National Hockey League

While the league has always had a strong Canadian majority, the percentage of Canadian players has gone down slowly in the past 20 years since the arrival of European players. Even though in monotheistic religions, the God is considered to represent love, there are often angels or similar beings that represent love as well. The league also voluntarily stops its season so that its players can play in the Winter Olympics to have the players represent their own country. Here is a list of the gods and goddesses of love in different mythologies. Since the 1990s, the league has tried to promote itself throughout Europe with ads, media, and magazines. Different cultures have deified love, typically in both male and female form. NHL is very proud of its players coming from all around the world. Romantic love per se has few echoes in Jewish literature, although the medieval rabbi Judah Halevi wrote romantic poetry in Arabic in his younger years (he appears to have regretted this later).

After Gretzky's induction, the NHL declared that he would be the last one to have the waiting period omitted. I). In 1999 Wayne Gretzky became the last player to have the three years waived. The 20th-century rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler is frequently quoted as defining love from the Jewish point-of-view as "giving without expecting to take" (from his Michtav me-Eliyahu, vol. However, only 10 individual have been honoured in this manner. The Biblical book Song of Songs is a considered a romantically-phrased metaphor of love between God and his people, but in its plain reading reads like a love song. In the past, if a player was deemed significant enough, the pending period would be waived. As for love between marital partners, this is deemed an essential ingredient to life: "See life with the wife you love" (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

Three years after retirement, players are eligible to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. by contemplating Divine deeds or witnessing the marvels of nature. The National Hockey League presents numerous trophies per year; some are given to teams, and other are given to players. Rabbinic literature differs how this love can be developed, e.g. If the penalized team is scored on during a minor penalty, the penalty immediately ends. As for the latter, one is commanded to love God "with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5), taken by the Mishnah (a central text of the Jewish oral law) to refer to good deeds, willingness to sacrifice one's life rather than commit certain serious transgressions, willingness to sacrifice all one's possessions and being grateful to the Lord despite adversity (tractate Berachoth 9:5). A team is far more likely to score on a power play than during normal play. As for the former, the Torah states: "Love your neighbor like yourself" (Leviticus 19:18).

This is called a power play for the attackers and a penalty kill for the defenders. Judaism employs a wide definition of love, both between people and between man and the Deity. Normally, hockey teams have five skaters (excluding the goaltender), so if one penalty is called, play becomes five-on-four. Other related but dissimilar terms are Chen (grace) and Hesed, which basically combines the meaning of "affection" and "compassion" and is sometimes rendered in English as "loving-kindness". In most cases, the penalized team cannot replace that player and is thus shorthanded for the duration of the penalty. In Hebrew Ahava is the most commonly used term for both interpersonal love and love of God. During a penalty, the player who committed the infraction is sent to the penalty box. A common viewpoint of Sufism is that through Love humankind can get back to its inherent purity and grace.

In the NHL, the Linesman may call major intent-to-injure penalties that the referee may have missed. God in Sufism is referred to in three main terms which are the Lover, Loved, and Beloved with the last of these terms being often seen in Sufi poetry. A linesman may call only obvious technical infractions such as too many men on the ice. Sufism is oftentimes referred to as the religion of Love. A referee makes all penalty calls. Since everything is a reflection of God, the school of Sufism practices to see the beauty inside the apparently ugly. A penalty is a punishment for inappropriate behaviour. God desires to recognize beauty, and as if one looks at a mirror to see oneself, God "looks" at itself within the dynamics of nature.

Under the rules following the 2004-2005 lockout, if a team ices the puck under five-on-five conditions, they are not allowed to make a line change for the following faceoff. Sufis believe that love is a projection of the essence of God to the universe. If the goalie on the side of the ice where the puck is being sent touches the puck, the icing is waved off. Ishq, or divine love, is the emphasis of Sufism. A short handed team is not penalized for clearing the puck out of its zone during a powerplay. All who hold the faith have God's love, but to what degree or effort he has pleased God depends on the individual itself. Play is resumed with a faceoff in the defending zone of the team that committed the infraction. One still has God's love, but how the person evaluates his own worth is to his own and God's own counsel.

