It seems increasingly likely as the days go by that Russia may deploy poison gas in its invasion of Ukraine. They have already released a fake video in which Polish-speaking terrorists supposedly attack large chlorine tanks to blow them up. They may commit a false-flag operation.

I am not an expert on poison gas but as a World War One historian I’ve amassed a certain amount of knowledge about chemical warfare. I don’t know which chemical agents the Russians may use, so I’ll just talk about what I know. I can’t do much for Ukraine but maybe, just maybe, these tips may help someone if they end up in the horrifying situation of a gas attack.

Some general tips:

- Gas is about twice as heavy as air. This means it sinks. If gas is coming toward you, try to get to the closest high ground. Climb on top of a car, climb a tree, go to the top floor, whatever might get you above the drift of gas. After the gas has passed, avoid any low-lying areas or craters from shelling, as the gas may linger there for awhile. Obviously, it is best to be upwind of the gas in the first place, but of course this is not always possible.

- Do not try to outrun the gas. Gas is usually released when the wind is strong and steady. Not only will you end up remaining in the gas cloud for a longer amount of time as it keeps pace with you, but you will end up breathing hard and inhaling more gas. Instead, put your back to the direction the gas is coming from and tuck your head down toward your chest. Use your arms to shelter your face and squeeze your eyes tightly shut. If you have a sweater or blanket, drape it over your head. It won’t keep the gas out entirely but it can help minimize the damage. Breathe in and out through your nose and, if possible, try to silently recite a simple phrase, prayer, song lyrics, whatever that will help you keep your breaths steady and shallow.

- Gas can stick to you. After an attack, wash as soon as is possible and change your clothes. Do not touch your eyes. You may have tears streaming from your eyes and snot coming from your nose but don’t wipe your face until your hands are washed and you know whatever tissue you’re using is clean. Keep children from rubbing at their eyes.

- Do not drink or eat anything that was left out during a gas attack. It could cause severe damage to your stomach. If you have anything like soda or soup cans that may have been exposed, be sure to wash them off before opening.

- Pets can often be protected in the same way as people, including dogs, horses and rabbits. I don’t know for certain, but probably cats, rats and other mammals. No idea about things like reptiles and birds, sorry, but it might be worth a shot.

- Make your way to a hospital if possible. Many kinds of gas have side effects that only manifest later and can be deadly. Let them know that you have come in contact with poison gas and describe anything you can about the gas (color, smell, etc.). If you can’t make it to a hospital, let the people around you know that you may develop symptoms within the next 24-48 hours. Sleep propped up to help your breathing and try to avoid any stress on your lungs such as dust or running.

Chlorine:

- Chlorine gas is a pale green and smells like bleach or swimming pools. When it comes into contact with water, it becomes hydrochloric acid, AKA battery acid. It destroys eye and lung tissue, causing death or disability. Fortunately, you can cause this reaction to happen before it reaches your lungs. 

- If you see chlorine gas approaching, soak a piece of fabric such as your t-shirt in water and hold it over your mouth, nose and, if possible, your eyes. After the attack, immediately dispose of the fabric as it will be full of acid and could burn you.

- If you don’t have any water available, use something with a high water content, such as juice or soda. As a last resort, urine will also work.

- As soon as you can, wash your hands well and rinse out your eyes as many times as you can. If you think the gas may have come in contact with sweaty parts of your body (such as under your arms) wash those areas thoroughly too. Even a wet wipe or a piece of tissue dunked in soda is better than not cleaning the skin. 

Phosgene:

- Phosgene is colorless and smells of old hay but only at extremely high concentrations, otherwise it has no odor. When inhaled, it damages the way your lungs transfer oxygen to the blood, causing suffocation.

- When first encountered, it causes pain in the eyes, excessive tear production and temporary blindness. This will eventually fade, but more serious effects can result. 

