SERMONS FOR COYOTES
LOTHAR GRAUDINS
It was a fine Sunday morning in the Spring of the year. The desert was alive with new creatures, beings who were experiencing unspoilt consciousness of the world around them. A soft warm breeze carried the pungent smell of sagebrush. In the foreground, the grasses were bright green from the frequent winter rains. The sky was brilliant blue with long white clouds hanging motionless above the hills. There was a sense of freshness…of novelty. In the far distance was but one trailer perched on a hillside, with brightly colored laundry gently moving in the air. It felt good to be alive…so many possibilities. Some of you are probably skeptical about a project of preaching to wild coyotes. After all, even most people today are too distracted to really listen to what is being said to them. But I was encouraged to try. Many years ago a German artist named Joseph Beuys attempted to communicate with another species. He entitled the performance piece “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare.” You can imagine what a challenge that posed! I tried to listen in and learn his technique as he cradled a lifeless rabbit in his arms. Unfortunately, the artist’s voice was muffled and hard to understand. Furthermore, since the animal was quite dead, responses were lacking. But I was inspired by Beuys’s efforts and learned not to allow common logic to rule my actions. This was one reason why I chose to become a psychologist. People who come to you for help are often dead (symbolically speaking) and if you’re going to rouse them from their societal stupor, you need all the help you can get.
I stood behind a large rock and waited for the coyotes to arrive. As the animals gathered before me, I reviewed my notes and avoided eye contact with my visitors. The larger and more aggressive ones were reluctant to approach my stone pulpit for fear that I might be hiding a weapon. As time passed, a few brave ones dared to circle around behind me. I was careful not to turn around and I can tell you, dear reader, the hair on the back of my neck bristled and chills ran down my spine. I was, at moments, frozen with fear. It was a matter of trust and of taking a risk: a very common theme to much of our existence. I cleared my throat, startling a few of the nearby animals. Fixing my eyes just above the pack, I began speaking with a slow and even rhythm.
“Good morning my furry friends and survivors. You’re obviously aware of the hideous war currently waged by cattlemen and pseudo cowboys to kill you at every opportunity.
Pseudo cowboys are little more than pretentious dressers who are, as we say, long on the hat and short on the cattle. Real cowboys stink of sweat, have wrinkled skin that looks like leather, and a surly disposition. As far as the cattlemen, I must say, in all honesty, that I would probably take a few shots at you myself if I owned such animals. You understand this is an issue of economic survival. After all, men kill each other for the same reasons and a coyote is low on the evolutionary scale as seen by many of our citizens. This is not to say that it has always been that way or that it ought remain so. Your close cousin, the wolf, was actually revered by the native tribes of Indians that once lived in these deserts. It’s not that Indians didn’t slaughter animals like yourselves, but rather that it was customarily done for their own survival and always with a consciousness of what this act was about. They saw you as a gift from the Great Spirit and gave thanks for the privilege of hunting you. This is in contradistinction to those ignoramuses who have no idea of the relationship between themselves and all living creatures. How many clues do you need? The earth has shrunk as a result of the moon landing. Rabid environmentalists are everywhere. The structure of DNA is well known. But news travels slowly in Nevada. There are still too many who like to knock off a few coyotes for the sheer thrill of killing something that moves. How much fun can you have!? “Look Dad… oooh yuk, it’s bleeding from its mouth and still kicking…” The Auschwitz of Coyote’s existence is the airplane “roundup” where dozens are slaughtered just in case they might be a problem. A curious resemblance to slaughtering Iraqis when the enemy was known to originate in Afghanistan. For many human beings, the recent confusion by the administration was very scary. For a moment, I feared that Bush considered attacking France or Germany (just in case they might be a problem.) Frogs and Krauts, after all, have not always enjoyed a positive image. And the Japanese, well, we all know their history. But give them a break for making such fine cameras and feeding us sushi. On the other hand, if this Toyota thing gets out of hand, we’ll round them up and once again put them in camps.”
At this point in my sermon, the coyotes were more relaxed. Like many congregations of people, they didn’t much understand what I was saying nor did they care. Some were yawning uncontrollably, finishing off with a faint yelp. Others were sitting and sniffing the air. Once in awhile one peed, which gained the immediate interest of his friends. The youngest ones were off in the distance under the watchful eye of parents.