When icing occurs, a linesman stops play. In Islam, love is more often than not used as an incentive for sinners to aspire to be as worthy of God's love as they may. Icing occurs when a player shoots the puck across both the red line and the opposing team's goal line without the puck going into the net. It refers to God as being "full of loving kindness". The NHL in 2006 removed the offside pass or two-line pass which was a pass from inside a team's defending zone that crosses the red line. There are no direct references stating that God is love, but amongst the 99 names of God (Allah), there is the name Al-Wadud or 'the Loving One', which is found in Surah 11:90 as well as Surah 85:14. When an offside violation occurs, the linesman blows play dead, and a faceoff is conducted in the neutral zone. In a sense, love does encompass the Islamic view of life as universal brotherhood which applies to all who hold the faith.

In ice hockey, play is said to be offside if a player on the attacking team enters the attacking zone before the puck. The booklet Narada bhakti sutra written by an unknown author distinguishes eleven forms of love. If the game is still tied after the three shootout rounds, the shootout continues, but becomes sudden death. Hindu writers, theologians, and philosophers have distinguished nine forms of devotion that they call bhakti, for example in the Bhagavatha-Purana and according to Tulsidas. The team with the most goals during this shootout wins the game. A person who practices bhakti is called bhakta. Three players for each team in turn perform a penalty shot. Bhakti is a Sanskrit term from Hinduism meaning 'loving devotion to the supreme God'.

If the game is still tied at the end of overtime, the game enters a shootout. Karuna is compassion and mercy, which reduces the suffering of others. If the game is tied at the end of regulation time, a 5 minute, 4-on-4 sudden death overtime period is played, where the first team that scores a goal wins the game. In contrast to kāma, prema or prem refers to elevated love. The team that has the most goals at the end of 60 minutes wins the game. For many Hindu schools it is the third end in life (artha). A goal is scored when the puck passes the goal line and enters the net. In Hinduism kāma is pleasurable, sexual love, personified by the god Kama.

It is used to judge goals and icing calls. Many Christian theologians see God as the source of love, which is mirrored in humans and their relationships. Near each end of the rink, there is a thin red goal line spanning the width of the ice. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but the save the world through him." (NIV John 3:16-17). They divide the ice into zones. John the Apostle wrote, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. There are two blue lines that divide the rink roughly into thirds. Christians also believe that God felt so much agape love for man that he sacrificed his son for them.

The red line is used to judge icing violations. Love never fails."(NIV 13:4-8). The red line divides the ice in half lengthwise. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. The hockey rink is an ice rink which is rectangular with rounded corners and surrounded by a wall . Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Each team may also take one 30 second time-out which may only be taken during a normal stoppage of play. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Between stoppages of play, teams have 25 seconds before substituting their players except for referee stoppages for TV commercials. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. Between each period there is a 15 minute intermission. Attempting to define it he wrote, "Love is patient, love is kind. Each game is 60 minutes composed of three 20 minute periods. Saint Paul glorified agape love as the most important virtue of all in 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. While the National Hockey League follows the general rules of Ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation such as the Olympics. Saint Augustine summarised this when he wrote "Love God, and do as thou wilt".

The overtime is sudden death with the game ending when either team scores a goal. See The Gospel of Mark chapter 12, verses 28-34). Overtimes are also full periods of twenty minutes (of five-on-five hockey), rather than the five minutes (of four-on-four hockey, followed by a shootout) in the regular season. Christians believe that to love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and Love your neighbour as yourself are the two most important things in life (the greatest commandment of God, according to Jesus). If the score is tied at the end of an overtime period, additional overtime periods are played until a winner is determined. Lewis, an influential Christian theologian, wrote a book called The Four Loves. During playoff games if the score is tied at the end of the third period an overtime period is played. C.S.

