Tagged with houses …

Aug 18 2011
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Blog Posts, Cultural Issues, Health, Meaning, New Ideas, Reality, Reviews, Therapy, Uncategorized

Secrets about you revealed within your home

Our own house may be a building containing many rooms or it may be a smaller space with fewer rooms, whatever the size, its lay-out and furnishings reflect who we are. Our home, the physical structure in which we reside is our castle and as such tells a story about our lives. You are the princess or prince, king or queen, inside your castle and there is a myth or fairytale taking place right now. Like all good fairytales there is a message, or archetypal quest, happening beneath the daily hum drum; and it is in the rooms within your palace where we can discover it. Each room has a story to tell, and if we can stop for a moment, and cast an appraising eye around we will see it for ourselves.

I call this House Therapy but it could also be called Secrets about You- within Your Home. The seemingly unspeaking rooms, within your home, do in fact have a voice, as it is in their furnishings, face paint and aspect which tell a story. A compelling story about you, and your relationship to the world. It is in how, you have or have not, influenced the look and feel of every room in your house or apartment. It is in the very Isness of your home’s appearance that the secret knowledge of who you are and how you relate is revealed. Like in so many things it is based on how we are all connected to everything in our lives, and it is in this holistically connected web, that we all survive, and occasionally thrive.

Our lives leave an impression upon everything we touch, but what greater material impression is left than the one imposed upon our home. Every room we walk into, sit in, eat in, and sleep in, is affected by our presence; and tell tale clues are left to piece together. Like a form of anthropology or archaeology, House Therapy, reveals our story. We are all familiar with those TV programs detailing the lives of Pharaohs, who lived thousands of years ago; well our own lives can be assessed in the same way. This information is in fact far more valuable to us, as once it is properly analysed it can change the quality and enjoyment of our living experience. The hieroglyphics on your walls and floors, represented by arrangement of the furnishings and interior design of your home, have as much to say about life in the twenty first century, and in particular your life, as any statistical study by a sociologist or behavioural psychologist.

The great advantage that House Therapy has, as a research tool, over questionnaires or surveys we may fill in, as part of a psychological profile, is that it avoids a reliance on our conscious mind putting down what it thinks we should put down. Our house or home is the way it is, whether you are a truthful person or not, whether you are a pessimist or an optimist, whether you are happy or sad, and it is the undeniable nature of the imprint, that we leave in our surroundings, which can deliver the most truthful and insightful self examination you have ever received. I guarantee that you will discover things about yourself that you never knew before and if you take the journey with these insights, well a richer and more enlightening future awaits you.

©Sudha Hamilton

Excerpt from Sudha’s new book House Therapy – Discovering who you really are at home!

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Dec 27 2008
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Astrological Writing, Published Articles

Astrology First Part Introductory Course

Heading: Astrology A Introductory Course.

Subheading: The language of the stars.

With the recent advent of a greater interest in all things astrological I thought that it might be a great time to present an introductory course in astrology. This course will run over 24 months and be segmented into 12 issues. Each issue will cover one astrological sign, one house of the horoscope and one ruling planet – thus making up the complete zodiac. Astrology is among many things a language, a language of the stars, and it is in my opinion a very useful language to speak and comprehend. It has in my experience, deepened my understanding of humankind, the world we inhabit and what we call soul. It is very useful to know the basics when meeting potential new suitors, housemates and workmates. To know what it means that his Sun is in Capricorn, Moon is in Scorpio and he has a Leo ascendant or rising (probably driving a BMW and hell bent on world domination, but will pick up the tab for dinner). Of course everyone is unique, but there are a few general ground rules that can be helpful in dealing with certain situations in life. So I hope that you will read on and perhaps join me in an astrological journey of discovery over the coming years.