“Don’t be disheartened, my furry friends. Living in fear is a universal condition. For humans, it’s much the same around the globe. At this exact moment, while I’m speaking to you, millions are in fear for their lives. Some are being annihilated by sophisticated military aircraft, others are being slaughtered the old fashioned way: hacked up with swords and knives, with a volley of gunfire just to break the monotony. Large groups of terrified women are clutching their children, screaming in agony as they are being raped and murdered. In addition, there is rampant disease and tormenting hunger. And so it is, every year, that millions of humans die this way. But aside of this kind of fear of rather horrid conditions, humans are subject to a special fear, called anxiety. It arises because humans anticipate what might happen to them. It is the difference between the present moment and the unfolding future. It is an abiding character of human existence, this phenomenon of anxiety and we all attempt to come to terms with it.”
I may have imagined it, but this last sentence seemed to elicit a round of yawning from my reluctant congregation. Some were asleep in the warm sun and, judging by their flinching legs, were far away on an exciting hunt. A few had left from apparent disinterest. However, like any preacher with an urgent message, I was undaunted. The words must be spoken.
“As I have said to you, my special companions, anxiety is a kind of fear that is peculiar to human beings. It should be openly recognized and talked about, rather than denied or extinguished with drugs. After all, it is the single most important guide that humans have as to where personal growth is possible. Life is infinitely simpler for you coyotes. Largely driven by instincts and immediate needs, you follow inner promptings. Humans also share in those but then, once satisfied, we’re often privileged to consider creative endeavors or embrace a mysterious thing called “self-actualization.” Of course, we humans also have a choice at this point. Instead of embarking on a journey of adventure and personal challenge (thereby facing our anxiety and fears), we can opt for wasting our time with mundane activity and trivia. There are many choices: watching mindless television, reading hopelessly stupid novels, engaging in daydreaming, or, a current favorite escape, watching others being anxious and fearful. The computer has been a boon to those who enjoy endless distractions. By no means is the above list exhaustive! A higher class of escape awaits us. The crème de la crème is…(using my hands, I did a quick drum roll on a rock at this point, frightening even the largest coyote )… yup, religion. Now, I don’t mean the kind where people find a reason to treat others with kindness. Or, where some people genuinely help others… perhaps for that privilege of avoiding the dreaded furnace of hell. The worse escape into religion is this saccharine romanticism that someone is watching over you, a kind of institutional and shared paranoia coupled with a mascarade of humility. This “humility”, if you take a close look, is a kind of arrogance that allows one to wear a special pointed hat and propose to rule the world. It’s the kind of endeavor where money and power are never mentioned, but more avidly pursued than by the most voracious Scrooge on Wall street.
Such endeavors and distractions form a picture of the world where others are looking after you and, even more damaging, promote the popular notion that you don’t have to take responsibility for your actions. Well, I’m here to tell you that you are accountable for what you do (or don’t do). Forget the fires of hell. Mistakes are not sins and you get to try again (and again.). Since this is your only trip to the planet as well as your one incarnation, do something with it. No one knows what you ought to do with your life, least of all your parents or teachers. Embrace your life and live it on your terms. There are no “answers” or secrets in the universe that could suddenly make life easy for you. Become your own father or mother. Don’t be a copycat forever. Not all traits or habits of anyone are worth adopting. The most difficult task is to become a responsible adult who lives in reasonable freedom. (All members of any tribe or family face concessions in exchange for advantages.) The kind of responsibility I’m referring to is not a task or burden imposed from the outside world. It simply means to carefully observe your behavior and what consequences it has. It’s a kind of compass. In this difficult world, you want to know where you’re headed. You want to ask yourself what part you played in the last personal disaster. How could you possibly have averted it? Finally, become your own hero or heroine. This is the essence of self-actualization. You don’t need role- models forever. Make your own choices, embrace the consequences. Allow anxiety and fear…experience everything. You are part of the universe. And, perhaps most important, there is no such thing as lasting meaning. You must constantly reinvent yourself. Without that effort, life becomes dull and trite. If you allow for change, you will become less afraid of it. Trust yourself to do what needs doing at some point in the future. At the same time, remember you are not omnipotent. And despite all the inner voices of misplaced guilt, it’s OK to enjoy your life. If you need help, go for it. Blah, blah, blah…blah, blah…blah, blah, blah.”
Most of the coyotes had left. There was no particular reason for their departure, or for that matter, their arrival in the first place. Of course, I began to wonder about what effect I might have had on them. More to the point, does anyone understand what is being said by someone else? Sometimes, I suppose, a certain word or group of words uttered by a credible source, whatever that means, has some effect however fleeting and impermanent. It’s the limitation, one could propose, of all intellectual effort.
