EIGHT FORMS OF LOVE as muses

 παιχνιδιά: playful love 

Ludus (LOO-dus) is a transient, pleasant connection to a person, place, object, or activity. It is not meant to last forever, but can still be meaningful since it's how we find inspiration and engage with our surroundings. The fun we have through hobbies , travel, and in-the-moment experiences like "jamming" would fall under Ludus. Children are naturally good at finding opportunities for it.

Using the example of a tree as an individual, it would be like the leaves, changing with the seasons and signaling the current phase the tree is in. Like leaves it comes and goes, and functions as an identifier.

 ἔρως: erotic love

Eros (AIR-ose) is the feeling of attraction,  sexual pleasure, and romance between people. It is cyclical rather than static, and can either evolve in conjunction with other types of love (ideally Pragma or Phileo), or be let go. On its own, it stays in the physical realm and usually ends. 

It would be the flowering part of a tree, attracting people to it and blooming at different points in time. It can be plucked (cut off) or left to continue its cycle. It cannot be forced to bloom out of season and should be enjoyed while it lasts, knowing it can return.

πρᾶγμα: committed love

Pragma (PRAG-ma) is a mature love based on choice more than emotion. It's what enables us to make sacrifices and prioritize shared goals, which makes it ideal for marriage and parenthood. It can also be expressed as dedication to a life purpose/career.

It's like the fruit of a tree, created through effort and discipline. It can even go on to exist outside of the tree and have positive effects on others, like the music produced from a focused musician or the children raised by devoted parents. 

φιλαυτία: self-love

Philautia (fi-LA-tee-ah) is the spectrum of love we feel for ourselves. It can range from healthy self-regard  to destructive narcissism, so balance is key for protecting the inner world while maintaining connections with the outer one.

In a tree it would be the trunk, the main part growing up from its roots. It strengthens with time and nourishment, starting as a stem that stabilizes the plant so it can fully develop. It can sustain damage and adapt, and carries the story of the tree in its rings. 

φιλέω: platonic love

Phileo (fil-A-oh) is a non-romantic but enduring bond between people who relate to one another, like a kindred spirit. It feels like family we chose and are willing to work through problems with, because there's a sense of attachment. Co-workers at intense jobs, close friends, roommates, bandmates, and teammates are all examples of relationships that can develop into this type of love.

These are the branches of a tree, reaching out from the center to expand the individual. When a branch is broken or must be removed, it causes pain.

στοργή: familial love

Storge (STOR-jay) is the tie between family members, which can be both connecting and limiting. It maintains a strong presence throughout life, whether the relationship is active or not. We can "bury" the emotional components but they don't go away. Parents, siblings, and adult children are bound to us through Storge.

The roots of a tree run deep, connecting us to our genetics, family dynamics, and identities on levels that can be subconscious. They can anchor in a storm, holding us in place when we need it, or be a conduit for disease. A tree can't change its roots, it just has to grow from them in its own direction.

μανία: obsessive love

Mania (MAY-nee-ah) is a consuming, often involuntary experience where the object of love is idolized for egocentric reasons versus their intrinsic value (who they really are). Its hallmark is the emotional spikes caused by seeing or interacting with the object, which can be overwhelming and lead to a desire for more control (possessiveness). In some contexts it can be exciting, but even then it has a draining effect. Celebrity worship, fanaticism, and the modern concept of limerence (unrequited love) are examples of this.

Left unchecked, it would eat away at a tree's strength like a fungus in the roots or a vine winding around its trunk. The more it's fed, the bigger it grows. When controlled, it can add interest and even beauty to life in small doses. When it takes over and must be destroyed, it can leave a scar on the tree. 

ἀγάπη: divine love

Agape (ah-GAH-pay) is a timeless soul connection that transcends the physical world and all other forms of love. In religious contexts it's used to describe how God felt when He created humanity, since He gave us free will. In contrast to Mania, true Agape does not seek to possess or control because it's at peace with what it is, and all that has been or will be. It's in the serenity we feel when we pray and the joy we experience in those "happy to be alive" moments. It can even be in the heartbreak we feel over injustice and the pain of others, or in loving someone enough to let them go when the conditions aren't right for them to flourish.

It could be represented by a seed, from which the tree is made. The seed is always part of the tree, and the tree is an expression of it. The tree exists because of the seed, and carries its essence into the world.