Acknowledgements of the Sacred Land and Elders
First: I acknowledge the land that is my home, where I live with my husband, our rescue cats, and countless Allies and Otherworldly Beings.
We are in the woods of northern Durham County, North Carolina, on land that was traditionally part of the territory of the Saponi-Occaneechi Indigenous people.
We built our Laurel Hill Cottage along the “Great Trading Path” that was used by them for countless centuries before the Europeans arrived and then was shared with the non-native peoples during the early years of contact.
Thus, I pay respect to their living communities past, present, and future, and I give my thanks to this ancient ancestral Land.
Beth’s Story: The Short Version
- Over 50 years of Tarot study, practice, and professional reading
- Creator of the Tarot Card of the Week, published every Monday for more than 23 years
- Teacher and facilitator to over 1,000 Tarot students through classes, workshops, and presentations
- Speaker at regional and national Tarot conferences and events
- Founder and facilitator of one of the country’s longest-running Tarot study and discussion groups
- Frequent writer for multiple Tarot and spirituality magazines, as well as the (North Carolina) Research Triangle area’s alternative weekly newspaper
- Author of Guardians, Guides, and Allies, a comprehensive Tarot handbook currently seeking publication
- Plus: many years in management, professional writing, information technology, and corporate training, building the experience that continues to shape the practical, accessible ways she teaches today.
Beth’s Story: The Details
After several decades as an IT instructor, programmer, technical writer, and manager (SAS Institute, The Raleigh News&Observer, and others), Beth’s rebellious streak and creative itch propelled her out of corporate and into the world of freelance writing.
Amiably unorthodox, she is primarily known by her magical name, “Beth Owl’s Daughter,” but has also written extensively under her lesser-known muggles birth name, “Beth Livingston.”
Her essays and features have been published in what was once North Carolina’s premier New Age publication, Innerchange Magazine. And for several years she wrote a monthly Tarot column in the acclaimed online journal, The MetaArts Magazine, sadly, also now discontinued.
Beth was also regularly featured for numerous years in Raleigh-Durham’s award-winning Indy Week (which is, thank heavens, still going strong!).
She authored dozens of reviews, columns, and articles, including single-handedly writing all the (at that time) twice-a-year “Dish“ listings, that catalogued and described hundreds of Triangle area eateries.
Speaking of cuisine, Beth is the author of the self-published Kind Veggie Burritos, the original cookbook of recipes gathered from Grateful Dead concert-goers.
Best-selling author and winner of the 2015 Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction, the late Steve Silberman, raved, “A wonderful book…aglow with Deadhead spirit, warmth, and unpretentious good eats.”
This cookbook for charity has been going strong for 31 years. It continues to fly from her cottage in the woods of northern Durham County, NC into the VW busses and kitchens of a diverse and enthusiastic audience, including celebrities like Andy Cohen and even the late Bob Weir himself (lifelong rhythm guitarist for the Dead).
In 1972, Beth began her love affair with the Tarot. Since then, she has offered expert Tarot consultations and workshops for more than a thousand. She’s been an award-winning blogger since 2003 and has written innumerable essays covering a myriad of topics.
These include lore about seasonal ceremonies, Witchcraft and Earth-centered spirituality, and, of course, the Tarot, gathering a multitude of enthusiastic subscribers and accolades from reviewers.
Her lifelong passion for sharing the magic of the Tarot and her expertise for teaching the cards in ways that are fun and easy to absorb have led her to complete a beautiful and unique Tarot reference book.
Guardians, Guides, and Allies is now ready to find its lucky publisher.