Four of the seven games are played at this team's home venue - the first and second, and, where necessary, the fifth and seventh, with the other games played at the lower-ranked team's home venue. There are several Greek words for Love that are regularly referred to in Christian circles. In each round the higher-ranked team is said to be the team with the home-ice advantage. The strongest motivation one has in order to take the path of the Bodhisattva is the idea of salvation within unselfish love for others. In the third round, the conference finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the conference champions proceeding to the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bodhisattva ideal in Tibetan Buddhism involves the complete renunciation of oneself in order to take on the burden of a suffering world. In the second round, or conference semifinals, the NHL re-seeds (unlike the NBA) the teams, with the top remaining conference seed playing against the lowest remaining seed, and the other two remaining conference teams pairing off. Instead, in Buddhism it refers to detachment and unselfish interest in others' welfare.

The first round of the playoffs, or conference quarterfinals, consists of the first seed playing the eighth seed, the second playing the seventh, third playing the sixth, and the fourth playing the fifth. This is quite different from the ordinary love, which is usually about attachment and sex, which rarely occur without self-interest. The Stanley Cup Playoffs is an elimination tournament, where two teams battle to win a best-of-seven series in order to advance to the next round. This love is unconditional and requires considerable self-acceptance. The division winners are seeded one through three, and the next five teams with the best records in the conference are seeded four through eight. Advesa and maitrī are benevolent love. At the end of the regular season, the three division champions and the five other teams in each conference with the highest number of points, 8 teams in each conference, qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. It is complementary to wisdom, and is necessary for enlightenment.

At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion. Karunā is compassion and mercy, which reduces the suffering of others. Points are awarded for each game as follows:. It is an obstacle on the path to enlightenment, since it is selfish. The two divisions from the opposite conference which each team plays against will be rotated every year, much like interleague play in baseball. In Buddhism, Kāma is sensuous, sexual love. Teams play 32 games within their division (8 games against four other teams), 40 games against non-divisional, conference opponents (4 games against 10 other teams) and 10 interconference games, 1 game against each team in two of the three divisions in the opposite conference. Sayang is a word to express unconditional love, but also to express deep regret in losing something.

Each team in the NHL plays 82 regular season games, 41 games at home and 41 on the road. Jatuh cinta literally means falling in love: the initial action that triggers love. For a list of previous teams see List of defunct NHL teams. Cinta is a word that defines lust or love that involves physical attraction. Over the years many different organizations have existed. In Indonesian and Malaysian linguistics perspective, love can be defined in several ways:. The National Hockey League currently has 30 teams divided into two conferences, and 6 divisions, an organization that started in the year 2000. As it arises from a conflation with a Greek word, there is no corresponding verb.

The NHL, despite negative press generated during the lockout, has success attracting fans to the initial games of the season and extends fan bases into non-traditional markets in the US such as Nashville, Atlanta, and the Carolinas. This meaning, however, is not found in Classical pagan Roman literature. Of those 15 games, 11 were in front of sell out crowds. Caritas is used in Latin translations of the Christian Bible to mean 'charitable love'. On October 5, 2005, the first post-lockout NHL season got under way with 15 games. Observare is a synonym for 'diligere'; despite the cognate with English, this verb and its corresponding noun 'observantia' often denote 'esteem' or 'affection'. A new collective bargaining agreement was ratified in July 2005 with a term of six years with an option of extending the collective bargaining agreement for an additional year at the end of the term, allowing the NHL to resume as of the 2005-06 season. The corresponding noun diligentia, however, has the meaning 'diligence' 'carefulness' and has little semantic overlap with the verb.

