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Books > Humanities > Religion & beliefs > Alternative belief systems > Syncretist & eclectic religions & belief systems > Post-renaissance syncretist / eclectic systems
'The confrontation with evil manifests as a battle taking place on
many levels, the outcome of which lies in the hands of each one of
us alive today. The most important requisite is the creating of a
space within us in which a new consciousness, the Imagination, will
gradually be able to arise. Much in the future depends on whether a
sufficient number of people succeed in reaching this level of
experience...' - Maria Betti With the world in turmoil, the
greatest challenge facing us today, says Mario Betti, is the inner
transformation of our entire being. This rebirth from within
heralds a new form of consciousness - a creative imaginative
faculty - that is simultaneously a reawakening of the mysterious
Sophia, the feminine aspect of the Divinity. Imagination allows us
to behold the spiritual forces actively at work in the world,
resulting in the possibility of a comprehensive rebirth and renewal
of culture.
During 1924, before his last address in September, Rudolf Steiner
gave over eighty lectures on the subject of karma to members of the
Anthroposophical Society. These profoundly esoteric commentaries
examine the underlying laws of reincarnation and karma, and explore
in detail the incarnations of specific historical figures. In
Rudolf Steiner's words, the study of karma is '...a matter of
penetrating into the most profound mysteries of existence, for
within the sphere of karma and the course it takes lie those
processes which are the basis of the other phenomena of world
existence...' In this eighth and final volume of the series, Rudolf
Steiner offers insights on a variety of subjects, including Cosmic
Christianity, the Michael impulse, the Arthur and Grail streams of
wisdom, as well as the individualities of Gregory VII, Haeckel,
Swedenborg, Loyola, Haroun al Raschid, Byron, Voltaire and others.
Rudolf Steiner, the often undervalued, multifaceted genius of
modern times, contributed much to the regeneration of culture. In
addition to his philosophical teachings, he provided ideas for the
development of many practical activities, including education -
both general and special - agriculture, medicine, economics,
architecture, science, religion and the arts. Steiner's original
contribution to human knowledge was based on his ability to conduct
'spiritual research', the investigation of metaphysical dimensions
of existence. With his scientific and philosophical training, he
brought a new systematic discipline to the field, allowing for
conscious methods and comprehensive results. A natural seer from
childhood, he cultivated his spiritual vision to a high degree,
enabling him to speak with authority on previously veiled mysteries
of life.Samples of Steiner's work are to be found in this
introductory reader in which Matthew Barton brings together
excerpts from Steiner's many talks and writings on Christmas. The
volume also features an editorial introduction, afterword,
commentary and notes.
I am Brahman is an inspired quest into the heart of the non-dual
reality. This deeply personal journey discovers the essentials in
religion, science and art which all point to the Advaitin truth
that consciousness itself is the basis of all existence. This short
but visceral journey includes mystical experiences in India and
goes deeper than ever before to describe what it is like to
experience Brahman - the great Oneness of which we are a part.
Rather than just another descriptive book about non-duality I am
Brahman takes wings and carries the reader from the banks of the
Ganges into the poetry of the soul. Here is what science has been
looking for and the theology to unite all faiths. Maurice Anslow's
book pulls together the searchings of a lifetime and deserves to
become a modern spiritual classic.
Koberwitz, Whitsun 1924: Rudolf Steiner had just completed his
momentous lecture course on biodynamic agriculture and was waiting
for a car to take him to the station. Suddenly he was approached by
two of his pupils with an urgent question: Would his new
indications for treating soil and vegetables be sufficient to
provide, '...nutrition appropriate to our times and in accordance
with the spirit?' Steiner's frank response was somewhat surprising:
'It will not be sufficient even in the most favourable
circumstances. What should be done is to cultivate the Dioscorea
batatas in Europe so that it can take over from the potato as the
staple diet.' In the many decades since that conversation, various
attempts have been made to cultivate Dioscorea batatas - the 'light
root' - in Europe, initially by Steiner's close colleague Guenther
Wachsmuth. More recently, biodynamic farmer Ralf Roessner began to
research the plant and its background, but soon discovered problems
with the specimens available in Europe. Unsatisfied with the
standard of the plants, in 2002 he travelled to the original
growing areas of Dioscorea batatas in China, where he was able to
form a comprehensive picture of the best planting methods and
conditions. 'The nodules which I found and brought back with me',
he writes, 'showed similar light ether characteristics to the
original plants of Wachsmuth's'. Having successfully cultivated and
marketed this light root, Roessner presents some carefully
assembled introductory materials based on his experiences and those
of a colleague. This small book, illustrated with colour images, is
intended for people who wish to discover more about the plant's
being and spiritual mission as a 'helper of progress'. Roessner
explains how the light root stores 'light ether' in a unique
manner, making it not only a valuable food, but also a 'carrier of
the spirit'. This light root could even '...decisively influence
the development of humanity and the earth'. Aside from studying
esoteric aspects, he gives answers to frequently-asked practical
questions about the plant and its cultivation.
