How Abhinavagupta Practiced: Awakening to the Path
Explore Abhinavagupta’s ‘methods of awakening’ (upāya) and his living vision of practice
Workshop by Dr. Ben Williams
The great Śaiva guru and virtuoso of medieval Kashmir, Abhinavagupta, presents one of the most comprehensive, integrative, and clarifying visions of “practice” in the history of Śaiva and Śākta literature. His three-plus-one ‘methods of awakening’ (upāya) not only reveal a vast spectrum of spiritual disciplines, but bring coherence to the entire revelatory tradition of Śaivism.
What is practice according to Abhinavagupta?
What are the upāya(s)?
The upāyas, as Abhinavagupta presents them, encompass tantric ritual, mantra, yoga, philosophical reasoning, open-eyed awareness practices, pith instructions, bodily gestures, breath, visualization... the whole gamut. They also provide an essential structure to his magnum opus, the Tantrāloka, and thus shine light on his ‘Light on the Tantras’.
Structure of the workshop
This workshop will meticulously introduce students to the upāyas, Abhinava’s vision of the path and the goal, as well as their intrinsic relationship.
We begin by opening the aperture of our vantage point wide in order to appreciate the upāyas as a grand synthesizing framework. We then dive into the weeds, studying each upāya in turn, and delving into an exemplary practice from each.
Whether it is an individual practice based in empathetic meditation, an empowered technique that transforms our way of seeing the world and each other, or a divine intuition freely unfolding in non-conceptual awareness, we will carefully ground ourselves in a clear understanding of the upāya and its exemplar.
From that foundation, we will take time for collective appreciation not only for the teachings themselves, but for Abhinava’s masterful and aesthetically attuned way of teaching. Abhinavagupta’s style of bringing the light of reality to light is itself a teaching, and a transmission.
What Others Are Saying
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"Professor Williams not only knows Abhinavagupta well, he positively radiates an infectious enthusiasm for his subject. He has made studying some of the subtlest and headiest philosophy known to man an absolute pleasure."
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"Abhinavagupta was a total discovery and Ben made the character and his teaching so interesting. Like Ben said, I will appreciate that form of Advaita for itself and not in comparison with any other Advaita. He is a wonderful passionate teacher."
About your Teacher
Ben is an intellectual historian focused on South Asian religions and the history of Śaiva tantra. He has received extensive training in Indian philosophy, literature, and aesthetics in Sanskrit sources and completed his PhD in the Department of South Asian Studies at Harvard University. Ben is currently an Associate Professor of Hinduism at Naropa University, and serves as the faculty lead for Naropa’s MA program in Yoga Studies.
In 2025, Ben became the first scholar-in-residence for the Muktabodha Indological Research Institute, where he is guiding a number of initiatives related to the preservation, translation, and collaborative study of Sanskrit texts. This position coincides with the funding of a Muktabodha Chair of Yoga Studies at Naropa University, which Ben will hold until Spring 2028. Muktabodha created and sustains a digital library that houses a vast corpus of digitized Sanskrit texts focused on Śaiva and Śākta tantric literature. This collection includes many rare and important unpublished Sanskrit works on classical tantric yoga, philosophy, and ritual.
Date: 2025
Time: AM-:30 PST
Duration: 2.5 hours total (presentation & Q&A)
Format: Live Online via Zoom
Investment: Rs 5900($65)
Workshop Details
Open to dedicated practitioners, students of Indian philosophy, and scholars with an interest in Śaiva-Śākta traditions. Some familiarity helps, but is not required.
FAQs
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No. All Sanskrit terms will be explained. Knowledge of Sanskrit is welcome but not required.
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Yes, as long as you are comfortable engaging with dense material and subtle concepts. The course is designed to offer both an accessible overview and depth for those who already have some background.
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Yes. The session will include space for Q&A and collective reflection.
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Yes. Recording with unlimited access will be sent to all via YouTube.
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The focus is on study that illuminates practice. We will look at exemplary practices and ways to orient our own path through Abhinavagupta’s framework, but this is not a guided sādhanā program.
If affordability concerns you, please write to me — no one is turned away.