Platonic love or relationship was originally envisioned by Plato, the classical Greek philosopher. In modern era, "platonic love" resembles a purely spiritual and non-sexual relationship between two opposite genders.
Platonic form of love is nurtured only by affection with the eternal spirit and not by the physical bodies, for example loving one’s heart, soul, and mind more than his or her physical appearance. In a simpler narration, as writer, critic, and journalist Thyra Samter Winslow places it, “platonic love is from the neck up.”
Platonic lovers are characterized by the notion that they are non-impulsive; feeling fulfilled and pleasured by each other's company itself. They believe that love exists in the intellect and not in the outer-self.
However, in today’s modern world, such a spiritually bonding love is scarce in discovery. Today the innocent feeling of love is often veiled by the intentions of pleasure in physical romance, as an attraction to the opposite sex is in the genetics.
Sustaining a Platonic Relationship
In a platonic relationship a person need not be a boyfriend or girlfriend so as to be a companion, but opposite sex individuals can share laughs and tears to develop lifelong platonic friendships. Such friends should have high respect for each other and must keep their feelings in check in a timely manner. Hugging and kissing often is not an ingredient of a platonic friendship. A platonic relationship doesn't mean one can ask a friend for favors and expect the friend to calmly accept them.
Taking each other's problems seriously is very much important. Platonic relationships stay alive in the workplace, in social groups and in any gathering of single and married people who are integrated in a sole interest.
Developing a valuable platonic relationship will summon excellent communication by the two. It is to be well understood that platonic friendships carry value but do not pertain to a sexual contact. Platonic relationship shouldn’t be tagged with any sexual meaning. Touching or talking inappropriately with a platonic friend may ruin the beautiful bond and using words with sexual nuance should be strictly avoided.
The Pros and Cons of a Platonic Relationship
As Bill Mitchell, a New York based psychologist and private investigator says in the March 19, 2003 article "When Your Guy Has a Gal Pal" by Barbara Buchholz in Chicago Tribune, "Most times with a threesome, complications arise". It is vital to make one's partner clearly understand the importance and rationale of a platonic friendship even after marriage so as to avoid an inferiority complex situation between the couple. Experts opine they have seen male-female friendships proceed from a casual chit-chat to regular contact, flirtation and full-blown romance.
In the same article above, Meredith Reid, a psychologist in Cincinnati is quoted as saying, "the majority of platonic friendships fall into a healthy 'angel' or an 'escort love' category. Angel love involves admiration with nothing required in return; escort love involves an activity partner." She adds that both types of friendships do not threaten the romantic partner because in both cases, friendship is more important than sexual intimacy.
Most importantly, in order to maintain a platonic bond, it is vital to learn that the relation will always be strictly non-sexual in nature. If such a beautiful bond is genuinely valued, then skipping romantic feelings is a must to reap the wonderful benefits of living platonically. In order to succeed in a platonic love, it is a pre-requisite to love the soul more than the body.
Sources:
Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Plato (accessed May 5, 2010).
Buchholz, Barbara. When Your Guy Has a Gal Pal. The Chicago Tribune, March 19, 2003.
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