With no new agreement in hand when the existing contract expired on September 15, 2004, league commissioner Gary Bettman announced a lockout of the players union and cessation of operations by the NHL head office, causing the NHL to lose an entire season. This word would be appropriate to describe the friendship of two men. The league vowed to install what it dubbed "cost certainty" for its teams, but the National Hockey League Players Association countered that the move was little more than a euphemism for a salary cap, which the union initially said it would not accept. Diligere often has the notion 'to be affectionate for', 'to esteem', and rarely if ever is used of romantic love. Negotiations to replace the contract that expired in 2004 turned into one of the most contentious collective bargaining sessions in the history of professional sports. Complicating the picture somewhat, Latin sometimes uses amare where English would simply say to like; this notion, however, is much more generally expressed in Latin by placere or delectare, which are used more colloquially, and the latter of which is used frequently in the love poetry of Catullus. The resulting collective bargaining agreement was set for renegotiation in 1998 and extended to September 15, 2004. Ovid wrote a guide to dating called Ars Amatoria (The Art of Lovers), which addresses in depth everything from extramarital affairs to overprotective parents.

A lockout at the start of the 1994-95 forced the league to reduce the schedule from 84 games to just 48, with the teams playing only intra-conference games during the reduced season. Cicero wrote a treatise called On Friendship (de Amicitia) which discusses the notion at some length. The first was a strike by the National Hockey League Players Association in April 1992 which lasted for 10 days, but the strike was settled quickly and all affected games were rescheduled. This same root also produces amicus, 'friend', and amicitia, 'friendship' (often based on mutual advantage, and corresponding sometimes more closely to 'indebtedness' or 'influence'). There have been three work stoppages in NHL history, all happening between 1992 and 2005. The corresponding noun is amor, which is also used in the plural form to indicate 'love affairs' or 'sexual adventures'. Approaching the new millennium, the NHL added another four teams; the Nashville Predators (1998), the Atlanta Thrashers (1999), the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets (both added in 2000) bringing the total to 30 teams. From this verb come amans, a lover, amator, 'professional lover', often with the accessory notion of lechery, and amica, 'girlfriend' in the English sense, often as well being applied euphemistically to a prostitute.

In 1993, the NHL added an additional two teams, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and the Florida Panthers. The Romans used it both in an affectionate sense, as well as in a Romantic or sexual sense. The San Jose Sharks debuted in 1991, a season later the Ottawa Senators would join the NHL along with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Amare is the basic word for to love, as it still is in Italian today. In the early 90's the NHL expanded further with five new franchises. The Latin language has several different verbs corresponding to the English word 'love'. As of 2005, the Oilers are the last remaining original WHA franchise still playing in the city where they began in the NHL. The importance of this can be seen throughout Greek mythology, in particular Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

Four of the remaining six WHA teams merged with the NHL: The Hartford Whalers, Québec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, and Winnipeg Jets. The host fed and provided quarters for the guest, who was only expected to repay with gratitude. The two leagues fought for the services of hockey players and fans until the WHA folded in 1979. It was an almost ritualized friendship formed between a host and their guest, who could previously be strangers. The dilution of the talent pool, however, caused the overall quality of play to suffer. Xenia (ξενία philoxenía), means hospitality in modern Greek, was an extremely important practice in ancient Greece. In response to that, the NHL decided to rush its own expansion plans by adding the New York Islanders and Atlanta Flames that year, along with the Kansas City Scouts and Washington Capitals two years later. Storge (στοργή storgē) means affection in modern Greek; it is natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring.

Though it never challenged for the Stanley Cup, its status as a viable NHL rival was unquestionable. Philia is motivated by practical reasons; one or both of the parties benefit from the relationship. In 1972, the World Hockey Association (WHA) was formed. It includes loyalty to friends, family, and community, and requires virtue, equality and familiarity. Three years later, the NHL added the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres as franchises. Philia (φιλία philía), means friendship in modern Greek, a dispassionate virtuous love, was a concept developed by Aristotle. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Oakland Seals, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Some translations list it as "love of the body".