Returning to the theme or allegory, of astrology as a language, it has like all languages an alphabet of symbols, which make up characters and these characters can tell stories. Stories that have been told down through the ages, which resonate in our lives, like well trodden paths. Patterns of behaviour repeating themselves, archetypal characters from Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic and many more cultural myths, which we seem to inhabit from time to time – as we play betrayer and or victim in steamy tragedies transposed to the suburbs of our modern lives. Basically there are 3 main interrelated systems that need to be learnt – the planets from Sun to Pluto, the twelve signs from Aries to Pisces and the corresponding twelve houses. Thus we have a collection of planetary bodies which rule, transit and inhabit our twelve signs and houses. It is therefore easy to learn and remember which planet rules, which sign and which house – another useful allegory that has been used in the past is to imagine the planet – say Mercury as the actor/character in a play, the sign of the zodiac the costume he or she wears and the house placement the stage setting upon which he or she walks. The Mercurial Kath, from TV’s Kath and Kim, adorned in the self-consciously, somewhat sporty, Virgoan, crotch biting tights striding around the 4th house of Casa Fountain Lakes. Hold that image and see it as the beginning of new knowledge that may unlock the doors of your perception.
The KEY 3 Sets of Corresponding Symbols

Signs – Planets – Houses

Aries – Mars – 1st House = Cardinal Fire
Taurus – Venus – 2nd House = Fixed Earth
Gemini – Mercury – 3rd House = Mutable Air
Cancer – Moon – 4th House = Cardinal Water
Leo – Sun – 5th House = Fixed Fire
Virgo – Mercury – 6th House = Mutable Earth
Libra – Venus – 7th House = Cardinal Air
Scorpio – Pluto – 8th House = Fixed Water
Sagittarius – Jupiter – 9th House = Mutable Fire
Capricorn – Saturn – 10th House = Cardinal Earth
Aquarius – Uranus – 11th House = Fixed Air
Pisces – Neptune – 12th House = Mutable Water

We begin with the sign of Aries, our Cardinal Fire sign – where fools rush in – you may know an Arien or have that sign highlighted in your own horoscope. Perhaps you have felt that rush of blood to the head or observed the resultant behaviour in an intimate – exciting stuff! The planet Mars rules the sign of Aries and he is the God of War – like the hero Achilles bestride a chariot, armed to the teeth with sword and spear, in full flight or fool flight (sometimes), hell bent on some destruction. A metaphor for the energy that is required to begin, to be born, breakout of the birth canal and scream that first cry of life. Aries is the first sign and illuminates all the planets and positions that inhabit it with the desperate need to be first – it rules the 1st house in the house system. The 1st house represents the body, the skin, the basics of the self – who am I? It is the spirit about to be manifest in a body, an idea about to be launched into the world and the passion of love that can enrapture and destroy anything in its way.

