Kashmir Shaivism is a modern umbrella expression frequently used for several interconnected nondual Shaiva philosophical and tantric traditions developed in medieval Kashmir. Prominent strands include Trika, Spanda and Pratyabhijna. Thinkers such as Vasugupta, Somānanda, Utpaladeva, Abhinavagupta and Kṣemarāja are important to their intellectual history.
Influential nondual formulations regard ultimate consciousness as Shiva and understand the experienced world as an expression of Shiva's inherent power, Shakti. Recognition of one's deeper nature plays a central role in some texts. However, medieval Kashmir also hosted dualist Shaiva Siddhanta: not everything historically called 'Kashmiri Shaiva' belongs to one nondual system. Philosophical schools, ritual communities and their dates must be distinguished when making historical claims.