They were the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Lovers and philosophers are all inspired to seek truth by eros. Six new teams were added to the NHL roster, and placed in their own newly-created division. Eros helps the soul recall knowledge of beauty, and contributes to an understanding of spiritual truth. The rise of the Western Hockey League, which many pundits thought planned to transform into a major league and challenge for the Stanley Cup, spurred the NHL in 1967 to undertake its first expansion since the 1920s. Although eros is initially felt for a person, with contemplation it becomes an appreciation of the beauty within that person, or even becomes appreciation of beauty itself. With these developments and the onset of World War II, the NHL was reduced to six teams during its 25th anniversary year of (1942) – six teams still known today, if somewhat inaccurately, as the Original Six: The Canadiens, Maple Leafs, Red Wings, Bruins, Rangers, and Blackhawks. Plato refined his own definition.

However, the Great Depression took a toll on the league; teams such as the Pirates, Americans and Ottawa Senators folded. The Greek word erota means in love. By the end of the 1930-31 season, the NHL featured a total of 10 teams. Eros (ἔρως érōs) is passionate love, with sensual desire and longing. Canadian additions included the Montreal Maroons and Hamilton Tigers. It has also been translated as "love of the soul". The league had also expanded into the United States, with the Boston Bruins in 1924, the New York Americans and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1925 and the New York Rangers, Detroit Cougars (later to become the Red Wings), and Chicago Blackhawks in 1926. However, there are some examples of agape used to mean the same as eros.

By 1926, having increased player salaries to a level that couldn't be matched by other Canadian leagues, the NHL was alone in Stanley Cup competition. It generally refers to a "pure", ideal type of love rather than the physical attraction suggested by eros. (The 1918-19 competition was cancelled because of the Spanish Flu epidemic that had hit Seattle). The word agapo is the verb I love. Though the league struggled to stay in business during its first decade, NHL teams were quite successful on the ice, winning the Stanley Cup seven out of its first nine years. The term s'agapo means I love you in Greek. With the Bulldogs and Wanderers out, the NHL operated with just three teams for the remainder of its opening year, and through the second season. Agape (ἀγάπη agápē) means love in modern day Greek.

The Wanderers, already a shadow of its former self, folded in the wake of the fire, ending one of the most storied franchises in the early years of Canadian professional hockey. At the same time the ancient Greek text of the Bible has examples of the verb agapo being used with the same meaning as phileo. On January 2, 1918, the Westmount Arena in Montreal, home to the Wanderers and Canadiens, was destroyed in a fire. However, with Greek as with many other languages, it has been historically difficult to separate the meanings of these words totally. The NHL endured a rocky inaugural season in 1917-18, starting with the temporary shuttering of the Bulldogs. For example, ancient Greek has the words philia, eros, agape, storge and xenia. Arguments and discussions ensued which eventually led to the formation of the National Hockey League at on November 26, 1917, with the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Quebec Bulldogs and newly-renamed Toronto Arenas as founding members. Greek distinguishes several different senses in which the word love is used.

Livingstone, unable to attend the meeting because of illness, was shocked to learn that owners had chosen to effectively eject him and the Blueshirts from the NHA. Rather than using ai shiteiru (愛している) or koi shiteiru (恋している) to say "I love you", for example, most Japanese would say suki desu (好きです), which literally means "I like you" -- suki (好き) being the same word used to express preferences for food, music, etc., as in sushi ga suki desu (寿司が好きです), or "I like sushi." Rather than diluting the sentiment, however, the implied meaning of "love" is understood. The owners met in Montreal's Windsor Hotel to consider the league's future on February 11, 1917. In everyday conversation, however, ai (愛) and koi (恋) are rarely used. Livingstone and the owners of the other teams. The word aijin (愛人) means "lover" and implies an illicit, often extra-marital relationship, whereas koibito (恋人) has the connotation of "boyfriend", "girlfriend", or "partner". The National Hockey League was founded in 1917 in Montreal after a series of disputes within the (Canadian) National Hockey Association (NHA) between the Toronto Blueshirts' owner Edward J. There are of course exceptions.

. "Parental love", for example, is oya no ai (親の愛), while "to be in love with" is koi suru (恋する). The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues of North America.

