God of ecstasy

Greek mythology and its gods have always fascinated me. Many of my previous posts are, in actuality, derived from my conclusions of mythical Greek pieces- which I refer to as the seeker's well. Greek tragedy talks about human beings today. It is as relevant as it ever was. There's a lot to discuss when it comes to this literature, but today's post is dedicated to ecstasy and self-worth, which- by every means- takes us to the humanized notion of euphoria: Dionysus, the god of ecstasy. 

Reading Friedrich Nietzsche drove me through many phases of existence, spiritually. People familiar with this name must know the starting of Nietzsche's historical spiritual journey; it was the interest in Greek tragedy- especially the god of ecstasy- that took him away from his orthodox Christian roots and landed him in the seeker's vessel. In his book, Twilight of the idols, Nietzsche wrote:

"Herewith I again stand on the 

soil out of which my intention,

 my ability grows- I, the last

 disciple of the philosopher Dionysus.''

Greek mythology revolves around several gods: living, eating, and breathing like humans. Humans, when this literature was first conceptualized, were still looking for someone to believe in, to worship, and to blame. It was then, that the god of ecstasy- lost in madness- Dionysus was fancied, along with the extreme opposite Apollo- the god of truth and logic.

The pious Apollo sang what humans- of every era- wanted God to do. He was thought of as the light spreading truth through the logical path. However, this devoutness was not what satisfied Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche was enthralled by Dionysus's free will. He didn't want to be the slave that Apollo was, he wanted to be the king. Dionysus was what titillated his soul. Dionysus's opposition to logic and surrender to tragedy led Nietzsche to introduce the 'tragic disposition' where he asserted that only by embracing the tragic awareness of life can genuine growth, greatness, and capacity to truly affirm life, be attained. 

Among all other Greek gods, it was only Dionysus who satisfied his soul, embraced tragedy, and taught us the everlasting lesson of self-worth. What exactly is self-worth? Dionysus accepted his reality but refused to not matter. He made his presence felt. He didn't lay dead at his father's (Zeus; head of Gods) feet, rather, he saw his world with his own vision and imagination. Respecting his own existence, Dionysus knew that it is only by losing oneself that greatness can be achieved. That's when euphoria descended, making him the god of ecstasy, dance, and wildness. 

Dionysus- although not very reputable- teaches us how our lives are much more than only surviving. We need to live fully and love truly. Our ancestors, the minds behind Greek masterpieces knew where ecstasy lies. Celebrating this existence, they sought, is the only way to happiness. Our world will start shaping the way we want it to, once we acknowledge our very presence and the tragedy deep within. Dionysus did. He taught us that we're not the slaves of our destiny, we're the kings. Nietzsche was ready to glorify his very own self. The question is, are we ready?

Prayers for our beautiful world.

 

Regards,

Yashal Jalil