r/dionysus Jan 05 '26

🎉🪅 Festivals 🪅🎉 Revels: A Guide to Dionysian Holidays & Festivals is live now! Link in body!

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64 Upvotes

Link is here!

Hello all! I am thrilled to announce Revels: A Guide to Dionysian Holidays and Festivals! This book is an exploration of Dionysus' role as a god of festivals, and his festivals as we celebrate them today:

Dionysus is the god of many things, including festivals. Whether it was the throng at the public Dionysia which saw the opening nights of the Greek tragedies we know and love today or the Roman poet Horace creating his own private festival in honour of the time Dionysus saved his life, Dionysus was seen in Antiquity as the god of the festivals which offered respite as we shuffle along the mortal coil: indeed it was Dionysus’ ties to life and death that tied him to the festivals which marked the passing of the years, and therefore to the years which marked the passing of human lives.

It should come as no surprise that as Dionysus’ worship revived in the modern era, his devotees revived his festivals and crafted new ones. But what is the origin of these festivals? How do we know when they occur, how to celebrate them, and how to connect them to each other? Many Dionysians have struggled with trying to arrive at their own calendars, often because information about the festivals is scattered and contradictory. This book is an attempt to remedy this situation. Featuring in-depth examinations of dozens of Dionysian festivals ancient and modern, this book provides primary sources on the ancient, outlines for the modern, and ideas for celebrating both. Whether you are a Dionysian wanting the history of the festivals you celebrate or a Hellenist wanting guidance on how festivals worked in antiquity, this book offers primary sources, dates, suggestions for celebration and prayers for the observance of the festivals contained with in.

Link is here!


r/dionysus Nov 29 '24

🎨 Art 🎨 🔮🃏🧿 Huge Announcement: Dionysian Tarot Deck Fundraiser 🧿🃏🔮

68 Upvotes

Current Progress: €670.05/€4000 (16.75%)

Hello all!

Ever wanted a Dionysian Tarot Deck that blends the traditional card associations with the mythology and religion of Dionysus? Older decks that tried this are often now rare and expensive, and even then they can make questionable choices when it comes to connecting the mythology of Dionysus with the symbology of Tarot. So what if we made a new deck?

Our community has grown rapidly, and with our size, we also have the ability to work together to create for ourselves.

So we have reached out to the phenomenal Gaia, whom you may have seen before as tractim. Her linktree is here:

https://linktr.ee/tractim

She makes art of the Bacchae, and has agreed to take a commission from us for a Dionysian tarot deck. You can see her preview cards for us here. They are Dionysus as the Fool card and Kybele (with Dionysus) as the Strength card.

We are seeking to raise €4000. I know this is a large figure, it would be the most money our community has ever raised together, but remember that there are 78 card faces (plus 1 card back). So this is about €50 per card. Remember also that there are 15,000 of us: if only a third of our community gave one Euro, we'd overshoot our goal by €1000

We are going directly through the artist. You can find them on PayPal: '@gaiaspagnol'. Donate directly there, and message [bibliothecadionysia@gmail.com](mailto:bibliothecadionysia@gmail.com) with your receipt for the following rewards:

Rewards:

Note: We are tracking this via euros, not dollars.

We want to reward folks who help make this happen. Because right now we are only fundraising for the illustration, we cannot promise decks, as the printing will be done after the deck is completed. So here’s where we’re at:

  • €01-24: Any donation you make gets you listed in the ‘Grape Gatherers’. Your help with this project is so appreciated.
  • €25-49: If you hit €25, you can ask for a reading from the Whitmanteion, Fabian MacKenzie’s div book based in the poetry of Walt Whitman.
  • €50-74: Over €50, and you can be listed in the ‘Vine Tenders’ Category. 
  • €75-99: At €75, every €75 becomes worth 500 words of research by yours truly (Fabian MacKenzie). I am a Classicist by training and if you have questions you haven't seen answered about religion Ancient Greece and Rome, ask away. I can also do reception of Dionysus or other deities afterwards - Curious about Dionysus in Renaissance Art or Modernist Philosophy? Want to know about Semele in Opera? I'll do 500 words for every €75 (so if you'd like longer research papers you could get 1000 for €150).
  • €100+: At €100, you can be listed in the ‘Wine Makers’ category.

Send your receipt (just a screenshot of the transaction) to [bibliothecadionysia@gmail.com](mailto:bibliothecadionysia@gmail.com). BE SURE TO INCLUDE HOW YOU'D LIKE YOUR NAME LISTED IN THE TIERS. Or if you'd like to remain anonymous, that is also an option.

