I am trying to start some myself. I looked around on the web for help and I will be following this method (for better or worse, haha):

Soak the seeds in hot water for 24 hours prior to planting.
Plant seeds pointed side down with a tweezer, twice as deep as the seed is big.
Mist seeds 3-4 times a day.
Seeds germinate anywhere from 8-15 days.

Good luck!

I just put them into the soil and water like any seed I plant and they did fine. I have seeds that are over 10 years old and still sprouted. As for telling which end is up, mine are round.