The Yoga of Inner Freedom: Tantric Wisdom for Living Fully in the World
Focusing on teachings from The Heart of Recognition
with Bill Mahony
(IN-STUDIO OR ONLINE)
Saturday, December 5, 2026, 2:30 – 5:00 PM Pacific Time
Sunday, December 6, 2026 2:30 – 5:00 PM Pacific Time
The practice of Anusara Yoga taught at Yogakula is informed and supported by a number of sublime philosophical wisdom traditions from India. One of the most important of these is known as Nondual Tantra, which emerged in India more than a thousand years ago.
Often misrepresented and misunderstood by the larger public, Nondual Tantra philosophy is grounded in several key points. One such understanding is that numerous divine powers inherent in the freedom of what Nondual Tantra holds to be absolute, transcendent Consciousness shines within us, but that it is obscured and hidden by various limiting and entrapping forces. We find inner freedom and joy when we "recognize" (Sanskrit pratyabhijñā) the presence of transcendent Consciousness within the dynamics of our own particular awareness.
Accordingly, Tantra philosophy can inform our practice of a yoga in which we cultivate that inner awareness in the context of our own particular lives in a complicated world.
In this weekend’s sessions, Bill will speak with us about this aspect of Tantra philosophy and lead us in discussing it together.
We will focus our conversations on the teachings of a very short yet deeply rich 10th-century Sanskrit text from a Kashmir, namely, the Pratyabhijña-Hridaya or “The Heart of Recognition.” Bill will distribute his translation of the text.
Those who are interested in learning core elements of Nondual Tantra philosophy will find In The Heart of Recognition a concise and illuminating text to ponder. You are warmly welcome to join us.
Recommended Reading
Bill will distribute copies of his translations from the Sanskrit of selected passages from the text. Participants may also want to know of these published translations and interpretation:
The Doctrine of Recognition: A Translation of Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, by Jaideva Singh.
The Splendor of Recognition, by Swami Shantananda.
Bill Mahony is an internationally respected scholar of yoga philosophy and Sanskrit texts, and is a longtime practitioner of yoga and meditation. Known for his warmth, clarity, and engaging teaching style, Bill has spent decades helping students understand how ancient and traditional yogic teachings can enrich modern life. His ability to make profound spiritual teachings accessible and relevant has inspired practitioners around the world. Bill is a professor emeritus of Religious Studies at Davidson College, where he has long taught courses on contemplative and devotional sensibilities of religions originating in India, with an emphasis on the philosophies of yoga. As William K. Mahony, Bill is the author of many works, including Exquisite Love: Reflections on the Spiritual Life based on Nārada’s Bhakti Sūtra and The Artful Universe: An Introduction to the Religious Vedic Imagination.
For more information, visit his website www.billmahony.com
Time: 2:30PM - 5:00PM PDT - Both days Please use this time converter to check your time
Cost: $108 before December 1/ $125 after
Location: Yogakula 1666 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley - please arrive 15 minutes before the event begins
Online: We will use zoom. Please be sure to select the in-studio or online ticket.
Future access: The recording will be emailed to you 48 hours after the event and available to access for 12 months.