Pagan Thoughts

I came across this very informative website
http://www.collegewicca.com/

Choosing a name: http://www.collegewicca.com/wiccafiles/name.html
You may also try listing in a notebook all your traits, plus, on a separate sheet, all the traits you’d like to have. Go through these and don’t rule out anything because it sounds funny or not fancy enough. You want to be true to yourself, not give in to sounding grand to others.

BoS: http://www.collegewicca.com/wiccafiles/BOS.html
Tarot. I’ll write down what spread I used (usually Celtic Cross, but it sometimes varies), the "book meaning" of each card, my own impressions of the meanings of each card, then I write a page or so linking the meanings together. I leave a page blank in between each entry. This way I can go back and fill in the actual result. If I interpreted the cards as meaning I’ll have a really awful day, but it turns out fine, I’ll write it down. Then I can pull out the cards again and re-think my interpretation.
To start with a Book of Shadows, people usually first write a book dedication on the inside cover or first page. It can be a poem, a statement…anything that says, "I dedicate this book to *insert Deity belief here* in my study of *insert definition of personal religion here*. May it prove safe and honorable. So mote it be." You can write a full book dedication ritual and write this first dedication into your book during that ritual. Whatever you think it takes to give your book a "sacred" feel to it will work.

Meditation: http://www.collegewicca.com/BOSfiles/meditation.html
People meditate for various reasons. Some use it to get in tune with the Earth, some use it as a de-stresser, some use it as a way to maintain their magickal skills (like anything, magick does take practice no matter how "natural" it comes to a person), and some just like to clear their minds.
On the first session, set it for five minutes. However you choose to meditate, try to hold it for that amount of time. If you break your meditation before time is up, don’t worry. Put it away for the rest of the day, and when you try it the next day (prefereably at about the same time of day–morning, afternoon, or evening–though not necessarily at the exact same hour) lower your amount of time set to however long you were able to hold it on Day 1. If you can make it to 8 miutes before breaking, but the next day can’t make it to 9 minutes, go back and practice for 8 minutes again until you can easily go for that length of time.
beginning with the "train of thought" meditations where you just let your mind go its merry way and you "listen in" as if you are a third person overhearing a conversation. When you feel you have the "train of thought" method under your belt, try moving to a single thought. For example, assume you decide to meditate on the subject, "Apple." Don’t just focus on the word, but also visualize an apple, how it feels, tastes, and smells. When you are comfortable (it does take practice!) finally narrow your mind down to nothing at all. Don’t think, just feel. Another method to try is to hold a stone and use it as your focus. For lack of a better phrase, try to "become one with the stone." You can do the same with staring into a fire/candle flame, looking out your window at nature, into a body/pool of water, or at an animal. These techniques tend to bring people closer to the mental state needed for scrying. See what you have around you and what works best.
Activities as meditation: In the same manner as exercise, there are other activities that people find good for meditation. Journal writing, sewing, painting/drawing, gardening, and even day dreaming are a few ways to clear your mind and relax. Meditation does not necessarily have to take the form of chanting wordlessly in dark rooms.
Purification: http://www.collegewicca.com/BOSfiles/purification.html
If you choose to bathe, try taking a quick shower to get rid of the grime first, then use the bath to rid yourself of that "mental" impurity. When you’re done, pull the plug and stay in the tub as it drains. When in doubt, if you want to go bare minimum, wash your face and hands with cold water, and head off to your circle.
Tarot: http://www.collegewicca.com/BOSfiles/tarot.html
shuffle the cards a total of 15 times between readings to cleanse them. (I also like to give them a thorough cleansing and consecration once a month at the full moon, and keep them in a protective bag made out of a natural fiber.) The first three times I shuffle, I feel air rushing through my arms and hands, through "pores" in the cards, and blowing all old (especially negative) energy from previous readings out of the cards. I shuffle three more times feeling my hands as flames, burning the old energy out of the cards. Three more times for water, washing the "ashes" and traces of energy from the cards, and then three times for earth, feeling the cards as solid and glowing with new, natural, non-human energy. Finally, I shuffle three more times, imagining I’m filling them with my own essence in the form of a pure white light.
Leave a blank page after each entry so you can go back later and fill in how the spread related to real events. I usually write the date, the spread I used, the cards laid out, their basic, short meanings (which I usually just copy from the little booklet that comes with the deck), and my interpretation.

Journal Topics: http://www.collegewicca.com/BOSfiles/journals.html
-What does "Witch" mean to you?
-My future goals within Paganism.
-Are there traditions you like? Dislike? Why?
-Why be a Pagan, anyway?
-How do you feel about spell crafting?
-What do you think separates Wicca (Druidism, Asatru, etc.) from other Pagan religions? Other religions in general?
-Write about the state of Paganism today…is it too marketed? Are there too many "kids"? Are covens becoming obsolete?
-Compare and contrast Pagan authors that you have recently read.
-What specific Deities do you pray to and why?
-What do you think happens to you when you die?
-Do you believe in fate, or do we make it up as we go?
-Do animals reincarnate?
-Can humans incarnate as animals? If so, why? If not, why?
-Is hexing, cursing, black magick ever ok? If so when? If not why?
-Explain your Craft/Magickal/Working/Sacred name if you have one.
-Do you think that you have to have a Craft name? Why or why not?
-Is there a difference between Wicca and Witchcraft? Explain.
-If we believe in reincarnation and Christians believe in a one-shot life, what happens to them when they die?
-What is your utopia?

