The Hedonist has an “appetite” for the pleasurable aspects of life, from good food and wine to sexuality and sensuality. As scientific research has shown, pleasure can improve our health and extend our lives and needs to be part of a balanced life. Indulging the self is central to the psyche of this archetype, whether treating oneself to a health spa or learning the nuances of lovemaking. That the Hedonist is generally thought of as someone who pursues extremes of self-indulgence is more a reflection of our Puritan heritage than of the archetype itself. In positive terms, it inspires creative energy in the psyche to embrace the “good” things in life. It also challenges in a positive way the collective archetypal fear of being seduced and losing control in the physical world. The positive Hedonist knows how to enjoy this world, enjoy their life, enjoy their body, enjoy the pleasures of this world, and they do not have to go about it with excuses. This archetype completely takes you in and teaches you to appreciate the beauty of the world.
The Hedonist gets a lot of bad press because we associate pleasure with sin and we associate pleasure with the absence of God. So the Hedonist is divided right down the middle – church on one side, state on the other; body on one side, soul on the other; wealth on one side, poverty on the other. Choose sides, either you are going to have pleasure in this life or you are going to have pain.
The search for physical ecstasy parallels the search for spiritual transformation, a truth that is apparent in the dual identity of the famous Greek icon of pleasure-seeking, Dionysus. Besides being a god of wine and fertility (later adopted by the Romans as Bacchus), Dionysus also represents the goal of mystery religions, like those practiced at Eleusis:
ecstatic delivery from the mundane world through the physical or spiritual intoxication induced by secret rites.
The shadow Hedonist may manifest as pursuing pleasure without regard for other people or one’s own good health.
Film Reference: Big Night
The Hedonist gets a lot of bad press because we associate pleasure with sin and we associate pleasure with the absence of God. So the Hedonist is divided right down the middle – church on one side, state on the other; body on one side, soul on the other; wealth on one side, poverty on the other. Choose sides, either you are going to have pleasure in this life or you are going to have pain.
The search for physical ecstasy parallels the search for spiritual transformation, a truth that is apparent in the dual identity of the famous Greek icon of pleasure-seeking, Dionysus. Besides being a god of wine and fertility (later adopted by the Romans as Bacchus), Dionysus also represents the goal of mystery religions, like those practiced at Eleusis:
ecstatic delivery from the mundane world through the physical or spiritual intoxication induced by secret rites.
The shadow Hedonist may manifest as pursuing pleasure without regard for other people or one’s own good health.
Film Reference: Big Night