Book Five of The Law of One is comprised of the 56 fragments of
personal material that were originally omitted from the first four
books of this series. Both Jim, the scribe, and Carla, the
instrument for the Ra contact, have added their comments to these
fragments to give the reader an idea of what it was like to be part
of this contact and to show how every persons experience can be
used for personal growth and service to others. A wide variety of
topics is covered, from Eisenhowers meeting with extraterrestrials
in 1954 to UFO/government conspiracies, Wanderers, sexual energy
transfers, anger, balancing, Aleister Crowley, the Tunguska crater
in Russia, pre-incarnative choices, psychic greetings, alternate
and orthodox healing modalities, the ball lightning phenomenon, and
the many facets of the spiritual journey in general.
'All historical life, all social life, all ethical life, proceed by
virtue of the co-operation between the so-called living and the
so-called dead. Our whole being can be infinitely strengthened when
we are conscious not only of our firm stand here in the physical
world, but are filled with the inner realization of being able to
say of the dead whom we have loved: they are with us, they are in
our midst.' In this valuable lecture Rudolf Steiner speaks with
clarity about life after death, and explains how those on the earth
can keep a connection with loved ones who have passed on. He
describes the conditions in the environment of the dead, the
advantages as well as the dangers of connecting with the dead, the
importance of the moments of waking and going to sleep, the
significance of dying in childhood and old age, and the
appropriateness of different types of funeral services.
In ancient times humanity possessed an innate knowledge of the
spiritual foundations of existence. Such knowledge could be
acquired through inwardly accompanying the cycle of the year and
its connected great seasonal festivals. But this instinctive
knowledge had to be lost in order for human beings to discover
individual freedom. In our time, as Sergei O. Prokofieff
demonstrates in this comprehensive work, '...this knowledge must be
found anew through the free, light-filled consciousness of the
fully developed human personality'. Tracing the spiritual path of
the yearly cycle, Prokofieff penetrates to the deeper esoteric
realities of the seven Christian festivals of Michaelmas,
Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension, Whitsun and St John's Tide.
Basing his research on the work of the twentieth-century initiate
Rudolf Steiner, he reveals how these festivals are spiritual facts
that exist independently of religious traditions and cultural
customs. Working with the festivals in an esoteric sense can
provide a true path of initiation, ultimately enabling an
experience of the Being of the Earth, Christ. The journey of study
through this book can thus lead the reader to an experience of the
modern Christian-Rosicrucian path, along which '...it is possible
to take the first steps towards life in partnership with the course
of cosmic existence'.
Based on direct communications with his eight spirit guides, Dr Bob
Woodward confirms that we have all lived in spirit worlds before
our birth - and that we will enter these same realms again after
our material deaths. In a very real sense, these higher spirit
worlds are actually our true home, he says, rather than our present
physical existence, which is only a temporary abode. In
consultation with his spirit guides - including a Tibetan Lama, a
Jewish Rabbi, a Native American and his personal guardian angel -
Bob Woodward gives a detailed survey of our lives in spirit worlds
before birth and after death, our relationships there with friends,
family and even pets, and our connections with both good and evil
spiritual beings. He also gives a commentary on a range of subjects
such as reincarnation and climate change. In a final extensive and
moving interview, Woodward finds and speaks with the soul of his
deceased father, who offers enlightening glimpses of life after
death. Whilst the author's knowledge is grounded in decades of
study of the work of Rudolf Steiner - with which he compares the
results of his own extrasensory perceptions - Knowledge of Spirit
Worlds is not intended as a dry philosophical study. Rather, it has
a warm, experiential quality - based as it is on personal
interaction with spirit entities - and emphasizes the love that
connects all worlds and beings together.
