Dear Raven and Joshua: Questions and Answers About Master/Slave Relationships

So, I ordered this because I was told it was a good resource for a beginning education for me about how M/s relationships work. I didn't have very high expectations because the BDSM related books for novices I've read in the past have seemed either way the hell off in fantasy land or targeted to people in my parent's generation and have, in general, been a waste of my money. And so, in reading this, I was absolutely *floored*. The amount of awesome information in here is just wow. It's the best resource I've ever come across for actually explaining what internal enslavement actually is, as opposed to the fantasy land stuff that you find online. It's the best resource I've seen for outlining a *practical* way of doing M/s relationships in such a way that the dynamic is natural and always there, even if it's not obvious, and yet still allows for concerns and relationship working on to happen. It's an excellent primer for learning about M/s relationships and it's got a lot of stuff that experienced folks would probably also find useful. And my best endorsement? I have 12 typewritten pages of notes on this book. So much good stuff that I couldn't even get through it without taking copious notes. That's not something that happens often. So yeah. So worth the money-I highly recommend it.

This book is such a realistic look at M/s. Having all the questions offers you a lot of insightful answers that are valuable in understanding the depth and beauty of the M/s bond.Strongly recommend this book and will be reading others by this couple.

I loved this book because of the wide range of issues covered. Raven and Joshua are articulate and present some of the most difficult and complex issues with sensitivity, inclusiveness and a bit of humor

Among all the books about D/s relationships out there, this one is a gem. Smart, realistic and experienced writing.

Find out who these authors really are BEFORE you buy the book

"Ask Raven and Joshua" is one of the most honest, realistic, and useful works on consensual Mastery/slavery that i've read. Based on their own experience, rather than theories or fantasies, it also draws on the experience of their many friends and acquaintances in the M/s scene. It also shows their willingness to do the hard thinking and problem solving that this challenging relationship needs if it is to succeed.The Q&A format enables them to cover an extraordinary range of concerns (an index would have helped). The book is consistently readable and credible, as down to earth as the working farm the authors live on. What comes across is the everyday life together of a complicated man and his devoted servant, lover, and helpmate, not a fantasy scenario that is only trotted out at leather events or on weekends. Their relationship is a work in progress guided by love, humility (on both sides), honor, and a sense of humor.Kudos to both Raven and Joshua, and thanks for sharing so much of their lives with readers.

This book is written beautifully and openly by Joshua and Raven--thank you! Their gift is a fascinating insight into a very unusual relationship. One which has few precedents so must by nature be a Mindful adventure between those involved. It clarifies for me the spiritual energetics that can be available through Power dynamic connections and I enjoyed reading about the gradual consensual surrender into full 24/7 internal Slavery as a Mystical Path. These beings are not playing at Master Slave, they are fully immersed and committed, and so it is a beautiful deep spiritual thing. It gives one a sense that all relationships are unique and it's up to those involved to live creatively and not from some kind of default script that our culture has prescribed. To really know oneself and to go beyond the uniforms and external conformities is key to this life choice.This book gives me valuable clues and insights that help me to clarify what I want in my relationship life and to make my decisions from clarity, integrity and Truth after being asked to become part of a Power Dynamic relationship.I am still in the process of defining exactly what I am seeking in a relationship. And whether my pet is on the same page as me regarding the boundaries and expressions of any contract between us. This is a probationary period of indefinite length, and I may well decide to go no further. I'm not yet convinced that my pet understands the true nature of surrender. I'll give him this book to read. He will run away if he's not for real!As my commitment to sexual Tantric Yoga practise grows my next line of inquiry is around Tantra and Power Dynamics. I'm not interested in desensitizing sexual practises...I am moving down the route of subtle sensation and energy orgasms with a partner, slave or egalitarian, so I do not fit with an old school BDSM format. As I continue to explore the possibilities from many angles I realise that each and every relationship can be a unique confluence of two beings (or more), who want something real and deep and who hold similar visions for the evolution of their connection.