Events

Desire doesn’t come from effort.
It comes from contact with what already supports us.

So many of us live in a constant state of “not now.”
We keep it together. We stay productive. We behave.

We work. We caret ake. We numb.
We tell ourselves we’ll want things later—when there’s more time, more energy, more certainty.

But Valentine’s Eve has a way of tapping the glass.

This evening is a ritual space to meet creative desire safely, playfully, and without pressure—not as something to act on immediately, but as something to listen to, be accompanied by, and resource with.

This gathering was inspired by the work of poet Leila Chatti, whose writing emerged during a time when she could not write at all. In order to survive, she turned toward other voices, other writers, other muses—trusting that her creative spirit would not let her die.

That gesture became the teaching.

This is not a night about clarifying goals or demanding answers from desire.
It’s about letting something supportive meet you.

What we’ll explore

Think less self-improvement.
More foreplay.

Through choice-led movement, reflective writing, music, and shared witnessing, we’ll invite the muses in—not to perform for us, but to accompany us.

We’ll work with:

• Movement as an embodied creative practice (nothing pushed, nothing forced)
• Writing as a way of listening—not producing
• Music as a doorway to relief, rhythm, and inspiration
• Witnessing as a way to soften shame and restore connection

We’ll explore desire not as urgency or fantasy, but as creative fuel—a signal from the body and imagination about what nourishes you, what’s missing, and what wants care.

This is for you if:

• You keep postponing what you want
• You feel a quiet internal shift—but fall back into numbing or overworking
• You’re laughing less, wanting less, feeling dulled or distant
• You sense desire stirring, but don’t want to blow your life up
• You’re craving community, expression, and relief more than answers

These patterns aren’t flaws to fix.
They’re intelligent ways the nervous system keeps us safe when something new begins to wake up.

This evening isn’t about ripping them away.
It’s about meeting them with curiosity—and letting them soften in relationship.

What this night is not

• Not about fixing yourself
• Not about deciding your future
• Not about blowing your life up

It’s about remembering that wanting does not have to be dangerous—and that desire, when met with care, can reconnect you to vitality, imagination, and possibility.

You don’t have to know what you want.
You just have to be willing to meet it.

About your Host:

Kelly Jo Lillian is a body-centered creative guide, coach, poet, and trauma-informed educator with over a decade of experience supporting people in reconnecting with their voice, creativity, and sense of aliveness. After leaving a twelve-year career in theater to teach special education in the South Bronx, Kelly Jo reached a breaking point—new parenthood, chronic exhaustion, and a nervous system pushed beyond capacity made it clear something had to change. Reconnecting with creativity became the doorway back to herself, leading her into therapy, writing circles, performance, and embodiment communities where she was witnessed and supported in listening to her inner knowing again. That lived experience shapes her work today. Drawing from her background in theater and storytelling, eleven years in trauma-informed education, and ongoing teacher training in Body Temple Dance, Kelly Jo weaves body-based and creative practices inspired by Authentic Movement and The Artist’s Way. She believes creativity does not thrive in shame or isolation—it needs relationship, witnessing, and care—and when honored, it can guide us back to lives that feel alive, aligned, and genuinely our own.

For More information visit her website: www.kellyjolillian.com

Instagram @liberated.creative

Podcast: Ink And Alchemy

Testimonials

“At Kelly Jo’s most recent gathering, when we were invited to name an intention, my mind went to a screenplay idea that’s been evolving since I was 13—something that had always felt more like a pipe dream than anything real. One of those ideas you love but have no idea how to start. Not long after, I found myself actually playing with it, and it’s happening. I’m learning how to write it as I go, but the characters have started to gel and show me what they want to do and say, and I’m figuring out how to listen and put it on the page. Beyond being a nourishing and creative experience in itself, it truly feels like the space Kelly Jo created was part of the catalyst that got the magic started, and I’m really grateful for that.” – K.S – writer/actress

““The whole ride home, I kept thinking about how meaningful it was to be in a space that gave permission—to be creative, to be childlike, and to do so without shame. As a mom, I struggle with giving myself permission to be creative, or even to do things just for me. Being in this space was such a welcome opportunity.” – Courtney S- mom/filmmaker

“Kelly Jo creates a space where creativity is gently awakened and the lost parts of yourself are lovingly welcomed back home.” – Art T. Emobdied Astrolger/Healer/Writer