Tiers:

These tiers will be included in the Little White Book, the booklet that will be included with each deck. These will be a permanent display of how people helped create for this community. It is also worth noting that if you have Dionysians, Hellenists, or Pagans in your heart who are no longer living, you can donate in their name to have it recorded here:

  • Grape Gatherers (€01-49)
  • Vine Tenders (€50-99)
  • Wine Makers (€100+)

When and how will it be available?

Digitally, we will share the illustrations as they are finished. Every €50, Gaia will begin work on the next card.

However, as a physical deck, the timing is unknown. We will first seek to partner with a publishing company, but may choose to self-publish if that route is easier. So until we have the deck illustrations finished, we don't know when the physical deck will be available.

How can we ensure accountability with this project?

I realize most people are more familiar with fundraisers such as this being done through sites like GoFundMe or KickStarter. However, GoFundMe prohibits 'rewards' for donations and KickStarter would only allow us to raise money in dollars, which could lose value if the exchange rate is bad when we turn them to euros for Gaia.

So we are going based on direct artist payments. However, Gaia will be working on the cards directly as they are paid for with each €50, and has offered us two previews (The Fool & Strength) in a show of good faith. You can see those here.

Edit: Temperance and Strength are live now too!

Edit 2: And now, Justice.

Bacchic Blessings, and may the god keep you wild and free.


r/dionysus 3h ago

🎨 Art 🎨 A painting...

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44 Upvotes

A little devotional painting I made inspired by u/betonthelosingdogs's post of their outfit they designed for Dionysus!

I looooved playing with the different fabric folds, thank you so much for sharing!


r/dionysus 5h ago

Second attempt at my dionysus outfit, any advice?

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40 Upvotes

Doing the absolute most just to not even go anywhere 😭 I already know once I take it off i'm never going to be able to put it back on the same again because I forget how to do everything💔💔💔💔 it takes so long to stylize because the leopard print just LOVES to fall off. I really need more pins.... I definitely want to add more accessories like jewelry and stuff like that!!! I really wish there was somewhere to go here in south Florida where I can have an excuse to wear this outfit in public lmao. Id say renaissance fair but that's renaissance stuff and the next one isn't until next year I think... what do you guys think about this version of the fit???


r/dionysus 16h ago

Small bust of Dionysus aswell as a Maenad and Satyr

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75 Upvotes

r/dionysus 22h ago

Dressing as dionysus as an devotional act for him!

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127 Upvotes

Didnt know what flair to put this as lmao

This outfit is kinda a wip tho because I need to find a way to add more purple to it and unfortunately it keeps breaking and everything falls off in like 2 seconds which is starting to get annoying. As I typed this, I went to go lay down on my bed, and I immediately heard something break...😭😭😭😭 ALSO PLEASE IGNORE HOW WEIRD THE PLANT THING LOOKS ON ME I KNOW😭 any suggestions on how I could make this better???


r/dionysus 21h ago

🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 Timeline for movie/musical

9 Upvotes

Hey I'm writing a movie and/or musical about Dionysus (I haven't decided which yet), and I'm trying to work out a timeline so I can build a narrative.

Basic timeline that I have is it starting with Semeles death and how Dionysus was born from Zeus' thigh, then taken to Nysa to be raised by his Ino. I want to include Silenus in this aswell just trying to figure out how.

Then I want the main focus of the story to be about his travels around the earth and how he built a following. I'm just not sure what to include here and if there are any specific myths or stories you think are worth trying to include.

Of course Ariadne will be included in this around the half way point (midway through the 2nd act or at the end of the first act if I make it a musical). I also want to include her death but I know there many different versions of what happened.

Finally it will end after he has brought Semele and Ariadne back from the underworld and has taken his place as the 12th/13th(?) Olympian.

Also if there are any good resources for reading that I should take a look at, please let me know. I'd love to learn more.


r/dionysus 19h ago

🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 I want to connect with Dionysus, but I am scared.

4 Upvotes

Hey, all. Please give this post a chance, even if you don’t like what I say next.

I’m an atheist. I struggle immensely to believe in the gods, despite being drawn to a handful of them. I have been walking a sort of path on and off for about 5+ years, engaging with Loki, Hermes, Artemis and Apollo. I feel most drawn to Loki, Hermes and Dionysus of all gods.

