Love is the most powerful feeling and is present in our most important relationships: parents, offspring, best friends, lover, spouse, neighbours, colleagues.
However, we don't love everybody the same way. According the ancient Greek philosophers, there are 8 different types of love.
1. Eros - named after the Greek God of love.
It's the love of the body - physical, sexual and passionate love. Driven by attraction, lust, beauty, pleasure.
2. Philia - means Brotherly love
It's the love of friendship- the love of the mind. Dependable, loyal, understanding.
3. Storge - means natural or instinctual affection.
It's the love between family members: as of a parent for a child and vice versa, between siblings, grandparents towards grandchildren.
4. Agape - means the highest form of love.
It's the selfless love. The love for God, nature, charity, for strangers, for the entire world. Guided by altruism, empathy and compassion.
5. Ludus - means play, game, sport.
it's the falling in love with someone - the beginning of love. Playful, teasing, flirtatious, fun, seducing.
6. Pragma - comes from the word pragmatic.
It's the long lasting love. Built in commitment, reason, practicality, mutual interests, compatibility and tolerance.
7. Philautia - Means self-love.
It's the self-love. Based on self-esteem, confidence, the relationship with ourselves.
8. Mania - means madness.
It's the obsessive love - If it can be considered love - Co-dependent, jealous, possessive, stalking, aggressive.
To love healthily others and ourselves (Philautia), it's essential to have lived a solid familiar love (Storge). If not, real friendships can help (Philia). Sometimes, we have to choose our own family.
Many romantic relationships starts as Eros or Ludus and end up in Storge, Pragma or Mania.
People who suffers and makes suffer with Mania love have to work their self-love (Philautia).
All forms of love helps our spiritual growth (Agape).
Picture source: pixabay.com
