Travel Vibes11

Valentine’s Day is nearly here, so what better topic to start my blog with than LOVE. Now admittedly I am dating myself here but, so be it. Perhaps you recall the whimsical cartoon that came out in the early 1970’s “Love is…” featuring a male & female figure in a single frame scene with a caption completing the sentence that began Love is.  Some captions were comical, others sincere and yet others thought provoking.  Many of the scenes reflect what might be seen as the mundane aspects of life . . . but I think that was kind of the point!  I used to love these cartoons as a little girl, my dad first introduced me to them in the newspaper. I recently re-discovered them when I found one that I had made into a bookmark many years ago.  I did a google search and actually found a website for them and spent some time reading a number of them. My adoration of them has been rekindled! I still love them although I now have a different level of appreciation of them. As I read through them, I began to see that they really touch on the different types of love, not just a romantic love. So that brings me to the topic of the Types of Love.

What do I mean by types of love? Well depending on who you ask, you may find there are 4 types, as in the Bible, 6 types as in pop culture or 8 types according to the ancient Greeks. The Bible lists 4 types of love: Eros, Storge, Philia, Agape. These seem to be a foundation for all cultures and opinions. Eros (Pronounced: AIR-ohs) is the Greek word for sensual or romantic love. Storge (Pronounced: STOR-jay) the Greek word that describes family love, the affectionate bond that develops naturally between parents and children, and brothers and sisters. Philia (Pronounced: FILL-ee-uh) This Greek term describes the powerful emotional bond seen in deep friendships. Agape (Pronounced: Uh-GAH-pay) according to the Bible defines God’s immeasurable, incomparable love for humankind. It is the divine love that comes from God. Agape love is perfect, unconditional, sacrificial, and pure.

From my research it is clear that the Greeks are the recognized experts on the subject of love and they expand the types to include 4 more than the bible identifies. The Greeks Gods also seemed to have very strong opinions as to the value of each type of love The ancient Greeks considered Eros to be dangerous and frightening as it involves a “loss of control” through the primal impulse to procreate. Eros needs its flame to be stoked through one of the deeper forms of love, as it is centered around personal infatuation and physical pleasure. Storge was viewed as a powerful form of love, but one that could become an obstacle on ones spiritual path, especially when family or friends don’t align with or support our journey. In the eyes of the Greeks Philia was valued far above Eros because it was considered a love between equals. Agape remains viewed, by the Greeks as the highest and most extreme type of love, a spiritual love. the love that is that which we intuitively know as the divine. (note, my first mention of intuition, definitely not my last) Agape is the love that accepts, forgives and believes for our greater good.

Now to add the Greeks extra love into the equation. Ludus is a ‘playful love’ often associated with young or new love, i.e. the fluttering heart, flirting, teasing, and feelings of euphoria. Ludas is an essential ingredient that is often lost in long-term relationships but it is one of the secrets to keeping your love alive, interesting and exciting. Mania is an obsessive love which is a means of rescuing oneself; a reinforcement of ones own value as they sufferer of poor self-esteem. Mania loves is trying to find self-value and can become possessive and jealous love. Pragma is an aged love, one that has matured and developed over time. It is beyond the physical, it has transcended the casual, and it is a unique harmony that has formed over time. It’s the love between people who’ve learned to make compromises. Finally, what I think is a love that is too often forgotten, Philautia is self-love in its healthiest form. It shares the Buddhist philosophy of “self-compassion” which is the deep understanding that only once you have the strength to love yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin, will you be able to provide love to others.

So as you can see there is a LOT to this love stuff and apparently it is not all a Hallmark marketing ploy! LOVE is a powerful word, a powerful emotion, sometimes misunderstood, sometimes misused but none the less this little, 4-letter word is truly a critical element of our existence. According to the Dali Llama ‘The need for love lies at the very foundation of human existence. It results from the profound interdependence we all share with one another.‘ Connection to one another, to nature, to all living things is crucial. I hope there is something here that triggers joy, laughter, insight or perhaps encouragement. So this Valentine’s Day, and everyday, share some love with your partner, or kids, or siblings or a stranger or yourself, but LOVE SOMEONE. Thank you for the love shown by your reading to the end of my first blog post and Happy Valentine’s Day!