Based on a remarkable series of lectures delivered in his native
Israel, Dr Ben-Aharon presents his illuminating research on the
meaning of Judaism and the spiritual mission of the Jewish people
in the past, present and future. The Hebrew people have been a
central root in the development not only of Judaism, Christianity
and Islam, but of the universal human spirit itself. Thus, a new
understanding of their development and contribution to the
spiritual biography of humanity is essential to understanding
ourselves as human beings. The Jews were chosen to reveal the
deepest secret of ancient times: the existence of one God above all
gods, being the Creator of all human beings - beyond race, nation
and gender - in his divine image. The great historical and
spiritual figures of the Hebrew people - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Moses, Joseph, the Judges, Kings and Prophets - prepared humanity
for individuation - the true `I AM' - through devotion to the
divine foundation of the world. `The Lord our God is one', who is
to be loved with all one's heart, soul and being. Each person could
now fulfill the Word, which could be actualized on earth - in the
human being. In Jerusalem Dr Ben-Aharon describes the evolution of
the Hebrew people and its role in the development of the human
race. The journey continues to the present day, where the universal
human Self has the potential to become a free participator in the
ongoing creation of the universe. `The better I understand the
roots of the Hebrew people and its universal-human mission, the
better I shall understand the nature of humanity and its mission;
and the more human I become, in the most universal sense, anchored
in a new spiritual knowledge and practice, the more fulfilled,
active and creative I can be at the roots of my existence as a Jew
and an Israeli.' - Yeshayahu Ben-Aharon
This book...will appeal to those who are in touch with their inner
creative impulses, or are motivated but do not know how to begin.
The aim is to make this spiritual path possible for every person.
It can change the way one relates to life and work - at first
simply by an attitude shift, as a questioning, caring human being,
taking seriously the spiritual forces that manifest in all outer
phenomena.' How do adults learn and develop? How can adult learning
become a living, growing process? Based on the application of the
'seven life processes', Coenraad van Houten has successfully
developed the methods of 'Vocational Learning' (Awakening the Will,
1999) and 'Destiny Learning' (Practising Destiny, 2000). Here, in
the culmination of his research trilogy, he presents a new path of
adult learning which he calls 'Creative Spiritual Research'. Based
on the inner spiritual path of the individual, this is a method
that relates to esoteric schooling, thresholds of consciousness and
human creativity. Part One of Creative Spiritual Research features
guidelines and exercises for individual practice, whilst Part Two
focuses on the general schooling path as a preparation or
precondition, opening the inner space needed for research as well
as a questioning attitude.
'Let us be courageous and not draw back in fear when realities of
the world of spirit that play into human life are unveiled. You
see, the future of humanity depends on us learning to live with the
world of spirit in the same way that we live with the physical
world here on earth.' - Rudolf Steiner In a wide-ranging series of
lectures, Rudolf Steiner demonstrates the integral nature of spirit
and matter and their manifold connections. Speaking to audiences in
London, Holland, Germany and Switzerland, Steiner explains how,
through a process of evolving consciousness, humanity lost its
knowledge and direct experience of the spiritual sources of
existence, but now needs to reconnect with them. Spirit is the
essence and power of life which, in Steiner's vivid image, 'strikes
a match in our whole being' when we allow it to inform us fully.
Our world cannot be understood only in physical terms but is
inseparable from the divine realities continually creating and
sustaining it. Reconnecting with the spirit calls upon us to heal
the fractures between everyday consciousness and the metaphysical
realms in which we are already embedded. In Steiner's descriptions,
there is no end to the numerous reconnections possible: between our
past, present and future; between the active, individualizing
principle of the 'I' and the physical human body it works upon and
shapes; between our physical actions and limb movements in one life
and the forming or sculpting of our head in a future one; and above
all, between the moral actions and insights we develop whilst alive
on earth and our developing 'eye' for spiritual reality in the life
after death, with all that this can mean for the future of human
evolution. Taking a truly holistic approach, Rudolf Steiner tackles
an eclectic series of subjects throughout these sixteen lectures -
all united by the common theme of rediscovering how spirit pervades
life. Apart from a focus on education in several lectures, he
discusses: experiences during sleep; the human spirit and soul
between death and a new birth; how spirit 'sculpts' the human
organism; Christ from the perspective of anthroposophy; the battle
for human nature between luciferic and ahrimanic beings; karma and
the creation of conditions for our return to a new life on earth;
human experience of the etheric cosmos; and the human being's
faculties of hearing, speaking, singing, walking, and thinking.
