“We are what we repeatedly do.” – Aristotle
One of the many things that is truly beautiful about Eastern thought , especially Buddhism, is that it makes you aware that most human problems arise in the mind. We are what we think and as the quote above so wisely states, we are what we do over and over again.
Change how you think, you change your life and world. Sounds very simple but it is true. The minute you alter your perception about a situation, you begin to view the same situation with a new pair of eyes. I will give you an example from my life. I have been out of work since September.
In the beginning, it was fun to take a break from the routine. Then concerns about money set in and I went out looking for any job that I could find. I went on some interviews that turned my life around in so many ways. It made me aware of what I need to do and as a result, being unemployed has been a huge blessing. I tell people this and they think I am crazy but blessings don’t always come in ways that you want or desire.
Life is what you make out of it and what is crucial in making the most out of life is to be aware of how you view life. See life as a huge mess, then that will be your experience. View life as a wonderful journey, then that will be your experience too.
This does not mean that there will not be any challenges. Challenges will always be present but what will change is how you view them. Either see them as a huge stumbling block or see them as an opportunity for mastery.
It is okay to have moments when you complain about how things are. We all do that and that is fine just as long as it does not prevent you from moving forward.
Life is always in motion even if you feel that you are stuck. Growth is a constant and there is a lot of beauty in growing. Do you want to go back to where you were when you were a teenager? No amount of money in the world could make me consciously choose to turn back time. All that happened got me to where I am now.
And even though the road ahead is somewhat unknown at the moment, I am grounded in knowing that whatever comes across my path, I will be able to handle it. Does this mean I do not have fear? No, it means I am rooted in faith.
What is faith? When I first began my spiritual journey, I thought of faith as believing in God. Faith is more than that. Faith is knowing that at any given moment you are being watched over and that you are being taken care of constantly.
Faith also means knowing that you are responsible for how you experience life. When I was just starting my spiritual journey, I thought that I had no free will. I viewed destiny as something that I could not control. Buddhism changed this around for me.
Yes, there is a thing called destiny. Certain things you are meant to experience but you also have the free will to choose how you experience an event. Those choices result in your karma. You are the creator and destroyer of your world.
Now I realize this may scare some people because let’s face it, none of us wants to deal with negative karma. Whenever I talk about karma, my dad gets all nervous because he thinks it means there is no hope. There is hope. Because based on how you choose to live life, you can also alter your karma.
When I was a new initiate in the Ramakrishna/Vedanta Order, there was a story we were taught about a man whose karma was that he would be severely injured by a sword since he had done the same to another man some ten years earlier. The story went on to show that the man sincerely prayed every day for forgiveness and turned his life around to redeem his actions. As a result of his efforts, injury by a sword was reduced to the mere experience of a paper cut.
The Universe is merciful. We all have had our share of pain and suffering. No one is immune from this fact. Life is short but you can control how you choose to experience your life. So choose to live your life based on what is your truth and what makes your heart sing.
The only person who can hold you back is you and that is an easy obstacle to remove. Simply change your perception. The glass is not half empty and it is not half full. It is over flowing, baby!
Special note: Here is a link to my newest article over at Elephant Journal.
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Hi Nadia, I agree that life is what you make of it. You can be in the worst possible situation on earth, but somehow find a way to work through it by changing your perspective.
I, too, was jobless after I came back to the US and I decided to look into some work in freelancing (even though I have never done it before). It took some time, but I applied with a resume that was sort of old. To my amazement, one day when I was checking my mail, but I was hired!
I think we are responsible for our lives, and if we take chances with a positive outlook beforehand, eventually things will work out. As stated in one of the most sacred texts of India – The Bhagavad Gita: “Even in the knocks of life we can find great gifts.”
Thanks for sharing this post.
Hulbert´s last blog ..Identifying Worst Possible Scenarios
Hi Hulbert,
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the best spiritual books out there. The line you quoted was an example of the power of that book. Even though the events in that book were ages ago, the wisdom of it still applies to modern life.
When we take chances that are rooted or inspired by our heart, things have a beautiful way of working out. The problem is that many of us do not fully listen or understand the language of the heart. Many people things it means going by desire but what it truly means is making decisions based on what your inner voice is guiding you to do. Every time I followed that inner voice, I was always led in the right direction without much problems. It was when I listened to fear (a.k.a the mind) that I ended up in situations that were less than ideal.
By the way, I loved how your job situation worked out for you! Yay!
Nadia,
I love the quote that you used to start this. It is so true, what we do is who we are. And all of that we can change by changing our thoughts and our actions. I find much hope in all of that. No matter where we are in our life journey, we all have the ability to lead our life in the directions we desire. And when that is rooted in faith, in something more than ourselves, I think we see our connection to the world and to others in a new light. That’s a light that is very much filled with all being possible, and that’s such a great feeling!
