Paul Beyerl

Rev. Paul Beyerl, (pronounced "bye'-rul") was an American author and educator, and particularly as a Wiccan priest, in Wiccan and neopagan circles.

Biography

Rev. Paul and Rev. Gerry Beyerl, his partner since 1993, resided on an 11-acre property in southeast Minnesota just west of Houston, Minnesota. The property is known as The Hermit's Grove and is a retreat and educational center for The Rowan Tree Church and The Hermit's Grove. It houses the administrative offices, guest lodging for Church Members and students, a 4500-book research library, and the herbal area holding more than 200 species of dried botanicals.

The Rowan Tree Church is Wiccan, representing The Tradition of Lothloriën. Beyerl founded both in the 1970s when living in Minneapolis. The Rowan Tree Church trains its clergy in The Mystery School, a challenging and in-depth educational program. Both the Church and Mystery School serve Church Members and students living both near the center and at great distances. The Tradition is discussed at length in Beyerl's book A Wiccan Bardo, Revisited.

The Hermit's Grove, incorporated in 1994 as a separate nonprofit organization supportive of the Church, was merged into The Rowan Tree Church in 2011. The Hermit's Grove includes the publishing house for the Church, and the Master Herbalist Program, an extensive study in botanical medicine. Beyerl was known as a Master Herbalist and had taught programs in herbal medicine since the 1970s. In addition to numerous appearances throughout the U.S., Beyerl taught in Canada and Portugal.

Beyerl died at his home in Houston, Minnesota on December 30, 2021.

Publications

Beyerl began publishing a Wiccan newsletter - The Unicorn - in 1977. It is now among the longest-published Wiccan newsletters in North America, in continuous publication since 1977.