How to go about spiritual practice? Hindu does not put any bar on any kind of practice provided that such practice brings God within the mind. Bhgwat describes 1 way of devotion, 3 ways of devotion , 9 ways of devotion, 30 ways of devotions ….But later on says devotion is not limited to these ways only. Any person can device his own way to think about God. Use any way of your choice to get to God.
In forests of Vrindavan lived a very advanced God-seeker. Another saint went to meet him. What saint saw was the seeker had one comb and a broken piece of mirror. He used to comb his hair and would come out of his hut and would go back and would weep. Just like an insane person.
Saint went to him and asked, ‘What is the matter? Why are you weeping? And why are you combing your hair again and again?’
Seeker said, ‘Beloved Krishn could arrive any moment. I must be ready to receive him; I am making my hair tidy. Beloved should be pleased to see me. But even after waiting for him so long he has not come to me.’ And again started weeping like a help less child.
Now which scripture prescribe that combing hair is a spiritual practice? But the seeker eventually succeeded in attaining God.
Therefore, ‘Whichever way, Wherever place, whatever might be the condition, any action that diverts mind to God is devotion.
With God in mind one can perform any worship, chanting glories of God, reciting any name of God.
While doing worship one should not worship the physical stoned deity but one must think that Radha-Krishn have come out of the idol and to them the food is offered. They are relishing the food and after their meal seeker should eat the food as God’s blessings.
Iodl can be adored with beautiful clothes, ornaments but all the while there must the feeling that Radha_Krishn in person are being served.
Bhagwat describes many types of idol among which one is virtual idol meaning created by mind. There is no physical existence of such idol and seeker can worship this idol just as worship of physical idol. The advantage of such idol is form of God can be changed as per the wish of the seeker. God can be a small child or teenager or an adult. Scriptures advice the age of Krishn to be 16 years for worship and form-visualization though there is no binding and God can be visualised in any form.
God sees feelings that originate in mind and not the outer actions. Therefore it is said that way to God is through mind. These spiritual workouts will start purifying the mind. It must be understood that God will be visible only if mind is 100% pure and hence one must follow the path with losing any hope.