Dionysus

God of wine and intoxication; a savior. (semen; or seed that saves)
Earth / Pluto / Venus / Earth / Fire / Spring / Autumn
(European: Greek)


 

Dionysus rules wine, winemaking, light, mass frenzy, divine madness, resurrection, total abandon, ritual intoxicants, bipolar disorders, irresistible impulses, out-of-body experiences, and religious ecstasy. His name is also spelled  Dionusos, Dionysos, Deunysos, and Zonnysos; his titles include Cosmic Dancer, The Twice-Born, Raw, King Dithyramb, and Divine Husbandman.

He is also Dionysus Ixngies, Dionysus-Iacchos, Dionysus Plutodotes, Dionysos Bassareus (Dionysus the fox), Dithyramb, and Dithyrambos, he of the double door. Iackhos, also spelled Iacchos, is his name at the Eleusinian Mysteries, when he takes the form of a child. Evoe is his secret name. In Spring he is Dionysos Eluethereus and Dionysus Antheus, Dionysus of the Flowers. Autumn Dionysus is Dionysus Pyrigenes, and Dionysus Ignigema.

Sacred plants of Dionysus include barley, fig, grain, ivy, pomegranate, grapevine, rose, and fly agaric, a dangerously hallucinogenic toadstool. Elm, pine, and fir are his sacred trees. His sacred animals are the bull, especially the wild bull, and the donkey, wild ass, goat, and panther. Symbols of Dionysus include an erect phallus, and a wine cup.

Dionysus is celebrated on January 3, October 3, and at other times during the year. His ancient festivals included the Greater Dionysia, the Lesser Dionysia, the Agronia, the Kataagogia, which celebrated his sea myth, and the Anthesteria, a festival of wine. The Great Dionysia celebrated Dionysos Eluethereus during the Spring, with performances of tragic and satyric plays in his honor. He was also celebrated during the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Wine, cymbal music, satyr costumes, ivy crowns, and wild dancing are used in his rituals. His ancient rites were eucharistic and orgiastic, including killing animals barehanded and eating their raw flesh. A ritual meal of figs, barley loaves, and goatís milk cheese such as feta or chevre, with red wine or pomegranate juice, could be eaten instead. The chant "Dithurambos, Dithyramb" was used in his rituals.

Dionysus may be invoked by using a bull-roarer or by calling, "Io! Evoe! Io! Evoe!" An ivy wreath may be worn when invoking Dionysos. His wand, the thrysus or thrysos, may be used for magic or his invocation. This is a wand of power that is wrapped around with ivy and has a pine cone at its tip. Libations of wine are appropriate offerings to Dionysus, who received goat sacrifices in ancient times.

Invoke Dionysus for lust, sex magic, fertility, inspiration, creativity, healing, liberation, spiritual illumination, spiritual redemption, shape-shifting, surviving mental illness, and discovering all that is wild within you. Invoke him as Dionysus Plutodotes for spells relating to money and business, as Dionysus Iacchos for rebirth, and as Dionysus Antheus for flower magic.

Following the path of Dionysus may mean leaving home, friends, family, and all worldly goods behind, so careful consideration should be given to all the possible outcomes before one invokes Dionysus, chooses him as a patron, or risks being chosen by him.

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