Eros Love

It’s no surprise that the core teaching in all religions is Love.  But there are different types of love.  The English language uses just one word to describe those different types of love and it is one of the reasons that love can be confusing to us.  Thankfully, we have some of the older languages, such as Greek, available to us to help clarify the different types of love.

For example, the love that is at the core of spiritual and mystical teachings in all scriptures is permanent, not temporary.  This week, I’m going to talk about that temporary kind of love. 

Love in Greek has three meanings: Eros, Philo and Agape.  To help you understand love more, I will attempt to explain the differences between all three over the next couple of weeks. I believe when you have knowledge it gives you the power of choice and understanding, both of which can bring peace of mind.

Eros can be described in different ways, e.g., romantic and/or erotic. This love is temporary because it is based on physical perception and/or traits. We have all experienced this. We are attracted to someone purely because of the way they look, talk or carry themselves, etc. I am sure we have even started relationships because of this. I know I have. This is the first stage of love. There is nothing wrong with it. We all need to experience it.  It is part of the journey.

You put your best foot forward, dress nicely, and show off all of your best qualities. The other person usually does the same. It feels like you are on cloud nine. And as long as the both of you are getting what you want from the other, the relationship will last.

So it’s no wonder that you quickly fall out of love when things don’t go the way you want them to. You experience the other person’s “other” (less desirable) qualities.  They say things that are not so nice and they do things you disagree with or that disappoint you.

It’s so easy to observe with our kids. When they first fall in love, we call it “puppy love.” We can see that it’s simply physical and, while we think it’s cute, we know in our hearts that it’s just a matter of time before their young hearts are broken.

Can Eros be taken to the next level?  Absolutely!

It all depends on our own emotional and spiritual maturity.  Most of the time, relationships are taken to the next level through compromise and commitment.  The compromise will be different for each of us.  Some of us would or wouldn’t compromise as much as our friend, sibling, etc., does.  So compromise (and the level of that compromise) is a personal choice.  But make no mistake.  The depth of a relationship on the next level will be determined by how much the two of you have worked through your emotional baggage. The emotional baggage could also be referred to as our “shadow side.”

The commitment part is simply that. You’re both committed to the relationship and no individual can opt out without the both of you doing everything possible to work out the differences.

The Eros stage of love can last for a long time, but it is not eternal.

Do you remember your first encounter with Eros love?  Are you currently watching your child experience puppy love?  I want to hear your thoughts on Eros love and, for that matter, any other thoughts you have related to the Ah-Man Blog.  Please click on the “Comment” button below to share.

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