How people meet the International Nath Order, and how initiation is requested. There is no fee to study. Initiation is not guaranteed and is not required.
Levels of Engagement
Friend
Anyone interested in the writings and public work of the Order. Friends may read the Scrolls, use this site, join the monthly Virtual Kula Discourse, and attend public events. No application. This can last months, years, or a lifetime.
Applicant
Someone who wants a direct conversation with the Order. Submit the form below. A Gatekeeper replies within 10 days. This stage is usually 1–3 months.
Petitioner
An approved applicant who takes up daily practice under a Guide. The work runs 1–3 years or more. Requirements are listed in the FAQ.
Aspirant
A petitioner who has met the requirements, remains in good standing, and continues toward possible initiation. Initiation is not guaranteed.
Initiate
A prepared aspirant linked by diksha to the INO lineage. This is membership of the Order.
Beginning Steps
Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
People willing to study and practice within INO guidelines. The work is experiential: read, think, and do. No prior training is required.
No. Study of the INO is free. Donations are welcome and never required. A teacher may ask fair payment for their own time.
No. Beginners and experienced practitioners both start by reading and by contact with a Guide.
Read this site, use the Contact form, visit Initiates & Zonules, and sit in on the monthly Virtual Kula Discourse.
Goals, Beliefs & Practices
Peace, freedom, and happiness in this life, and work toward awakening and attainment. The Order’s three stated aims are on the About page.
A practical path: meditation, ritual, and experiment that join the person to the larger life of things. It is a way of living, not a belief to accept.
The INO speaks of the Cosmic Spirit, in many forms. There is no required belief. Think for yourself.
Instruction & Inner Structure
No dogma that must be believed. The writings are guidelines. Shri Gurudev Mahendranath: “Even after receiving initiation… people are not bound to accept anything they wish to disbelieve.”
The petitioner process below is a course of work, not a creed.
MAGIKOS is the inner leadership circle of the Order, established by Shri Gurudev Mahendranath in 1989. Only initiates who have mastered his guidelines may belong. Membership is by petition.
Initiation & the Petitioner Process
Initiation is a transmission from a qualified initiator. It includes sacred ash (vibhuti), a cryptonym, and a lasting link to the INO lineage. Only Naths or Devis with a MAGIKOS charter may initiate. There is no imposed oath. Practice after initiation is what gives it weight.
So you and the Guide know each other. They can take place at a Mela if a private meeting is set.
Usually one to three years, sometimes longer. There is a minimum of one year of steady practice. Finishing the work makes you eligible to be considered an Aspirant. Initiation is never guaranteed.
You may remain a Friend and keep using what you have learned. The work is not wasted. Initiation is not a certificate of completion.
No. You can stay a Friend of the Order for life.
Not unless you are specifically cleared to do so. Rituals, techniques, and processes stay inside the INO. Petitioners sign a confidentiality agreement. This is for practice, not for teaching or sale.
An initiate reads it and writes within 10 days. That starts a conversation — background, fit, and next steps (often the Virtual Kula). Nothing after that is automatic.
Submit Your Petition for Initiation
Petitions are confidential. Say as much as you wish about practice, affiliations, and life. You will hear back within 10 days.
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