| JOUISSANCE: a form of women’s pleasure or sexual rapture that combines mental, physical and spiritual aspects of female experience, bordering on mystical communion. Jouissance can be described as the source of a woman’s creative power that delights in being limitless. On Monday 20th May I will be launching my first poetry pamphlet. To mark this, I would be delighted if you would join me for an intimate sharing of some of the poems from the book woven into an experiential talk about poetry, female creativity and my own personal journey. Jouissance is a selection of poetry that I have written over the past 6 years. It formed alongside the Butterfly work which was a part of my own Inanna journey. So for anyone thinking about signing up for Butterfly next year this evening would be a good chance to get to know more about me and the roots of the work. We live in a world where the feminine has been in exile within our collective psyche and that manifests itself in our wider societal structure and ourselves. Even our language is based in masculine structures and yet poetry can take us beyond the structure of words to the heart of the matter. I am passionate about poetry’s ability to connect, heal and awaken us to what needs to be heard. We live in a world severely lacking in words that describe and recognise the female experience. Though there is so much more writing and poetry out there which gives voice to the feminine, I am craving more and feel that there is certainly room for more. So, this work is a part of my endeavour to answer my own prayer and it is my hope that my words may support others who are also walking this path. Honouring the feminine is a huge part of my path. But I recognise that this is not just a personal endeavour but a collective one. We cannot do it alone with one big gesture, but through many small but courageous gestures from many people. For this reason, this event will also be the launch of a crowdfunder so that if you feel inspired to you can help give this work flight. The crowdfunder will go live on 20th May, there you will find various offerings including copies of the book in exchange for your donation. I am hoping that through your support I can send at least 10 free copies of the book out to others holding circles, scattering the seeds of poetry on the wind. This FREE launch event will be held at Jo and Ben’s lovely new yoga space Mudra, 151 Sellers Wheel, Sheffield S1 2NU. Though there is no charge to attend I do ask that you book in advance. So if you feel inspired to join me you can reserve your space online via the Mudra website here. Once on the site, go to EVENTS (via the top left menu on laptop or top right dropdown on mobile) and enter your details to reserve you place. I hope to see you there and feel free to share with your friends. Thank you for your support. With love and gratitude, Carly |