The overarching goal of the Philokalia's teachings is theosis , or deification—the transformative union with God. The path to this union involves a threefold process:
Cuvântul „Filocalia” provine din limba greacă ( Philokalia ) și se traduce prin – unde frumosul suprem este Dumnezeu. Colecția reunește scrieri ale Sfinților Părinți din secolele IV-XV, axate pe rugăciunea inimii (isihasm), trezvia minții și combaterea patimilor. Structura ediției românești
with decades of experience. Reading it without a "spiritual father" or guide can lead to confusion or spiritual "indigestion". Complexity
The word "Philokalia" (Greek: φιλοκαλία) beautifully translates to "the love of the beautiful" or "the love of the good. In a spiritual context, this "beauty" refers to the divine. As explained in the preface to the first Romanian volume, signed in 1946 by the renowned Fr. Dumitru Stăniloae, "the word 'Filocalia' means the love of beauty, of a beauty which is at the same time goodness". This guiding principle underpins the entire anthology, which is a grand collection of ascetical and mystical writings of the Eastern Church, composed by Holy Fathers and ecclesiastical writers between the 4th and 15th centuries. It is a complete spiritual ecosystem offering a progressive path toward purification, illumination, and perfection through "practical and contemplative ethical philosophy".