I'm still a newbie and I have been using BH's method. Fly the figure eights slowly and pull back slightly on the elevator when it's nose in.

My orientation secret, which is working very well for me, is:

Imagine the right stick is an extension of the mainshaft rising above the main rotor and flybar. Then always (imagine, pretend, believe) that you are always standing behind the heli. Then just push the main shaft to where you want it to be. Play with that a little and see how it feels. If you can keep your mind behind the heli and your hand on the extended main shaft you'll always move it the right way.

Concentrate! If you let your mind get back to the flight station it's bail out time.

Autos or next.

Hope this helps,