Agape

The word agape means “love” in the Greek language, being that delivered and unconditional . Even though the Greeks were the first to use it, several other cultures incorporated the term. This includes Christians and the bible, so as to be used in messages as equivalent to “dear” today.

The essence of this word comes completely out of a selfish will or need exempting itself from personal interest. In short, it is something genuine, without ulterior motives, of undeniable and almost unshakable purity. There is great strength here, as it goes to the extreme and targets even those who don’t deserve it.

With this, the root of this love of Greek origin is not limited to being seen simply as a feeling or emotion. It shows itself as a consensual and personal surrender that leads us to welcome other beings . It’s a grand elevation pass to reconnect to our sense of community and fellowship.

Personality

The word agape was originally used for a personal bond with a specific person. That way, it ended up being more used when sent to the spouse, children and family in general. Here we had a profound message to make clear how much the other meant and did us good .

However, any other mode of affectivity did not fit, as the reason changed considerably. For example, affection for someone else as a friend, affinities between acquaintances or even the love of siblings were left out. Since feelings eventually change towards them, they were placed in other similar categories.

So was the affection with sexual intent that was placed in another message. Regardless of being the physical form or the memory of the carnal act, it is shown here as Eros love .

religion in love

Christianity has incorporated what is agape well into itself, linking it to the idea of ​​divine love given by God . Such a passage is described in the New Testament in which the Christian people are led to demonstrate their agape love just like Jesus. Being more specific, the apostle Paul talks about the patience of this love free from malice, envy, injustice and selfishness .

It is common for a feeling to arise that it is impossible to demonstrate this love when we find its meaning. So much so that many confirm this idea when they encounter personal failures and those of humanity itself. In defense, the source of this love would be God sending it to those who spread his wisdom in the world, and then returning it.

Still according to the New Testament, the word made mention of a festive meeting, the “feast of love”, in the church. In short, there was a brotherly celebration among those involved to unite with those most in need. On the other hand, it is recorded that many ended up perverting and changing the reason for this meeting.

Divisions

In addition to agape, the conception of love ended up being divided into other faces to create specific categories. However, one is not better than the other, so there is no hierarchy about it. The purpose is to adequately characterize each existing love based on its characteristics .

It should be noted that the way each person sees this ends up being filtered by the culture in which they are inserted. In this, while many civilizations had their own directions for this, other peoples were more open. The Greeks themselves, for example, who defined love so clearly and so far-reaching for everyone.

What prevents this love from blossoming?

In order to nurture agape love, it is necessary to achieve pure freedom, completely free of blockages. The problem is that many people are not open to making that effort because of their emotional blocks. These most common obstacles show up in:

Hatred

Understand that when we hate a person we tarnish the same energy that could be used to love ourselves and those who deserve it. We know how hard it is to get rid of it, but as long as hate lives, we’ll get sick . With that, we are prevented from loving truly and without any delay.

grudge

It’s hard for love to blossom within us when there’s so much space reserved for holding grudges. There’s no structure here, so it can’t mature and become big. Keep in mind that resentment, as difficult as it is to let go, must flow away and be replaced by something good.

Envy

The unnecessary desire to have the same thing that others have is something as impure as the previous items. There is greed at this point, so that even someone’s happiness is a reason to hate him above all else. The moment we start coveting what doesn’t belong to us, we move away from the necessary elevation to be happy .

the types of love

In addition to agape love, there are other types of universal loves condensed into simple words preserved in time. Each builds its own pavement, so that it is directed to a specific medium. Let’s start talking about love:

Ludus

This is the happiest, funniest love, with a lightness that is not attracted to serious commitments. It happens when we dance with someone, have quick relationships or contacts that make us happier. The main purpose here is to achieve immediate pleasure, even if it is fleeting .

Eros

It is about love based on the romance brought by the passion and desire of the two lovers, warmed by the heart. He manages to undo any pillar of reason, causing those who seek him to “be lost in the flames of passion”. In Greek culture, the word Eros is the name of the cupid who made people fall in love by shooting arrows at them.

Philia

It concerns the love we share with brothers and friends, mutually sharing this living feeling. The best part is that it is sincere and simple and is of mutual benefit to both parties . Over time it tends to show a lasting connection, especially between lovers.

philautia

This is the kind of love centered in our own existence that only later will spread throughout the world. It is divided into two types, so that the first is selfish and seeks power, recognition and money. On the other hand, it works on our self-esteem, personal confidence and responsibility towards ourselves.

Storge

The origin of this love is in the parents and moves towards the children, showing itself as something eternally strong . However, this is not always reciprocal, as the child’s responsibility towards the parents may not exist. Still, parents tend to always forgive them, sacrificing themselves for them.

pragma

Pragma-type love is directed towards a common good and above all when sharing identical desires. For this, abdication linked to romance and physical attraction is common, ceasing to be priorities. For example, arranged marriages or marriages made by personal alliances so common in past decades.

If it’s divine, how can you have agape love?

For many people, it is almost impossible to understand agape love, but let’s focus on the “almost” in the phrases. Even if there is no recipe, an important step towards this achievement is to let go of what is bad or bad. Both in the body and in the mind there are negative sensations and feelings that when transformed make it possible for us to change to love .

This can be done in a return to your past, in order to find the origins of what hurt you. The moment you get rid of the pain in your soul, such as heartache or resentment, new possibilities for growth can emerge. Understand how to get out of that shell that enveloped you, gradually letting go of the pain, and you will know how to connect to that peak of existence.

Final thoughts on the word agape

The word agape appears as one of the linguistic heritages that summarize a universal way of life . We are not alluding to religious changes, but how to elevate the way of life you have now. Understand that as difficult as some things can be, the transformation answer is found deep within the soul.

That’s why it proves so valid to rescue your past, work through your pains to then project the future. The journey alone rewards and helps you to show everything that is missing for your full happiness.