Student

Nothing new

Revisado: 01-10-25

I was hoping for an ontological study on the concept of baphomet.
But they talked at length about everything surrounding baphomet as a concept and the subjects surrounding it versus the absolute subject of.
I didn’t learn anything new , just a knights Templar puff piece with some Aliester Crowley & Thelma fluff :( .
I think the book is great for very very new practitioners ,
This was disappointing. I want a refund :(

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Incredible

Revisado: 05-14-23

I’m so glad I had a chance to learn about the formation of black economics and the people who have influenced liberation at the start of emancipation up until today.

It is very informative however I would have appreciated the accurate use of the term human trafficked peoples in stead of the term enslaved or slaves because that’s what we were!

But overall very informative first read and great introduction to the course of black economics !

Reckoned for audiobook

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Beautifully complex and decadent

Revisado: 04-05-23

I’m so glad I was able to be introduced to this great work!
I’ve never heard of The Author Samantha Shannon until now and I am breathtaken!

I’m so glad the spark of fire and the Lense of moonlight has entered her heart and found it’s way to the page.

This was a beautifully complex story with in depth characters and a whole world full of diversity that made the world work !
She made the world work and it was beautiful!

Aside:
This is a world building book so it will take some time and dedication to reach the climatic point I am at especially in my review, but for those who love full rich storylines and even fuller characters with diverging interests
This is a novel I’d recommend to you !

It does take time to reveal itself
Layer by layer
Page by page
Be patient dear reader and enjoy !!

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Reviewed

Revisado: 02-18-23

Hoodoo For Life

By Angelie Belard

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

So second disclaimer: I had to use a credit to pay for this audiobook because I accidentally grabbed the UK audible code and because I don’t live in uk I didn’t actually have an account with audible uk to connect to my app.

Now on to my review

This Book Hoodoo for life has many similarities between its sister books : Hoodoo for beginners, Hoodoo for love and Prosperity, Hoodoo for War and peace.

And although some passages are repeated word for word, the introduction story and the works are Updated and VERY different.

Did you know you can use orange peel and a white candle to help a person who is interested commit to you?

Or a use two lodestone magnetic sand whisky vervain oil transparent jar and anointing oil to shift someone from seeing you in friendship to lover?

Or that you can use a sweet potato to sweeten a long term romantic relationship after it has lost the ardor of young love as time passes?

Works such as these and many others strike the difference between the amount and types of workings versus the first sister novels that were previously available . When it comes to the works made available and self reported case studies attached it does help to lend understanding and an ability to predict how the works you choose to do can effect others

On an ontological level it is interesting and made me further invested, HOWEVER my main gripe with this author and a few others is that I can never be certain they are who they say they are.

Especially with the advent of Ai and how quickly it can write a novel, an author especially in metaphysical/occult/astrological/energy healing circles really does require a connection to a lineage . Receiving this information is nice, just as information, but the spirit of understanding which is gained and granted through lineage, practice and work is what allows us as practitioners to place our trust in authors who allow us to read their work,
Without the author publicly speaking about who they are and where they’re from I can’t in good faith recommend this book because there are levels of understanding that can only be gained by sitting at the feet of our elders and listening, that is what I hope to get a glimpse of when ingesting these novels .

I would’ve appreciated a level of connectedness to the points made in each sister novel to this new rewrite tome “hoodoo for life “however I am pleased with this being a more collective work and look forward to other types of novels and author reveals in the future.

I would love in addition to hoodoo for life, an authentic invitation into THE life of Angelie Belard who I hope is Hoodooing their way via their lineage as expressed in these collected works.

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It’s a good practice that has indigenous roots worldwide

Revisado: 12-14-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Somatic therapy for trauma + Sound Healing For Beginners
( 2 Books in One )

By Ascending Vibrations

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I picked this book to read because it is a modality that I’ve practiced under many different names and there is ALWAYS something new to learn or be explored.

