Practical ways to connect with guides
 

Hi there. I would really like to connect with my guides more, but part of my challenge for this life is to go without obvious spiritual abilities (my intuition stinks, and I tend to feel very disconnected from Spirit at times). What would be some practical ways for me to feel a better connection with them?

A first step could be meditation. Something very simple, just stilling your mind. Staying within this space and asking for a connection.
No expectations just enjoy the quiet

I would like to add to what Rah nam said.

When you reach the quiet, listen for a small soft voice. That would be a guide, most likely a guardian angel to help get you started. You might get gibberish at first but it eventually becomes coherent as you're in a learning stage. If you did that for 15 to 20 mins a day for a few months, you'll get better at listening.

If they're an animal, watching videos or listening to their sounds/calls is good. You can also eat foods they do, if able. If your guide is something else that is known of but doesn't have videos (like an angel), you could have figurines or artwork of them, and/or make something in their likeness, such as a pendant.

When I get fed up feeling I can't connect normally, I write down my thoughts in a sort of open-letter style, and just go with what comes to mind, even when doubting if it's from a guide. It tends to work out regardless. Even though I'm writing it, the answers tend to be things I wouldn't have normally thought of. For example, an entry may look like this:

Hello, I wanted to talk to you again
- alright, go ahead
I'm having a rough time deciding whether or not to visit my friend
- why do you want to visit them?
They're having a bad time and I think it would make them feel better
- what do you think would be a reason not to?
They may be rude or storm off
- so what do you want to know that leads you to asking me?
Should I visit them? Will it be received well?
- if you go, it will help but won't appear to have at first. You can be assured that despite how it looks, I'll be there with you. Look for doves.
Okay, I'll do that. Thank you.

It makes it a bit easier to just freely write without having to do anything else physically, and even if you end up in a thought loop like I sometimes do of doubting it, it at least sends the message to yourself and guides that you want to communicate, and opens the door so to speak. It works especially well if you're not in a place that you can really sit down and meditate in the traditional way.

Another way to feel connected is to act as they do, basically a more focused version of playing pretend. In the case of an animal, envision what it may be like to be in their skin: stand how they would, try to move as they do. If they're a type of cat, for example, try crouching on all fours and slowly, stealthily stepping forward. Fixate your eyes on something as if looking to see if it's prey or ally, feel for what it would be like to have ears swiveling to capture tiny sounds. That sort of thing.
If your guides are human and from a different time or culture, you can look into art and clothing from that time, and also get a feel for what it might be to live there by watching movies or listening to their music.

Silly as it may sound work on small tasks... ask them to guide you to the best parking spot; OR we all have calls we need to make, so ask them to guide them to the right time to get through with the smallest hold time or when the person you need will be available (or away if you're trying to avoid).

I really like this advice. I've done that and it works. Keep asking for guidance on the small stuff so when something big comes along (perhaps someone who wants to have a relationship with you), you'll have established a good relationship by then and have experience in how you interact with your guides.

Meditation never really worked for me, I constantly think about alot of things, and I find myself more comfortable with the mind running than not. So because of that, an approach i've been doing, which somehow works for no explainable reason, is to just think about whom I want to meet, when trying to sleep. just keeping your attention focused on whose attention you want to be focused on yourself. I was in a discussion about "the lords of karma" the other day, and I fell asleep after(and while) thinking alot about them. and guess who I just so happen to meet after falling asleep.

the more you will something: the more attention you put towards something, the more likely you are to get attention focused on you in return, which means the more likely it is for something to happen.
You don't neccessarily need "peace of mind" to connect with others, though it would probably help. what's most important here, is that you're receptive; you must desire to communicate, and put effort towards willing it. the second most important thing is that, whoever on the receiving end must be just as receptive as you are, and must share the same interest in communication.