Hi Jason,
You may not realize it, but we are all standing with you in the same "soggy shoes." We are all novices and learning just like you and while sometimes our approaches to the search are a little different, we all long for answers and a definitive path. When I first realized that the Angels were more then words in a book and that, in fact, they were around us... every day people too and not just the saints and the prophets, I was so excited and just like you I wanted to know where to go from here. So I prayed for answers and direction and because once again, like you I enjoyed reading books and researching , these kind of things started practically falling off the shelf when I walked into a book store...But I must say, information about my path came in various ways. One had to be observant and watchful. But at the same time opening my heart and growing my soul through heartfelt prayer sort of helped me to recognize and be aware of these directional signs. That is why I suggested in my post above a simple practice that opens the heart and builds connections with the divine. There are many many other practices that can do this as well. These heartfelt spiritual practices are sort of like a base that everything build upon. All these things of value to spirit then have the "soil" to grow and without pomp and circumstance... It just happens.
So it really isn't something that you read that will provide you what you seek. This material more or less inspires you, gives you knowledge so you can make better spiritual choices in relation to your own personality as well as provide "tools" for the original purpose of finding your path. We often find Celestial Teachers and celestial cousins of a sort like the Midwayers who can move about freely on our world, helping human in the physical as Doctor Mendoza does and in the spiritual speaking to us and helping us to make connections of communication with Higher more advanced cousins which are more time/space advanced. These celestial cousins of ours are extremely wise and patient and they always desire to put our hand in that of the Divine...our God Within who will guide us and eventually become one with us guaranteeing a life eternal.
If there is one thread on this board that can benefit you by reading every day, it would be the celestial message thread. But here in the FAQ's is a thread that you may find helpful and more specific to your question of how to begin with the Midwayers. These are messages about beginnings I think...
http://board.1111angels.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9021
Growth comes from within you and you don't have to do it alone. It is a team effort. You don't have to have a lot of books or research for years in a library, or even meditate for hours and years in a particular way or place. The Creator of us all loves each of us unconditionally and exactly where we are emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually at this moment.
..and we do not have to know what we think of the Divine in this moment either.
You wrote:
I'm stuck on your first question though and that's "How do I see this relationship with the divine?"
What I said was...
So let me ask you... how best do you see your relationship or potential relationship with the divine? What is it you desire.
The last part is actually the crux I was getting at. What do you desire in a relationship with the divine... direction, friendship, inspiration, shared outreach etc... For instance, suppose you met a new friend, someone who moved in next door to you. Almost immediately and for many people you naturally would begin a process of getting to know that person. Inside you may hope for a person who likes to watch the Cleveland Browns play on Sundays. To put that aspect into spiritual terms...you want to spend some time with God a few hours on Sunday. Or do you want this new neighbour to become a close friend, someone you talk to every day, share all that is inside of you, the good and the bad? If you want the later type of relationship with God and our celestial cousins then it is helpful to meet them half way by something akin to what I mentioned in the first post... This builds everything...the friendship, the trust, the confidence and faith in what lies unseen, and then the shared work and outreach that helps to lighten our planet just a smidgeon.
So I guess I am trying to say, it really isn't complex unless you want it to be or prefer it to be. Just know that you are absolutely without a doubt enough. You are so very much loved and accepted.
We cannot fully know God in His/Her Glory in Paradise at this time, but we have more help the we can poke a stick at". ..celestials who have witnessed the infinite glory of this magnanimous Being and even more important, our gift of a particle of God within. So more help then we can possible imagine and even understand in our "mortal attire." is at our fingertips.
How to experience it? Take one step and begin. Stop talking about doing it and I am talking to myself as well here
and just do it. Knock on "this fantastic neighbour's door" and say, would you like to be my friend. I promise you if you share your heart it will become much more then football games on Sunday. This friend will be with you every moment of your day and night and eventually you will sense this and joy will be yours... well this is what we are all working towards...In this relationship you will find your purpose, your peace your happiness if you continue to nurture it and celebrate it.
Okay I have rattled on enough and half afraid I still haven't answered your question... and I suspect I am probably preaching to the choir here...sorry.
But please just go with the flow and allow the Divine to show you the way... the perfect way that will teach, amaze and delight you as you grow into your innate skills and gifts of divine origin.
No pressure on yourself now... we have eternity to grow and learn. (whew thank goodness for that, eh?)
with love,
Sandy