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Unconditional love

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Agape, a way of thinking about love

 

I have a love hate relationship with language. I am infatuated with words and frustrated when they fail to bridge communication gaps.
"Love" is a word that is both central and diminished in our lives. We suffer for it's lack but toss it around in very trivial expressions. "Love it" has replaced "extra large" as a portion size at an ice cream chain.
When I encounter uncommon words with meanings similar to those we take for granted it is an opportunity to reinvigorate speech.
An acquaintance use "agape" in an e-mail and it set me off to discover it's various meanings.
It is more precise than our abused four letter expressions of heart-felt warmth. But still, this special case, taken from the greek, has found it's place in quite different spiritual traditions.
See the sections below for some of what I learned and how it sparked some design ideas for my shops at cafepress.

The feast of Agape 

Christian and Thelemic senses

The Agape feast was one term used for the Eucharistic celebration of the early Christians. While centered on the ritual of the bread and wine, it also included various other ritual elements, including elements of the Passover Seder and of Mediterranean funerary banquets, also termed Agape Feasts. Agape is one of the Greek words for love, particularly applied to selfless love. Such meals were widespread, though not universal, in the early Christian world.
According to the encyclopedia of Thelema & Magick, http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Agape ,
the word Agape is important to Thelemites for numerological reasons. The Book of the Law, Chapter I, verse 39 states that "The word of the Law is Thelema, which means "Will" in classic Greek. Using the most common form of Greek gematria, Thelema adds up to 93, which is therefore an extremely significant number to Thelemites. Verse 57 of the same chapter contains the sentence "Love is the law, love under will." This seems to indicate that love and will are to be balanced or equilibrated. As it turns out, though the word does not appear in the book, Agape also enumerates to 93, so it is commonly used as an equivalent Greek term for "love" in the sense appearing in this verse, balancing Thelema. It is indeed the devotional Love of agape that flows through the 93 Current.
The word "Agape" has played several roles in the history of Ordo Templi Orientis. The first chartered local body in North America was Agape Lodge #1 in Vancouver, Canada; the second was Agape Lodge #2 in Los Angeles (later Pasadena), California.

Agape around the net 

The Beckwiths' Agape

I stumbled upon Mr Beckwith's photo in a Google image search while researching a t-shirt idea. I'm not sure what compelled me to click through, but there was that word again.
These bios are from a speaker's list for a conference in Sedona.
Michael Bernard Backwith
In 1986, Michael Bernard Beckwith founded the Agape International Spiritual Center, a trans-denominational spiritual community for those in search of authentic spirituality. A sought-after meditation teacher, Dr. Beckwith is the author of Forty Day Mind Fast-Soul Feast, and A Manifesto of Peace.
Rickie Byars-Beckwith
Rickie Byars-Beckwith is the Director of the Agape International Spiritual Center Choir. She has written over 120 songs known as the Sound of Agape.

I can't know whether these fine folk are peddling snake oil or the kundalini serpent herself, but they do look happy. If I could afford to hang out in Sedona I might be that happy as well.
Anyway I give them the benefit of the doubt and welcome them to my Agape Lens.

My original Agape design 

available through cafepress

Feel free to leave feedback on this design. It has been rather popular. I can't be sure whether it is a catholic audience or a magick audience that has been buying the items. I think it is interesting that the word has currency in such apparently separate milieus.
I'm enamored of the fraternal sense of the word and the sentiments it contains. I have no ritual or congregational experience of it.
If this word has special emblematic or organizational meaning for you, I'd love to learn more about it.

Agape Sticker (Oval)

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Agape Golf Shirt

Price: 18.99

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Agape Green T-Shirt

Price: 16.99

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Agape Infant Bodysuit

Price: 11.99

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This design is available on other stuff. Let me know what you're looking for.

Posted January 06, 2008

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