and a physically attended interview - this membership level is limited) will become Green Man's Grove (the Outer Circle) members for up to 1 year to give them, and us, time to get to know each other and to "settle in" so to speak. One may dedicate with us any time during this period after 1 month (6 months for the underage) but the probation period continues in force. Full Coven membership begins at First Degree initiation or, by request and with coven approval, at Dedication. Also note that a member is not "locked in" to the Coven (you may leave at any time, for any reason but must announce this in writting) and you will never be required to do something that you are really uncomfortable doing.
St. Brigid’s Academy
Since teaching the group in Fresno had been active for awhile, it came to pass that a new format was needed. In August of 2005 we created St. Brigid’s Academy and Seminary as a College/University level school dedicated to teach the ways of Wicca. We teach three levels or Degrees from First to Third and cover all aspects of Wicca. Some programs will provide Certification in that pogram rfield to the successful student.
We constantly reorganize classes and eliminate, combine or re-write many of the 260+ classes we offer. We currently offer about 175 classes and are adding more. There are two full Professors as staff. The school is open to all who have interest in learning and who qualify. Coursework can be extremely intensive and serious dedication is required to maintain student status. When fees are eventually required, as they eventually will be in this economy, they will be highly affordable for nearly everyone. As of 2016, no fees are yet required.
Additional Info
If you have additional questions you would like to pose to the Coven or to the school, please email them to us at the email addresses listed below.
Thanks and Blessed Be!
TSBW High Priestess:
Lady Moon Willow
TSBW High Priest/Elder:
"Doc" (Rev. Dr. Michael Farrell)
Coven and Campus of SBAS
559.355.2050 9:30am - 5:00pm M-F
[Note: This number rolls over to a private line. DO NOT hang up!]
Our Membership Application will be provided after your interview. Call for an appointment.