ding ding ding

i am almost done with reading this book:
"The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coehlo
(it's REALLY a good read)
i wanted to take the time to reproduce a paragraph here
because it rang so true, while i was reading yesterday, every
fiber in my being vibrated in resonance (bold is mine):

page 119

"Present here is one of the two manifestations of agape,"
he said, as he stubbed out his third cigarette. "It is not the
only one, but it is the purest. Agape is total love. It is the love
that consumes the person who experiences it. Whoever
knows and experiences agape learns that nothing else in the
world is important -- just love. This was the kind of love that
Jesus felt for humanity, and it was so great that it shook the
stars and changed the course of history. His solitary life
enabled him to accomplish things that kings, armies, and
empires could not."

when i googled agape, i found mostly christian references, but
i do not believe it to be a uniquely christian concept ....
(your input requested, gabe ...)

Quote :

The concept of the four types of love is generally attributed to a book entitled 'The Four Loves' by author C.S.Lewis. The book was an exploration of love from a strictly Christian perspective by means of various philosophical thought experiments and examples culled from literature. The entire endeavor is prefaced by Lewis' admission that he initially mistakenly took the words of St. John, who said "God is Love", as a shortcut to his topic. After further reflection, the author categorizes four 'loves', these being Storge, or Affection, Eros, or romance, Phileo, or friendship, and Agape, or charity, also called unconditional love. Through the process of taking example from past works and thought experimentation, Lewis realizes that not only is the subject of love itself far more complex than he originally theorized, the four categorizations he comes up with are far more complicated than he initially believed as well. One of the strongest points in the book noted that just as Lucifer. a fallen archangel, perverted his nature with pride and descended into depravity, so too can love become corrupt by presuming itself to be what it is not.

http://www.reference.com/motif/society/four-types-of-love

Quote :

The rich variety of world religions is a testimony to the essential spiritual nature of our human existence. And yet, within this amazing and sometimes fascinating diversity can be found an equally amazing unity, the basis of which is "love". All the world's great religions both teach and assume the priority of love in religious practice, and any religion or system of beliefs that teaches or tolerates hatred towards others does not deserve to be considered a religion in the first place. Agape love is not directed towards a single person or small group of friends but towards all humanity, even all of creation. It is altruistic love, love that is given for its own sake without expecting anything in return, it is pure love, and the kind of love in which the religions of the world may find basis for unity.

http://www.amazon.com/Agape-Love-Tradition-Found-Religions/dp/1890151297

i found it curious that the online thesaurus leads with this:

Quote :

Main Entry: agape  [uh-geyp, uh-gap] Show IPA
Part of Speech: adverb
Definition: amazed
Synonyms: ajar, astonished, awestruck, confounded, open, overwhelmed, shocked, staring, yawning

http://thesaurus.com/browse/agape

and the online dictionary with this:

Quote :

a·gape1 [uh-geyp, uh-gap] Show IPA
adverb, adjective
1.
with the mouth wide open, as in wonder, surprise, or eagerness: We stood there agape at the splendor.
2.
wide open: his mouth agape.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/agape?__utma=1.851005355.1359313839.1359313839.1359313839.1&__utmb=1.2.10.1359313839&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1359313839.1.1.utmcsr=google%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=agape%20love&__utmv=-&__utmk=166823102

when what we need most is this:

My consciousness has touched on this very thing recently my dear friend.

As you know for the past couple of years it has been me and my Eddie. He has shown me what unconditional love is once he got past the fear of what another human may do to him, as I got him from a shelter and as soon as he got past the vet and got his hernia fixed, he hid under my bed quaking for over three weeks, only sneaking out for food. I left him alone and once he knew nothing would happen bad he finally came out and joined me and everything was okay from then on.

He sleeps with me, puts his head on my leg, cuddles up and snoozes. His so smart if its a bit cold he goes over to the wall heater, puts his paw on it turns around to me and meows, meaning...........can you put this on so that warm air comes out pweese.

No shouting, no nastiness, no pushing around, no threats, just love.

And that's really all there is isn't, love. But with the way some people are stuffed up good and proper and rely on their head instead of their heart, we ourselves have to be careful in a way.

But I know that love really is all there is. I do have a problem though hon, when I needed love and help and understanding I got none from some important people to me.

Unfortunately we also have to learn lessons while we're here and that is why I believe I am here as well. I have to learn my lessons the hard way and so do other people. Lessons arent easy to learn or to give.

But I am going with my intuition as far as teaching people I love how not to treat me.

Have I told you lately how much I love you hippie, no? Well I really do love you so much sweetheart. xxxooo

wow hippie
i try and ask myself this when i read some awful news..like today..night club fire and 245 dead in brazil, an article on elder abuse
shootings, etc., etc
today it took me awhile to get over it..
i was having one of those 'poor pitiful me daze' especially after reading about the elder abuse
sigh..dang.. and just after another birthday..sigh.. oh poor pitiful me...

it took a lot of talking to to get me to move out of that mental state...and your sign says it all
cause when i get really down i ask myself..ok..what can you do to make it better..how can you change it
i don't always have an answer but at least it gets me out of that rut

i think what can i do about it.. i'm only one person and i really don't want to go out and protest stuff anymore
then the little light goes off
well..
TODAY i can stop adding to the misery of the world by kicking myself out of this rut and
being as positive as i can.. i can't solve the world problems by myself

but

TODAY i can keep from adding to them

TODAY.. if i do nothing else.. i will send love to the universe, the world, those i know
and
ME
i will find something to smile about...an attempt at joy

there is a reiki saying...just for today
and dang it i can do .. today

Hi hippy,

In the Christian community I have been around the word agape love is the god like love, the unconditional kind of love.

If you walk in this agape love, you will be looked upon by God as a perfect human being. No huMans are perfect of course, but God counts you as being perfect if we can learn to walk in this greatest of all Spiritual fruit.

This kind of love is spoken about in detail in the New Testament book of 1 st. Corinthians chapter 13 where the word there for agape is translated into the word Charity, so if you have a King James Version Bible, replace the word Charity and read it as Love, and you will be more correct than the original translators of the King James Bible.

This agape type love is the most perfect Gift according to the Bible, and you will be God like in your humanity, if you can learn to walk in that mode of operation as human.Also signs and wonders will follow you everywhere you go if you have this love, and you will see lots of miracles in your lifetime for you and for others.

Go for it hippy, I don't think you are far from it now dear Spirit.