Together, these lectures offer a cornucopia of spiritual insights
and wisdom for the present day. 16 lectures, various cities, 1922,
CW 218
Rudolf Steiner's intuitive artistic knowledge enabled him to use
colours in a unique way, giving expression to their individual
natures. Together with his many lectures on art, Steiner's
paintings provide artists with fresh ways of understanding colour,
allowing for an entirely new creativity and aesthetics. In 1924,
Steiner painted a watercolour of the Madonna and Child, giving it
the title `New Life'. Through Steiner's depiction of Mary, mother
of the Divine Child, this painting draws us to the feminine
expression of spirituality. In this highly-illustrated, full-colour
book Angela Lord studies this feminine principle, beginning with
the very earliest stages of human evolution - the `Fall' from
paradise and the pre-historic periods of Lemuria and Atlantis. From
the Mysteries of Egypt and Greece to the development of Christian
art, she offers insights to the myths and legends of female deities
and goddesses. According to Rudolf Steiner, at the time of Jesus's
birth humanity had entered a decadent phase of development. Small
groups of initiated individuals, however, were preparing for a
sacred birth: the descent of a heavenly being into earthly
existence. The God of the Old Testament would be revealed `in
flesh', born to a virgin mother. In the second part of New Life -
Mother and Child, Angela Lord takes us on a journey through two
thousand years of Christian art, covering Iconography, the Middle
Ages and the Renaissance. We see how artistic images of Mary and
her Child have changed, why these variations have occurred and how
they reflect the changing consciousness of humanity. Finally, the
`New Life' painting is considered from the interactive processes of
colour and composition, illustrated with a series of artistic
colour sequences.
As a spiritual teacher, Rudolf Steiner wrote many inspired and
beautifully-crafted verses. Often they were given in relation to
specific situations or in response to individual requests;
sometimes they were offered simply to assist in the process of
meditation. Regardless of their origins, they are uniformly
powerful in their ability to connect the meditating individual with
spiritual archetypes. Thus, the meditations provide valuable tools
for developing experience and knowledge of subtle dimensions of
reality. Matthew Barton has translated and selected Steiner's
verses, sensitively arranging them by theme. In this collection of
meditations for times of day and seasons of the year, Rudolf
Steiner delves into the rhythms of nature and their relationship to
human beings. The verses in the first part refer to the cycle of
waking and sleeping, echoing the greater rhythms of birth and
death. They provide an accompaniment for each day, gently reminding
us where we have come from and where we are going. The second
section focuses on the human being's passage through nature's
changing seasons - a greater cycle of sleeping and waking. Together
they offer us a spiritual light for our journey through life.
Given his energetic involvement in practical initiatives and
extensive lecturing, Rudolf Steiner had little time to write books.
Of those he did write - belonging almost entirely to the earlier
years of his work - four titles form an indispensable introduction
to his later teaching: Knowledge of the Higher Worlds, Occult
Science, The Philosophy of Freedom and Theosophy. Theosophy focuses
on a psychology based not on the usual duality of body and mind,
but on the more ancient division of body, soul and spirit. Steiner
describes in detail the functions and organs of these three aspects
of the human being, and the objective realms to which they belong.
Just as the body derives from and belongs to the material world, so
do the human soul and spirit belong to their own specific realms.
These are the dimensions through which all human beings travel in
the life after death, and in which - after passing the 'midnight
hour' - we prepare to seek our destiny, or karma, in a new life.
Theosophy features one of the most comprehensive and condensed of
all Steiner's accounts of these realms, and of the experiences
which our immortal being undergoes in passing through them. The
book ends with a chapter on the modern 'path of knowledge', in
which Steiner describes the exercises through which every person
may develop the latent powers of perception which are necessary for
a knowledge of metaphysical worlds.
