I. valambi or Sathi (disciples and followers of Natha cult).

Sometimes they
are called Jigyasu, who wants to study the tradition and adhere to it. These
are those who have accepted the Guru of the Natha line and receive
upadeshas (instructions) to yoga practice. Guru gives diksha with gurumantra to such followers. Such sadhakas get in touch with variety of
phenomenal reality and follow a purnata principle (fullness or kula) most
strongly.

II. ughara - is another category of sadhakas belonging to Nathas. These

Nathas receive during the initiation certain symbols of Natha-sampradaya
which they use in ritual practices. Aughara's symbols are nadi (whistle),
representative of Shabda Brahman, and Janeu (string), representative of
nadis (such channels as Ida, Pingala, Sushumna and 72,000 channels of an
inner body). During nada-anusandhana practice Nath yogi hears a Nada
sound in his anahata-cakra and contemplates the Guru and Ishtadevata in
the same place of his heart. As a rule at this stage of initiation the chela
(disciple) chooses the main Guru, who represents him to all Sampradaya.

ughara can be compared with murti which during carving out of stone and
cutting off of all unnecessary gets features of the Deity. Awakening of the
Deity within murti are correlated with the spiritual birth of Siddha or Nathayogi which then becomes Darshani.
III. anphata or Darshani - is the highest initiation of Natha tradition. At the
time of initiation with this diksha Guru neatly cuts a hole in the center of ears
of his disciple and inserts there the kundalas or darshanas (earrings). They
are linked with two energy channels which assist to direct sexual energy to
sahasrara-cakra. These channels in the center of the ear help to control
amrita (nectar of immortality) which descends from sahasrara-cakra. Finally
the absorption of it by jathar-agni (digestive fire) and animal instincts, which
yogi learns to control, is prevented. The person who has received such kind of
initiation is considered as purnasannyasi in Natha sampradaya and is more
respected then Aughara. Only Darshani can be considered as Guru and shall
be able to represent the Natha tradition completely.

It should also be noted that in the Natha Tradition existing two initiations,
they are bhabhut and langot. All five initiations are existing in the sanskaras
form (cleansing processes) that are similar to Vedism sanskaras, but only
Nathas sanskaras are focusing on the fact that yogi be able to take the yogic
sadhanas path.

Yogic path begins with a yoga lifestyle, and these five sanskaras (coti, cira,
upadeshi, bhabhut and langot) are important for such a lifestyle. Only after
the yogi realizes the importance of the yogic lifestyle and adopt a world view
associated with it, he can practice yoga in its real form and reach the true
heights of sadhana. The goal of yoga, first of all, is the achievement of
moksha or mukti.
When Guru cuts auricles to his student, he activates certain channels that
pass through these places, while a yogi is also experiencing that the Tradition
is called yoga-danda (ordeal), in order to be cleansed of past negative
karma. Guru passes through large clay kundalas, so that they can even touch
the shoulders, and at that time a student cannot move. He is difficult even to
sleep and move his jaw; therefore the yogi takes a minimum of food most in
liquid form. All this time (until the wound will not heal), overcoming sleep and
other instincts, the yogi meditates alone on Gorakshanath and ultimately he
receive bless from Gorakshanath. He is aware of himself as Shiva svarupa.

In addition to the cira-diksha in the Tradition is upadeshi-diksha. It is believed

that the first upadeshi (instruction) got Matsyendranath from the his Guru
Shiva Adinath, when he sat in the belly of the fish. But as Shiva originally
wanted to pass on this knowledge to Parvati (Udayanath) but Matsyendranath
overheard this knowledge, in a sign of respect he was forced to worship
Shakti, from her he received such instruction. Therefore Matsyendranath also
known as the Guru of all kaulas, revered the Mother Goddess. It is believed
that upadeshi-diksha is a definite connection with the worship of the
Goddess, as it exists in Shrividya, Kaula and other traditions.

As Goddess Bala revered in Shrividya, as in Nathas line we worship to the

Goddess Yogamaya Balasundari, because she is the cause of the jivas
embodiment in samsara, she also allows the soul to get out of samsara.
Bala also means brahmacari: like Gorakshanath is brahmacari, in the same
way Goddess Bala is Kumari, and only the yogis, who established themselves
in the purity of feelings can participate in this process. It differ Nathas from
many radical Tantrik cults, where as offerings freely used meat, wine, etc. In
the Nath Tradition we replace all the radical elements that use aghori and
kapaliki, as a yogi must strive for God, not to bhoga under the guise of some
non-standard methods. This diksha is also called shankha-dhal: committing
certain acts during this ritual, we are helping to ensure that yogis departed
from the physical world did not return to this world, which is full of suffering;

also we accumulate merit for ourselves. It also helps to raise the Goddess
Kundalini to Shiva, transferring Kundaliny through the chakras within the
body.

The other two dikshas are focused on tapasvic yogis, who practice intensive
sadhana in secluded from public places, in the forests, mountains, etc. When
the yogi performs a fire ritual, he rubs his body by sacred ash (bhasma),
which is has special power, it helps to intensive practice of mantras and
dhyana. Also, the ash is moistened with milk, mixed with kapur (dry alcohol)
and other ingredients, that protects the skin against various infections and
other negative influences. Some yogis practice spreading bhasma on the
body for a long time, because such practice is regarded as tapas.

Langot initiation exists for those, who are trying to be brahmacari and learn
to control own sexual energy. It is very important for yogis, who practice
intense sadhana, because without the control of sexual energy impossible to
awake the Kundalini Shakti and become free from the worlds of samsara. This
sanskar is designed for yogis, who have dedicated themselves to highest
goals - mukti.

Of course, impossible to describe in details everything, there are many

subtleties in Natha Tradition associated with the above methods, the full
information you can learn only from a Guru. There are other requirements to
some sadhanas, due to the fact that each person has his peculiarities,
therefore a lot of methods are existing. But yogic samskaras are the
backbone for all the multiple yoga practices, and they help to overcome
worldly samskaras in a practitioners subconscious. Only with a serious
attitude to yoga as a sadhana, to lifestyle and vision orientations we can rely
on the present results obtained from the sadhana.