Semele: From Shame To Ecstasy

Angela and I explore the myth of Semele, Mother of Dionysus, and also called "The Mother of Frenzy."

Semele was the youngest daughter of Cadmus, an ambitious king with connections to Aphrodite, Aries and more. Semele dared to fall in love with Zeus, and was shamed for it by her sisters. Ultimately, she was duped into requiring Zeus to reveal his true divinity, thereby rendering her to dust. However, Dionysus, being the good son, ensured that she was transformed into a goddess.

At times called, "Thyone," meaning something like "Mother of Frenzy," we delve into the different types of frenzy, from panic to spiritual ecstasy. Semele's key themes: desire, shame, love, death, rebirth, frenzy, and ecstasy. Known as The Mother of Dionysus, Semele was venerated as an expression of The Great Mother in areas of the ancient Mediterranean where the cult of Dionysus was prevalent. In ancient Athens, she was honored during a minor festival. Generally, her origins are thought to be in Thebes. She is an expression of The Death Mother that is particularly potent, as she began as a mortal woman and then became a Goddess.

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Semele ~ Goddess

I have the book - Entering Hekate's Cave - Brilliantly written by Cyndi Brannen. I wanted more from this author and am very happy to see she has a podcast.

I have enjoyed the natural flow of this discussion and gave me a lot to think about in my personal life. I've heard of Dionysus but not his mother - Semele.

Joseph Cambell may be the father of mythology but with Cyndi I feel she takes it a bit further - what she shares is pretty much a matter of feminine psyche / soul work.

Turning shame to inner bliss.

I enjoyed the closing poem from Apollo - Speaking to everyone about Semele's death :

"from tyranneth love you shall quickly be freed. from similes ashes of Phoenix shell rise, the joy of this birth and Delight of the sky. a God he shall prove more Mighty Than Love."

".... and that when we bring deathto what is keeping us from ecstasy that .... that is great joy that ensues."

Thank you So much Cyndi for all that you do and share with us. You are much loved and appreciated.🙏🪷✨🌏🕊️