Eros, Philos, Agape
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{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve been meaning to write something about love, but words don’t come out.
The thing is , the book made me come across with the idea of Eros, Philos and Agape, and I am grateful for this. I want all of them in my life.
Every time I read the book, magic springs , and I think to myself: my God, it might sound like a cliché, but the only thing everybody needs is love. As simple as that.
Why do we complicate ourselves that much when loving?
I’ve no idea.
Maybe because we mix up love with attachment and end up being greedy , following all the preconceived ideas which society fill our minds with.
However, I think it’s wonderful we don’t live in a perfect world and have to get the meaning out of life and love through effort, hardships and doubt, and in doing so we appreciate what we get.
Some people might get bitter in the process, but if they are able to change their attitude they’ll understand that no matter the cost and the lack of recognition, there is nothing greater in life than loving against all odds.
PAULO,
CAN YOU EXPLAIN ME WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE?
ITS SOMETHING MANY PEOPLE DONT KNOW!!!
Agape is the all consuming divine love that a human feels when in an instant he sees all the rays of the sun of life converging on a single point of absoluteness. When you no longer are a drop but have become the ocean. Then there is no fear of death, no fear of ridicule, no fear of pain or suffering.
Eros by contrast is a love that is mainly carnal in nature, and can either drag ;) ) but can also be the stepping stone from a temporal to a divine love. This is why God gives us family, friends and from shortlived carnal pleasure, an enduring joy- our children – so that we may see his love for us with HIS eyes…
Could Agape be that Love that pours into our soul and takes charge, when we finally allow it? Christ spoke of it as in the Word, and will now show us its power when we finally decide it’s necessary. At this point, we lose ourselves and become the Word, witnessing His almighty will in action. I was reading The Pilgrimage back in July, but just found this discussion. How great. My “Blue Sphere” practice of asking help in worship gives me reassurance, but have I yet decided that I can’t live without the true unconditional overwhelming power of our Savior? The book was beautiful, the third of Coelho’s for me thus far. Still trying to grasp it. Immaculee Ilibagiza seemed to illustrate this agape as she faced down the killer on the country road after her hiding during the 1994 Rwandan genocide, all maybe 80 pounds of her sweet soul. Thank you new friends and especially Pauelo, for sharing his time as we contemplate these ideas on our journeys.
Agape is probably indeed like Christ taught us, the gift to love your enemy (like Thelma said), or to see God or the Godess in every other person.
We should all try to see our neighbours like this more often. Quite a challenge :-)but not impossible.
But the way I experience life is that are still always one or few persons in our lives that make being in this state of agape a natural thing. As if their presence is a blessing just for you. Agape is just there when you are together with them. You don’t even have to try. It’s like this one/few persons makes us feel closer to god/the godess, bring us closer to the Beloved. Some people makes us able to experience god in a more intimate way than we did before. In the eyes of my greatest love I see the eyes of God looking at me ever so clearly. So maybe agape is about getting intimate with God/Love trough another human.
good night to you, all my fellow soul-diggers x
I am not sure I know which is which…I know Eros is linked to sexuality, Philos friendship, but my problem is about Agape. The passion that devour. For example, I was thinking, passion is in the sense that we love madly a person? What is love that make us suffer? I mean, if one feels that loves a person very much, and are very jealous, this is passion, or only emotional problem?
Bonjour, Agape est aussi le nom donné aux repas partagés en Franc Maconnerie avec un rituel particulier…
Je pars pour Compostelle le 13 Septembre cela fait 15 ans que j’attendais ce moment , c’est difficelement explicable ce qui nous pousse à partir …
Ultreia
O la la
hum!
food for thought Maud.
I need to speak to Paul von Austria.WHat are you up to Paul?
Love:) MCh
Paulo is my best writer when i have read about agape i was faccinatet because i know what is mean i feel this love thank for you ideas i love to read you books.
Hello, everybody!
I just couldn’t help joining this subject on Eros, Philos and Agape ’cause ever since I read about these three varieties of Love in “The Pilgrimage” I’ve been fascinated with it. As it often happens, I started to get information on the subject from the most unexpected sources. I’d like to share it with you.
