Read up on the method, There are several books avialable and many internet resorces. Then purchase a TOPO map of a know area like a state park etc. Take the map and the compass and maybe the book and go out and try to make sense of the whole thing. Soon things will click.

A GPS is even more worthless than a compass without a good map and a working knowledge. With acompass you can at least pick a direction and head in a consistant direction. A GPS w/o a map will not tell you anything unless you have at least marked waypoints before you get lost.