Growing up, I never really liked the idea of Valentines Day. I guess I hadn't been made aware of its true meaning and felt pressure associated with the day when I didn't have a boyfriend/partner to give or receive gifts with. Even now I know, I feel the day has become commercialized to a crazy extent and feel that we should encourage sharing our love on any day in many other ways.
Valentines Day also known as Saint Valentines Day or the Feast of Saint Valentines is celebrated annually on the 14th February - this annual festival celebrating the romantic love and affection, friendship and admiration; the sending of greetings cards and gifts, dating and church services.
Valentines Day originated in the Western Christian faiths and did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until about the 14th Century.
GREECE - St Valentines Day in Greek tradition was not associated with romantic love. In the Eastern Orthodox Church there is another saint who protects people who are in love; (Hyacynth of Caesarea) feast day July 3rd but this was not widely known until the late 1990's. In contemporary Greece Valentine's Day is generally celebrated as in the common Western tradition.
The Eight Ancient Greek Words for LOVE
We use the word 'love' in so many different contexts - the love for our parents, best friend, romantic, partner, grandparent, sibling, job, car etc.
The Ancient Greeks had eight words that correspond to different type of love.
EROS (romantic, passionate love)
Named after the Greek God of fertility Eros is passion lust and pleasure. The Ancient Greeks considered Eros to be dangerous and frightening as it involves 'loss of control' through the primal impulse to procreate. Eros in an intense form of love that arises romantic and sexual feelings.
PHILIA (affectionate love)
Philia or friendship. Plato (Athenian philosopher) felt that physical attraction was not a necessary part of love, hence the use of the word 'platonic' to mean without physical attraction..
AGAPE (selfless, universal love)
Such as the love for strangers, nature or God. This love is unconditional, bigger than ourselves, a bondless compassion and an infinite empathy that you extend to everyone, whether they are family members or distant strangers.
STORGE (familiar love)
A natural form of affection experienced between family members. This protective, kinship-based love is common between parent and their children and children for their parents. Storge can also describe a sense of patriotism toward a country or colleagues of the same team.
MARNIA (obsessive love)
Where love turns into obsession, it becomes marnia; stalking behaviours, co dependency, extream jealousy and violence are all symptoms of marnia.
LUDAS (playful love)
The Ancient Greeks thought of ludas as a playful form of love. It describes the situation of having a crush and acting on it, or the affection between young lovers.
PRAGMA (enduring love)
Pragma is the love built on commitment, understanding and long term best interests. It is a love that has aged, matured and about making compromises to help the relationship work over time, also showing patience and tolerance.
PHILAUTIA (self love)
The Greeks understood that in order to care for others, we must first learn to care for ourselves. As Aristotle said 'All friendly feelings for others are an extension a mans feelings for himself'.
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So if you choose to celebrate this festival of love, remember this is not a day for 'lovers' but everyone can celebrate this beautiful day in their own way. Appreciate those that care for you, for all those for whom you matter. Its not about the giving of expensive gifts; it could be a homemade card or a meaningful photo for a loved one, a comment or gesture to a friend, homemade cookies in a picnic box for your children, a 'post it' note on the bathroom mirror to yourself, a picture made from beach pebbles to a family member, a special walk with your precious pet, a bunch of wild flowers for your neighbour or simply a hug of thanks.
MOST IMPORTANTLY 'LOVE YOURSELF'
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