Agrionia, the festival of savagery, is coming up on 28 Kantharos (or May 20th, by the common reckoning.)

With the quarantine still in place throughout much of the country most of us aren’t going to be able to get together with our local thiasos and experience the violent collective frenzy and catharsis of this day.

But there’s still plenty that we can do.

In addition to the suggestions we’ve already provided at the Bakcheion here are some tips on how to celebrate Agrionia alone. 

1) Make offerings to Orpheus, Medeia and Melampous.

2) Go out for a wild, rambling walk. Dance. Do drugs. Dress and act transgressively. And otherwise scale back normal Agrionia observances.

3) Isolate the shit that’s suppressed, toxic and holding you back internally and in your life, then bring it to the surface and ritually tear it apart.

4) Make a baby-shaped piñata, fill it with red-dyed corn syrup, and smash it to pieces.

5) Eat veal.

6) Reflect on the oppositions and polarities in Dionysos, and within yourself. Find a way to ritually or creatively express this.

7) Watch gory horror movies.

8) Research some aspect of the festival and make art inspired by it.

9) Chase random strangers through the streets with a sword.