It is quite the normal course in most persons except some rare exceptional instances of those who had gone through the needed preparation in the past lives. Reading and hearing are the first thing necessary. You are already doing that.
Then comes the practice. But before that one should reflect and see whether one has the strong pull or urge to undertake the journey. For there is a difference in relating to the Mother as the giver of boons and someone to whom one can pray in difficulties. That is primarily a religious approach and sometimes it can prepare oneself for the spiritual approach, of actually walking the path.
Once one is clear about what one wants then comes the practice. The core of the practice is surrender to the Mother and an increasing aspiration to belong more and more to Her. Or the aspiration can take other forms such as seeking for the Divine Life, for liberation from Ignorance, for Truth and Light and Beauty and Love and Peace and Joy. If the aspiration is not clear one should spend sometime everyday in quietude seeking the purpose of one’s life. The more one’s aspiration gets clear and crystallized the better it is.
The next thing to be incorporated in one’s practice is to Remember and Offer. Whatever one does, waking up, washing, bathing, dressing, going for work, cooking, eating, reading, meeting friends and family, walking, exercise, sleeping and the host of different activities of everyday, one should inwardly remember the Mother and offer it mentally to Her at the start and end. Lastly, one should do Naam Japa, an inner remembrance of the Mother as often as one can, concentrating upon Her Presence or form in the heart.
This is the seed that develops into the tree of spiritual life with passage of time.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
