About Us

About The Inner Upper Room

The Inner Upper Room is a sacred space devoted to the rediscovery of the living heart of Christianity—where faith is not merely studied, but encountered; not merely believed, but embodied. Here, the journey is inward and upward at once: into the depths of the heart, and into conscious union with the living Christ.

This is a path not of information, but of transformation.

Rooted in contemplative Christianity and the rich well of the Christian mystical tradition, The Inner Upper Room invites seekers into an experiential faith—one that moves beyond concepts into communion, beyond theology into the indwelling Presence of God. It is a return to the “upper room” within, the inner sanctuary where silence becomes prayer and awareness becomes encounter.

At the heart of this work is a vision shaped by both the stability and depth of Benedictine contemplative spirituality and the outward, incarnational service of the friars. It is a merging of silence and action, solitude and service, contemplation and compassion. This ancient rhythm—once lived in monasteries and cloisters—is now reawakening in a modern form: a dispersed community of contemplatives living in the world, yet not of it.

This is the spirit of New Monasticism.

Here, the monastery is no longer confined to stone walls. The cell is the heart. The cloister is the present moment. Each person becomes a living sanctuary—a hermitage of the heart—where Christ dwells, speaks, and transforms. Whether in the quiet of solitude or in the midst of daily responsibilities, the call remains the same: to abide in God, and to allow that abiding to overflow into love of neighbor.

Mission

The mission of The Inner Upper Room is to cultivate a life of deep interior transformation through union with Christ, fostering a contemplative awareness that expresses itself in love, humility, and service. It seeks to awaken the soul to the indwelling Presence of God, guiding individuals into a life that is prayerful, intentional, and radically rooted in divine love.

Values & Way of Life (SPICES)

The life of this community—though dispersed across the world—is grounded in a shared rhythm and set of vows expressed through the acronym SPICES:

Simplicity / Silence – Embracing a life uncluttered by excess, both outwardly and inwardly, creating space for God through stillness, solitude, and sacred listening.

Peace – Living as instruments of Christ’s peace, cultivating reconciliation within ourselves and extending it into the world.

Integrity – Walking in truth and wholeness, allowing our inner life and outer life to become one in Christ.

Community – Though dispersed, we are united in spirit—supporting, encouraging, and journeying together as a contemplative body.

Equality – Honoring the image of God in all people, transcending divisions, and embodying radical love and inclusion.

Stewardship / Service – Caring for creation and serving others as an expression of divine love made visible.

The Hermitage of the Heart & The Earth Abbey

The Inner Upper Room holds a dual vision: the Hermitage of the Heart and the Earth Abbey.

The Hermitage of the Heart is the inner sanctuary where the soul meets God in silence and surrender. It is cultivated through prayer, stillness, watchfulness, and contemplative presence—a life hidden with Christ in God.

The Earth Abbey is the outward expression of that inner union. It recognizes all of creation as sacred ground, calling us to care for the earth as a living monastery. In this vision, forests become cathedrals, rivers become prayers, and daily life becomes liturgy. Stewardship of the earth is not an obligation alone, but a form of communion—a participation in the divine life that sustains all things.

Solitude and Service

This path honors both solitude and service as essential movements of the same love. In solitude, we are purified, grounded, and united with God. In service, that union overflows into tangible expressions of compassion, justice, and mercy. Like the great mystics and monastics before us, we come to see that love of God and love of neighbor are not separate paths, but one.

The Inner Upper Room exists to help recover this ancient way for our time—to form contemplatives in the world who live with awakened hearts, attentive minds, and open hands.

This is an invitation to enter the inner sanctuary.

To become a dwelling place of God.

To live a life transfigured by love.

Welcome to The Inner Upper Room.