“Humans are chronically lonely. It’s not the kind of loneliness of a boring Sunday afternoon or that occasional sense of abandonment when we’re by ourselves. It reaches far deeper than that. It is a loneliness that is an abiding part of our human existence. There is no “cure” for this any more than there is a cure for aging. The idea that we can effectively reach out to others with words is bogus. There is an illusion, I’ll grant you, that batting your lips really promotes closeness or communicates some reality that is truly shared. Like so much religious belief, it is a comfortable illusion and we may be content to look no farther. But just for the hell of it, let’s take another step.
The issue is presence, that is, the actual contact and meeting with another human being. I’m not going to say that such a meeting eradicates all loneliness. It does not. On the other hand, a real meeting seems to ease much of the pain of inherent separateness between ourselves and others. It affirms our humanity. In the absence of such meeting or in-the-flesh connection with others, we see the pathetic and ridiculous. We see the Senator who secretly porks his bubblegum-chewing secretary, we see intelligent and otherwise well-meaning priests seducing altar boys…we see socially impoverished and isolated men go to prison. Now, dear friends, don’t misunderstand my words. I’m not saying that the presence of others works some kind of magic. It’s absurd to draw such a blanket conclusion. Existence remains a slippery slope, even under the most favorable of circumstances. There are no guarantees or certainties we can cling to. What I am saying is that in a surprising number of human tragedies or issues of personal suffering, isolation is a key element. We need the presence of others not just to mitigate our existential loneliness but to know who we are.
I can imagine your resistance to such an idea. Who wants to deal with the kind of crap that many bring to the table? Some people, or so it seems, appear so twisted that nothing even remotely imagined will help them. Words are empty and wasted. It’s casting pearls before the swine. Other are so imbued with their own bullshit, that not even a miracle of some sort (if there was such a thing) could possibly make a difference. Besides, what if some these misfits, perverts and idiots exerted an influence on you? Or, in more earthy parlance, some of their shit in some manner rubbed off ? If not that, it’s true that many people are simply boring. Anyway…why bother?
The last question is rather tricky and I can’t answer it for you. As for myself, I occasionally enter the wide seas of humanity and swim along with the herd. I see myself in a thousand faces. After the bullshit settles, I know we are much the same. I have the nagging feeling that what I reject in others is uncooked stuff within myself. What of it? I can swim, get out of the water and dry off when I choose. I do it essentially for me, although at times I’ve been very generous. On many occasions, in the past, I’ve done it for money. Self-interest is also important. Mother Theresa is a unfortunate icon for the Helper, not because she attempted to unselfishly serve others but that she needed all that machinery (a church, someone with a pointed hat and large imposing books of nonsense). So much excess baggage! Some people maintain that it’s good to follow her example. Friends, I say you don’t need all that stuff! Wake up ! There is no furnace, or
for that matter, no eternity of playing a harp.
“ Friends, I say you don’t need that stuff!”
The last coyote slowly ambled away. He was tall, with long straggly legs. He looked old, with some tufts of hair missing from his head. His coat was uneven and faded. Although indisputably part of the herd, he seemed to maintain a distance from the others. He watched me until he was far away, then changed direction and disappeared from view. I supposed he felt somewhat alienated. (Projection is not a bad thing if you are aware of what you’re doing). He reminded me of myself and I felt enriched that he was sharing the journey.
L.G.
About My Art
Lothar Graudins
My art is about dilemmas, conditions of human existence, and the beauty as well as the terror of the natural world. What does that mean? Over my lifetime I’ve had the good fortune of true friends and colleagues who have challenged every notion of existence I’ve held, either by the example of their own being or simply by “calling bullshit.” I’ve settled into a contentious, though for me, a credible form of existentialism. It goes something like this: We are born into a chaotic world, hardly of our own choosing. Life presents us with a series of painful and difficult challenges, with some impossible dilemmas sprinkled in. These Gordian Knots, like our confrontations with desire, will never be “solved,” as they form the very bedrock of our social existence. There are neither superheroes nor gods. All effort to change the external world is ultimately useless, which does not imply, on occasion, that we ought not to try. (but, be wary when you do this as the road to hell is paved with good intentions!) Our individual task, of supreme importance, is to seek our freedom and become responsible to ourselves…first, last, and always. The world is not ready for this. We remain tribal and perversely insular. America is a super robber/baron. We want conquest, enslavement to our brand of “democracy” and Walmart for all. We blindly worship power and money. Failing to find nurturance in those obsessions, we eagerly escape into the Bosoms of Religious Sentiment( e.g. Christianity) that offers a multitude of absurd conditions and guarantees. Consider this: Arguably some of the most intelligent people on the planet. The Germans fell victim to this kind of mental nuttiness( in that case it was called Fascism.) They not only wanted to believe in such Fairytales of Omnipotence…they were starving for them. Question for the reader: What are you starving to believe in? Death often comes when least expected and certainly sooner than most would like. So paint away, paint for yourself, paint crazy and paint sane. Get into a frenzy…shake all over. Shed some bodily fluids and experience your passions. You are the world. Move past all teachers, but watch your parking meters.
