In Kashmir Shaivism, in the Shiva Sutras, Upaya refers to the different levels of spiritual sadhanas to approach the ultimate reality.

Upaya is a spiritual or yogic method or path by which the individual soul returns to pure consciousness. Upayas are methods of wholeness that depend on an individual’s perspective. Does he identify with the body, the mind, or the individuality? What illusion of himself does he hold? The specific Upaya is not important; it is the intentionality and the earnestness which is important. What is crucial, is the Sadhana must be performed in a passionate and sincere way. All the Upayas lead to the same goal, and finally methods of Samavesha (absorption in the Divine) in the Lord.

As soon as the Lord sees the universe as separate, he becomes the Purusha, and he looks at the universe from below and may take one of these perspectives.

I am the body; I create good and bad karma. My life is complex and difficult. Anavopaya must be practiced.
I am the mind. My mind is separative and negative. Shaktopaya must be practiced.
I am the purusha, a human individual. I feel alone and isolated. Shamhavopaya must be practiced.

Anavopaya Meditation

Think of yourself as a devotee, separate from Shiva. Talk to him, pray to him, implore him, beseech him, honour him, question him. Do not hide anything from him. Make all your needs known to him. As you go deeper into this part of the meditation, you will discover that there is an extensive discussion you can have with Lord Shiva. Do this for as long as it keeps you vitally aware.

In this meditation, the seeker begins in separation from the Lord. He prays, worships and calls on Shiva. His attitude maybe expressed as, I call on/invoke Shiva. Lord, please protect me, Lord please give me what I want, lord you are so great. All these are dualistic postures of prayer, imprecation and praise. The devotee is a separate body from the Lord.

Shaktopaya Meditation

Now you are ready to merge with the Lord. You internalize him, saying, I am Shiva, feel yourself becoming one with him. Just as Shiva is depicted as sitting as a meditative yogi, now you are that meditative Yogi. Let yourself vividly think and feel the identification with Shiva. Shiva is first person to you now. Let this part of the contemplation blend into you.

In this meditation the devotee begins the process of samavesha or merging in Shiva. Now his statement is ‘I am Shiva’. There is no other, separate Shiva. The process has become internal and is a battle within the mind of the devotee himself. His own mind tells him that he is not Shiva. However, he continues to accept and absorb his Shivaness.

Shamhavopaya Meditation

Now your mental contemplation in Shaktopaya meditation bears fruit in Shiva-awareness held wordlessly. Your awareness is held within in Shambhavi mudra. You don’t lose touch with Self, even if you open your eyes. You are the creator, sustainer and destroyer of the universe. You are the awareness that holds all things. When you open your eyes, the universe comes into existence. When you close your eyes, it dissolves. Your existence as an individual being is one side of the coin of who you are, while Shiva is the other.

In this meditation, the process becomes interior even to the mind. Shiva is held by a steady flow of will, which is wordless and non-dual.

Extracted from ‘The Yoga of Kashmir Shaivism’, by Swami Shankarananda.

Aim Hrim Klim