ABSTRACT
Chapter 6 examines the contemporary practice of Nondual Śaivism among non-Kashmiris within the context of global consumer capitalism, New Age spiritualities (NAS) and the World Wide Web. Many contemporary consumers of Nondual Śaiva Theosophy (NŚT) also practice modern postural yoga, neo-Tantra, or some other form of NAS. They tend to be urban, upper- to upper-middle class, white and female. Moreover, contemporary teachers and gurus often present “Kashmiri Śaivism” as a more sophisticated, elite or authentic form of Tantra or yoga. As a form of “High Tantra” or advanced yogic philosophy, NŚT appears well positioned within the New Age milieu to promote itself as an elite form of alternative spirituality for New Age seekers. However, before it could effect this transformation, Nondual Śaivism needed to be “dehinduized” and “whitened” for export to contemporary non-Hindu, Euro-American consumers. To a great extent, the success of modern forms of “Kashmir Śaivism” depends on how well teachers or organizations promote their particular brand of it on the Web. The chapter concludes with a discussion about whether this new Anglophone Nondual Śaivism can be practiced as an authentic form of spirituality, or whether it is merely a form of narcissistic consumption by social and economic elites.
