I found the secret to love. You can choose it right now, just as you can choose happiness. It's available right here. But I, for one, won't "feel" it simply because I "choose" it. I'm too hardened. So I draw love out by tapping. I'm not after selfish, sloppy, sexy "love." But it is an option once you exude love. I'm after an altruistic, pure heart, with exploding energy LOVE.
The ancient Greeks knew how to distinguish the forms love takes: Agápe (αγάπη, altruistic compassion), Éros (έρως, passion with sensual desire and longing, not always sexual, but more than philia or friendship-love, partnership, appreciation of beauty), Philia (φιλία, friendship, familial, communal dedication, dispassionate virtuous loyalty), and Storge (στοργή, affection).
Unbounded metta (universal kindness, friendliness, connectedness) is the Buddhist all-inclusive term. The Buddha spoke in praise of it again and again -- a love full of concern but free of selfish-attachment. It has close companions in the other "Divine Abidings" here-and-now:
- karuna (compassion or urge to alleviate others' suffering)
- mudita (joy-because-of-others'-joy, altruism, sympathy)
- upekkha (impartiality, equanimity, unbiased regard for all).
