…this is such an exposing question but I’m just gonna roll with it. Dionysus represents indulgence, hedonism and debauchery to me. I don’t know why he came up immediately after I read your question, I don’t feel particularly indulgent or hedonistic at the moment, although I certainly have the capacity to be.

It’s funny because I never really thought of him negatively, but as I’m thinking about it now I find myself having to convince myself that there’s nothing inherently wrong with Dionysus or what he represents, he’s merely a symbol of exuberance, ecstasy, vitality, which are all very positive qualities. Life should be celebrated, and to retain Dionysian energy in our daily lives can only do us and the world good, and if the mind veers towards the negative when meditating on Dionysus then that’s maybe less a reflection of Dionysus and more of our state of mind? I’m prone to catastrophizing every now and then, I’m sure there are others who are the same. I guess in that sense Dionysus can be a good measure of our capacity for joy, our tolerance for the “finer things” in life, and how accepting of him is perhaps a reflection of how freely we allow ourselves to live.