So you can now see the three sets of symbols that interact to form the first of twelve segments that make up the zodiac. Applying this information to your own chart you would look firstly to find the sign of Aries, which is represented by the symbol —— signifying the horns of the ram. Is the sign of Aries, in your horoscope, empty of planetary bodies or does it contain one or more? Whatever planet or planets reside in Aries at the moment of your birth will be coloured by that restless, aggressive energy and will seek to be first, to be prime in their sphere of influence. A couple of examples: Sun in Aries – the Sun is our larger sense of self, another step on from Mars in the inspiring fire ruled journey of life and the two planets are integral to each other. Our Sun is where we are heading and Mars is how we enact that through our desires, Sun in Aries is in a hurry to get wherever it wants to go and unless there are major impediments, adversely aspecting this placement it will be headstrong, impulsive, quick witted, spontaneous and initially determined to get there. Its sense of self is warrior- like in its desire to achieve. Venus in Aries – is what one values and finds beautiful and this placement has elements of a martial nature, the sleek warrior, the front-on assault to love – no wimps for this Goddess of Love. It is an interesting home for love and brings it quickly to the fore and makes it numero uno in this person’s life. In both of these planetary placements you would look to see what house the sign of Aries falls in as another sphere of influence at to where these archetypal forces are being played out. Is our Sun in Aries burning in the 1st house, meaning that the chart holder has a Pisces or Aries ascendant or rising, thus reinforcing the Mars/Aries influence upon them. The body type would usually be prominent with strong features, larger head, perhaps muscular and facially coloured florid or redder. The skin would speak of life’s challenges and passions throughout their journey. It would be important in this person’s life to be seen to be virile, active and a trailblazer in life. Placing the Sun in Aries in another house, for instance the 2nd house, would move this energy out of the body somewhat, into that person’s world of values and possessions. It may be their home or car that now bursts with thrusting Arian Sun energy, to be the best or most beautiful or biggest, or it may be what they regard as most prized. I can see a red sports car, a trophy spouse or a Tuscan Mcmansion on the hill.
The sign of Aries may appear empty in your chart but look and find what houses intersect the sign – as you learn and understand what those houses signify – you will find that those houses are influenced by their placement in Aries & thus those areas of your life.
Next we look to find the placement of Mars in your horoscope, the sign and house it resides in, as this will reveal how the expression of your desires are influenced and where they take place in your life. How your call to action is played out, how anger flares or doesn’t and where the blood flows. Where sexual desire and its resultant enactment plays out – the hot spot so to speak. Mars is symbolised by the erect phallus, its head full of blood, pointing in the direction of what it so desires, reaching out to penetrate, conquer and begin union – and this energy resides in us all, man or woman. So much of sexual arousal happens in the head and this is where Aries/Mars lives. Mars in the fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius will be quick to arousal, quick to anger and quick to arms. Mars in the earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn will be slower, more cautious in their responses but once aroused will be enflamed for longer. Mars in the air signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius will be strategic and clever in their lightning fast appraisal of their desires and their costs. Mars in the water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces will bubble and steam in the depths of their sensitive desires and churn and spit in the pit of their stomach when so aggrieved.
Where are these colourful actions taking place? On what stage or in what house are they unfolding at various times of our lives? Mars in the 1st house would be doing its bit in and on the body, the head and face – a few broken bones I bet. In the 2nd house reaching out for beauty, things and possessions and in the 3rd house communicating, desiring frequent, interpersonal exchanges – chatting up life. The 4th house surging around the home and family, desiring the essence of the hearth, and in the 5th house wonderful love affairs and remarkable children. In the 6th house it would be in service to others and dealing with issues of health; and in the 7th house the perfect relationship whether of love or hate. The 8th house desires other people’s money and or their husbands and wives; and in the 9th house Mars seeks the knowledge and or experience of God. In the 10th it seeks the power and the glory on earth; and in the 11th house it seeks its pleasure and influence in friends and groups. Finally in the 12th house Mars desires dissipation in some end game of the spiritual realm.

The Elements
The Signs

Fire = Aries – Leo – Sagittarius
Earth = Taurus – Virgo – Capricorn
Air = Gemini – Libra – Aquarius
Water = Cancer – Scorpio – Pisces

The Planets

Fire = Mars – Sun – Jupiter
Earth = Venus – Mercury – Saturn
Air = Mercury – Venus – Uranus
Water = Moon – Pluto – Neptune

The Houses

Fire = 1st – 5th – 9th = Personal Houses
Earth = 2nd – 6th – 10th = Practical Houses
Air = 3rd – 7th – 11th = Social Houses
Water = 4th – 8th – 12th = Terminal Houses

To sum up what we have covered, before I present you with the questions that will determine your score in this first instalment of Astrology for Beginners, lets go over the main points to remember. Like learning the alphabet, when you were a child, it pays to repeat the order of the names in the zodiac again and again – Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer – form the first triplicity – then the four elements are repeated in order again by Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio – forming the second triplicity – then once again the same order of elements this time represented by Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces – completing the triplicity. This helps you to remember because you know it goes Fire, Earth, Air then Water each time. There is of course a reason for this ordering of the elements and it forms the basis of many ancient philosophies – outlining how spirit enters matter to become reason before reason meets feeling and is deepened to return to a state of oneness in an ever-repeating spiral through the zodiac.