- Within the next 48 hours, many who are exposed to phosgene will have their lungs slowly fill with fluid or will develop serious pneumonia. Individuals with chronic breathing conditions will be especially affected. It is important to set out for a hospital as soon as possible especially if there may be a long wait.

Mustard:

- Mustard Gas can be colorless but is usually mustard colored. It smells spicy, like mustard or garlic. Mustard Gas settles on the skin, soaking into it. It then burns its way back out, causing chemical burns and massive blisters full of the liquid form of the gas.

- Once the gas has passed, discard all of your clothing, every piece of it. It doesn’t matter how many layers you have, It will be soaked in the chemical down to skin level. Cut shirts away from your skin so you don’t drag it across your face and eyes. Do not let anyone touch it or they will be burnt by the gas as well. Place it in a sturdy plastic container with a lid if you can. Do NOT bury it, as mustard gas can remain unaffected underground for years.

- Wash yourself as you have never washed yourself before. Time is critical. As soon as the gas comes in contact with your skin, it begins soaking in. If multiple people have been gassed, pile everyone into the same shower, don’t take turns. Use warm water and soap and systematically go over your entire body. Mustard gas especially affects mucous membranes and damp areas, so focus on armpits, groin, back of the knees, eyelids, buttcrack, under the breasts, and under any folds of fat you may have. The labia and the areas where the penis and testicles touch each other and surrounding skin should be focused on. Also pay attention to where you might have been damp before you took your clothes off, such as waistbands or bra straps.

- If you do not have access to water, find some (clean) clay cat litter. Cat litter usually has bentonite clay in it which is used to soak up toxins. It will help neutralize the gas. Follow the above procedure, only using handfuls of the litter.

- Burns and blisters will begin to appear anywhere between 2 to 48 hours. Get to a hospital as soon as possible so they can decontaminate you more thoroughly. If decontamination procedures are followed, death is unlikely, but massive scarring, pain and other health problems such as infection can occur. Do NOT think that because you don’t see or feel anything that you are okay.

- The skin may itch fiercely. Do NOT scratch at it as it means a 2nd or 3rd degree burn may be forming there, you would be making it worse. Sit on your hands if you have to. Assume that a burn may appear in that area. Unless the skin is broken, rub more cat litter on it and then gently coat the area in vaseline.

- If you cannot reach a hospital, gently apply Vaseline where you see the burns emerging, especially the eyelids or they will stick together. Treat the burns like you would a heat burn, using petroleum based ointments to keep gauze from sticking. As burns develop, the intense pain means that the person usually can’t stand any form of clothing on them, so try to make sure you’re in a space that has some form of heat and privacy.

- When blisters form, poke them lightly with a pin and drain them. Make sure that the fluid inside does not touch the person’s skin, your skin or any blankets etc that are remaining with the person. The fluid inside is the liquid form of the gas coming back out and it can cause the same burns on your hands as it caused on the patient. Keep the liquid in something like a plastic jug until someone can tell you how to get rid of it.

Sarin:

As a heads up, I know less about Sarin than the others. 

- Sarin is colorless and odorless. Like Mustard Gas, in addition to being dangerous to inhale, it soaks into the skin. It damages the human nervous system, making it extremely deadly. Even the tiniest amount of Sarin can be lethal, so treat even the smallest exposure to the gas very seriously. Also like mustard gas it remains on the clothes, which need to be carefully disposed of and not touched. Cut them away from the person.

- A person affected by Sarin may first show classic gas symptoms: tearing, coughing, eyes burning. After this, the person may not act like themselves, twitching, drooling, sweating and speaking nonsense. They may not be able to control their legs, bowels or basic body movements and their heart rate may be altered.

- Sarin may puddle visibly on the skin. Wipe these drops off before they can soak in. Do not touch the liquid yourself. Wash the person with 1% bleach solution (meaning about 1 oz bleach to a gallon of water). Use gloves. Then use cat litter to try to soak up any remaining gas. Get the person to the hospital as soon as possible. 

