#dionysus devotion

When you are depressed, Dionysos is with you

When you are delusional, Dionysos is with you

When you are euphoric, Dionysos is with you

When you are splitting, Dionysos is with you

When you are in a rage, Dionysos is with you

When you are struggling with your mental health in any way, Dionysos is right there with you. He will never be angry about your mental illness.

Details of “Apollo & Dionysus” by Leonid Ilyukhin

In some psychological & artistic disciplines, Apollonian & Dionysian are words used to describe opposite impulses- artistic, controlled, skillful, vs hedonistic, emotional & wild.

Abrokomas (Ἀβροκόμας), “with delicate hair.”

Agathos Daimon (Άγαθός Δαίμων), “good spirit.”

Aglaomorphos (Άγλαόμορφος) “fair-formed.”

Agnos (Άγνος), “holy.”

Agrios (Ἄγριος), “wild, savage.”

Aigobolos (Αἰγοβόλος), “goat-slayer.”

Androgynos (Άνδρόγυνος), “androgynous.”

Anax (Ἀνᾰξ), “king.”

Anthion (Ανθιον), “the blooming.”

Anthroporraistos (Ανθροπορραιστος), “render of men.”

I start this by always saying that I have a forty-hour work week, and whether it is when I get home from the day or am exhausted on the weekends, I rarely have time to put in heavy work to worship my deities. This being said, no matter my energy levels, I do little things to remind myself (and my deities) how much I love them. Here are some subtle ways I worship Dionysus:

sing; I did musical theatre and voice lessons for years; there's no reason I shouldn't use my voice to honor the God of the theatre Himself!

listen to musicals; this is also in relation to the last one, but you may be able to take the kid out of the theatre, but not the theatre out of the kid

this may be a little out of the ordinary, but He is also considered the God of Madness, and in that vein, taking my meds (always remember to take your meds, it's good for your brain!)

going to therapy; I am so privileged and blessed to be working with an exceptional mental health care team, and I continue to work on myself for the betterment of myself and for the love of my deities

wearing what makes me happy; now, I work in an office building, so I don't really get to go full flair, but even just dressing in clothes that make me feel good and happy on my off days (or even "on" days) is in His honor

reveling in the pleasurable things in life, from my favorite juices (funnily enough, I don't drink alcohol because I can't stand the taste) to enjoying time with my partner or sitting and watching TV by myself, just enjoying the pleasurable things in life honors Him

being creative; writing, singing, dancing, drawing, and even doing things like posting on Tumblr; it's in His honor

to make this as sanitized as possible, being intimate with my partner

similarly to my matron, doing things that make me feel feminine; Dionysus is all about self-expression, and doing things like getting my nails or hair done, boosts my self-confidence too

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The dual-sided god of pleasure, of wine making, festivity, homosexuality and madness, sometimes depicted as a wise and burdened elder, sometimes as a careless, effeminate youth, Dionysus is a god of many facets of human nature, both good and bad, perhaps the most human of all the gods of Olympus in his personality, and his unusually relatable legends. Let’s go over some of the divine symbolism that he is represented by shall we?:

• 🌈 Colors:

- Purple: A god who is defined by his duality, of both elder wisdom, and nonsensical youthful madness, as well as his notable libido, and penchant for wine and the festive habit of drunkenness, there is one color above all others that generally seems to fit with all of these themes: purple, or lavender. A color associated with grapes, wisdom, homosexuality, and innocence!

• 🐴 Animals:

- Leopard: leopards are fierce, wild, roaming, violent cats, a perfect reflection of lord Dionysus, and he is often depicted in Ancient Greek artworks either riding or wearing the wild cat. In a poem by Oppian of Amea, it is said that the leopards were the incarnations of his past lovers who, after Pentheus offended the god, asked to be turned into leopards so they could tear him apart! It is also believe that he would sometimes take the form of wild cats like leopards.

- Tiger: during his journey through Egypt, the king of gods Zeus is said to have gifted Dionysus a mighty tiger which helped him to cross the mighty Tigris river, they became widely associated with him as a result of this great feat. Like leopards as well, many claim he often took the form of the tiger as well.

- Bull: bulls are an animal widely associated with themes of raw sexuality, and sexual aggression, as well as aggression in general, all themes of which fit the god of madness and violence, and of lust and drunkeness quite fittingly. They are also the key plot device in the Greek story of Dionysus and the sacred bull.

- Serpent: in the feats of Dionysus, the gods last feat was the feast of Dionysus, a meal which took place on a pirate ship he had hired to carry him to Naxos. The men tricked him however, so he turned the oars of the ship into serpents.

• 🌸 Plants and Flowers:

- Ivy: one of Dionysus’s key sacred symbols, Ivy is a vining plant that has long been associated with poison, and yet also claimed to be able to cure intoxication, representative of the sometimes dangerous or stark duality of Dionysus’s character and personality. It is said that his cult would wear wreaths and crowns fashioned out of the plant, and the leaves were utilized in his rituals.

- Khalanchoe: also called the paddle plant, khalanchoe is a plant which harkens back to the most ancient roots of Dionysus cults, back when he was not yet known as Dionysus, but rather the much older Greco-Roman god of Bacchus, from which his character derives, who was a god of vegetation and prosperity, who was often associated with this plant.