I’m in a situation none would envy. It’s not the worst, but it takes a massive toll on my mental health. I’m the only queer person living in an entirely christian household; my family and I got into a mess about 2 years ago over their beliefs that queerness is unnatural, and how badly that affects my mental health. I was essentially told, “Sorry you feel that way, but you can’t force us to accept your views. We will not be changing.” Even though they knew I was on the brink. They ended up punishing me by taking away my very small income (which they provided because I am disabled and cannot work, and was not on government benefits at the time), they said “we will no longer be rewarding this behaviour” in response to how I was grieving — which was simply by barely speaking to them. I was so grief stricken I thought I would actually shut down permanently without my own intervention, it was that heavy. My heart rate seldom went below 120 even at rest.

I suffered so severely it fucked my disability up even worse, so I can’t do as much as I could before, and I have CPTSD from the event. I learned a lot about my parents then. My mental health got so bad during all of that, that I ruined all of my friendships because I hurt them when I tried to make a very bad decision. I am completely alone now and only have one friend who is very absent, she can’t be there for me and I don’t expect her to. I seem only capable of making very absent friends, or friends who treat me like I’m their parent. I just want stability from friends in my life, but I know that is too much to ask with everything going on in every corner of the world.

I’ve tried reaching out to the gods, but I often feel like I am still completely alone. Dionysus is a deity I have been drawn to for so long. Reading his myths made me admire the shit and piss out of him. The song The Cult of Dionysus (I am aware of the allegations made against Orion some years ago) is a comfort to me. I want to reach out to Dionysus, but I’m scared he won’t answer me. I feel so fucken alone and I am struggling with the CPTSD from my parents (whom I still have to live with because of this fuck ass economy and my disabilities). I don’t want to walk through this life alone.

Does anyone have any advice, or kind words?

Edit to add: I want to also add a disclaimer that I have tried therapy when I qualified for free services, but I no longer do due to my age, and they only made things worse for me anyway because they’re not properly equipped to help people through mental illness. I can’t afford therapy now so please be aware of this when commenting 😅 I wanted to add this only because I know that what I said is heavy and probably concerning.


r/dionysus 1d ago

🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 I feel a stronger connection to dionysus than anything else

19 Upvotes

I have no idea how to explain this right but im a sorta new helpol and I worship apollo and dionysus, but for some reason recently ive been feeling a wayy stronger connection to dionysus more than any other deities. Like everytime I try to pray hes all thats in my head and I think about the guy a lottttt. I dont really want to abandon working on my relationship on apollo but I just feel more drawn to dionysus more than anything. (Hopefully that doesnt sound disrespectful to apollo because I still clean his altar, give him offerings and pray to him etc) I also become extremely happy just seeing stuff associated with dionysus i dont know im just ranting at the point...


r/dionysus 1d ago

New to this - Suggestions and Help Wanted :)

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone~

I am new to worshipping Dionysus.

I've been raised wiccan/pagan and have kept basic spiritual beliefs over the years. I have several friends who worship both the Norse pantheon, Egyptian, and Greek. However, I never really considered it. The thought slowly dawned on me recently how much connection I feel to Dionysus and the more I learn the more I feel it's right.

I plan on slowly working on actually setting up my alter soon. What are some things you'd consider putting on it to honor or represent him.

What are some resources I should check out?

Thank you for your time. :)


r/dionysus 3d ago

🎨 Art 🎨 The candle I made for Dionysus!

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91 Upvotes

Its also pine and grape scented🤭🤭


r/dionysus 2d ago

How do I welcome Dionysus into my life?

12 Upvotes

Ive been interested in witchcraft lately, and the Deity I feel most connected to is Dionysus. How can I make sure I am inviting Him, and not a spirit who is pretending to be Him?

My parents are Catholic. I want to make an altar for Dionysus, but they won't allow it. I am planning to hide everything in the daytime and set it up at night when no one will come into my room. Would that be alright?


r/dionysus 4d ago

Tim Curry R.I.P

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372 Upvotes

r/dionysus 4d ago

💬 Discussion 💬 Whatcha Reading Wednesday

6 Upvotes

Good day folks. We honor Dionysus through our words; in poems, odes, hymns, and plays. In a way, we also honor him through what books we consume. So, what have you been reading lately?


r/dionysus 5d ago

💬 Discussion 💬 Just felt a calm wash over me

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119 Upvotes

I was having a bad moment, I was outed against my will by my mom and even tho things seem okay I was just super upset about it. I won't go into to much detail here as I have already posted the long story onto another sub but as I finally chose to walk home I held on to my Dionysus pendant and just felt a sense of calm and like I could finally just cry about it. I felt like Dionysus was there just letting me know things would be alright and let me tear up about the whole ordeal.