Book 1: Somatic Trauma Healing

From the beginning this book


There was a discussion of pendulation utilizing titration, a technique to visit the traumatic experience and do so slowly as not to re traumatize yourself, as a means to work though trauma and as the author has described the process I realized this was a technique I was unconsciously performing over months and months of working through revisiting and processing my own trauma. The author really shed light over a few points on why it works and how when we work with a therapist how it is performed to assist in our healing.

They also discussed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which the author doesn’t reccomend despite its Sucess rate.

They then discussed Thoughtfield therapy, Energy Psychology, Tapping and EFT.
With all of these modalities, the author referenced scientific journal arrivals to back up the Techniques.

The description of and the practice exercises of energy psychology build confidence sequentially to first become grounded as a means of processing emotional energy left in the body.

By combining Psychotherapy and Somatic therapy Sensorimotor therapy was created
The work involves the gods of seeking out where the stagnant emotional force/energy is resting in the body and how to release it.

There was a study carried out on 10 people through Langmewer Et all ( 2012 )
Which concludes that there had been significant improvements on awareness of bodies dissociation and acceptance of peace and calm. This study provides the empirical evidence that the western world and this book seems to promote.

Gestalt these apt is a tool that teaches how the negative actions impact their own life.
This therapy attempts to heal the mind body and soul. It utilizes reliving the feelings in the present.
This healing practice hopes to relieve us of our maladaptive behaviors and emotional blockages to assist us in our lives.
The first type of gestalt therapy provided is a body scan, this technique is typically employed in many energy work healing and martial arts circles within my own experience. However here it is termed gestalt which I’ve found interesting. The therapy is without the nuance that I’ve found through other practices connected to lineages and not “sanitized”.
But the practice provided is very useful and friendly.

This work is about utilizing messages from the emotional body to the conscious mind.
This is what the author calls the Gendlin exercise .
For those more esoteric, this idea is connected to the concept of the body devas and animism allowing you to experience the consciousness of your body and it’s wisdom.
This exercise connects you to your body.

The author goes into psychodrama therapy, EMDR or eye movement desensitization therapy, EFT tapping yoga qigong and many other practices utilized to assist in the balancing of the mind body and spirit in healthy ways after traumatic events .

Overall the first book within this double book deal is a wonderful introduction to these therapies and their general use without getting into the intricacies or the ways in which each of these practices can assist anyone throughout their life.

The shame chapter utilizes the immersion technique to remove and release the shame from the body.

What isn’t said is that both the immersion technique and the body scan emotional focusing techniques can be intensive and you just have to sit with the emotions and ride it out, for a beginner it can be surprising.
There is also a portion where the author advises others to give the shame to their caregivers or people who created the shame knowingly or unknowingly in them through their actions.
Within the spiritual healing community this act is NOT recommended. It isn’t discussed here but by doing this you are creating a cord of energy between yourself and your perceived attacker, remaining connected even past time, distance or death.
It is HIGHLY recommended to transmute the energy rather than weaponize it, which is what is happening here.

The discussion on traumatic shaking I thought was very interesting as it connects directly to martial arts and the difficulties of maintains certain poses. With the therapy in mind, it really does help to support those who have been in practice for some time and view their martial art through renewed lenses.

I urge any beginners to look at the indigenous spiritual practices that these sanitized practices have been inspired from, this will allow you to discover all the information and practices that have been removed from the wholeness of the therapies presented in order to allow it to be digested by the general public. I just wish that in addition to the scholarly articles the practices and their originating country would have been appreciated for those who want to have a more fuller understanding.
But with that said this book 1 “somatic trauma therapy”, is a very useful if book.

Also the advice given at the end of the book was very supportive, advice on how to know if the practice is working, which I appreciated and also reinforces focusing on your physical mental and emotional bodies .
The advice on seeking a therapist or working practitioner for the therapies is also mint advice.

Tip from reading:
Use the Ect tapping in combination with the body scan in order to release trauma trapped in the body.


Book 2: Sound healing for Beginners

At the Start this book it mired the reader in scientific definitions as a means of establishing the authenticity of this healing modality.

