u/Few-Extreme-5792

I'm pretty new to Dionysus worship, only adding him to my pantheon recently. I find that he has a very different energy than the other gods that I worship.

When I pray to him, he feels very present and emotionally powerful. I'll start a prayer, invoke his name, and then suddenly I'll laugh. Almost hysterically. Then it will pass and I can finish my prayer and say farewell.

I'm a very intellectual person, so to have a deity essentially "overriding" my emotions like this is a little disconcerting. But I feel such great relief after my prayers, like all my worries are small and I'm happy. So it's concerning, but it's also enjoyable.

Anyway, I prayed about it asking him to possibly make his communication more subtle because I was feeling weird about it all. I proceeded to have a dream where he appeared to me and said "Don't fight me. Your emotions are fleeting. Enjoy them for what they are, while they are with you. It is my gift, and you should never reject a gift out of your mind's fear. You will never ripen as long as you seek control."

I woke, and prayed again, and I didn't have the hysterical laughter, until I said "I consent to you speaking to me as you wish." Then I felt such peace wash over me, and I smiled, and that was that!

I wonder if anyone else can relate to these intense emotions? Or if anyone else has received a message from him basically calling them out 😬 ( I was a little insulted at first until I processed his words and realized their truth..)

So yeah, that's my personal experience as a new worshipper of Dionysus. I'd love to read about your related experiences, too!

I had a very strange interaction today and it got me wondering opinions on this:

What are your thoughts on the gods disguising themselves (as mortals, animals, etc) to interact with mortals? There's historical precedent for this belief, do you believe in translates into the modern day? I'm especially wondering about Hermes, as the herald, possibly appearing as a stranger or an animal to test a worshipper or give them some sort of message.

I see a lot of people in this sub referring to any mortal bodily fluids as miasma, and therefore unfit for worship.

Yet, in the mystery cults, there is behavior and ritual that would contradict this, especially in regards to Dionysus. Example: It is said in the bacchae that the maenads tear into animals with their bare hands and consume them raw, (blood and saliva and maybe tears, and all manner of fluids, being expressed here), and historical sources indicate there were sexual acts done between rich and poor in the wilds outside Athens where his main cults were located.

There's also the intense sexual appetites of Zeus, for instance, that would seem to indicate that human bodily fluids are not seen as offensive to the gods in these contexts.

So, I'm just curious the ideas behind the interpretations we have now. Where do we get the modern understanding of miasma? What's acceptable, and what isn't? Who decides, and why?

Context: I've been worshipping gods for over 13 years now. I've had a lot of interactions with a lot of different deities from different cultures. This is the first time I've ever experienced anything like this.

I had a very vivid NSFW dream about Hermes in some sort of strange ritual.

I initially became interested in worshiping him through dream messages (public transport and money dreams were plaguing me multiple times a night for weeks) so it seems his preferred method of comminication with me. Once I decided to worship him, I set aside a space for him on my altar, then went to bed. And immediately that night I had a dream of him, in person, communicating to me. He was telling me "everything in its own time" and other cryptic messages like that. I woke up and got to work on a drawing of him as he appeared to me, and he was GORGEOUS. I mean, the most beautiful person I've ever seen. I couldn't shake the image of his face out of my mind for days.

Every night since then, I have dreamt of him. It's usually something simple, sitting in a garden or walking down a street and he's playing with my hair or holding my hand or something. It doesn't feel like he's my "boyfriend" or anything silly like that. It feels different. There's a feeling of reverence I have toward him and I feel a lot of affection FROM him, but not necessarily cheesy relationship feelings. I don't exactly know how to describe it. It feels more intimate than it does romantic, but it somehow feels more distant, too?

Anyway, last night I had the most vivid dream yet.

I was in a forest clearing and there were torches all around the perimeter and a large bonfire in the center. There were musicians and dancers and a huge crowd of people just drinking wine and laughing and having a great time. I stood by the fire and began reciting a lengthy poem in a language I don't recognize in my waking mind. It was very interactive, I was flirting with people and miming actions and making the crowd act out parts of this poem. As this was happening, I caught a glimpse of a man slowly and methodically circling the gathering in the darkness of the trees, and I could see by the reflections of the firelight in his eyes that he was staring at me, unblinking. Eventually the poem ended and everyone clapped and cheered and the musicians began up again. I looked around for the man in the trees, spotted his silhouette, and he stepped out of the darkness towards me. It was Hermes from my other dreams.

This is where it gets weird.

I suddenly felt hands on me, and turned to see a crowd of women had grabbed me and were holding me tight so I couldn't move. Hermes stepped toward me, and then he noiselessly lifted off the ground to sort of hover above me. He had a brass pitcher in his hand, and he began to tip it over my head. Out poured what looked like.. clear honey? It was like water, but thicker. It felt cold, but it burned. It completely covered me in a powerful rush like I was standing under a waterfall, and I couldn't see and I was gasping for air, and my entire body felt like it was on fire. It hurt, a lot, but I realized in the moment that I wasn't afraid. Whatever he was doing, I trusted him. So I opened my eyes through the pain and looked him in the eye. He continued to stare at me, unblinking, pouring this liquid all over me, for a few more seconds that felt like an eternity. Then I suddenly heard the brass hit the ground as he dropped the pitcher. The hands of the women around me released me, and Hermes landed gently back on the ground to stand in front of me. The pain subsided, I felt normal (albeit wet all over from the mystery substance..)

Then Hermes smiled at me and took my wrist in his hand, firm but gentle, and began to lead me into the shadows of the trees. I heard the women who had held me laughing as we walked away, until all the sounds of the gathering faded away. And then, well, I don't know how else to say this; Hermes and I made love. The experience was what I can only describe as euphoric. I won't get into the details but it felt safe and comfortable. Like a sip of cool water after a long day, something clean and kind.

Then we were laying there under the trees and hearing the sound of the wind in the leaves, and seeing the stars shining through the branches, and then I woke up, and that was that.

I've never had a dream of this sort with any deity I've ever worshipped. They've always felt distant and separated from me in some way, I've never even considered sensuality like this could be part of my experience with them. But I feel so much more strongly connected to Hermes after this. I cleansed, poured him a libation, and began my morning prayers, and it felt so different this time. It felt like he was right there in the room with me instead of being far away.

It was all very strange and I'm not sure what to make of it. But I suppose after all this, I'm grateful that I feel more connected to him now?

I wanted to share this experience to see if anyone else has had dreams of this sort, or any experience like this.

Thanks for reading, and may you all have a lucky day!