In terms of the INO, the idea is to present a framework and encourage people to work with the key ideas and discover the useful patterns as they presented themselves to Awareness. To be more explicit, I would say that one of the key ideas was to do Work in the Zonule which lead to an experience of our Divine Consciousness. In this sense, we could say that “puja” or zonule work was engineered to be a rite of transit in which one moved from everyday consciousness or Awareness into the Sanctum of Divine Consciousness and “back to usual”  at the closing of the rite. The approach could take many forms. Many advanced Naths eschewed ritual, because they had learned to put the higher faculties into operation solely by a bit of concentration. Please note however that few or nobody started out like this. If you have a body, it is likely that you may benefit from or be required to do some form of formal exertion in order to progress on Helix Spiral.

The “functional aspect” which remains of pivotal importance, is that in this Divine Space, one seeks to unfold into operation the super faculties of Insight, Intuition and Imagination. This if successfully achieved could bring the triad of Will, Knowledge and Action into operation as a single unified Shakti and the Self-Illuminating paradigm. In other words, we seek to create the conditions where we can activate the occult mind/spirit faculties. This is the functional basis or paradigm.

Most Naths (generally speaking) are defined as or become Monists who apprehend Reality as Non-dual. There is only One. Inside of this Unity is great diversity and it goes on and on. Having said that, many Naths also embrace the Dual and worship various Divine Forms. All of this is done without conflict and a Yogi can be a Dualist and Worship in order to experience the Non-dual. This is the play or duel of the Dual and Non-Dual. Shiva/Shakti and the Play of Consciousness.

Most of Shri Mahendranath writings are intended to give pieces of the puzzle. There is no one way which fits to all people, so the puzzle pieces need to be worked with until the pieces reveal the pattern and fall into place. It would be easy to set out a bunch of pujas or rituals, but the outcome of this is that most people would just be “doing the ritual.” Not everybody is intending to do or achieve the same thing and a “puja” or “ritual” must have purpose or meaning as a part of its definition. It is very easy for a ritual to go in circles. What we are trying to do by any spiritual/occult exertion is to move into a ever new dimension of being with new powers and Awareness. A rising Helix process which takes us by each step of serious exertion to new conditions of being or identity.

The limitations of this process are mostly enforced by our Karmas, Kleshas and Konditioning. It is this triad of limitations which must eventually become the focus of our spiritual/occult exertions in order to be overcome. Having a body remains a tricky condition and all embodied beings should remain mindful of what type of focus and exertions will contribute to their success. On various levels of the human experience, the concept of “success” varies widely. Perhaps wildly.

Fine Regards,

Kapilnath