Within the first chapter the author goes into a series of instruments, drums flutes sounds chants and how the specific instruments help balance the body.

As I listen to this author I can’t help but feel that although they promote the esoteric they also simultaneously have a reductionist Life philosophy . What I mean by that is to say the author comes off as only focusing on the effects sound have on the body and not the fact that sound emanation within many healing societies is thought to be the very seed sounds of creation.

Christian Hindu and many other traditions associate sound or words/speech as a means of communicating change by its vibration, I’m very surprised the author/s took the reductionist approach that we are ONLY our bodies in communicating this healing sound message esp considering the subject matter.

Ultimately my take away from book 2 sound healing for beginners is that it brings forth great suggestions l, exercises and practices.

I especially liked the anxiety in the stomach and releasing trauma chapters, however even with that said, I am of the opinion that actual case studies from people interviewed are one of the missing pieces as well as who this author actually is.

Over all it would be a nice book to use as a reference to a wide range of modalities without depth but just enough to allow you to feel competent.

*****

Afterword for both books, I’m starting to believe all book sprout novels are Ai Written.

A lot of practical knowledge but no spirit within this novel, which is a bit concerning.
This theory would explain why in some of the books that I’ve come across by them whether helpful or not, cannot provide author references and the books lack the practicality that working with spirit builds.

I would advise the reader to do a deep dive on the company and on the authors provided, hopefully I’m wrong.

Information presented is not, connection to and understanding of spirit.
Best of luck.

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esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Layla Moon is EXCELENT yet again.

Revisado: 12-05-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The Powerful Book Of Protection Spells

By Layla moon

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book is was good . Like all the other books of Layla moon’s I’ve digested, the author gave very good tips and most importantly, empowered their audience.

I’ve learned a bit more about the author and their heritage in this novel which I appreciate and also helps me to gauge where and how the author came across their skills.

This book reveals that the author has knowledge of some public ceremonial practices which I respect and appreciate.

The name dropping of other influential occultists does lend an air of credibility to the author as does the works themselves.

I appreciated chapter 4 the cleansing and rituals section Because the author/s explained why the cleansing is a useful tool to a practitioner and utilized examples as well.

Chapter 6 the curses section, I did not fully appreciate there were some bits that were mentioned that aren’t entirely true in my experience and others experience.

Specifically the verses on demons and exorcisms. I think the empowerment and advice that was given was a good step, but not something I would advise. I really appreciated the removal of energy cords technique that was recommended with visuals and technique explanations.

I did not appreciate the mention of tools aren’t always necessary which I agree to a point. I think that the tool isn’t just the energetic frequency that is created but a consciousness alive in its own right, this divergence of thought has allowed me to understand the authors practice a bit more and recognize the difference although expert, from mine.

I would say I appreciated the book, I really did. Excellent points of practice were made
But as I’m sure many readers of my reviews will find, I am a stickler for details.

With demons I would recommend that a bit more than just energy work and energy work techniques be employed to be done with them. I hope I didn’t misunderstand the chapter on curses but eggregors and spirit guardians sure the techniques are valid, but spirits of a higher order, require higher work.

The commentary on their spirits of a chthonic nature was accurate enough for me but the discussion on how to remove those forces from your life, I didn’t buy.

IMO the author/s do/es know what they’re talking about but I believe the author took liberties with this section of the curses chapter.

Overall I would recommend this book but I would also recommend other reading and not basing the entirety of your practice on this work. I think it is very well rounded, empowering and useful and there is much to be gained. But this text is incomplete , keep learning yall
Xoxo.

Extra addendum unrelated to this book and more so on the publishing company:

This is my commentary on booksprout authors and less on the book in question.
It has come to my mind through reviewing these novels that the authors may be real persons or not, or they may just be ghostwriters or regular people who are busy with the rigors of life.

But for me as someone who is deeply mired in the occult community interviews lend a air of credibility that just a book cannot provide.

