Eros Love – The Love Of Passion
Eros love, often simply called “Eros,” is one of the classical Greek terms for love. It represents romantic, passionate love, characterized by intense desire and attraction. Eros is the type of love that emphasizes physical and emotional intimacy, often linked to sexual desire and the longing for union with another person. In Greek mythology, Eros is also the name of the god of love, often depicted as a young, vibrant figure symbolizing the generative power and fervor of romantic love. This concept contrasts with other Greek forms of love, such as “Agape” (unconditional, selfless love), “Philia” (deep friendship), and “Storge” (family love), each representing different facets of human relationships and affection.
Eros Love Explained
Eros Love embodies deep, passionate connections, distinct from other Greek love forms. It’s the kind of love that sparks intense desire and attraction, often leading to a profound sense of intimacy and sexual fulfillment. Rooted in the mythological figure of Eros, the god of love, this form of love symbolizes the vibrant, life-generating force that drives individuals towards romantic union and companionship. Eros Love, focusing on desire, contrasts with Agape, Philia, and Storge, showcasing love’s diverse facets.
The Significance Of The Name Eros – The God Of Love
Aphrodite (the goddess) got mad at Psyche, (the mortal beauty) because human males were leaving Aphrodite’s worship and following the beautiful Psyche around like helpless pups. This is loaded with meaning. Our individuality finds its first and most powerful expression when we decide who to fall in love with. And then that’s the next kicker. We don’t decide. Our drive is so strong that we must consummate before doing anything else.
And that’s the beauty of it all. It doesn’t bear pondering because its overwhelming power turns us all into “sweet victims.” But you know, it really does bear pondering. Respecting Eros, meaning ‘desire,’ impacts life essentials and sobriety, influencing romantic love and devotion.
Eros (the Greek counterpart of the Roman Cupid) is well known as the boyish cherubic figure depicted in all forms of art. The myths involving Eros as the son of Aphrodite (Venus) and Ares (Mars) were formed much later than the original myth. In this older myth, Eros is one of the primeval forces that came into existence from Chaos (Nothingness). To the ancient Greeks, he was the personification of desire and sexuality, represented as a tall, athletic young man; the epitome of beauty.
His power was undisputed, as he was able to “unnerve the limbs and overcome the mind and wise counsel of all gods and all men.” (Hesiod, Theogony [116-138]) He became an assistant of Aphrodite after her birth, and later his role changed as he became her son.
Legends Of Eros
Perhaps one of the most well-known stories about Eros is his relationship with Psyche. Psyche was the Greek word for ‘soul’, and she eventually became the immortal representation of the human soul and consciousness.
Eros met her when he was ordered to make her fall in love with the ugliest creature alive – a result of Aphrodite’s jealousy of the girl’s beauty. As he followed her, however, he was wounded by one of his own arrows, and fell in love with Psyche himself.
He summoned Zephyrus, the West Wind, to carry her to an Island, where he courted her in the darkness of light, warning that she could never see his face. Her sisters were jealous of the splendor in which Psyche was kept and cast aspersions over the identity of her lover.
They suggested that he was probably a monster, ashamed of his appearance, who would devour Psyche and the unborn child she carried. Easily deluded by her siblings, Psyche took a lamp into the room, and saw that Eros lay beside her.
A drop of oil from the lamp fell onto the God’s arm, awakening him. Distressed by her disloyalty to him, he went to his mother, who set the girl several impossible tasks, which she performed with the assistance of other beings who took pity on her.
The final task was to descend into the Underworld and obtain a beauty cream from Hecate (Persephone), Queen of the Underworld and return it to Aphrodite. She obtained the cream, despite the perils of the Underworld, but as she traveled back to Mount Olympus to give it to Aphrodite, she grew curious and opened the jar.
It contained the Sleep of Death, and she was quickly overcome. Eros saw her lying on the road, and revived her, forgiving her distrust.
The Eros Ladder Of Love
Eros guides the soul’s journey from Earth to divine perfection through passionate desire for the true and beautiful. Eros Love fuels great discoveries, art, social efforts, and human achievements.
In Plato’s Symposium, Socrates says that the mysteries of Eros begin in youth, when we find ourselves passionately attracted to one beautiful girl or boy. Eros is the love that exists between opposing genders. Opposing male & female genders of the same energy are subject to the Law of Attraction. Like energies of opposing genders attract. This attraction of opposing genders of the same energy is called Eros. Different wavelengths of energy create a different aspect of love.