Ostara Rituals: http://www.collegewicca.com/collegefiles/solitaryostara.html
Take a symbol of something that’s hindering you outside before the sun rises and drop it or bury it without looking at it. Then turn toward the horizon as the sun rises and hervest the first flower you see. Dry it and carry it with you as a charm for hope.
If you do a ritual, try it outside if it’s warm enough. Keep it simple…meditate under a tree
Consider trying a yin yang tarot spread: http://www.learntarot.com/yinyang.htm 

Snack on fruit and vegetables if you need food, but otherwise try to let your digestive system rest and stick to two meals.

soup, salad, water, tea, juice, grains; use lemon, garlic, & vinegar as condiments

healing meditation

exercise (stretch, yoga, aerobic) to sweat out some toxins; bathe afterwards to clean the toxins off your skin

try not to do anything too stressful

http://www.orderwhitemoon.org/seasons/beltane06.html#cleaning 

URBAN COMPOSTING by Kelly Gilliam
Make this budget conscious compost bin for your deck or small outdoor  space.

One benefit to having your own yard and garden is plenty of room.  However, some of us live in tight apartments and are forced to have container  gardens. Because of space, the urban dweller may conclude that composting is  impossible. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. In my ongoing quest to take more control of my garden right down to  the soil I use, I went on a hunt for information on how to make my own  small-time composting bin. My initial inspiration was "urban  EDEN" by Adam & James Caplin.

Since I live in a small  area, I don’t require huge amounts of compost. I decided to make my own bin from  a Rubbermaid container; it was dark, portable, easy to find and — most  importantly — affordable. The following is an account of how I made my  bin. Please note that this how-to is for an outdoor container. It is small  enough to fit on a balcony or around the side of a house if you are in a house  suite.

Materials:   Rubbermaid container (1 1/2 feet by 1 1/4 feet.)
   "Browns": Dead leaves, brown grass clippings, wood, sticks,    shredded newspaper, dead plants, rice, pine needles
   "Greens": Fresh grass and other plant clippings, fruit and    vegetable parts, coffee grounds (with or without filter), tea bags, wool,    human hair
   Extra newspaper    
A good knife

1. Clean the Rubbermaid container, removing all stickers and labels.  Take your knife and cut holes along the edges of the bin’s lid, about 1  centimeter wide. I placed these about 3 centimeters apart. Next, cut a few holes  in the middle of the lid. These holes will allow air and moisture to  circulate.

2. Turn your bin over and cut some drainage holes (the water has to  go somewhere, right?). I placed two slits in each corner, about a  half-centimeter wide and 3 centimeters long. They should be big enough for  drainage, but not enough to allow your compost to spill out.

3. Rip up your extra newspaper and put it in the bottom of the bin.  The shreds should be no more than 1 inch thick, and should fill up the container  about 5 to 6 inches.

4. Gather all your “browns.” Place them on top of the newspaper. Your  bin should be about one-third to one-half full.

5. Gather your “greens.” Place these on top of your browns. Your  compost bin should be almost full. Make sure to leave a little room at the top  though.

6. Place your bin outside (if it isn’t already there). If you must  place it directly on a deck, a second extra lid can be placed underneath as a  drip tray.

7. Water. Make sure it’s damp, but not so wet that everything is  floating around. If you live in a rainy climate, you can let nature take its  course and wet your compost for you.

8. Wait.

9. In about 3-4 weeks, go out and give your compost a good turn. This  will allow the microbes that are decomposing everything to spread around. Repeat  every 3-4 weeks.

To my surprise, worms found their way into my compost. If your bin  sits on the ground and not on concrete (like a balcony) or on top of the lid  then worms will probably find their way into your bin as well. They’re a nice  bonus, but definitely not necessary in composting.

Tips:   Starbucks Coffee will hand out their organic waste if you ask    them. A warning though: It comes in huge bags, and unless you have somebody to    split the bounty with, there won’t be room in your bin for it.    

Do not use your compost as a replacement for potting soil. It is    too heavy for plants to live solely on and might burn them. Instead, mix about    one part compost with three parts regular potting or topsoil. This will be    more than enough for your plants to get their nutrients.    Add to the bin constantly to allow for good compost throughout the    season.    

Never add plants that are diseased, as the disease can spread    through your compost and be passed on to any plants you use the compost on.       

Do not use compost indoors, as it is not sterilized and could carry pests.