Polyamory-Related BooksClick on Book Titles to Purchase via Amazon Books. |
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Handfasting and Wedding Rituals: Inviting Hera's BlessingTannin Schwartzstein & Raven KalderaLlewellyn PublicationsHandfasting and Wedding Rituals is a comprehensive collection of both general advice and specific rituals for Pagans who are getting married or handfasted, both for clergy and for the participants. With respect to polyamorous folk, I was very pleased to see the inclusion of a specific ritual for more than "the usual" number of folk, designed for easy adjustment for particular circumstances. In addition to polyamorous folk, specific examples of rituals for same-sex couples, transgendered folk, and a variety of rituals for interfaith relationships are presented. (Of course, it's likely that ritual participants will wish to use the provided rituals and suggestions as a starting point, but that's true of any such ritual.) I also really appreciated the advice to people performing cermeonies for queer, poly, and otherwise alternative folks—a reminder to be sensitive of the fact that since the law, and sometimes society, may not recognize the relationship that's being celebrated, and that that can be a point of sensitivity and anger for participants. The book also goes on to provide a couple pointers for legal alternatives to legal marriage, not the point of the book by far, but a detail wish to me demonstrates a real awareness of the difficulties of "nontraditional" relationships and ceremonies. Well done. Other nice touches include a section on handparting ceremonies, and an indication with each ritual with respect to how it'd be recieved by non-pagans (level one rituals would probably "pass" as not being pagan in particular, level three rituals might include activities which might upset non-pagans. I'd recommend this book to anyone considering planning a Pagan, ritual-based wedding or handfasting, polyamorous or not.
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