- Atropine has been used to treat Sarin in the past; if the exposed person is being treated by someone not used to dealing with this kind of gas, you could suggest this to them. (Note: I am not a doctor, I am only stating that you could bring up the subject, I’m not prescribing it.)

I may add to this if I think of anything else. If you know more tips about poison gas, feel free to add to this or contact me. I want this to reach as many people as possible, so please signal boost this even if it isn’t related to your blog. I only speak English fluently, so if someone could please translate this into Ukrainian (or any other language for that matter) I would deeply appreciate it. This guide is not restricted to the situation in Ukraine and can be shared with anyone in the world who may face this. I’d like a little credit, but feel free to post this on other websites where it might better reach the target audience, such as Ukrainian social media, twitter, etc. I may be in error somewhere in these tips but I wrote them out of a sincere desire to help so don’t be jackass if you want to correct me.

Stay safe everyone. #IStandWithUkraine

Загальні поради:

- Гази, що використовуються як зброя, зазвичай важчі за повітря. Це означає - вони опускаються вниз. Виберіться на найближчу височину: на дах автівки, дерево, на горішні поверхи. Коли газ відступить уникайте низин, кратерів, западин і т.п. Газ може все ще знаходитись тут. Якщо можливо, відійдіть так аби вітер відносив газ у сторону від вас.

- Не намагайтесь обігнати газ. Зазвичай його розповсюджують у вітряну погоду - переміщаючись у одному з ним напрямку ви довше залишатиметесь у хмарі, до того ж активний рух збільшує потребу в кисні і, як результат, кількість вдихнутого газу. Замість цього станьте спиною до напрямку з якого приходить газ і пригніть голову до грудей. Заплющте очі й закрийте обличчя руками. Якщо маєте светр чи ковдру - накрийте голову. Це не вбереже вас повністю, але зменшить ураження. Дихайте через ніс. Намагайтесь дихати повільно і неглибоко (повторення простих фраз, тексту пісень, віршів може допомогти).

- Газ осідає на вас. Після атаки якомога скоріше прийміть душ і переодягніться. Не торкайтесь очей. Особливо слідкуйте за дітьми. По вашому обличчю можуть текти сльози, може текти з носа - не тріть обличчя руками доти доки вони не відмиті, а тканина яку ви використовуєте не контактувала з газом.

- Не їште і не пийте нічого що було відкритим під час газової атаки. Це може призвести до ураження внутрішніх органів. Якщо герметично запакована їжа піддалась дії газу контейнери слід вимити до того як відкрити!

- Тварини, принаймні ссавці, можуть бути захищені від дії газу у той самий спосіб що й люди.

- Якщо можливо - зверніться по лікарську допомогу. Багато газів можуть проявити свою дію годинами пізніше і все ж бути летальними. Опишіть лікарям все що ви знаєте про газ (запах, колір…). Якщо можливості отримати допомогу немає: попередьте людей довколо вас, що в наступні 24-48 годин у вас можуть проявитися симптоми, що загрожують життю. Спіть напівлежачи (полегшити дихання), намагайтесь не навантажувати ваші легені (не бігайте, уникайте вдихання пилу).

Хлор:

- Хлор — важкий газ жовтувато-зеленого кольору з різким, задушливим запахом. При контакті з водою стає хлорною кислотою! Знищує тканини легень і очей.

- При наближенні газу змочіть тканину водою і закрийте ніс та рот, якщо можливо - очі. Після атаки НЕГАЙНО позбудьтесь тканини - зараз вона просякнута кислотою і може спричинити опіки.

- Якщо під рукою немає води: підійде рідина з високим вмістом води (сік, солодка газована вода; за відсутності інших варіантів - сеча теж підійде).

- Якнайскоріше вимийте руки й промийте очі якомога більше разів. Якщо є підозра що газ міг вступити контакт з пітною ділянкою тіла (наприклад під пахвами) - вимийте їх водою. Навіть серветка змочена колою буде кращим вибором ніж взагалі не очистити шкіру.