Each element also contains a cardinal sign, a fixed sign and a mutable sign and these groups of four are so defined by their crossed position on the zodiac. The cardinal signs and their planetary rulers are recognised by their initiating or beginning quality – they are most at home starting something new Aries/Mars is full of new ideas; Capricorn/Saturn new rules to live by; Cancer/Moon new emotional considerations and Libra/Venus new ways to relate.
The fixed signs are the manager/mothers of the zodiac – keeping things going Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius. Stubborn energy is sometimes required to keep a family or business together and the fixed signs are so disposed to do so. Mutable energy has qualities of both and is defined most by its flexible nature and in my opinion can be often found at the ending of things. Gemini is mutable Air; Virgo mutable Earth; Sagittarius mutable Fire and Pisces mutable Water.
Practise remembering by rote the descending order of signs, Aries right through to Pisces, and then practise remembering the corresponding three sets of symbols – Aries = Mars = 1st House; Taurus = Venus – 2nd House and so on. Ask yourself why Mars rules Aries and the 1st house, what are the qualities of Mars and Aries and the 1st House, what do they have in common? This is an alphabet that you need to initially master on a basic level and in time your appreciation and understanding of the meaning of the symbols will deepen.

If you would like to receive a Certificate of Astrology Introductory Level, simply complete each lesson over the next 12 issues, by answering the questions below and submitting them to me at admin@ecolivingmagazine.com.au at the conclusion of each issue. Prior to the publication of each issue, containing a lesson, prizes will be awarded to those with the highest scores and most compelling intelligent astrological answers and acknowledged excerpts of these will be published in Eco Living Magazine. Thus sharing the wisdom within our Eco Living Health Aware community and fostering greater learning among us all.

Questions

1a. How many sets of KEY corresponding astrological symbols are referred to here?
1b. How many houses are there in a horoscope?
1c. What planet rules Aries?
1d. What house corresponds to the sign of Aries?
1e. Describe some of the qualities inherent in the sign of Aries?

2a. Name the correct order that the elements Air, Fire, Water, Earth appear in the zodiac?
2b. Name the three planets that rule the fire signs?
2c. Name the fire signs in the order that they appear in the zodiac?
2d. Name the colour that you would think represents Aries?
2e. Describe the element of fire and your understanding of its qualities?

3a. If the sign of Aries is empty of planetary bodies in your birth chart does it still have any influences in your chart?
3b. How does the house placement of Mars effect its influence and actions?
3c. How does the sign placement of Mars effect its influence and actions?
3d. Describe your understanding of Mars and its possible effects?

4a. List what are known as the Personal Houses?
4b. Name the cardinal fire sign?
4c. Name the planetary ruler of the cardinal fire sign?
4d. Describe your understanding of cardinal energy?

5a.What parts of the body do I refer to as particularly Arien?
5b. Describe some of the qualities of the 1st House?
5c. List five historical figures who you would describe as Arien & your reasons why?

6a. List the twelve signs of the zodiac in their correct order?
6b. Name the planetary ruler of each house in the zodiac in the correct order?

7a. Write a short essay on Mars, with particular reference to understanding its expression in your own life. (max 500 words)

©Sudha Hamilton

Appeared in Conscious Living Magazine.

Eco Living Magazine

Midas Word

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Dec 07 2008
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Astrological Writing, Published Articles

Family Curses

Heading: Family Curses

Subheading:  Generational Astrological Syndromes

We are all individuals with our own unique astrological blue print, which charts the myriad of interacting complexities that make up our lives. The planets within the zodiacal signs and the houses aspecting each other and the points of reference like the ascendant and midheaven. As we journey on the road of self-discovery, we can use our own horoscopes as an amazing tool to illuminate so many portals into character, destiny and potential. Utilising the richness of an astrological language that cannot be matched, in my opinion, by any other system of human philosophy.

But we are also all part of a family, a network of mothers, fathers, and children, siblings and even grand parents that have shared characteristics. Born of our parents’ loins, we repeat the evolutionary genetic success story that makes up our particular branch of the family tree. More than the obvious blue eyes, brown eyes, fair skin, dark skin, short stature, tall stature, we continue other less easily seen traits like particular types of intelligence. Generations of breeding have refined certain characteristics that you now share with your family, and whether through nature or nurture, these qualities are the bedrock of your identity.

I know in my own experience and that of many friends, who have broken away from their families at one time or another to discover themselves, free from filial expectations, you reach a point where you clearly see the shared characteristics of family operating within you. As you get older and hopefully wiser you have those déjà vu moments of behaving just like your mother or father, despite the fact that you may have rejected their values and life styles. Is this your family curse or family blessing?