HOW DANGEROUS IS MARIJUANA?
(SOME IDEAS AND GUIDELINES TO AN UNANSWERABLE QUESTION)
Many of us who lived through the 60’s enjoyed some of the excitement of the so-called “hippy culture,” with its insistence on personal freedom and growth of the individual. Drugs were an important part of that culture, particularly hallucinogens and most notably that ubiquitous weed known simply as pot. Most of this generation knew that “official sources” of information about drugs were heavily slanted toward political goals and governmental preferences. Those values were to maintain the status quo, avoid social disruption, and perhaps to some extent to keep the liquor industry happy. One could also imagine that pot smoking was a threat to such favorites as Valium, once eagerly promoted by the Drug industry. Valium, if you don’t know, is a rough physiological equivalent to booze and has been correctly termed “powdered alcohol.” Finally, there was the use of LSD, which scared everyone because of its reputation of loss of control for the user. The irony here was that many individuals who took LSD did it for exactly that reason, to let go, at least temporarily, of the usual sense perceptions we all share. From my experience in dealing with individuals who took such “trips,” the drug is overrated. If you want to expand your consciousness or awareness of other realities, I recommend travel to foreign countries. Mix with the common people and at least make an attempt to learn their language. You will soon learn amazing things about yourself.
Upon reflection, not much has changed in our society with regard to attitudes and values toward drug use. The government is still infiltrated by armies of well-paid lobbyists who promote all kinds of nonsense. Have you ever seen the movie “Reefer Madness”? This movie illustrated the dire consequences of smoking weed: obviously, you were destined to a life of crime (heroin was next). Or, you might well drift into a state of mental illness with about the same incidence that others catch a cold. More recently we witness people testifying that smoking cigarettes (nicotine) do not constitute drug use, that dairy products are unconditionally good for us and that foreign wars are always necessary. In fact, such convoluted and illogical thinking will not go away and the consumer must inform him/herself. If you sense a “don’t trust the government” attitude in my writing, you’re correct. In fact, take it a step further. We all embrace certain values, “objectivity” is an illusion. Discover these things for yourself. So (in my opinion) what about marijuana? How dangerous is it?
If you’re comparing the use of an occasional beer with the once-in-a-while joint, I doubt that you could invoke a reasonable argument based on dangerousness. But in our society, it doesn’t often work this way. Alcohol is consumed in enormous
quantities with the oft result of addiction, which I understand to mean notable physiological symptoms such as tremors, unsteady gait, slurred speech…to blackouts, confusion, liver disease, and death. Alcoholism, incidentally, is most often termed a disease because the AMA has decided to categorize it in that way. While there are disease components (consequences) to heavy drinking, these features largely diminish and disappear as the individual stops drinking. No common disease behaves in this manner. Another troubling aspect of borrowing from the traditional disease concept are the issues of responsibility and choice. It is beyond the scope of this paper to pursue this idea but if you are interested in reading more about the disease concept and implications for treatment, see Value Issues in Substance Abuse Rehabilitation, 1975, USC doctoral dissertation., LotharGraudins.
If you look at the medical consequences as well as the fatalities from excessive alcohol use (liver disease, car, and work accidents, etc.) you would clearly use caution in drinking. All other drugs combined don’t add up to such many negative aspects. However, marijuana is not without consequences.
Those particular individuals who have substantial personal problems such as isolation, extreme anger issues, depression, and abnormal fears are certainly not helped by smoking pot. Marijuana can lead to dependency and heavier use. The so-called amotivational syndrome may not be a problem for an energetic and otherwise productive individual, but for some people, this kind of drug-induced lassitude is a stumbling block to reasonable achievement. Apart from these kinds of negative consequences, many states have very unreasonable if not ridiculous laws to regulate pot. Some areas are fanatical and assign serious jail/prison time for offenses.