I happened to be near a television set in my appartment and a note-pad happened to be nearby, so I managed to put it down. It was a talk-show where an invited scychologist was peaking about love. He said that, according to the Greek philosophers, there was no united notion of Love, but there were six varieties:
Eros – physical, sensual and romantic feeling;
Ludus – playful feeling, a stage at which the partners tend to play trying on different ways of love; a stage at which adultery often takes place;
Storge – being loyal and supportive to the loved ones; a stage at which partners value commitment; true friendship and partnership;
Pragma – choosing a partner in a very practical, pragmatic way;
Agape – unconditional love;
Mania – being obsessed with someone.
And according to C. S. Lewis, there are “Four Loves”:
Affection (Storge) – fondness through familiarity, especially between family members.
Friendship (Philia) – a strong bond existing between people who share a common interest or activity.
Eros – love in the sense of ‘being in love’. Lewis warns against the danger of elevating eros to the status of a god: “Love begins to be a demon the moment it begins to be a god.”
Charity (Agape) – unconditional love directed towards one’s neighbour which brings forth caring regardless of circumstance.
Thank you for sharing this Oksana!
Very similar between the two philosophies.
Love is love no matter what language it’s spoken in.
love,
C.
Well, I believe it would be great to experience all types of love. Though, I would rather avoid Mania and Pragma (in case of Pragma, I tend to choose my partners with my heart, not with my brain;-). As for the rest of them, I think it would be just wonderful to reach the height of feeling them all in one and the same relationaship, to go through all the stages with one and the same partner.
Moreover, I wouldn’t apply the varieties of love to love matters only; it would be divine if they were applicable to all kinds of human relationships and activities: working, bringing up children, taking care of the elders, looking after your garden, painting, sewing, cooking, going to the cinema, watching the clouds, daydreaming… If everybody were capable of LOVING what they do (whatever it is), who they relate to (whoever they are and whatever kind of relationship they have), it would be a much happier world to live in!
Thank you Luminita :)
Eros, Philos and Agape,
So Eros is Lustful, romantic, erotic love.
Philos is brotherly love
and
Agape is all in one and Unconditional love
;)
Any questions?
which love u love most ?
love
aditya
Si…why is it I prefer Amor? ;)
I love them all!
Love, My favorite topic!!!! I can only think of spirituality, how beautiful it is in all forms, and especially when Agape, Eros, and Philos combine. Because music speaks to my soul, love feels like a symphony and the joy I feel when free express (through all that I do):
A song (so many songs bursting inside today):
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=75526742175&h=VpLDF&u=xOMFK
Thank You Paulo, Love to All, Jane : ) xo
Hey Thelma I’m so glad I found your comments again.
I thought you and the others “abituées” have gone.
The most I read you, the most you become for me a sort of Wikka (I mean someone who knows deeply, and better than me these subjects).
Go on please, you and the others.
I want to share and learn.
love
Chris
Thank you Christina! I would never … go away from the Blog, our friends here and of course, most of all our host Paulo Coelho. [ I do not say ... master, because he had mentioned that he is already the Teacher of four 'disciplines'' and he cannot have more..] Am I correct, dear Paulo???
ΦΙΛΟΣ = FRIEND
ΑΓΑΠΗ = AGAPE
ΕΡΩΣ = ΕROS.
Last week I was in a taxi in England and I was listening to the radio and it was said : ‘The GREEKS have 71 one words for Love’. I smiled, because it seems that my ancestors had so much time to .. introspect and analyse their emotions. It seems that they knew the power of the ‘airy’ world of sentiments and philosophy.
PHILOSOPHY = ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ = ΦΙΛΩ + ΣΟΦΙΑ = I love WISDOM.
For friendship in Ancient Greece we have the story of DAMON and PHINTIAS and in Evangelion the story of Philippos and Nathanael. Whenever we want to say that someone has found his true sincere friend we say : Philippos found his Nathanael..[ their stories must be in the Google]. For friendship I think we cannot really say that there exists a pure friendship between two people of a different sex. I believe there must always exist the ‘erotic’ element between the two, although it may be concealed. [Remember the ... Snake!! ;-] So I think it is better to …. keep the … distances!!