Studying generational astrology can be an incisive analytical tool for understanding the finer complexities of familial identity and a bridge to greater understanding and acceptance of difficult family relationships. Why am I so hung up about sex? Why have I got such a trip about money? Why is my whole family hung up about these things? Getting hold of birth charts for everyone in your family and in particular grandparents, parents and yourself can show you a whole lot of answers. You may find it difficult to get exact birth times for grand parents and even some parents but you can still read the natural chart, sans houses, and derive a great deal of information.

Ask yourself, what is one of the primary characteristics of your family, something that you have noticed in your mother or father’s behaviour and that you are aware also resides within you. It may also be something that you can see or remember seeing in your grand parents behaviour. It is a fascinating process to begin, and although when you do isolate this particular trait it may have had negative manifestations in your life, and the life of your family, ultimately becoming aware of it will heal those problems. This is why astrology is such a useful tool in the development of self-awareness and it is that consciousness that heals all wounds. It is easier to forgive when you understand that the possibly repressive actions of your mother/father were a result of their own often now unconscious pain and that they too were the victims of similarly repressive behaviour by their parents.

Staying with the theme of repression, we look to the planet Saturn in our own birth chart firstly, and see by sign, house placement, rulerships and by aspect; what is the strongest focus here. In my own horoscope it is the particularly challenging aspect, Saturn square Moon, and I look inside to feel that pain deep within that seemingly never goes away. The pain of unfulfilled nurturing at the hands of my mother that has echoed through countless relationships. With my Moon in the Seventh house, I have searched for that nurturing in all of my relationships and that has been, I suppose a defining quality of what I call ‘true love’. This knowledge first seen through an astrological chart session and then explored through psychotherapy and observed through self awareness within the relating process, once again conveys how apt real astrological work is. Like a mirror to life, seeing the reflection and then feeling the life experience. Technically speaking, Saturn’s placement in the chart, and aspecting influence indicates where we experience limitation, restriction and fear in our lives.

Saturn the inhibitor squaring, in this instance, the Moon, which represents our emotional experience of our mother and therefore all nurturing coming after this, through unconscious repetition. Immediately this aspect draws you to the experience of your own mother and father’s relationship and the challenging nature of the square bespeaks of the father thwarting the mother’s individual expression. Blocking and restricting her behaviour and life style, most probably in my parents’ case, through the manifestation of fear. The father of those with this aspect is also often a wet blanket to the child’s natural exuberance and constantly deals negativity upon childhood enthusiasms. The upshot of this in later life is a lack of trust in women and a desire to prevent further hurt by either cutting off or creating that cessation of relating through the other’s actions. The imprint is that Men don’t express their feelings and don’t trust anyone that does.

Looking now to the charts of the parents we see firstly in the father’s chart Saturn in Scorpio in the second house squaring the Moon in Leo in the twelfth house. Once again, and now closer to the source of things, we see the same kind of repression but quite possibly much more damaging to the native of this chart. As the Moon conjuncts Neptune as well, spinning a spell of mother/goddess/saviour so that dad is idolising his mother but still never getting the love he so desires. The Saturn in Scorpio motif intensifies the fear of emotional expression and becomes a placement that we will see repeated in two of his children as well. In the father’s horoscope the fourth house cusp is ruled by Jupiter and this finds itself in Capricorn reinforcing the same emotionally repression.

In the mother’s chart we again see Saturn in Scorpio, this time in the third house but approaching the fourth house cusp. It is also involved in a very challenging T-square as the crux point squaring Mars and Jupiter in the seventh house in Aquarius and squaring Neptune in Leo in the first house. The Saturn squaring Mars influence once again puts fear often instilled by the father and a great seriousness about things that inhibits expression in life and can block off creativity. The Neptune effect will once again delude the native into idolising her father and preventing any real analysis of the situation.

