The EIGHT love types.

1. “Eros” or Erotic Love

Eros represents the idea of sexual passion and desire.

Eros can be dangerous and frightening as it involves a “loss of control” through the primal impulse to procreate. Eros is a passionate and intense form of love that arouses romantic and sexual feelings.

When misguided, Eros can be misused, abused and indulged in, leading to impulsive acts and broken hearts.

It is centered around the selfish aspects of love, that is, personal infatuation and physical pleasure.

Eros is a primal and powerful fire that burns out quickly.

Love Catalyst: The physical body

2. “Philia” or Affectionate Love

Philia, or friendship was valued far above Eros because it was considered a love between equals.

Plato felt that physical attraction was not a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word platonic to mean, “without physical attraction.” Philia is a type of love that is felt among friends who’ve endured hard times together. It is free from the intensity of sexual attraction. It often involves the feelings of loyalty among friends, camaraderie among team mates, and the sense of sacrifice for your pack.

Love Catalyst: The mind

3. “Storge” or Familiar Love

Storge is primarily to do with kinship and familiarity.

Storge is a natural form of affection that often flows between parents and their children, and children for their parents.

Storge love can even be found among childhood friends that is later shared as adults.

Love Catalyst: Causal (Memories)

4. “Ludus” or Playful Love

Ludus possesses a little bit of Eros, it is much more than that. Like the affection between young lovers.

It's mostly the feeling the early stages of falling in love with someone, e.g. the fluttering heart, flirting, teasing, and feelings of euphoria.

Love Catalyst: Astral (Emotion)

5. “Mania” or Obsessive Love

This type of madness and obsessiveness occurs when there is an imbalance between Eros and Ludus.

Mania is a means of rescuing oneself from poor self-esteem. This love type seeks self-value in loving and being loved. Because of this, they can become possessive and jealous lovers, feeling as though they desperately “need” their partners.

If the other partner fails to reciprocate with the same kind of mania love, many issues prevail such as codependency.

Love Catalyst: Survival instinct

6. “Pragma” or Enduring Love

Pragma is a love that has aged, matured and developed over time. It is beyond the physical, has transcended the casual, and it is a unique harmony that has formed over time.

Pragma is found in married couples who’ve been together for a long time, or in friendships that have endured for decades. Unfortunately pragma is a type of love that is not easily found. We spend so much time and energy trying to FIND love and so little time in learning how to MAINTAIN it.

Unlike the other types of love, pragma is the result of effort on both sides. It’s the love between people who’ve learned to make compromises, have demonstrated patience and tolerance to make the relationship work.

Love Catalyst: Etheric (Unconscious)

7. “Philautia” or Self Love

In order to care for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. This form of self-love is not the unhealthy vanity and self-obsession that is focused on personal fame, gain and fortune as is the case with Narcissism.

Instead, philautia is self-love in its healthiest form.

You cannot share what you do not have and if you do not love yourself, you cannot love anyone else.

The only way to truly be happy is to find that unconditional love for yourself.

Love Catalyst: Soul

8. “Agape” or Selfless Love

The highest and most radical type of love is agape, or selfless unconditional love.

It has nothing to do with the condition-based type of love that our sex-obsessed culture tries to pass as love.

Agape is what some call spiritual love. It is an unconditional love, bigger than ourselves.

It is the purest form of love that is free from desires and expectations, and loves regardless of the flaws and shortcomings of others.

Agape is the love that accepts, forgives and believes for our greater good.

Love Catalyst: Spirit