Фосген:

- За звичайних умов є безбарвною газоподібною речовиною із запахом прілих фруктів або сіна або взагалі без запаху. Фосген володіє задушливою дією. Небезпечне саме вдихання пару - засоби захисту шкіри не потрібні.

- Першими симптомами є подразнення очей (біль, сльози, іноді тимчасова сліпота).

- Перші виразні ознаки отруєння з'являються після прихованого періоду від чотирьох до восьми годин (спостерігалися навіть періоди в 15 годин). Тривалість перебування фосгену у повітрі складає 30 хв влітку і до 3 годин взимку, отруєння можливе у місцях застою повітря (наприклад, в улоговинах).

- Фосген має кумулятивні властивості — несмертельні кількості речовини можуть накопичуватися в організмі і згодом призвести до ускладнень, включно із летальним результатом.

- Отруєння легкої і середньої тяжкості протікають у вигляді токсичного бронхіту, у важчих випадках виникають також нервово-психічні розлади (афектні порушення, галюцинації, оглушення).

- Протягом 48 годин після ураження легені поступово заповнюються рідиною - через це важливо звернутися по допомогу терміново

Іприт (гірчичний газ):

- Може бути безбарвним, але зазвичай має часниково-гірчичний запах і жовто-коричневий колір. Липне до шкіри і проникає неї утворюючи хімічні опіки з пухирями повними зрідженого газу.

- По завершенню атаки позбудьтесь одягу. УСІХ ШАРІВ одягу! Розрізайте одяг аби не стягувати його через голову і не переносити частинки на обличчя. Не давайте нікому торкатися одягу. Помістіть його у пластиковий контейнер. НЕ ЗАКОПУЙТЕ його - іприт може зберігати свої властивості роками.

- ДУЖЕ ретельно відмийте усю шкіру водою з милом (особливу увагу зверніть на шкірні складки й вологі чи пітні області. Повіки, під пахвами, під колінами, геніталії, під і між грудьми…)

- Час працює проти вас. Якщо є можливість відмити всіх постраждалих одночасно - зробіть це! Не змушуйте людей чекати своєї черги.

- За відсутності води можна використати бентонітовий (глиняний) наповнювач для котячих туалетів. Катайте жменею наповнювача по шкірі.

- Опіки й пухирі можуть з’явитися коли завгодно між 2 та 48 годинами. Зверніться по медичну допомогу якнайшвидше. Не думайте що якщо зараз ви почуваєтесь добре вас оминуло ураження!

- Правильно виконане знезараження робить летальні наслідки малоймовірними. Однак інфекції, біль, шрами та інші супутні проблеми є вірогідними.

- Шкіра може чухатись дуже сильно. Ні при яких обставинах не чухайте її! Тут формуються опіки - ви можете ускладнити свій стан. Якщо на шкірі немає видимих ран - потріть місце глиняним наповнювачем для котячих туалетів та нанесіть вазелін.

- Якщо немає можливості дістатися лікарні - опіки змажте вазеліном. Особливо повіки - аби вони не склеїлися разом. Далі робіть як із тепловими опіками. Важливо не допускати щоб пов’язки прилипали до тіла (вазелін).

- Сильний біль часто не дає можливості одягати вражену людину. Подбайте про достатньо тепле середовище.

- Пухирі необхідно дренувати (обережно проткнути і зібрати витікаючий газ). Не давайте рідеому газу потрапити на вашу шкіру чи одяг. У рідкій формі іприт так само небезпечний!

Зарін:

- Немає кольору й запаху. Небезпечний як при вдиханню так і при контакті зі шкірою. Є нервово-паралітичним тож навіть найменше ураження слід розглядати як серйозне.

- Увесь одяг має бути розрізаний і знятий. Не торкайтесь одягу. Зберігати у щільному контейнері.