The incredible value of all this is that you can look closely into the roots of your own negative behaviour and attitudes that have been imprinted upon your psyche when you were very young and unable to defend yourself. Through a deep understanding of the patterned behaviour operating within your family you can take real responsibility for it and be released from its instinctive clutches. Without a tool like this it is very difficult to actually get to the guts of the situation and most often your parents don’t want to know about it. For them it is akin to lifting up an old rock in the garden and seeing the creepy crawlies that live underneath it. The manifestation of the Saturn influence in your family may be a family promise to keep quiet about some traumatic event that occurred long ago, but the tentacles of shame still reach down and bind the truth from emerging and freeing you all. There are so many skeletons in the closet that purport not to hurt some family member, but energetically damage every family member. These are indeed family curses and like some spell cast down by a wicked witch, tend to reappear in the following generations, manifesting in each of us. Astrology used in this way can be like a mirror, that when held up to your face not only reflects you but your whole family.

Looking now to another planetary influence that is often strong in families, we encounter Pluto, ruler of Scorpio and the eighth house. Pluto is ultimately a transformational energy but when involved in challenging and often unconscious aspects like the square, conjunction and opposition it can manifest in being controlled or controlling others. It is a compelling and often irresistible force that underpins the behaviour of many mothers and fathers. Perhaps this desire to control had its beginnings in the primal urge to protect one’s children from danger but in time has degenerated into simply staying in control. Someone famous once said, “children naturally grow out of childhood but parents never grow out of parenthood.” What once nourished and protected us can now strangle and choke the life out of us, if we are not aware.

Pluto in hard aspect to the Moon can indicate a level of emotional control and manipulation that is often handed down from parent to child, and is then considered normal. The signs are obsessiveness in all loving relationships, planning everything down to the last detail so that no unforeseen thing can happen. If the mother strategically works out every course of action she is killing off spontaneity and preventing the freedom of the moment from entering her child’s life and the life of her partner. Love is ultimately about freedom and trusting that it will be there without constant effort and for those with Pluto/Moon aspects that is a difficult premise to accept.

Looking at a second family now, we see the father has Pluto in Leo in a stellium with Mars and Saturn and this forms a very powerful T-square. Squaring the Moon in Taurus and also squaring a massive stellium of planets in Scorpio that includes the Sun; Chiron; Mercury; Venus and Jupiter. We don’t have an exact birth time here so we are without a house system. Despite this we can read the strong influence that Pluto is having on the entire chart with its square being exact to the Moon, and with five planets in Scorpio, and the native having his Sun sign ruled by Pluto as well. This is a controlled/controlling chart with nearly the entire chart in fixed signs and Pluto anchoring that powerful T-square. The strong mother influence here indicates the importance of family above all else and stability and security – the Moon is over there on her own however and at times intergrating this nurturing energy is a struggle.

In the daughters’ charts we see the Moon in Scorpio and Scorpio rising in one, Pluto opposing the Moon in another, and Pluto squaring the Moon and a Scorpio rising in the third daughter. Here we can see the continuing inheritance of this family’s generational obsession with controlling nurture. The manifestation in this family will involve issues like secretiveness, inner tension in the maintaining of emotional control at all times and manipulations based on so called ‘love.’ Having been mothered by an invasive and controlling force, it will be natural and instinctive for them to mother their children in the same way. The idea of allowing their children the freedom to ‘just be’ will be foreign, unless some awareness is brought to bear on the situation. Indeed in a third generation we see in the chart of a grand daughter that Pluto square Moon aspect arising once again, will the manifestation of this repeat the family dynamic or will it be broken once and for all.

The Pluto/Moon connection challenges us to break free through emotional transformation from the overweening mother complex. As our mother is the first person who traditionally cares for us and provides all of our essential needs, it is a very special relationship and one that holds us in many forms of rapture, and is therefore a difficult one to leave. The Pluto/Moon mother, like the goddess Kali, can swallow us up if we cannot psychically liberate ourselves from her loving clutches, and this is often a major challenge for many.

These have just been two examples of many possible generational astrological syndromes that can permeate through families. We all have families, whether alive or dead, and our ancestors live on inside our bodies and heads, and it is I think, a highly useful exercise to get to know them. Astrology can help to turn frustration into love and forgiveness, and I highly recommend getting to know the horoscopes of your near and sometimes dear. Charts can be constructed free on certain sites on the Internet and you can, of course, also engage the services of a skilled professional astrologer. May you transform your family curse into a thousand blessings.

©Sudha Hamilton

Appeared In WellBeing Astrology Guide.

Eco Living Emag

Midas Word

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