Lance´s last blog ..Sunday Thought For The Day
Hi Lance,
Anything in life is possible. For some reason, we think that life is limited to some degree. The only limits that exist are the ones that we create. I forget who said it but there is a saying that goes “if the mind can perceive it, it can be achieved”. I think there is a lot of wisdom in that. We can do anything we just our minds to accomplish. We just need to believe that it is possible and more importantly, to believe in ourselves.
And I love the quote too! Kind of interesting that it still applies after all these centuries.
There is a universal quote that if you want to see any changes in world, first change your view/attitude. You can’t the world but can change your view/attitude towards life and world of course! It’s very hard to put in action but worth to try but only brave men/woman can do that.
And about Karma, you are quite right that we only are creator and destroyer.
…blessings don’t always come in ways that you want or desire. — Nadia, I like this line. This means a lot to me.
My mom always used to tell me that…there is every solution of your problem in Bhagwad Geeta. Lord Krishna had described each and every thing about life and problem…you just need to understand his message. But frankly speaking, i never have had read the Bhagwad Geeta throughout.
btw, I enjoyed ur write-up! Thanks for posting.
Sonia´s last blog ..Hearty Tomato Soup!
Hi Sonia,
Your mom was right.
The Bhagavad Gita is such a powerful book. I had to study it when I was considering becoming a nun. I just love that book. The wisdom in it still applies all these years later.
And blessings come in ways that are appropriate for us. They may not be in the manner that we love but ultimately there is a purpose to it. We just have to trust that which sometimes is easier said than done.
Thank you for the positive feedback! I hope that all is awesome with you!
This is so right on. I always find myself nodding my head in agreement with whatever you write
. I finally got my ADSL up so I’m back on the interwebs!
When I moved to Spain a few weeks ago everything was in chaos. No bank accounts, no ADSL, no order! I realized how much I needed control so it helped me focus on that issue and release it to a large degree.
Everything turned out just fine, but it was my mind wanting to create the perceived threat or problem. And it never existed in the first place. It’s nice, warm and sunny here
Henri @ Wake Up Cloud´s last blog ..A Guide to Asking Questions That Change Your Life
Hi Henri,
Great to have you back!
And thank you for saying that you always find yourself nodding in agreement as you read my posts. I really appreciate that.
What you shared about your situation in Spain was just perfect. Everything worked out fine…you just had to go through the motions. It reminds me of a quote from a Buddhist teacher: “If there is a solution to your problem, then there is no need to worry. If there is no solution to your problem, then there is no need to worry because there is nothing that can be done.”
Life has a way of working things out…it just has to happen at its own time and pace.
Enjoy the warm weather!
Exactly. That quote is awesome and 100% true! The buddhist dudes sure know what they were/are talking about. It is the “religion” I resonate with the most, if I had to pick one. I’m a huge fan of Jack Kornfield.
Hi Henri,
Buddhism is a fascinating religion. Actually, all Eastern religions are amazing because they show the power of the mind and how to use it to your advantage. For me, it was like being given a manual for how my mind works. It truly changed my life around. I always tell people that Buddhism saved my life.
I have never read any books by Jack Kornfield but I have heard that he is a very great writer. My favorites are the Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh and Lama Surya Das.
This is also what I like about Eastern thought , especially Buddhism: they idea of mastering life and happiness my mastering your perceptions. I think Western science managed to take it one step further though, by developing the most effective tools for changing thinking habits and perceptions. So, east meets west
Eduard @ Ideas With A Kick´s last blog ..Positive thinking won’t help you now
Hi Eduard,
I think we need both (eastern and western) thought systems in order to make the most out of life. I have seen people who are rooted in only one and that never seems to work. I think the two work hand in hand. So I totally agree!
This is a great reminder, Nadia. People forget that they have the ability to make their dreams come true, or they can make their nightmares come true, too. Like my good friend Eric Clapton once sang, “It’s in the way that you use it.”
Jay Schryer´s last blog ..Acceptance
Hi Jay,
Nightmares can come true too, don’t they?
We forget about that one since most of the times we think of dreams being positive.
Life is an interesting journey. That is for sure and btw, you have a very wise friend!
Hi Nadia, your ending ‘baby’ just got me and cracked me up.
Unemployment is a huge issue and can get the mind going big time, especially as the fear gets fueled by external as well as internal conversations.
When you cannot see a solution AND yet daring to sit still and enjoying the time to contemplate rather than frantically going and doing ineffective things, THAT IS hard as it is soooo against the grain.
It still feels like going against the grain, these total turn around new ways of BE-ing and that is the hardest for me to deal with.