. Generally speaking, most forms of non-romantic love are expressed using the former, while romantic love is expressed using the latter. It is generally regarded as the premier professional ice hockey league in the world. Linguistically, the two most common words for love are ai （愛）and koi (恋). The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional sports organization composed of hockey teams in the United States and Canada, where it is also known by its French name, Ligue Nationale de Hockey (LNH). Some sociologists (most notably, Takeo Doi) have suggested that Japanese social interactions in later life are modeled on the mother-child amae.

The Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League since 1966 to honour a recipient's contribution to hockey in the United States. Japanese mothers are expected to hug and indulge their children, and children are expected to reward their mothers by clinging and serving. Jennings Trophy (1982 - present) -- goalkeeper(s) for the team with the fewest goals against them. Amae (甘え), a Japanese word meaning "indulgent dependence", is part of the child-rearing culture of Japan. William M. It can develop towards either selfishness or selflessness and enlightenment. Vezina Trophy (1927 - present) -- voted to be the most outstanding goaltender. In Japanese Buddhism, ai (愛) is passionate caring love, and a fundamental desire.

Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award (2000 - present) -- best save percentage by a goalkeeper. Reports have appeared in Chinese newspapers and other media detailing the prevalence of the phenomenon and its perceived dangers to students and the fears of parents. NHL Plus/Minus Award (1968 - present) -- highest plus/minus statistic. The concept essentially indicates a prevalent belief in contemporary Chinese culture that due to the demands of their studies (especially true in the highly competitive educational system of China), youth should not form romantic attachments lest they jeopardize their chances for success in the future. Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy (1999 - present) -- to the goal-scoring leader during the regular season. Zaolian describes both relationships among a teenaged boyfriend and girlfriend, as well as the "crushes" of early adolescence or childhood. Pearson Award (1971 - present) -- most outstanding player as selected by peers. Zaolian (Simplified: 早恋, Traditional: 早戀, pinyin: zǎoliàn), literally, "early love," is a contemporary term in frequent use for romantic feelings or attachments among children or adolescents.

Lester B. A similar conceptualization in English is, "They were made for each other," "fate," or "destiny". Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1925 - present) -- player combining ability and sportsmanship. It is very similar to serendipity. King Clancy Memorial Trophy (1988 - present) -- leadership and humanitarian contribution. A meaningful relationship is often conceived of as dependent strong yuanfen. James Norris Memorial Trophy (1954 - present)-- most outstanding defenceman. Yuanfen (緣份) is a connection of bound destinies.

Jack Adams Award (1974 - present) -- coach of the year. Emotional attachment toward another person or anything. Hart Memorial Trophy (1924 - present) -- most valuable player during the regular season. A person will express love by building good gănqíng, accomplished through helping or working for another. Selke Trophy (1978 - present) -- top defensive forward. Gănqíng (感情), the feeling of a relationship. Frank J. Although Mozi's thought was influential, the Confucian lian is how most Chinese conceive of love.

Conn Smythe Trophy (1965 - present) -- most valuable player during the playoffs. Extravagance and offensive war are inimical to ai. Calder Memorial Trophy (1933 - present) -- rookie of the year. Ai, in Mohism, is universal love towards all beings, not just towards friends or family, without regard to reciprocation. Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (1968 - present) -- perseverance and sportsmanship. The Chinese philosopher Mozi developed the concept of ai (愛) in reaction to Confucian lian. Art Ross Memorial Trophy (1948 - present) -- regular season league scoring champion. Lian should be pursued by all human beings, and reflects a moral life.

The O'Brien Trophy was awarded in the NHL before it was retired following the 1949-50 NHL season. In Confucianism, lian is a virtuous benevolent love. Presidents' Trophy (1986 - present) - best regular season by a team. In contemporary Chinese language and culture, several terms or root words are used for the concept of "love":. Prince of Wales Trophy -- Eastern conference playoff champion. After that time, the passion fades, changing love from consummate to companionate, or from romantic love to liking. Campbell Bowl -- Western conference playoff champion. According to current scientific understanding of love, this transition from the attraction to the attachment phase usually happens in about 30 months.

