When you feel relaxed and ready, you can start by visualizing a journey to meet your spirit guide. Close your eyes, take a few breaths, and begin picturing in your mind whatever imagery suits you. For instance: Imagine yourself climbing a set of stairs. At the top, there is a door. When you open it, you will find a room or space where you can greet your spirit guide. Picture yourself climbing each stair, one at a time, until you are ready to reach the door. Let the staircase be as high as seems right to you. Imagine yourself rising upwards out of your home, away from your street, into the sky, and into outer space. Picture the stars, moons, and planets that you might see there. Feel for the one that seems like the right place to meet your spirit guide, and go there. Imagine yourself walking through a dense forest or field of tall grass. Feel your way to a clearing, and picture yourself entering it to meet your spirit guide. Try connecting with your spirit guide through dream visualization, such as lucid dreaming. Once you have reached the place where you can meet your spirit guide, you should be ready to make a connection with it. Keep in mind that your spirit guide might be someone or something (such as an animal or other creature) that you see, but you might also only hear it, feel it, or just "know" that it is there. When you have found your spirit guide, it will be nice to have a confirmation that it knows you are there and wants to communicate with you. Try: Asking its name. Asking for a sign. For instance, your spirit guide might play a melody that is very special to you, or cause you to smell a scent that you like, or say something about you that no one else would knowanything to show that you are connected. Looking for synchronicities and coincidences that show you are connecting with your spirit guide. For example, perhaps your spirit guide will say a quote that you will read later in the day. If you are having trouble connecting with your spirit guide through visualization, or just want to try a different method, you can use automatic writing. Get a pen and paper, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and ask your spirit guide to write through you. Keep writing without stopping until you feel the connection has ended for now. Afterwards, analyze what you wrote to see how your spirit guide was communicating with you. Automatic writing might take the form of recognizable words. However, your automatic writing might also incorporate images, doodles, and even alternate languages and alphabets. Whatever comes out, don't filter it as you write. Just let it flow as long as you feel connected. Use your intuition when trying to interpret your automatic writing. Look for connections to things that interest you, questions you have, and images, phrases, or ideas that keep coming up. Don't be surprised if your automatic writing is difficult to interpret or even impenetrable. Be patient if you don't understand, and see if your spirit guide will help reveal things in time. Don't just look for answers to questions you have, or reflections on yourself. Try to understand the character of your spirit guide as it is expressed in the automatic writing. This can help you become closer to your guide. Another way to connect with your spirit guide through writing is to address a letter to it. Get yourself in the right mental and spiritual state through breathing exercises, meditation, or other means. Then, using paper and a pen, start drafting a letter to your spirit guide. Once you have finished your letter, you can keep it in a special place (such as a box), or symbolically deliver it to your spirit guide (burn it, throw it in a river, or let the wind carry it away). Afterwards, look for signs and synchronicities that show your spirit guide has received your letter. Whether visualizing your spirit guide or writing to it, you should feel free to ask it questions. Remember it is there to guide you, so ask it whatever is on your mind. If you are writing to your spirit guide, you can use two differently colored pensone to write down your questions, and another for your spirit guide's answers. Questions you might ask include: "Who am I?" "What do I really want?" "What should I do about X?" "What changes should I make in my life?" "What is my purpose in life?" "What is holding me back?" "What is the universe made of?" Any others that are specific to your life, goals, worries, dreams, or interests. You may enjoy keeping a journal of all the connections you make with your spirit guide, whether through visualization, writing, dreams, meditation, or some other means. Record the day and time, how you connected, the messages or signs that you received, how you felt, and anything else you recollect.

Summary: Visualize your way. Recognize your spirit guide. Make a specific connection. Try automatic writing. Write a letter to your guide. Ask questions. Keep a record of your connections.

Rubbing alcohol, acetone, and paint thinner are all great options. You can also use a household cleaner with pine oil in it, like Pine-Sol. If you're using rubbing alcohol, be sure to get the highest percentage that you can find: 91% or 99%. If the percentage is lower than that, the rubbing alcohol won't have any effect. If you have sensitive skin, it would be a good idea to wear plastic or vinyl gloves. Acetone may damage some types of plastic, such as Plexiglass or vinyl-based plastic. It's safe for fiberglass and polyester resin, however. This is important, because different types of plastic react different types of solvents. Pick up a drop of your solvent with a soft paintbrush a Q-tip, or even a toothpick, and place the drop onto an inconspicuous area on your item. Wait a few minutes, then rinse the solvent off. If nothing happens to the plastic, the solvent may be safe to use. Keep in mind that some solvents may need hours before they have an adverse effect on your item. If the plastic changes color or texture, don't use the solvent. You might even want to press the area with your fingernail; if you see an indent, choose a different solvent. This will work the best with acetone, but you may be able to use rubbing alcohol as well. Simply soak your cotton ball with your solution, then rub it across the painted area until the paint comes off. Discard the cotton ball when it gets dirty, and use a new one. Acetone evaporates fast, so you'll have to re-soak the cotton ball often. If you don't do this, the fuzz will stick the the paint. If the cotton ball is not working, pour your rubbing alcohol or acetone over the painted area, then scrub it with a stiff-bristled brush. Keep applying your solvent and scrubbing until the paint comes off. Avoid nylon brushes if you are using acetone, or the bristles may melt. Place your item into a container, then fill the container with enough of your solution to submerge the item. Leave the item in the solution for 15 to 60 minutes, then pull the item out. Scrub the paint off with a stiff-bristled toothbrush or manicure brush. Clean the item with soap and water afterwards, then let it dry. This method works best with paint thinner and household cleaners. You can soak most plastic items in household cleaner for up to 24 hours. If there's still residue on the item, dip it into the solution, then scrub it again. Think of this as scrubbing dried food off of a plate.
Summary: Choose your solvent. Test your solvent in an inconspicuous area. Wipe small areas down with a cotton ball soaked in your solution. Use a stiff-bristled brush for stubborn stains. Soak fully-painted items in your solution, then scrub the paint off.