I appreciate all the occult books that I have had the privilege to digest, however without a series of YouTube interviews, a couple of podcast interviews from occult podcasters, or even occult book reviewers, or a authors website. No matter how good I think a book is or how wonderful the tools provided may be as is the case with this work, I could not seriously add a book to the list of required readings for anyone I’d take under my wing.

I DO love the works presented, but for me a a active participant in the community, transparency and authenticity is just as if not more important to the work presented as there have been and are many who have been taken under by people of unscrupulous means.

I like the work within the protection spells book as many others of Ms. Moons, but the discrepancy stands.
Be well and take care.

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Energy Book Review

Revisado: 12-01-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Energy Healing Made Easy: The Book of Positive Vibrations & Master Energy Healing Secrets

By Althea grace

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The author begins with an energy healing meditation. They begin to state that the body houses our true identity which is energy which I very much identify with.

As the author and I made it through the work, they made a lot of good points through their work and gave a few pointers that were honestly really refreshing.

I also appreciated the guided meditations in chapter 10 and their cause and effect of the chakras in chapter 9 even if it wasn’t entirely true to me within my practice.

With all that said this book doesn’t feel cohesive or whole in any particular energy work practice or structured system for a beginner to start with. To me it seems to be more of a hodgepodge of new agey ideas that aren’t cohesive or structured in a way to allow a beginner to utilize all the tools presented safely and properly.

I feel like the author doesn’t have enough case studies done with people who are open to energy work to describe the process of healing self or other.
They DO describe a beautiful practice of energy resonance which was New to me , and I say this because I want to complement the author and encourage them to KEEP WORKING. BUT I don’t feel like they are experienced enough to speak fully on the subject yet.

I speak as a reiki master and an experienced energy worker of at a minimum 16 years since becoming reiki. And that doesn’t include any of the other modalities I have individually or within my spiritual communities that are at my disposal.

I don’t say this to be cruel but to be very honest in that I feel the author/s seem to be well intentioned but I think that they should do author with their teacher or spiritual guide.

The book speaks a lot about drawing energy for healing from the earth. This has not been my experience. The earth is a wonderful living nourishing transformative and powerful being but there are MANY different modalities utilized for a person to understand their multitudes of energy body’s and gain experience simply without the complication of other systems merged together.

I really wanted to live this work, but as someone who has been through much and used these energy healing modalities in real measured ways, I don’t feel that this work does more than other authors like anodes Judith or Diane Stein or even Quantum healing or any of the many other practiced new age modalities or ancient worldwide and indigenous healing systems that are and have been available.

I’m sorry but I wouldn’t recommend this book.

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Candle magic review

Revisado: 11-20-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Candle magic for beginners

By Frank Bawdow

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The author describes in the beginning chapters that the understanding of candle magic is through the lenses of Wicca.

Fire is defined as a transformative force that brings change as early as prehistoric eras to now, the. They describe that burning a candle establishes a connection between the physical and spiritual realms.

The author goes into candle color meanings, cleansing the candle and then charging a candle with oils. He states that to rub the oil from the top of the candle to the middle then from the bottom to the middle . And that the intent must be worked into the candle before the oil in placed onto the candle.
He goes into the method of placing intentions into the candle utilizing a simple phase representing what you need.
Chapter 2 discusses candle love magic.
And removing your internal barriers to love.
Attracting and repelling old relationships youve grown past.
The next chapter discusses healing.
The author seems to formalize the method of candle magic they use which is using petition papers, select herbs, essential oils and intentions to create the reality you need.
I thought that this book would go into candle divination such as when a free standing candle burns and how to interpret it, or smoke burning, or the what the candle moves .
It didn’t discuss candle divination or even spirits or entities associated with candles such as vesta goddess of the hearth or any deities associated with light and transformation.

Overall I wasn’t thoroughly impressed with this novel. A beginner wouldn’t know the difference and would be very happy with the plethora of spells offered but there is no real base, for some one to begin their study. I would have to say this novel isn’t as impressive as his other books that I’ve had the chance to read so I’m a bit surprised.