`I fall asleep. Until I awaken my soul will be in the world of
spirit, and there will meet the guiding impulse-giver of my earthly
life, my genius, who dwells in the world of spirit, hovering round
my head...' - Rudolf Steiner The night is an essential counterpart
to the day. By day we possess the capacity of conscious, logical
thought, whilst at night - leaving the physical body to regenerate
during sleep - we give ourselves up to a different form of
consciousness. Rudolf Steiner describes the night as the realm of
intuition, a place of deep spiritual encounter, but also as a
wellspring of renewal and healing. With its lucid introduction and
notes, The Night seeks to conjure the special atmosphere and
quality of the nocturnal hours, so that the real spiritual
encounters of night-time can fruitfully inform our daily life,
helping us to live in a fuller, healthier way. Night-time is when
we can, consciously or unconsciously, meet our higher self; we have
the opportunity to work with angelic beings, and even to access the
world of the dead. The night can be a source of poetic and artistic
inspiration, whilst for initiates it provides a field for conscious
awareness. It is also a special time - before going to sleep and
upon waking - for specific esoteric exercises. Edited by Edward de
Boer, the textual passages, lecture extracts, exercises and the
many verses and prayers in this anthology are an invitation to
readers to engage more consciously with the starry heavens and the
nightly realm.
Heiner Ruland charts a practical path towards a deepened musical
understanding, illuminating the panorama of humanity's musical
past. Indicating what may happen - and needs to happen - to music
in the immediate and more distant future, the implications of this
book for composition, musical education and therapy are immense.
The author shows how the fundamental elements of music embody
distinctive modes of consciousness. He examines the musical systems
of ancient humanity and goes on to draw a vivid picture of our
contemporary musical situation. This seminal work is more than a
theoretical treatise on the nature of music, but a book to be
understood and experienced through musical practice. With the help
of the monochord, the reader, with a minimum of technique, is able
to explore new and unfamiliar musical realms. 'Rudolf Steiner
believed that an expansion of our tone-system was a necessity...In
this book of Ruland's, we have for the first time an account that
is penetrating enough and of sufficiently large scope to enable us
to understand why.' - Jurgen Schriefer
In an astonishing series of lectures on the science of spiritual
knowledge, Rudolf Steiner begins by addressing an audience in
Dornach, Switzerland - where, only months earlier, his
architectural masterpiece, the first Goetheanum, had been destroyed
by fire. He discusses the nature of our planetary system, revealing
the planets that are characterised by freedom and those that
determine destiny. The spirits of the moon live in seclusion,
preserving 'original wisdom' and reflecting powers connected to
sexuality, whereas the sun creates harmony. Jupiter is 'the
thinker', whilst the spirits on Saturn act as 'living memory'.
Speaking in London, Steiner states that the things that happen to
people in sleep are more important than anything that occurs during
waking hours! Human beings, he says, must learn to see themselves
as an image of spirits and spiritual activities on earth. In a
break from the theme, and returning to Dornach, Rudolf Steiner
reports on his recent visit to England and Wales, where he attended
an educational conference in Ilkley, a Summer School in Penmaenmawr
and a school for the disadvantaged in the East End of London.
Steiner speaks of the particular atmosphere he experienced in West
Yorkshire and North Wales, where remnants of Druid spirituality
live in the surroundings. The latter theme emerges strongly in the
next lectures, which examine the Druid priest's sun initiation and
perception of moon spirits. The Druids investigated the secrets of
the universe, influencing both social and religious life. Steiner
also describes the mythic being of Woden, who signified the birth
of intellectuality and the subsequent fear of death - which, he
asserts, can be healed by the Mystery of Golgotha. In the final
section, Rudolf Steiner discusses: 'The past, present and future
development of the human mind'. Again, he references the importance
of Druid culture, noting that the ground plans of the stone circles
in Penmaenmawr are similar to that of the first Goetheanum. He also
points to the crucial roles of the ancient Mysteries and Christ's
deed in human development.
Delivered more than 60 years ago, the lectures in this booklet
demonstrate Alfred Heidenreich's gift for kindling understanding of
the essence of Christianity and the nature and being of Christ.
