Wow, I love the suggestion about the box, I'll have to try that one!
Usually when i want to manifest something whether it be money, love, understanding, help, etc, I usually sit down and do a meditation (holding my amythyst crystal) and contact my guides. I've always been able to easily talk to my guides. I'll make contact with them and discuss it over with them. Now, I don't believe you necessarily have to be able to hear them as well, or this can also be done with your higher power too. I usually state what it is I really want, and mind you, i rarely ask them to help me get things, usually, I try every method of getting it on my own before I ask for their guidance. In any case, I tell them what it is I really desire, and I ask politely if they could please help me in getting this. Usually they answer me back right away with either a "yes we can, but we need sometime and your cooperation" or "No because, this is something that is completely mundane, or because it's something that I need to "struggle" with for one reason or another". Another way that I ask for their assistance (often too) is for confirmation. For example, one night, I was going to go out with some friends, they had canceled on me, I had made other plans, and those fell through too, I didn't feel "right" just going home, so I asked my guides "Ok guys, have the person who I am suppose to spend time with call me on my cell phone in the next 5 minutes or I'm going home". 2 minutes later my friend called and asked what I was up to and if I wanted to hang out. I said "sure" and we met up. Now, another friend of mine who is also open to the metaphysical realm was thinking about getting a divorce from her husband. She was in tears and didn't know what to do. So while I had her on the phone with me, out loud, I spoke to her guides and told them "ok, she really needs you guys to give her a sign of what she is suppose to do, if she is suppose to stay with her husband, have him call her in the next 10 minutes, if she is suppose to leave and move on, then have anyone else call instead in the next 10 minutes". Mind you, her husband works a type of job that he can't just call someone while on the job. 2 minutes later, her husband called. It wasn't anywhere near his break time, and I don't remember what took place exactly in order for him to have called her at that time, but it was very very odd. I've found this to be very effective, to tell your guides to give you a specific sign in guiding you where you are to go, or how you are suppose to do something.
More recently, I've asked my guides "where am I suppose to go from here with my studies or my metaphysical workings?" Today, as I was flipping through the channels (which I rarely do, usually the kids watch the disney channel but today I couldn't take anymore) and found a show about psychic healers. I've been recieiving the messages through others that I am a healer and I need to start doing some healing work. I took that as a sign from my guides to start doing healing.
I'm not sure if this helped at all, I hope it does. What a great topic! Thanks for posting. I'm definitely going to try out the box!
Sagitarian