Quick facts
- Origin: Kashmir, ~9th–11th century CE
- Lineage: Trika (the threefold), recognized via Abhinavagupta
- Primary teachers: Abhinavagupta, Kshemaraja, Modern: Lakshmanjoo, Daniel Odier
- Primary techniques: Recognition (pratyabhijna), The 112 dharanas of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Sense-based meditation
Where it comes from
Developed in Kashmir during the medieval period, Kashmiri Shaivism is the most philosophically sophisticated branch of Hindu tantra. Its central text, the Vijnana Bhairava, lists 112 entry points to non-dual awareness — many of which use sensory or sexual experience as the gateway.
What you actually do
Practitioners work with specific dharanas (concentrated awareness exercises) — for example, holding awareness at the moment of sneezing, the moment of orgasm, the moment of falling asleep, the moment between two breaths. The point is direct recognition of the awareness underneath all experience.
Common misconceptions
- It is the same as Kashmiri Sufism (different tradition)
- It is primarily sexual (only a few of the 112 dharanas are)
- It requires belief in Hindu deities (it does not — the framework is non-dual awareness)
Who this is best for
- Meditators who want a non-dual map
- People with some Buddhist or Advaita background looking for embodied complement
- Practitioners drawn to the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra
Who this is NOT for
- People wanting practical issue-specific techniques
- Beginners who want a clear week-by-week protocol
How it shows up in Tantra Clinic programs
We borrow specific dharanas — particularly the breath-gap practice and the moment-of-orgasm awareness practice — from this tradition.
Related programs
Take the free quiz to see whether this modality (or another) is matched to your specific issue.