Finally, let’s return to the ideas of freedom and growth. The instant “turn-on” is very popular. It is enjoyable on occasion. Nothing wrong with that. But, try as one might, the regular use of any drug has its diminishing returns. And if addiction or dependence enters your life, freedom is curtailed. Growth comes from self-actualization…taking action…entering relationships. Drug use and personal growth, despite claims to the contrary, have little in common. And, in that sense, marijuana can be perilous: if you use it to avoid important life issues. In the end, however, each person must examine their own circumstances and resources. These are personal choices and context is everything. It is a fact that in some cultures some individuals live happy and productive lives while smoking opium or “skin popping” heroin. At the same time, others cannot manage a single beer without serious consequences.
Lothar Graudins, Ph. D
Copyright 4/10
Acids and Bases in Everyday Life
Lothar Graudins, Ph.D COPYRIGHT 2009
We have all heard about the assumed hazards of acids, some of which reportedly “go right through your skin and eat your flesh.” While certain acids need to be handled with care, this view is largely tainted by Hollywood sensationalism and social hysteria. In fact, most acids and bases are not particularly dangerous. Even injury from contact with the concentrated laboratory versions is minimized to a minor irritation if you quickly rinse the contact area with cold water. Of course, such injury is easily avoided by proper storage and handling. To avoid injury to others, all chemicals should be locked up. One should always wear rubber gloves and goggles whenever you work with common laboratory acids, namely the mineral acids: Sulfuric, Hydrochloric, and Nitric. Sulfuric Acid, incidentally, has historically been the most important and widely manufactured chemical. Its annual worldwide production is still measured in the millions of tons. It is used in numerous industries, such as the manufacture of superphosphate fertilizer and a host of important agricultural chemicals. Iron and steel industries use Sulfuric acid to remove oxide coatings. The petroleum industry is a heavy user. This acid is commonly used in automobile batteries, in the manufacture of explosives, photographic film, synthetic fibers, medicines, paints and pigments. The mining industry uses dilute Sulfuric acid to separate ores from raw minerals. Concentrated Sulfuric acid is a powerful drying agent and is thus used to withdraw water from various reactions. You may have seen the dramatic reaction, whereby Sulfuric acid is poured over sugar. The acid removes the water from the molecule, leaving a black and crusty residue of carbon. Considerable heat is released in this reaction, as is the case whenever the concentrated acid is diluted with water. It is for this reason that water is never added to concentrated sulfuric acid. Instead, when making a dilution, you must slowly add the acid to the larger amount of cold water.
Organic acids and bases are widely used in our bodies to regulate a variety of functions. They tend to be very weak in comparison to mineral acids. There are a variety of (chiefly) organic acids and weak bases commonly found in the home. Such substances are found in our foods, medicines, and cleaning products. Consider the following:
1.) Acids are sour-tasting. Lemon juice and vinegar are common acids. I have mentioned battery acid because it is commonly used in our automobiles.
2.) Bases, or alkaline substances, taste bitter. Baking soda, “Tums”(an anti-acid tablet, ) Milk of Magnesia, Lime water, and household lye (example: “Drano”) are
examples of bases.
The measurement of the relative strength of either acids or bases is done with a pH scale. By strength, in general, we mean the degree to which ions are formed. In this case, we mean hydrogen ions. Technically, the hydrogen ion concentration is measured on a scale of 1 to 14, with a neutral point at 7. Water is considered to have a pH of 7, where we find hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions in balance. If you move up the scale, the substance is increasingly alkaline. Moving down the scale means a higher number of hydrogen ions or an acid environment. Each step on the scale is based on a factor of 10. For example, a pH of 6 means 10 times the acidity from neutral 7. A pH of 5 means 100 times the acidity from neutral. Conversely, a pH of 9, means 100 times the alkalinity from neutral. Chart A in the index illustrates this relationship. Note that positive exponents are used in designating pH. For example, lemon juice has a pH of 2, whereas baking soda, on the alkaline side, has a pH of 8.
In summary:
1.) An acid is a solution that has an excess of hydrogen (H+) ions. A base is a solution with an excess of hydroxyl (OH-) ions.
2.) A strong acid is an acid that has a very low pH (0-4). A strong base has a very high pH (10-14).
3.) Weak acids and bases only partially ionize in a water solution.