AGAPE is the LOVE that Christ has taught us. LOVE your enemy.
EROS is the love that promises us to live HEAVEN on EARTH.
The erotic element is the main power driving us under its Spell. Sex, union with the beloved person. The need to become One in every aspect, physically and emotionally. The transcendence of our own material boundaries. The expansion of our five senses to … super senses, in our desire to ..reach our beloved’s soul. This a Divine feeling and situation. Our feet do not touch the Earth.. We ..fly, we live on the Clouds. We see everything … pink!! As long as it lasts we are the happiest, most joyful souls on Earth. We can ‘see’ if someone is ‘in love’.. The eyes are dreamy and .. sparkling.. The Aura is bright! We illuminate. We feel … bright SUNS. [ We all know the feeling.] Our happiness … depending on .. another Soul. And we all know the … misery and distress when this comes to the end.. Because with Earthly, material things decay is destined. If only we can find Eros combined with Divine Love then our happiness may last for ever..
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
Hahaha… that’s Funny! No Thelma is missing out!!
Ha ha ha!! I am still here, Annie and Carolena!!! Leaving at 2a.m. tonight!
I am not missing the Subject!! It is you that you are going to miss my … answer!!!;-]
I love you all! Have a nice week.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
All of it!!
I forgot to say that Philos is brotherly and sisterly love ;)
Though Agape and Eros are more intense so I’d pick those if I had to.
And you?
once having ‘expereinced’ agape ( a love which leaves me breathless, it’s so intense; my ‘definition’ of agape ) nothng else appears as appealing, but before one is hit by it one must be in either eros of philos. what do u say?
i prefer to move to agape from eros ;-), ( but of course !!) so if u ask me to choose, i choose eros !
u know there is a word in hindi ‘awak’ it basically means stunned, left speechless in awe, wonder, love. maybe these words agape and awak have some connection.
love
aditya
Yes agape is Quite Intense… and yes, aren’t we always in love, with someone or something, even when we’re hating.
It’s true for me that I’m always in either one of them or all of them.
Agape and awak even sound alike.
Prem!
carolena
prem !!! ???
thanks for teaching me Amore ;-) !!
prem
aditya
You’re welcome! :)
prem in Indian means love.
dear heart !
long time ! no heart to heart, why are these two words heart and hurt so damn close phonetically !!! why !
what is amor ?
love
aditya
Hi Heart !
thanks for your heartfelt words ! must have had some ‘good karmas’ in my karma bank to have ‘met’ so many lovely, brilliant people here, and heart u are the heart of the group. yes i am from india, and indian culture so rich in its expereince, is dateless. in india even teh ggreates of books were written ( actually spoekn ) in such a manner that claiming authorship was impossible. people used to write srutis ( what they heard ) and smritis ( what they remember having heard ), idea was to stop ego from bloating.
As carolena has said in our country love is called prem. i was amazed that u remembered the name of my two sons, i mentione dtheir names because in a way they have helped me grow, all that we hear, read, discuss is theory, practicle comes in real life, and no better teacher than kinds when u are trying to teach them something. u know once when aksh was about 3 years old, we were taking a walk in rain soaked walkway in an undulating garden. Aksh slipped, but before he could fall, i caught his arm. then chided him ” u must pay attention ” in hindi the word for attention is same as word for meditation. I told him ” dhayn rakho, kepp attention ” he replied back saying ” papa, dhyan rakha nahin jaata, dhyan sambhalna parta hai ” meaning one must nurture a meditative state. i have not been able to forget that lesson.
love & gratitude as annie says
love
aditya
That’s Amore Aditya, haven’t you heard that song by Dean Martin?
Amor is Italian for Love, Passion.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS6-b7CONDI
That’s Amore!!
Dear Aditya,
Long time…but I see you all the time :) Heart to heart is the most beautiful encounters, and so it is to find what’s in the heart of the hearts in the depth of ourselves. It’s when something deep in our heart meet something deep in somebody else’s heart, divine connections occur. Heart and Hurt? Because only God can love us perfectly, and we long to be with Him/Her, and we are not there yet. So the original sin ruined the pure love, and all we have left is reflections of what we will receive in the heaven of heavens. ‘Better to have love and lost than never loved at all’.