- Першими симптомами є сльози, кашель, подразнення очей (“пісок в очах”). Після цього людина починає поводитись неприродньо - сіпатись, пускати слину, пітніти, говорити беззмістовно. Може не контролювати кінцівки чи будь-які рухи взагалі. Серцебиття порушене.

- Зарін може збиратися на шкірі у вигляді краплин. Зітріть їх до того як вони вберуться у шкіру. Вимийте шкіру 1% розчином хлору. Використовуйте рукавиці!

- Можна використати глиняний (бентонітовий) наповнювач для котячих туалетів аби увібрати рештки зі шкіри.

- За сприятливих погодних умов зарин може перебувати на місцевості у вигляді рідини до 5 діб, його пара є токсичною протягом 20 годин. У зимовий час стійкість зарину зменшується до двох діб.

- У разі появи симптомів отруєння зарином треба одразу ввести підшкірно або внутрішньом'язово розчини атропіну, афіну чи будаксиму. Введений не пізніше, ніж за 10 хвилин після ураження, засіб здатен нейтралізувати летальну дозу. За потреби можна провести штучне дихання.

- Для знезараження предметів, приміщень та одягу придатними є водні розчини лугів, аміаку, пероксиду водню, а також розчин гідроксиламіну у слабко-лужному середовищі.

Even if you’ve reblogged the previous version, please reblog this one for folks who might not speak English.

To my blue blog followers, I know this is a long unrelated post, but I ask you to pass it on to your Ukrainian friends and followers.

https://www.wired.com/story/what-you-call-a-color-depends-on-how-you-use-it/

It's such a fascinating idea, that we value warm and cool differently. That the background, the frame of our world, the cool colors, is less described in color than the objects of our interest.

That we talk about colors that are more friendly to us, closer to our experience, something we even created, with more detail.

The natural earth that we walk upon, we do not as easily describe using a superficial cool color description and rather opt for function. Function over form, interwoven with how we see the world. A blanket we weave, a tool we create, we are more likely to ascribe it a value that balances form with function, color as well as insulation; whereas the aesthetics of the greater world are more incidental to its importance.

That the very first color divisions we created, were based not just on wavelength, but an intangible familiarity, almost tied up with how we interact with them. To say something was [warm color term] was not just to describe it, but to invoke a closeness to it that is separate from any cool color one.

That to this day, things like warm and cool, hot and cold, light and dark, hold context of liveliness and friendliness and intensity beyond their initial meaning. That that was baked into our perception of everything, not just ourselves!

It makes me think about how the Mayans wrote comics, and the speech bubbles that represented Anger and yelling, they were fringed with fire.

Anger: dynamic, yes, but ultimately fleeting entity, appearing and disappearing like fire against the backdrop of the ancient world changing perpetually around us

And it reminds me of a book i'm reading; in the book Braiding Sweetgrass, there is a chapter dedicated to the Native American language Potawatomi (and others), and how the distinction between environmental and created objects/beings is coded into verbs. Everything outside of immediate human creation is dynamic, not said as a noun but as a verb. A tree exists as a verb until it is turned into a table.

Value in its own existence, not as something that can be described flatly and superficially. "To be a Bay." Color be damned, when a bay is so much more than what it looks like!

And the Tsimane, they described the natural objects by their function, something dynamic and interconnected with everything, and the manmade ones by their color; unlike the english speakers, which were more likely to make no distinction.

Have we lost something there in our western lives, just as we've created a language that equates manmade objects with nature itself? What happened to change that?

Aso something to think of is how there's not a full overlap between warmth and human objects; we create overwhelmingly "warm" objects, but many warm objects like animals and fruits are created by the great, cool world. The frame of our existence is inherently equal to us, creating its own stuff we can use and need, the green of a forest occasionally bursting with the warm color of fruits and flowers for us and the animals! Just as we, dynamic beings, burst with our own creations! A mirrored creative force that we live amongst. The warmth of creation equated with the warmth of generosity.