Clarence S. Likewise, when a person has known a loved one for a long time, they develop a deeper attachment to their partner. Stanley Cup -- overall playoff champion. At the attraction stage the person concentrates their affection on a single mate and fidelity becomes important. Zero points for a loss in regulation time. So what starts as infatuation or empty love may well develop into one of the fuller types of love. One point for losing in overtime or a shootout. However, as time passes, the other elements may grow and passion may shrink — this depends upon the individual.

Two points are awarded for a win. Appearance, smells, and other similar factors play a decisive role in screening potential mates. The primary motivator at this stage is the basic sexual instinct. Generally love will start off in the lust phase, strong in passion but weak in the other elements. Helen Fisher suggests three main phases of love: lust, attraction, and attachment.

Relationships based on similar love styles were found to last longer. The Hendricks found men tend to be more ludic and manic, whereas women tend to be storgic and pragmatic. Lee identified six basic theories that people use in their interpersonal relationships:. Susan Hendrick and Clyde Hendrick developed a Loves Attitude Scale based on John Alan Lee's theory called Love styles.

Each of these elements can be present in a relationship, producing the following combinations:. In psychologist Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love, love is characterized by three elements: intimacy, passion and commitment. Companionate love is affection and a feeling of intimacy not accompanied by physiological arousal. Passionate love is intense longing, and is often accompanied by physiological arousal (shortness of breath, rapid heart rate).

The traditional psychological view sees love as being a combination of companionate love and passionate love. Attachment between adults is presumed to work on the same principles that lead an infant to become attached to his or her mother or father. The conventional view in biology is that there are two major drives in love — sexual attraction and attachment. There are probably elements of truth in both views — certainly love is influenced by hormones (such as oxytocin) and pheromones, and how people think and behave in love is influenced by their conceptions of love.

Psychology sees love as more of a social and cultural phenomenon. Biological models of love tend to see it as a mammalian drive, just like hunger or thirst. Refer to Religious Views below. Some traditions encourage the development of passionate love in the believer for the deity.

Reciprocally, the followers may believe that the deity loves the followers and all of creation. This love can be expressed by prayer, service, good deeds, and personal sacrifice. Most religions use the term love to express the devotion the follower has to their deity, who may be a living guru or religious teacher. Religious 'love' might be considered a euphemistic term, more closely describing feelings of deference or acquiescence.

Whether religious love can be expressed in similar terms to interpersonal love is a matter for philosophical debate. If that desire reaches the point of being acted out, it may be considered unhealthy, and fall under the category of paraphilia. (ex: "I love cheese.") In some cases there may be an erotic component to such feeling of love. People can also 'love' material objects, animals, or activities if they invest themselves in bonding their identity with that item.

Similarly, compassionate outreach and volunteer workers' 'love' of their cause may be born not of interpersonal love, but impersonal love coupled with altruism and strong political convictions. A person can be said to love a country, principle, or goal if they value it greatly and are deeply committed to it. .
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Love is essentially an abstract concept, easier to experience than to explain. Different people place varying degrees of importance on the kinds of love they receive. Expressions of love may include the love for a soul or mind, the love of laws and organizations, love for a body, love for nature, love of food, love of money, love for learning, love of power, love of fame, love for the respect of others, etcetera. See the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

It is precisely these cultural differences that make any universal definition of love difficult, but not impossible, to establish. Love is inherent in all human cultures and thus may be seen as a defining trait of humanity, that is, love is a quality that makes one human. Or to put simply, love responds intentionally to promote well-being (Thomas Jay Oord). Love might best be defined as acting intentionally, in sympathetic response to others (including God), to promote overall well-being.

Probably due to its emotional primacy, love is one of the most common themes in art. In ordinary use, it usually refers to interpersonal love. It can describe an intense feeling of affection, an emotion or an emotional state. Love has several different meanings in every language, from something that gives a little pleasure ("I loved that meal") to something one would die for (patriotism, pairbonding).