I guess Amor must be Latin, while Eros, Philos & Agape originated in the Greek language, two cultures both helping us on our way to find divine love. Why I like Amor? Because for almost 30 years I’ve been fascinated with Brazilian culture, and each time I read some article from there, it is AMOR being used, without splitting it up into some literary definition, but in a very lively, rich, colorful, happy, joyful, playful way. They even have Amor when they play football in Brazil. Hehe. Not to hurt Thelma or Annie, the Greek spirituality is a bit too serious at times. I just adore the Latin dance and liveliness (is that a word?).
Aditya, I’m not sure if my understanding is correct, that you are from India? Your culture goes even deeper, even further back than the Greek/Latin. Tell us what word you use for Love? Sometimes I make little notes about the blog, and I did write down the name of your two sons; Aksh who is 8 years and Abhuday 6 months. I imagine you as a dad. Such a wonderful dad! What would you call your love for your sons?
I’m sorry about your hurts in your heart. It will all heal with time. Treasure every little moment of Amor you receive from life. You never know when and where it happens, but it is sure worth living for.
Much love,
Heart
Thank you for the serenade Carolena! Amore…like a big piece of pie… and too much wine…Tingelingeling and you sing…and in love, and you walk in a dream but you know you are not dreaming…Yes. Giggles.
Heart, (giggles) you’re so funny! Thank you for the nice reply. That’s great the way you described Brazilian Amor, I like that too, just Amor and yes liveliness is a word! :)
Ok watch, we’ll for sure get a reply from mama Thelma or Annie! ;)
Amor
Carolena, yes, I’ve been on a mental pilgrimage to Brazil ;)
Amor
Amor & Eros are the same word for the love which connects a man and a womanin a sexual relation, connection. I have heard in Greece they called this kind of “Love, we know as “Passion” too “god Eros” while Romans called the same god as “god Amor ” or vice versa.
We all know that Romans had been influenced and were admirers of the Greek Culture applying lots of greek culture on their ordinary life.
And by the way, Amor & Eros is also known as Cupid, both !?
Beautiful Thelma!
I love the story of Damon and Phintias. That’s Agape! :)
Love your stories too Thelma, great to see you back!
Agape.
NICE!
-NIRMIKA
Thank you Annie :)
Yes, ‘every word that means Love, is so beautiful..’. Often the language of love is completely silent, with no words, or just expressed by body language or facial/hands expressions. The Greeks certainly have educated the entire World about so many things. And you and Thelma ‘educate’ us/share with us about love all the time… and you are two Greek gemstones :)
S agapo poli mikroteri athelfi.
Annie,
Thank you so much for that Wonderful information! That was great!
Yes that version I also had not heard, I like it too! :D
The celestial world fascinates me!
Amore, yes it’s all the same! A language understood by all! ;)
S agapo kopelas! :)
I can hear your music
“Maybe in another life, he became a woman ” with a name Annie or maybe shifted base and became heart or carolena.
love
aditya
Like a Gay tarantella… Happy Fella!!
You’re full of great ideas Aditya :)
That’s Amore!
C.
Aditya,
Thank you for your letter. I was actually very surprised that you asked me that question! Paying attention, I believe I do recall your sons name being Prem.
Wonderful story Aditya, yes indeed we learn from everything and everyone!
Prem ;)
Aditya wise man!
Very interesting what you say of not claiming authorship of books, to prevent one from getting a big head! In fact I know artists never sign religious icons… you know painted on wood in Greece and Russiah, I believe because they are regarded Holy Images.
Giggles. How cute, your Aksh telling you too to meditate/pay attention :) The reason I remembered the names is it caught my attention you have picked names, both beginning with an A. (for Attention :)) What a lovely picture of you catching your son, to prevent him from falling. Prem in real life!
Yes, Love and Gratitude, a perfect greeting :)
Heart
HE SEEMS QUITE INTELLIGENT!
-NIRMIKA
Sorry I can not answer this… love