Homemade posts:

Witchy iced tea recipe

Egg spell for curses and blessings

Protection oil for broke ass baby witch

Yule spelljar

Water unsafe crystals

Personal prayer to Dionysus

Personal hymn to Dionysus

Personal hymn to Dionysus 2

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Basics-of-how-to-witch-without-dying-101

Crash course on warding

Grimoire ideas

Folklore lists

Attracting money

Crystal color tip

Writing tips

Herbs you can find at the grocery store

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Safety rules for self-preserved witch

City witch tips

Hearth witch protection tips

How to clean bones - a guide

Correspondence:

Making your own correspondence

Witch runes

Water

Alcohol

Salt

Long-asf-crystal-list

Crystals for protection

Natural items

Herbal remedies

Mushrooms!!!

Herbs and essential oils

Incense and oils

Poisonous plants chart

Hex/curse/jinx plants

Trees

Wood for wand

Long-asf-color-association

Simpler color 1

Simpler color 2

Simpler color 3

Cat color

Astrology

Body parts - proceed with caution

Bones correspondence

Deities and entities:

Deities moodboard

How to make offerings - an illustrated guide

Why reciprocity matters in relationships with the invisible

Why food offerings are important

Offerings to Dionysus

Prayer do Dionysus

Prayer to Dionysus Androgynos and Lysios

Ghost hunting

Rituals:

Yule practices

Yule practices 2

Libations

Effects of libations in the garden

Greco-roman protection

Recipes:

Rose oil

Blood ink

Dove blood ink

Spellcandles making

Energy-cleansing bath scrub

Banishing water

Yule tea

Spells:

Yule solar energy

Fire summoning

Storm summoning 1

Storm summoning 2

List of curses

Kiss-that-bitch-goodbye banishing spell

Begone-bullshitter spell

No-one-deserves-you spell

Get-the-fuck-away-from-me spell 

Realize-the hurt-you-did spell

My-pain-to-yours curse

Spelljars:

Simple spelljar ingredients

Yule spelljar ingredients

Yule spelljar

Yule spelljar 2

Money spelljar

Prosperity spelljar

Protection spelljar 1

Protection spelljar 2

Banishing spelljar 1

Your-hatred-is-your-own curse jar

Books:

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Research is the most important thing to do before heading into Faery work and witchcraft. You want to have a lot of in depth and versatile knowledge covering many areas of the topic so you’ll be able to understand and interact with the Fair Folk! If you don’t want to work with the Fair Folk you can use this list to help yourself understand them and take the proper measure if you ever stumble upon them. I know the list could go on forever but I’m compiling the topics I find build a good foundation of understanding. I have compiled this list to give those interested guidance and a push in the right direction, it is best you do your own research before asking other’s personal knowledge and opinions!!

The Basics

Terminology ( Fae, faery, fairy, changeling, seelie, unseelie, sidhe, etc)

The Origins of the Fae (Tuatha de Dannan, Aos Sí, Tylwyth Teg)

Faeries in Different Cultures: Celtic (Irish, Scottish, Gaulish, French), Norse, Influences from Greek and Roman culture.

Folklore & Myths!! ex. Oisin and Tír na nÓg , Fenian Cycle, Arthurian Legend. 

Celtic Gods, Goddesses & Heroes- strong influences and connections to the Fae

Types of Faeries (study diverse types from pixies,brownies, pooka to Kelpies, Bwbach and Red caps) *Make sure you can at least answer who, what and where about them.

The Otherworlds (Tir na Nog, Caer Arianrhod, Annwn, Alfheim, Svartalfheim, etc.)

Faery Landmarks (fairy tree, fairy ring, fairy hill)

Signs of the Fae

Sacred Trees and Plants (Hawthorn) 

Protection!! very important

*Bonus if you learn Celtic Culture

Getting into Working with Them

Connecting to Nature and the Land

How to Banish Faeries & Protect yourself, house, family, etc.