I say if you’re new, read everything you can this book included but if you’ve been practicing for a couple of decades it can’t hurt but it hasn’t really helped :(

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Great Norse Paganism Introduction

Revisado: 11-19-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Norse magic for beginners

By Frank Bawdow

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The narrator speaks strangely with emphasis on vowels where it is unnecessary.

History and overview
What is known and not known due to Christianity stamping it out.

Sypnopsis of Norse religious comeback

Next 3 chapters discuss Norse magical tradition asatru, 9 noble virtues , fryf , wyrd,
Magical rituals called blots, ancestor veneration,

The author went into great detail to describe that the authored versions of this oral tradition were written by outsiders namely christian monks and traders from Islamic nations. The author went on to point out that the Christian’s recording the worship of the Norse gods were not without prejudice even if they did share the same common ancestor but went even further to state that their written recordings were probably accurate which I thought was a strange comment to make.

The author spoke about an interesting ritual in Chico the earth is cut out and held up and used as a transformative experience, walking under the earth.
This ritual piqued my interest as it has similar aspects and influence as many Native American, African and other indigenous rituals regarding transformation.

The author goes into some detail about how “heathenry” is practiced and it differences of practice of revivalism and reconstructionism. This seems to be more of an theoretical armchair view to this occult practice versus giving a practical lived in view of experience which is another perspective I found strange.

The author describes Volkanism which is a direct creation of nazi white suppremacist beliefs.

The author finally leaves the theoretical in the magic chapter and discusses the freedom of this path in choosing your own patron deity rather than having a deity be forced upon you in order to gain their wisdom blessings and companionship. The author utilizes Christianity as an example of not being able to choose your god but in Norse “heathenism” you get to choose.

They go into galdur and trolldom after describing the moral plane of norsedom.
Galdur: is using words for spellwork
Staves: galdrastufur: is relatable to using sigils or a stave magic. This practice was influenced by judeo Christian magic
Seidir: a magic more commonly practiced by women and used for divination typically.
Weather healing abilities astral projection and trance work.
Trolldom: a magic that utilizes local spirits of the land. A folk magic that utilizes chanting to create changes in one’s life such as guilting someone, causing luck, or delay in one’s life Ect. It also involves ancestor work and necromancy.
Gandur: drawing in the void energy before all creation to work your will. The power of junungugat. Using it to call forth supernatural beings such as deities and otherwise.
Spiework: is allowing a spirit to Mount and speak through you which is an exact replica to many African channeling work with their deities. Speaking fate.
Wichieta: spending the night or many nights in nature, to become imbued in the greater power of nature and darkness . This idea is matched in many African and Native American Traditions as well.

Chapter 5
They discuss practicing Norse magic in everyday life .
This chapter discusses cleansing, grounding, shielding and warding.
There is an interesting correlation between what is reported in this practice and hoodoo and voodoo in that graveyards or burial mounds are sacred sites of power and used for ritual.

Celebrations seem to be a big part of what is known about this tradition and the author goes into great lengths to normalize a lot of ritual and connect it to many normal western world celebrations such as graduation, getting a job Ect. And uses thes times of get togethers as times when rituals cen be performed. The author then proceeds to go into discussion about the celebrations on the wheel of the year.

The author proceeds to go into the definitions of some traditional versus non traditional symbols that are beyond the runes in the tradition what they are what they can do and the myth is behind them.

Once the preceding chapter finished discussions about the runes, why and how the letters of the language can be used in magic and what they mean individually and combined is discussed. The author states that they are excited to teach their favorite type of symbol at this point in the book.

The author describes the intricacies of why and how runes are used magically and goes into scholarly sources of this information, discussing the elder, the anglo Saxon and the younger futharks.
The author indicates that the elder futhark is the one that is utilized for Norse magic normally. The author then recommends a website discussing runes further Daniel McCoy Norse mythology for smart people.

