In Deep: the 8 types of love

We're a week out from Valentine's Day (and Singles Awareness Day). While we tend to focus on romantic love this time of year, there are so many other types of love to honor and celebrate as well. In fact, the Greeks actually used eight different words to express the various states of love we can experience:

Agape: Universal and unconditional love, such as the love for strangers, nature or "God". It's all about kindness, compassion and altruism.

Eros: Erotic love. Eros is a passionate, primal and powerful form of love that tends to burn out quickly. The Greeks considered it a form of madness- dangerous, fiery and irrational as it often leads to loss of control and impulsivity.

Ludus: Playful or uncommitted love. It's that flirty, friendly, light-hearted affection between new couples.

Mania: Obsessive love. Defined by insecurity, imbalance, jealousy and possessiveness. Those experiencing mania are often seeking to love and be loved in order to feel worthy.

Philautia: Self-love in its healthiest form. It's about self-compassion and and feeling comfortable in your own skin. Essential for any other type of love as you cannot share what you do not have.

Philia: Affectionate love. Aristotle expressed is as a "dispassionate virtuous love" between equals. Characterized by deep friendship, loyalty, empathy and shared goodwill.

Pragma: Enduring love. Defined by the deep, mature bond that has formed over a long period of time. It's about standing IN love with another with harmony, patience, and compromise.

Storge: Familial love. That natural or instinctual affection such as the love between a parent and child.

So if your weekend to-do list includes picking up a card for your Ludus, Erosor Pragma sweetheart(s), consider grabbing a few for your Philia and Storgeloves as well. It's the perfect opportunity to let them know how much you care. In fact, and the moon will rise offers cards and art prints that resonate for all types of love. And you'll never find a "Happy Valentine's Day" (or any message for that matter) inside our cards. Every interior is purposely blank to allow your own words to shine. Because it's YOUR heartfelt message that matters most.