- Pine: In ancient Greece, the pine was particularly sacred to Dionysus and his worshippers. In the ancient city of Corinth, the Corinthians were ordered by the Delphic Oracle to worship the pine along with Dionysus as a god. In the ancient Greek culture, pine was long associated with fertility, one of the key attributes of the libido and festival stricken Dionysus, he is often portrayed in Romanesque and Ancient Greek artworks holding a staff topped with a pinecone.

- Grape blossom: perhaps the most obvious choice here, grape are synonymous with Dionysus’s character, emblems of his drunkenness, of his celebration, wisdom, femininity, and also of his vigor and fertility. Grape blossoms, and leaves, as well as obviously the grape itself, are unmistakable symbols of the lord Dionysus.

• 🍗 Food:

- Grapes: perhaps the most sacred symbol of Dionysus and his influence, the grape is the perfect metaphor for the god, and all he represents. It can represent fertility, with its plump and plentiful fruit, yet also infertility, as it can be used to make alcohol capable of ending a pregnancy. It is a symbol of innocence, a delicate fleshed fruit that is sweet and simple, yet also of wisdom, a fruit that is said to be the source of many secrets and stories. Grapes are Dionysus personified.

- Figs: similarly to grapes, figs have long been associated with drunkeness and foolishness, a fruit that is known to ferment much faster and more potently than most others fruits, and in Ancient Greek times, would have likely been one of the most accessible ways to get drunken! It’s seedy nature is also representative of fertility.

- Wine: of course, you can’t have Dionysus without a glass of wine to accompany him. Long s sign of royalty, festivity, and sexual promiscuity, Dionysus was truly the original wine mom gay, a chaotic manwhore, lovable, but almost always at least a little bit drunk off of the coveted crimson liquid.

• 💎 Crystals and Gemstones:

- Garnet: long associated with the crimson color of a fine wine, as well of a stone said to be imbued with strength and sexuality, garnets, particularly of the almandine or rhodolite variety, are great symbolic stones of lord Dionysus and his strong sexual nature.

- Amethyst: in Ancient Greek apothecary, it was believed by many that amethyst had anti-intoxicant properties, and in fact, some of the highest of Greek royalty drank from wine glasses carved purely from amethyst! At the time, the vast quarries of amethyst of South America hadn’t yet been discovered, and it was still considered to be a truly precious gemstone, often reserved only for royalty, royalty like Dionysus.

- Grape agate: a recent discovery from Asia, one of the many lands that Dionysus was said to have roamed and adventured in during his many great feats, grape agate is a variety of botryoidal cryptocrystalline amethyst (excuse the geologist nerd talk) that almost perfectly resembles a cluster of juicy grapes! I don’t think I need explain further why this stone is PERFECT for modern Dionysus devotees!

• 🪐 Planets: although Dionysus Is not traditionally associated with any of the planets in the Milky Way galaxy, (though some modern hellenists associate him with Jupiter) there are a number of celestial objects and bodies that have since been named for him: most notably perhaps, is the binary asteroid Dionysus 3671, discovered in the aptly named Olympus system in 1984!

• ☄️ Astrology: Dionysus is almost definitely a Taurus, his dual personality which can manifest as either playful or predatory is a trait that is shared by many a Taurus (as someone who knows a Taurus who can be both very fun and very terrifying, I can confirm this is quite accurate!)

• 🍇 Other symbols:

- Mental health: perhaps unsurprisingly, the many different facets of Dionysus’s ancient personality, the drunkeness, the madness, the torrential mood swings, the struggle of chaos he is often depicted of dealing with, has led to him being celebrated by many modern hellenists as the patron god of mental illness, and the neurodiverse! His dual personalities are a clear allegory for personality disorders, his mood swings and “madness” line up closely with modern understandings of ADD, ADHD, as well as autism and even major psychological disorders like schizophrenia. He is undoubtedly a god who is very closely related to his human worshippers, perhaps more than any other god on Olympus!

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Dionysus represents much more than the God of Madness and Frenzy; he embodies the essence of mental health. Dedicating time and effort to healing your mind can be seen as an act of devotion to Dionysus. This is why advocating for, discussing, and learning about mental illness and your experiences can be so beneficial.

He is more than just the God of Wine; he also embodies sobriety and restraint. He teaches us moderation, guiding us not to overindulge in what our bodies cannot handle. Choosing to abstain from alcohol or maintaining sobriety can be a profound act of devotion as well.

Excessive consumption, whether it's alcohol, negative thoughts, or anything else, can be harmful. Dionysus serves as a reminder that healing from such excesses is possible.

While he embodies the spirit of fun, enjoyment, and hedonism, I don't believe he would want you to indulge for the wrong reasons. Whenever I felt too serious or caught in a downward spiral, he would remind me that it's okay to let loose, but also to stay attuned to my feelings. I don't think he would shun you if you're not having too much fun. If you're not feeling okay, then you're not feeling okay. There's nothing wrong with that.

If anything, Dionysus seems like the ultimate god of self-care. Taking your medication, staying hydrated or drinking other beverages (I personally find that hot chocolate boosts my mood), spending time with friends, or even enjoying a solitary walk in nature—all these activities can feel like acts of devotion. He is love and full of love. A god of duality and balance.

He can embody the warmth of summer and the freshness of spring, just as he can evoke the chill of winter. He's complex and multifaceted. He is a god of rebirth, death and immortality. He to me, resembles a phoenix. He means so much to me and my practice. My heart has so much room for him. He has shown me that regardless what I've experience, it is possible to change and heal. His own love feels poetic.