The Upper Room Within
Making Space for Divine Presence
In the story of Pentecost, the disciples and Mother Mary gather in the Upper Room, a place of quiet waiting, prayer, and deep expectancy. This Upper Room is not simply a physical space; it is a symbol of the inner sanctuary where the soul prepares to receive divine revelation. It is the womb of Spirit, the meeting place between heaven and earth within each of us.
Shabbat, in its mystical depth, is much like this Upper Room. It is a sanctuary in time, a temple we step into every week, where the noise of ordinary days subsides, and the veils between the worlds grow thin. On Shabbat, we are invited to ascend to the inner Upper Room of our being, to become still enough to feel the Shekhinah’s descent, and to prepare ourselves to be vessels of light.
The sacred pause of Shabbat echoes the disciples’ waiting. Before the Spirit could descend, there had to be space, an openness of heart, a readiness to receive. So too, Shabbat offers us the radical practice of making space: space in our schedules, space in our minds, and most importantly, space in our souls. It is a reminder that the Divine Presence is always ready to pour forth, but we must create the inner room to hold it.
The Upper Room within is not a lofty or faraway place. It is as close as our breath, as near as our longing. Every time we step back from striving, lay down our burdens, and open our hearts in rest and trust, we enter this holy space. Shabbat invites us to dwell there, not as visitors but as beloveds returning home.
In Kabbalistic and mystical Christian teachings, the vessel is as sacred as the light it holds. Without a vessel, the light has no home; without light, the vessel is empty. Shabbat teaches us to become both: to cultivate the quiet, receptive space of the Upper Room and to allow the Divine Fire to illuminate us from within.
This practice is deeply countercultural. The world urges us toward constant motion, achievement, and noise. But Spirit waits in the stillness. Like Mary Magdalene and the other faithful ones in the Upper Room, we are called to gather the scattered pieces of our attention, to sit in prayerful expectancy, and to open ourselves to the mystery of Presence.
Growing up in a beautifully devoted Spanish Catholic family, I never experienced Shabbat. Sundays were for church, and although I admired and often deeply reflected upon the sermons given by the priest, there was something missing, a mystical connection that transcended words and rituals. It wasn’t until my first apparition of Mary Magdalene in 2011 that I was drawn toward a deeper, more embodied spiritual practice. Through Magdalene’s presence and teachings, I began to come nearer to honoring Shabbat, not as a ritual bound by dogma, but as a sacred temple in time that prepared for and celebrated the indwelling Presence.
Shabbat became, for me, a homecoming, a way to weave the sacred into the very fabric of life. I came to understand that Shabbat is for everyone, beyond religion or spiritual tradition. It is an ancient rhythm deeply rooted within us, a cosmic pulse that calls us back to stillness, reflection, and communion with the Divine.
As we awaken to the call of a womb-based society, one that values cycles, rest, and the wisdom of the body, Shabbat becomes even more essential. The womb teaches us that true creation is birthed from the void, from the fertile darkness of rest and surrender. In the same way, Shabbat invites us to pause, to enter the womb of sacred time, and to allow the Spirit to gestate and be reborn within us.
In a world obsessed with endless productivity and outward motion, Shabbat is a radical act of devotion and trust. It reminds us that the deepest revelations arise not through striving, but through stillness. Like Mary Magdalene and the disciples in the Upper Room, we are called to prepare the sacred space within, to gather in quiet expectancy, and to become living temples of the Divine Presence.
As you enter Shabbat, I invite you to reflect:
How might I prepare my own Upper Room within?
What “noise” might I need to quiet in order to hear the whisper of God’s breath?
What does it mean to rest not only my body, but also my soul?
In what ways can I honor the sacred pulse of rest and receptivity as a creative force?
May this Shabbat be a return to your sacred Upper Room, a sanctuary of peace, a temple of light, and a homecoming to the Presence that lives and breathes within you.
May this Shabbat be a return to your sacred Upper Room, a sanctuary of peace, a vessel of divine fire, and a homecoming to the Presence that has never left you.
I am so happy to share with you the first 9 Day Devotional Journey of 2025. This one is extremely deep, as all, yet this one includes something special that I have never included before: Sacred Art Activations. I have been preparing this Devotional Journey for over one year, inspired by my visit to Montserrat Black Madonna. For those of you who are new to the Community, I have been facilitating thes 9 Day Devotional Journeys since 2012. Each year they are deeper and the structure has evolved greatly. These novenas are great shifts and upgrades and I am grateful to have been guided to bring forth PENTECOST WOMB OF LIGHT. CLICK HERE for more information.
Wishing you a blessed Shabbat.
AHAVA,
Ana Otero