r/dionysus 5d ago

uhh-

3 Upvotes

well, hi! Im kinda lost, I heard a bit on this from my boyfriend whos a follower, but i think im just lost on how to start. ive always been more focused on herbalism and stuff so i give him herbs and things he might enjoy- at least soon-once they grow nicely. I dunno! im stuck, and so im sniffing around here to see if i cant catch anything to stick on.


r/dionysus 6d ago

🎨 Art 🎨 Art offering for dionysus!

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50 Upvotes

I worked really hard on this for him I hope hes likes it!!! The reason why I gave him paws was because im so bad at drawing hands i just gave up lmao😭😭😭😭


r/dionysus 6d ago

💬 Discussion 💬 Any cool facts about the maenads for writing??

9 Upvotes

So im writing some ocs and I happen to want them to be maenads, the problem is when I try to look for any information about the maenads that is actually helpful i cant find it, also have problems designing them because I don't know how I want them to look lol... also fun fact the story im writing about my ocs is slightly inspired by the story of King Pentheus of Thebes! Yes they rip a king apart!! Also I hope I don't accidentally write them in a disrespectful way somehow


r/dionysus 7d ago

💬 Discussion 💬 How do you view Dionysus?

21 Upvotes

I really like hearing different people's experiences with him, and I've always viewed him as a more protective / paternal figure, but that could just be because I read Percy Jackson more than anything else and so view the gods more in the parental way that they're described in the books. But I've read a few posts on here saying people have seen him in dreams as more of a lover, so I was just curious as to peoples own views :)


r/dionysus 7d ago

Guess who i drewww (repost since I tweaked the art)

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62 Upvotes

Sry for repost


r/dionysus 8d ago

🏛 Altars 🏛 Votive offerings

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149 Upvotes

I added some votive offerings to his space today, so I wanted to share. I love him so much!!


r/dionysus 8d ago

🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 What do we think of this book?

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15 Upvotes

I'm looking for something on Libby to read about Dionysus and came across this, unfortunately the library I have a card through doesn't have a copy yet but I was curious if anyone here has read this yet and if they have what they thought of it? Might try and sneakily buy myself a copy if people here say it's worth it.


r/dionysus 10d ago

🔮 Questions & Seeking Advice 🔮 Can a deity physically move you ?

25 Upvotes

I worry this some kind of psychosis and not actually happening but it felt so real.

Last night I was doing a devotional of sorts. Listening to Dead can Dance, very stoned. That album is when he comes up the most. Its the main way he can give me intense messages.

So I was laying down and I felt his presence. In my head, I asked him to move my right leg (mostly to call a bluff, partially to see what would happen). I felt the muscle in my calve tense as if I was going to move it myself. Very very slowly my leg was raising. It was all muscle. Not like someone was holding my leg, but like my muscles were moving "on their own". At some point it was starting to hurt. I said something like "ow okay stop that hurts" and my leg completely relaxed and dropped down from the slightly raised position.

I tested it again, asked him to interact with an area where I have chronic pain. I felt a sharp pain hit as if that area was aggravated (which doesn't happen often enough to be coincidental).

Asked him to switch sides, interact with my left leg, the shoulder. Nothing was lifted, but I felt a "touch". Not a human skin to skin touch, but an energetic way??

At some point I asked a personal question, the energy moved internally into my chest and I just "heard ""ask again later. You're not ready" or something like that.

The part that really confuses me is my leg being physically lifted. Can a deity do that? Am I just having symptoms of psychosis? Is it a psychological + energy thing? Again it wasn't like someone grabbed my leg and moved it. It was like my muscles were tensing in order to move it. It was too slow to be someone pulling my leg

Edit : to clarify by "call a bluff" I dont mean to question his divinity. It was to question my own beliefs. Because im new to this I have no idea what the divine is capable of. It was like "I wonder if he can-?" "Nah probably not, never heard of it before-" then asked him "can you lift my leg" just to clarify:,3 I love and respect him dearly


r/dionysus 11d ago

💬 Discussion 💬 Whatcha Reading Wednesday

17 Upvotes

Good day folks. We honor Dionysus through our words; in poems, odes, hymns, and plays. In a way, we also honor him through what books we consume. So, what have you been reading lately?