INO Mela 2025: Nath Alchemy Retreat Recap

Blyn, WA • August 6–13, 2025

For those who missed this year or haven’t attended an INO Mela yet, this is our longest annual event, spanning the most days. The arc of an INO Mela is still very much in keeping with the original pattern initiated by Sri Kapilnath I.M.M. in 2015.

After all participants have arrived, the days are marked with morning meditation, afternoon discussion, and evening ritual exertions.

Intensity and energy develop and increase over the preceding days and throughout each session, to a climax on the 5th day. After this peak, the overall intensity is intentionally drawn down until the closing of the week in order to successfully “land the ship” and prepare everyone for traveling home.

Retreating from society, its conditions, and konditioning allows the Kula to create a crucible of intentional transformation by which all are affected. This is also the way that we as individuals come together to give full expression to our true nature in the spirit of peace, freedom, and happiness.

While sadhana is the primary focus here, the bonds of togetherness and harmony within the Nath Kula Kaula contribute to the foundation of a new social order that was intended by Shri Gurudev Mahendranath and furthered by Sri Kapilnath I.M.M. These magick moments repeatedly give rise to new experiences such as profound moments of bliss, gratitude, realization, and awakening.

In the warm Pacific Northwestern summer, the Nath Kula Kaula returned to the Olympic Peninsula for our annual INO Mela. Presented as “Nath Alchemy,” this gathering focused on a specific series of workings to engage the processes expounded by Sri Vijayanath in the treatise of the same name. The goal was to help clarify—by some personal and practical increments—how mundane and even undesirable experiences can be transformed into spiritual gold.

This process was also just a micro-dose of the greater meaning and function of our exertions toward transformation, a “secret” which Sri Vijayanath revealed at the end.

“The supreme purpose for each to attain: 
Reunion with the source from whence we came. 
If this is the object of human life, 
Then other endeavors are only a game.”
— Shri Gurudev Mahendranath
Guru, Mantra, and Magick

The temperature for the week was a bit lower than the average in 2024, but we still enjoyed many beautiful sun-lit days peppered with the calls of hawks, ground birds, crickets, and frogs. During the nights, the haunting hoots of a barred owl were often heard.

The mosquitos were more aggressive this year, but all participants attempted to appreciate their persistent lessons and push through when necessary.

Blackberry harvests and creek-bed bathing were common features throughout the free time. Likely the favorite new addition was the Massage Tent, which allowed anyone to offer their therapeutic skills to those in need of care, relaxation, and loosening up.

Tremendous thanks go to Soma Devi for planning and executing all the delectable and nourishing meals, with Atma Devi and Anya in support.

Delicious breakfasts followed the morning meditation hour to fuel us for the day, and many took time to stretch and limber up periodically as the sun warmed the meadow and dried up the dew.

After a hearty lunch in the afternoon, all participants would meet in the yurt or, more often, outside near Rudrani Dhuni for group discussion—the yurt quickly becoming a sauna in the midday heat.

Further, yogis and yoginis could be found stretching, sunning, napping, bathing, exercising, and relaxing around the wooded meadow prior to reconvening for evening ritual. There was even an impromptu ecstatic dance circle of shaktis, which has become a favorite of many repeat participants.

Light dinner fixings were available both before and after evening ritual to suit the needs of serious sadhaks, as engaging ritual on a full stomach is not recommended.

Before presenting the practical Nath Alchemy material on the final three days of the week, Sri Vijayanath reviewed the basic forms of our sacred rites and spiritual technology on the first three days: Meditation, Puja, Dhuni, and the ways in which they are best engaged to create the conditions of yoga and the “Kaula Circle.” He suggested that, in order to most effectively utilize the techniques of Nath Alchemy, some psychic heat (tapasya) should be generated.

This was brought to bear with excellent and enthusiastic participation from all attendees, which saw to it that the group locked in very early on in the week—quite ideal for optimum merry magick-making and exalted qualities.

Evening Puja ritual in the “round house” once again coalesced around Sri Bhuvit, the presiding Shivalingam. Offerings of mantra, flowers, and the pouring of libations over the primordial stone were the actions taken. The bhava was intense and beautifully elevated.

Also in the evenings, kindling of the Nath Dhuni occurred every other night. Sparks flew, stirred by feather-winged fans, and embers glowed and eventually died out. The Nath Kula Kaula coaxed the flames to feast on the fuel and offerings as mantra and intention exalted the space until the only light left was moon and stars twinkling in the dome of the heavens.

After closing the rites, prasad was passed around until enjoyment had consumed it entirely.

“Now gone the cant-hypocrisy, 
Where no one ever could be free; 
Philosophies, religions too, 
Which made an awful mess of you; 
And gone that artificial dress 
Which hid our joy and happiness.” 
— Shri Gurudev Mahendranath
The Song of the Dreamtime Snake

We also thoroughly enjoyed a visit from Sri Garudanath on the fourth day. He brought with him various allies and anecdotes, shooting pictures, telling stories, and sharing his wonder, wisdom, laughter, and mystery with us for a pristine couple of days. His mirth was contagious, which seemed to peak with our ritual puja on the fifth night, after which no one wanted to leave the ritual space.

Even after the prasad was consumed, no one moved. All kept steeping and immersing in the wondrous wyrdglow of our magickal loka.

Though a week can seem short and long all at the same time, it was eventually time to close our ritual container—a layer of change had blanketed us, and it was time for us to return to our private lives and continue to evolve our paths alone… until next time!

Om Shakti Shiva Shanti!
With gratitude and blessings,
Sri Vijayanath and Soma Devi