Faery Behaviour and Proper Etiquette

Proper Offerings, How to give an Offering

Animals associated with the Fair Folk and Why? (raven, deer, etc)

Faery Festivals and Holidays (Samhain, Midsummer, Beltane)

Why certain things offend them- iron, saying “thank you”,etc.

The Courts (Seelie, Unseelie, trooping fairies, solitary)

Setting up a Faery Altar

How to work with them in Rituals 

Faery Flowers, herbs and crystals

A proper and personal way to communicate with them!!this means developing psychic ability, tarot, meditation, signs, etc.

Hagstones, heptagram/faery star

Some Good Books :) 

The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries, by W. Y. Evans Wentz  

Encyclopedia of Spirits by Judika Illes 

Enchantment of the Faerie Realm by Ted Andrews 

Faery Craft by Morgan Daimler 

Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Phillip Freeman

MORE THREATENINGLY Raw wheat can carry E. Coli. However, if you don’t mind making your own cookie dough, you can easily make it safely.

Take your standard recipe. Omit the eggs. Eggs serve as a binding agent to hold the cookie together. Since we’re eating the dough raw, that’s not needed. Take the flour, put it in a pan and bake it at 350 for 7 minutes. Any E. Coli is now dead.

Before vs After Adoption

You don’t cling onto the person because “two and a half years has been a long time and it’s a waste to end it here”. You end it because you’ve had enough thinking twice whether the person is still worth staying with or not. You let go because you find yourself looking back, comparing and missing the old times than cherishing the present. You let go because you have to stop defending that person and start facing the truth that things have changed. You let go because you let go of anything that upsets you whether it be work, hobby or a person.

And you let go because you have to stop being selfish. There is someone out there wanting to love the person you’re holding onto and they deserve to feel this genuine love from someone and not a pity love from you.

When you lose this kind of love, you move on. You do it because it’s the best choice for you. You move on because you’ve been hurt enough and it’s time to be happy. You move on because you don’t deserve to doubt the love that someone gives you. You move on and whenever you crumble, remind yourself on why you left in the first place.

E A R T H

Earth represents strength, grounding, prosperity, the material, wealth, success, foundations, death and rebirth. Focus on this element if the goal of your spell is about fertility, prosperity, business or stability. Earth spells may take longer to work, but they’re also more firm and are good if you’re looking for long-term solutions.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Winter DIRECTION: North HOUR: Night

COLOURS: Green, Brown, Black ANIMALS: Bears, Deers, Wolves, Badgers HERBS/PLANTS: Ivy, Ash, Vetiver, Wheats, Oats INSTRUMENTS: Drums (Percussion instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn STONES/GEMS: Jade, Onyx, Emerald, Salt RITUAL TOOLS: Stones, Dirt, Bones, Pentacle, Salt, Crystals  RITUAL FORMS: Burying, Planting, Imprinting to soil or sand TAROT SUIT: Pentacles

A I R

Air represents intellect and the mind, wisdom, knowledge; logic as well as abstract thought, intuition and higher consciousness. If you’re seeking freedom, travels, or to enhance your memory and focus - focus on Air spells! Air is whimsical and amiable, personally I haven’t found it useful for more serious spells, but it does wonders for my studies. 

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Spring DIRECTION: East HOUR: Dawn

COLOURS: Yellow, White, Sky Blue, Pastels ANIMALS: Birds, Spiders, Butterflies HERBS/PLANTS: Lavender, Birch, Vervain, Dill, Aspen INSTRUMENTS: Flute (Wind instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius STONES/GEMS: Amethyst, Opal, Alexandrite, Beryl RITUAL TOOLS: Incense, Wand RITUAL FORMS: Fanning, Tossing into air, Suspending in a high place  TAROT SUIT: Swords

F I R E

Fire represents energy, passion, purification, love, inspiration, desire, will, courage, power, leadership, sexuality. In spellcraft, focusing on Fire is good for purification, healing and love spells; it’s the best element for quick, strong spells. Although, Fire is fierce in essence, and Fire spells are susceptible - they should be well thought out.

