Besides attending live retreats, you can also watch Bettina ji's teachings on her YouTube Channel.

Bettina Bäumer gives "Retreat Seminars" on various texts of the non-dualist Kashmir Shaiva tradition. She mainly teaches three basic Tantras of the Trika School: the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, the Paratrisika (with Abhinavagupta's Vivarana commentary) and the Netra Tantra (with commentary by Ksemaraja), as well as texts like the Siva Sutra, the Spanda Karika, and the the Pratyabhijna Hridayam. Besides these, she also teaches mystical Bhakti hymns of Kashmir, such as the Sivastotravali by Utpaladeva, the Stavacintamani by Bhatta Narayana, the Sambapancasika and Stotras by Abhinavagupta.

She follows a certain style in conducting these retreats, basically consisting of two sessions of text study, morning and afternoon, about four hours of meditation, recitation of the hymns and slokas of the texts concerned, besides periods of silence and meditative walks in nature (wherever the surroundings permit).

These Retreat Seminars are given in various places around India and in Europe, notably near her home in Varanasi, in Himachal Pradesh, and in Rishikesh, as well as in Srinagar (Kashmir) itself. They typically will be five days long, though shorter or longer sessions are possible.

August 2-6, 2025

Divine Freedom and Stages of Ascent
A retreat seminar on selected passages of Svacchanda Tantra

Venue: “Smiley Homes”, Siedlung Galtschein 75, 6152 Trins, Tyrol

The Svacchanda Tantra is one of the fundamental Tantras of nondualist Śaivism, and it is closely related to the Netra Tantra. From this voluminous text we select some themes and focus on prāna, mantra, the stages of ascent of the mantra and of consciousness (uccāra) which become subtler and subtler until the transmental stage (unmanā) is attained. They also correspond to a series of Voids (śūnya) in ascending order. One of the central concepts in this context is haṃsa, a very symbolic word meaning swan or (wild) goose, denoting prāna and the central mantra: so’ham.
This Tantra has been revealed by Svacchanda Bhairava or Aghora, one of the faces of Śiva. Svacchanda means free/freedom, hence the essential quality of Divine Freedom which has also given a name to the whole philosophy: Svātantryavāda. Freedom is to be attained by transcending the mind and transcending time, at the higher stage of ascent (uccāra). The practice with prāna and mantra is aimed at this transcendence.

If you wish to register, please send an e-mail to martha.innerkofler@posteo.at including your wish of accommodation as well as food issues. Always feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

The seminar is already booked, but if you wish you may apply for a place in the Waiting-list.