Frustrated

I am having such a difficult time reachig my higher self. I meditate day after day and I am doing better at dropping, but I am still brought back to reality at every little noise. I wonder if I'm trying too hard. I remember a movie that was actually instrumental to me at the start of my path. Eat, Pray, Love with Julia Roberts didn't do so well in the box office, but I really enjoyed it. I remember she's sitting in the perfect place to meditate, but she just cannot drop. She's distracted by everything around her. No matter what she does she cannot succesfully meditate. One of her friends that she met on her travels told her that she's trying to hard she just needs to let it happen, but how does one do that?
My main goal is to reach my higher self, but I have several other goals. One major goal I have is to develop my psychic abilities. I want to reach my spirit guide/s, and talk to our ancestors. I want to be able to read someones aura, be accurate with my tarot readings, and see past the veil. This is all so frustrating.
Pete does not believe that the spirits contact us he calls it bull shit. Last night we were watching a movie Talking to Heaven about James Van Praagh, and Pete, of course, was saying what bull shit it is. At one point he said loudly, "Are you listening mom!" At that instant I became overwhelmed with what was like someone yelling yes in my head, which his mom was definitely a yeller. :) I could tell that this was not coming from me because of how I felt, but I, of course, question myself. You know I must be imagining things, it can't really be, it was just me responding in my head. I told Pete, and he said I was crazy. Am I? I don't know. All I know is I want to see past the veil, and be able to talk to our ancestors. The problem is I feel like I'm working and working, but getting through the veil is eluding me. I feel like I'm under a frozen lake, and I'm trying to find a hole in the ice. I'm searching and searching, and working so hard but I just can't get through the thick ice.
I will never give up. I will continue to search and work, but it's very frustrating to want something so badly and it's so elusive. My next steps are to get some herbs to blend my own incense to help develop my psychic connection, and to eat more of a raw diet so my body is more in tune. I certainly don't expect to be like James Van Praagh or anything, but I would like to connect to my spirit guide and ancestors to help guide me and maybe even help my family and friends. So, off I go to continue my search. :):)