GENDER: Masculine SEASON: Summer DIRECTION: South HOUR: Noon

COLOURS: Red, Orange, Gold ANIMALS: Snakes, Lions, Horses HERBS/PLANTS: Cacti, Cinnamon, Pepper, Basil INSTRUMENTS: Guitar (Stringed instruments)

STAR SIGNS: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius STONES/GEMS: Amber, Citrine, Ruby, Tiger’s Eye RITUAL TOOLS: Athame, Candles RITUAL FORMS: Burning, Smouldering, Heating TAROT SUIT: Wands

W A T E R

Water represents purification as well; though it’s focused more on the soul and the subconscious rather than the physical, material world. Water stands for emotion, intuition, wisdom, eternal movement, reflection, lunar energy. Focusing on the Water element is good for psychic abilities, getting in tune with your inner self, mysteries, friendships, love, dreams and sleep.

GENDER: Feminine SEASON: Autumn DIRECTION: West HOUR: Dusk

COLOURS: Blue, Indigo, Silver ANIMALS: Otters, Fish, Sea Mammals, Frogs HERBS/PLANTS: Lotus, Water Lilies, Aloe, Gardenia INSTRUMENTS: Cymbal, Bell (Resonant instruments)

One of the hardest, but possibly most fun, ways of being a Surreptitious Solitary is trying to find ways to practice out in the open without anyone knowing. I’ve been wanting to do a witch’s ladder (sometimes called pagan prayer beads, witches rosaries, etc.) for some time. If you don’t know what a Witch’s Ladder is, there are a few articles out there, but the summary is: it’s knot and nature magic mostly intended for protection.

Generally, they’re made of string of different colors corresponding with protection (or whatever you’re making the ladder for), and natural items like feathers, sea glass, shells, stones, etc. Sometimes charms or taglocks can be incorporated. If you look on Etsy there are some really pretty ones out there.

As I researched them, I wondered how I could incorporate this crafty craft into my daily life. And I kind of came to the conclusion that I don’t have to have a big rope of feathers and rocks hanging outside my door to do it: I can make something to wear that would protect me wherever I go!

I debated for some time whether to make a bracelet or necklace, but I liked how the numbers and measurements worked out on a necklace.

If you want to make one, you’ll need:

About 6 feet of beading string in an appropriately corresponding color to your needs (I went with purple for spirituality and power)

Forty beads (6mm for the sizing to come out like mine; larger or smaller will affect it; I picked hematite mostly for the look, but also to keep me grounded)

Nine feather charms

One end charm (serves as your closeure; something with dimension will work better than the flat disc I chose which likes to slip out now and then)

To make your ladder necklace, you’ll have to tie a loop in it in a place so that you have one short strand about two feet long and one long strand of the remainder. The loop will be part of your closeure. Basically, fold your string so one part hangs two feet, and the remainder hangs on the other side. Tie a simple knot in the folded string so you have a loop that’s just big enough for your end charm to slip through with little/no excess.

Find something to affix this to for knotting (I slipped the loop through some tweezers which I then clamped into my clipboard).

Now get to knotting, just like middle school friendship bracelets. As you know, remember to set your intent for the ladder into each knot. Also remember to keep the short strand stationary: use the long strand to make a basic forward knot around the short strand.

Make four knots to establish (4K)

Thread a bead (B), make four knots (4K). This is your basic pattern.

For my ladder, I established a pattern of four beads to each side of each feather charm (F). The pattern runs like so from start to finish: [4K, (B, 4K)x4, F]x9, (4K, B)x4, 4K.

In other words, with four knots between each item, string beads and feather charms in a four-one pattern with nine repeats, then end with an additional four beads.

At the end, tie on your final charm using both strands (I used a clinch knot), and trim off the excess string.

Done! Hang it up or wear it for protection. No one needs to know you’re carrying a loaded charm. 😉

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