Mihr — angel of love in Persian mythology. Raphael — Angel of love(agape) in Judeo-Christian theology. Haniel — Angel of Venus, and of eros, in Judeo-Christian theology. Xochipilli — god in Aztec mythology.

Venus — goddess of beauty and passionate love in Roman mythology. Rati — goddess of passionate love in Hindu mythology. Kama — god of sensual love in Hindu mythology. Ishtar — goddess of love and war in Babylonian mythology.

Inanna — goddess of love and war in Sumerian mythology. Freya — goddess in Norse mythology. Eros — god of passionate love in Greek mythology. Astarte — goddess of love in Canaanite mythogy.

Aphrodite — goddess of beauty and passionate love in Greek mythology. Aonghus or Aengus— god of beauty, youth, and sensual love in Irish mythology. Amor or Cupid — god of passionate love in Roman mythology. Áine — goddess of fertility and passionate love in Irish mythology.

Two other words for love in the Greek language -- Eros (sexual love) and storge (needy child-to parent love) were never used in the New Testament. Also known as "brotherly love". Phileo - Also used in the New Testament, Phileo is a human response to something that is found to be delightful. It is parental love seen as creating goodness in the world, it is the way God is seen to love humanity, and it is seen as the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for one another.

Agape - In the New Testament, agapē is charitable, selfless, altruistic, and unconditional. It is contained in the word aiqing (愛情); qingren (情人) is a term for "lover". Qing (情), commonly meaning "feeling" or "emotion," often indicates "love" in several terms. Lian (戀) is not generally used alone, but instead as part of such terms as "being in love" (談戀愛, tan lian'ai—also containing ai), "lover" (戀人, lianren) or "homosexuality" (同性戀, tongxinglian).

Wo ai ni, "I love you") or as a noun, especially in aiqing (愛情), "love" or "romance." In mainland China since 1949, airen (愛人, originally "lover," or more literally, "love person") is the dominant word for "spouse" (with separate terms for "wife" and "husband" originally being de-emphasized); the word once had a negative connotation, which it retains among many on Taiwan. Ai (愛) is used as a verb (e.g. Agapē — selfless altruistic love; spiritual. Mania — highly emotional love; unstable; the stereotype of romantic love.

Pragma — pragmatic love. Storge — an affectionate love that slowly develops, based on similarity. Ludus — love is played as a game; love is playful. Eros — a passionate physical love based on physical appearance.

"Without expression," he warns, "even the greatest of loves can die" (1987, p.341). He stresses the importance of translating the components of love into action. Sternberg cautions that maintaining a consummate love may be even harder than achieving it. Consummate love is the most complete form of love, and it represents the ideal love relationship for which many people strive but which apparently few achieve.

Consummate love is the only type of love that includes all three components--intimacy, passion and commitment. This type of love can be exemplified by a whirlwind courtship and marriage in which a commitment is motivated largely by passion, without the stabilizing influence of intimacy. Fatuous love has the passion and the commitment components but not the intimacy component. This type of love is often found in marriages in which the passion has gone out of the relationship, but a deep affection and commitment remain.

Companionate love consists of intimacy and commitment. Romantic lovers are bonded emotionally (as in liking) and physically through passionate arousal. Romantic love is a combination of intimacy and passion. Empty love can also be seen in couples that are estranged but feel that they are bound by commitment.

In cultures in which arranged marriages are common, relationships often begin as empty love. Sometimes, a stronger love deteriorates into empty love, in which the commitment remains, but the intimacy and passion have died. Empty love consists of the commitment component without intimacy or passion. Infatuated love consists solely of passion and is often what is felt as "love at first sight." But without the intimacy and the commitment components of love, infatuated love may disappear suddenly.

Sternberg says that this intimate liking characterizes true friendships, in which a person feels a bondedness, a warmth, and a closeness with another but not intense passion or long-term commitment. In this case, liking is not used in a trivial sense. Liking includes only one of the love components - intimacy.