Guided by spiritual science or anthroposophy, as founded by Rudolf
Steiner (1861-1925), Heidenreich presents an imaginative and
insightful reading of the meaning of Christ's 'resurrection body',
addressing the significance of 'original sin' and 'the Fall', and
how they relate to this metaphysical body. In his second lecture,
Heidenreich addresses 'the greatest mystery of our time', relating
to the true meaning of Christ's 'Second Coming' or 'appearance' in
the etheric realm of the earth. It is our responsibility, says the
author, to bring '...the awe and wonder of our thought, the mercy
and love of our hearts, the conscientiousness of our deeds', to
help illumine and strengthen this esoteric reality.
'When we know how to enter deeply into the realm of the soul, we
reach understanding of the harmony that exists between successive
lives on earth and the whole of the physical world outside us.' -
Rudolf Steiner In these eight lectures, given during the Great War
as thousands of young men were being killed in battle, Rudolf
Steiner - the great initiate of the twentieth century - describes
the dramatic reality of the spiritual worlds encountered by human
beings after death. He speaks of the joys and sufferings
experienced in those worlds by people of different character; the
vision of the 'ideal human being' that souls experience; the cosmic
'midnight hour'; the processes leading to rebirth in the world of
the senses; the deeper causes behind such phenomena as materialism
and criminality; and why, in the flesh, we lose our instinctive
perception of the spiritual worlds. Steiner describes how knowledge
of the spiritual realms, as well as the life beyond death and
before birth, can be built on the foundations of modern science.
Indeed, he speaks of mankind's involvement in science and its many
achievements as necessary steps on the path towards a modern
spirituality and true understanding of the soul, and describes in
detail some of the methods by which direct perception of the worlds
of soul and spirit can be developed.
Is there truly life beyond death? What really happens when we die?
Can the living stay connected with, or even help, their loved ones
who have passed on? Answers to these questions have traditionally
been sought for in Eastern religions but - perhaps surprisingly for
some - they can also be found within the Christian tradition. In
fact, such knowledge was prevalent in early Christianity, but was
gradually suppressed and eventually forgotten.Turning to hidden -
esoteric - sources that reveal lost meanings within the Bible, the
Dead Sea Scrolls and other Gnostic texts, Hans Stolp and Margarete
van den Brink describe the world of light that exists beyond death,
and the 'seven steps' needed to progress through its realms. The
authors draw on near-death experiences as well as the many profound
personal encounters with deceased friends and family members
described by people in recent times. With this knowledge, together
with Rudolf Steiner's research, they offer answers to the following
questions: - What is the world beyond death really like and what
tasks await us there? - Why is love and wisdom gained in life on
earth so important in the afterlife? - How can the living help or
hinder the dead? - How do the departed themselves help loved ones
who are left behind? - How does the Christ sustain the dead as they
review their previous life and prepare for the next?This is an
extraordinary guide to understanding what happens after death. It
also offers invaluable advice on staying connected to our loved
ones who have passed on.
'If the intentions of the Christmas Conference are to be carried
out, the Anthroposophical Society will in future have to fulfil, as
far as possible, the esoteric aspirations of its members. With this
end in view, the School, consisting of three Classes, will be
established within the General Society.' - Rudolf Steiner, January
1924 A year after the burning of the first Goetheanum building in
Dornach, Switzerland, Rudolf Steiner refounded the Anthroposophical
Society during the Christmas Conference of 1923/24. At the heart of
the Society he created 'the School of Spiritual Science', which has
the specific task of presenting 'the esoteric aspect', and leading
its members to knowledge and experience of the spirit. The School
was to have 'Sections' to represent various fields of human
endeavour, such as Medicine and Education, and three 'Classes',
with the First Class to be established immediately by Rudolf
Steiner. This short book is a collection of articles (from the
Society Newsletter) and lectures by Rudolf Steiner from 1924,
introducing and explaining the purpose of the School of Spiritual
Science to members of the Anthroposophical Society. It forms a
companion volume to The Foundation Stone / The Life, Nature and
Cultivation of Anthroposophy.
Rudolf Steiner wrote his four plays, the Mystery Dramas, to give
examples of how individuals go through different experiences as
they find their way into the spiritual worlds. Because each of us
has a unique biography and unique karma, our journey into the
spiritual is also a unique path. The eight lectures presented in
this volume were given on the occasion of the first performance of
the fourth play, The Souls' Awakening. These lectures count among
the most significant of Steiner's insights into the nature of the
path to higher knowledge.
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