Certain complex organic substances such as vegetable dyes may serve as indicators or coloring agents that form colors at certain pH levels. One such indicator is found in red cabbage juice. You can easily extract this indicator. Concentrated red cabbage juice is obtained by shredding red cabbage and either extracting the juice with a blender and cold water, or, by boiling the cabbage for 15 minutes. Pour the extract through a coffee filter and refrigerate. Cabbage juice is deep purple in color in a neutral environment (pH 7). In the presence of an acid, it turns deep red. With alkaline substances, it changes color to a striking deep green. Corresponding colors are obtained for subtle pH changes.
Figure 1 below shows the brilliant colors of four pH values.
Figure 1. Brilliant colors are produced with Cabbage juice indicator. Starting with the bottom tube, the approximate pH values are 2, 5, 7 and 14.
Experiment: Determining the approximate pH value of common substances.
In this experiment you will test different substances with cabbage juice indicator and note resulting colors. Next, a number of standards are developed that indicate approximate pH values.
What you will need:
1.) 100ml of concentrated indicator solution made from fresh red cabbage. (See above for preparation.)
- 5 ml of battery acid (dilute Sulfuric) or dilute Hydrochloric acid.*
- 10ml of fresh lemon juice, filtered through a coffee filter. 4.) 5ml of household vinegar (dilute Acetic acid)
5.) 5ml milk
6.)Baking soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) solution. Mix 1 tsp. of baking soda with 20ml of water.
7.) 5ml household Ammonia (dilute Ammonium Hydroxide)
8.)5ml of dilute lye (Sodium Hydroxide)solution. Dissolve ½ tsp. Lye in 5ml water.
9.) 10 small test tubes and rack 10.) Several eye droppers
*If this experiment is used for a science fair project or in a public setting, avoid using reagents (2) and (8).
Procedure:
Line up each of the test tubes and add 10ml of cabbage juice indicator solution to each tube. Number the tubes and add 5 drops of each solution, from #2 through #8. Be sure you rinse the dropper(s) thoroughly after each addition. Shake well. Use a white sheet of paper behind the tubes to better see the colors. List the approximate pH value for each tube. (Refer to Appendix, pH scale )
Have a friend or companion prepare several solutions just as you did, but in your absence. Can you match these “unknowns” to your samples? Standards are made by using known concentrations associated with a specific color. These standards are then compared with a sample of an unknown concentration. The use of standards, known concentrations, or known characteristics of some physical phenomenon is common throughout the science of chemistry. We can compare something we have measured or quantified with something we wish to measure. A balance is a simple example. When we wish to know the mass(weight) of an object, we compare it to some known weight until the balance is achieved.
A practical application:
If you have access to a pool or a jacuzzi, the above experiment will help you to understand pH values as well as the use of indicators. In fact, the basic need for a pool is to balance or stabilize the pH level. In turn, this allows the chlorine (or bromine) to function effectively. It is important to initially know about the characteristic of the water in your area of the country. In Nevada, for example, untreated water often has high levels of calcium carbonate, an alkaline material that reads well above 7 on the pH scale. For effective chlorination, we would like the pH to read between 7.2 to 7.8. The chlorine
level is ideally between 1.5 to 3.00 parts per million (ppm), although this range could be extended from 3-5 ppm in a spa.
Don’t be afraid of using a test kit. (See Figure 2.) A kit such as this uses phenol red as an indicator of the pH value. Chlorine or Bromine levels are read in ppm. Notice the use of color standards that are easily read and allow you to compare colors with known pH values. The test takes only a few minutes and given you reasonably accurate data. At this point, depending upon the readings, you can use an included chart to tell you how much of a chemical to add. This of course will depend upon the size of your pool or spa. Once you stabilize the water, it takes little effort to maintain. You will develop an intuitive sense (based upon careful observation) on how much of chlorine or acid (to lower pH) to add.
Figure 2. An inexpensive and easy to use test kit will provide the pH and chlorine levels of your pool or spa water.
I recommend using Muriatic (Hydrochloric Acid) to lower the pH. This is usually available from a pool store. Powdered material (sometimes called pH Down) tends to precipitate insoluble salts. This makes the water very cloudy. If you need to raise the pH, an alkaline additive such as soluble Sodium Carbonate is available. A commercial product, pH Increaser, has 97% available Sodium Carbonate.
In summary:
1.) Call a local pool business or your municipal water company to find out about the kind of water in your area.
2.) Buy and use a simple test kit. You can do this! 3.) Keep your pool clean of debris.
4.) Stabilize and enjoy the water.