All wavelengths of energy have the potential to be divided by gender. A choice of gender is what gives love choice. It is a choice of gender that allows the force of sexual attraction. Without a choice of gender of energy, there is no choice to love another. It is the gender of the wavelength of the energy of another that we love. Eros allows the physical, mental & emotional experience of loving another with similar yet opposing energy.
It allows Lovers to be in harmony and at one with each other. Eros allows the experience of male & female energy to combine in a climactic, orgasmic experience.
As a result of this experience we begin to entertain beautiful new thoughts and feelings. These soon lead us to an appreciation of beauty in other forms as well, and we begin to see that the beauty of one is akin to the beauty of another, and there is something magnificent and wonderful in the essence of all of this loveliness and beauty which attracts us.
Eros Love Reveals The Value Of Inner Beauty
Eros love reveals the superior value of inner beauty, driving us towards soulful connections and mutual growth. Engaging with beautiful minds teaches us the deeper beauty in living righteously and the triviality of physical allure.
Eros then leads us further into deeper realms of the mind, where we discover the beauty of knowledge and science and reason, and we begin to desire the splendid loveliness of wisdom. And then, being lured by Love to surpass the limitations of reason, we begin to contemplate Universal Beauty. Freed by Eros, we discover a vast sea of beauty, inspiring noble thoughts and emotions.
Finally, after Love’s lessons and discipline, after climbing the ‘Ladder of Love’ and exploring all aspects of Beauty, Eros guides us to behold the eternal, divine ‘Beauty,’ beyond death and decay.In this sacred communion, beholding Beauty with the awakened eye of the soul, no longer seeing mere images or relying on human reason, but actually knowing Reality, we become a ‘friend of God’ – having purified and perfected our own immortal Soul.
Plato and Socrates On Eros
Socrates often said that he had no wisdom at all, that he knew nothing either beautiful or good. In Plato’s Symposium, however, he announces that he is an expert on Love. These two statements only appear contradictory. Love, for Socrates, meant longing, and this state of longing is what he meant by being always between ignorance and wisdom, between ugliness and beauty, always seeking and questioning and desiring. Socrates lived passionately, embracing his ignorance while ardently seeking beauty, goodness, and truth.
Plato and Socrates taught that yearnings for passion, wisdom, beauty, immortality, and God give life meaning. Eros is the key to the development and fulfillment of our souls. Eros makes possible the hope for human warmth, the hope for a deep connection with life and eternity, the hope for an understanding of the sense and meaning of existence.
The wounded Eros as ancient myths foretold, has flown away, perhaps never to return.
Eros Love Between Humans:-
Since the first vows of fidelity, the world has experienced profound changes. Greed and selfishness have blemished and destroyed the purity normally associated with love. This has resulted in the high rate of rape and divorce cases in our society today.
The world now attach so many external factors to true love and affection. These factors include money, beauty, height, color and even educational background. These external factors have eroded the principles on which God established a deep affection between two individuals. Thus the old meaning of eros love has really changed and what we have today is totally different.
Currently, Eros or physical love bases itself on the sexual attraction between two people. This superficial love often fades quickly, leading to boredom and short-lived relationships. Eros love often starts romance, leading to deeper Philos love with compatibility.
This is human, sexual, and selfish love, or love based on erotic feelings. In this kind, one looks for some characteristic in the object of love that pleases him/her. It could be charm, charisma, beauty, wealth, talent, etc. However, if this person loses that characteristic, the love of the other party dies. This is the kind of love some men profess when their motive is to have sex with a woman. Immediately they get to sleep with the woman, the relationship ends, or as long as the woman continues to give them sex they maintain the relationship.
Eros Love is passionate, intense and romantic
Eros is exhilarating, and is what a lot of people think of first, a primary working definition of love. It is passionate and intense and romantic; it’s the zingy, mushy, crazy chemical reaction kind of love. It’s generally emotional, and sexual. Romantic love needs to evolve beyond self-focus to last in relationships. We feel aroused and energized fabulously, vitally alive in Eros
Notwithstanding the personality gulf between men and women, the sex urge sufficiently ensures their union for the reproduction of the species. This instinct effectively operated long before humans experienced what was later called love, devotion, and marital loyalty. People often mistake Eros for love, making it easy to abuse. Without Phileo and Storge, Eros is passion, the sex urge that, when unbridled, can devastate personal lives, its effect radiating into families and society.
But the sex impulse is the catalyst that eventually leads to love. Eros love evolves with phileo, storge, and agape support, sustaining long-term relationship friendship and spirituality.