"To put it in simple terms, I see the Apollonian as the ascension of human and human consciousness, and the Dionysian as the reduction of human and human consciousness. Here is an image I made in hopes to describe these two ideas more clearly.
From the image, you can see that you can picture the Apollonian as a sort of metaphysical ascension of human beyond human; and you can picture the Dionysian as a sort of reduction of the human consciousness back to our real earthly and primitive form. This description is an oversimplification of the two ideas.
Nietzsche believes that in order for humans to live a fulfilling life, there must be a fusion of the Dionysian and Apollonian energies. Without the fusion of these two energies, one can become totally barbaric or live entirely in the dream state."
- an excerpt from a paper I wrote in undergrad