The author again references the McCoy website again as a great resource for further research.
The author gives a VERY good memorization example for understanding and remembering the runes utilizing the Gods and splitting it in 3 one third for Freya Attir, which focuses on things of great value to the early Norse people.
Another third for Heimdal Attir which focuses on strength protection elemental forces such as ice the sun Ect,
And the last third for Tyr Attir contains tiewaz and inguaz and focuses on tunes like man horse and societal order.
These thirds are split by one atte ( eight) , and an eight is a group of runes associated with
These are found in the rune poems demystified by McCoy.

The author continues in their definition of runes and discusses that current Norse paganism is HEAVILY influenced by contemporary Christian thought and influenced by many people who were not originally Norse due to the way that the practice was maintained, recorded popularized, and gained via nazi usage and Christian thought .

The author then discusses the activation of runes and this borrows methods from Modern occultism, hoodoo, Wicca and many native practices. They also discuss utilizing seasons and astrological events to empower rune craft for magical means however this is unnecessary in this crafting.

Linear bindeunes agains obstacles vertically or horizontally. Linear stacked bindrunes placed vertically or horizontally . Used to conjure.
And radial runes are placed multiple runes around a central point. And radial bindrunes or staves as they are called protect.

Then the author discusses that bone runes and rune magic is about how the energy meets with your own. This expresses the personal nature of this art.

The author is very adamant about deepening your own relationship with the runes and then discusses the odins rune or the wyrd rune and then discusses how to bless and consecrate your personal runes.
The author discusses rune casting to divination and sets the past chapter of the novel upon that.

Chapter 9
They discuss casting the runes and again this is incredibly similar to many other traditions, they sat to have a white square cloth placed down as a sacred casting space, there is some type of common ancestry regarding this practice because it is utilized by cultures world wide.
They also suggest utilizing 9 runes for casting and the ones closer to the center of the casting area are most important runes to look at for the answer and reverse runes don’t mean reverse meanings but express weaknesses in or on the subject you are asking about. A cautionary, or to be aware how a quality is lacking in energy .

They go into utilizing casting sticks for divination to see what runes show up as a quick omen on a subject.

Overall this first book in the series feels more like an academic paper more than a example of the authors personal practice, it feels like the author is still gathering the information to have a stable occult practice it’s good information but it’s lacking a vitality that can be found on Internet forums.

But even with that said it is a great starter for beginners in the craft as it sets the same stage with factually presented information a newer pagan can refer back to in order to grow their practice.

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It’s got some great info but…

Revisado: 11-14-22 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The powerful Book of Hoodoo Spells: a witch’s guide Book 2

By Layla moon

Disclaimer :

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.


I really appreciated the explanation as to why hoodoo isn’t an open practice, that it came about through the African American ancestry history and need and that even in contemporary history it has a negative connotation not bc it is evil but bc it is used to empower the people who it was made for , black peoples. It was made for black people by black people and paid for in blood and pain.
I respect that, I don’t think it excludes everyone personally but I’m thankful that this author describes hoodoo in a way that demands respect for its people and historical context without giving an inch.

They go to explain the ancestor system is a strong point of focus in hoodoo and that is a main reason why what one race does even if it’s similar could never be hoodoo bc it lacks our ancestral wisdom & birthright

The author goes on to discuss herbal magic, growth, gathering, and drying. They give excelent advice on how to maximize the highest potential out of your herbal magic.

They go on to discuss the attributes and associations of hoodoo herbs.
They then go into the hoodoo typical recipes for holy hoodoo oil creation utilizing herbs and essential oils.

In chapter 4 candle magic is discussed
They evoke the creation of humans greatest achievement, the creation of fire.

They briefly go into the discussion of candle magic the meanings of each color how to handle each candle and suggestions for how to overcome any obstacle or meaning.

The next chapters on Hoodoo dolls, Mojo bags, Justice, success love and friendship all seem to be useful. But I can’t give a full report on that until I try these works.

I can say that the works seem like they would and could work, I just need to give them a try.

Over all I give this hoodoo overview a 7/10.
It is useful and does give a nice basis for the beginner but it seems to echo what I was able to recieve in. The other Layla moon book. Still a good bit of solid information and inspiration.

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