However staying in conversation about it sure helps, so thanks ‘baby’, love Wilma.
Wilma Ham´s last blog ..Learning to observe my Little Voice, my ego.
Hi Wilma,
I am happy that I could provide some laughter!
You are right that being unemployed creates all kinds of inner and outer dialogues. I know for me there was a phase of concern that I needed to find a new job as soon as possible.
However, with each interview, I learned something new. Combine that with all the signs that I was getting and it became obvious that I need to change my ways.
That one shift did wonders because it opened up a whole new vista!
So the Universe works in interesting ways! And thank you for the support, baby!
This idea is also a big part of Cognitive Behavioral Theories in psychology. What strikes me about this philosophy is the dichotomy between free will, karma, and destiny. I believe in all three. They seem contradictory to a linear logic; however, I think they all fit together in the larger scheme. As usual, your post has been very uplifting!
lena´s last blog ..Weight Resolution: Progress Note
Hi Lena,
You raise a great point that the three do work together. I believe that too. I just do not think we fully understand how. At least, I do not fully understand how all three function as a whole. What I do know is that at any given second, I have the power to choose how to handle it. I can control how I play my role and that in turn will create the outcome. The details of how that comes to be is in the hands of the Universe/God/The Force.
Hope all is awesome with you!
Hi Nadia,
All so true…perception is everything! “Faith is knowing that at any given moment you are being watched over and that you are being taken care of constantly.” Knowing this, believing this has allowed me to be ok with the many ups and downs in my life…to ride the waves a recognize that each individual wave is part of the ocean of the universe that rocks us all in it’s vast arms.
Laura Hegfield´s last blog ..Drive By Beauty
Hi Laura,
What a beautiful description! It is like the waves of the ocean. We are constantly surrounded by unconditional love and that love always looks after us. That love is so merciful. It is very humbling and amazing.
I love the deep optimism you express here, Nadia. The reminder that the universe is merciful is so reassuring, and it’s helpful for me to remember that as I try to live up to the responsibility of shaping my life well through my intention and choices.
I’m of the Christian faith, but it was Buddhist practice that helped to open the spiritual path that gave Christianity new meaning for me. I, too, love the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, as you mentioned in your reply to Henri. I return to his book, THE MIRACLE OF MINDFULNESS, again and again. I don’t know the work of Lama Surya Das – I’ll have to check it out!
Hi Susan,
Last year I had a post about my response when someone asked me what religion I followed. I answered the following: “A Jesus loving Buddhist who believes that all religions are one.”
I think Buddhism compliments all religions. Then again, this is coming from someone who studied them all and saw how they all interconnect on some level.
That said, each person has to find a way that speaks to them. The basic principles are all the same but they are shared in different ways.
God/The Universe is merciful and very loving. Each moment is a new beginning.
And thank you for the book recommendation! Thich Nhat Hanh is just awesome. The dude is in his 80s and looks half his age. Every monk I have ever studied with was the same in that regard. All glowed.
Hope all is well and thank you so much for all that you wrote!
Hi Nadia:
Thanks for this great reminder…having been laid off a few times in recent years, I also understand that our time in transition can be a positive thing. In my last transition, I became addicted to some really great blogs out there. Reading all of them planted the seed to where I’m at today…I’ve really begun to think more in a more entrepreneurial sense in my career and my life…and ultimately it may influence my next opportunity. Thanks for the reminder that we have more control over things than we think.
Tim´s last blog ..Weekend Video Diversion: No Pants With Improv Everywhere
Hi Tim,
I remember you wrote a post about what you learned from being laid off. I think such an event can either lead a person to depression or provide the foundation for a whole new life.
Good for you for using it to create a whole new life! I am too! Here’s to our success!
Choosing how to experience and how to respond are keys to skilled living.
J.D. Meier´s last blog ..Dancing in the Rain
Hi JD,
That is very true.
Hi Nadia .. a very interesting example re the sword to the paper cut. I had never thought of karma as negative – just something once it had happened, was meant to be. However as we all learn from you – we can control those emotions and by changing our perceptions we can achieve a better circumstance, one more helpful to us.
It is up to us how we view life, how we react and how we go about our daily existence .. we control our own destiny.
I’d read your title as forgiveness in a paper cup – & have only just now realised it’s a paper cut!! Your words are so well put .. thank you -
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
Hilary´s last blog ..A bet on the Eleven Cities Tour or the Winter Olympics being held?
Hi Hilary,
Life is what we make out of it. Our perceptions dictate our actions so it is important that we view events/circumstances from a positive state of mind as opposed to a negative outlook.
That story of the sword is one of my many favorites. It shows how merciful God/The Universe can be and is.
Hope all is well!
I’d never heard of that story with the paper cut — how cool! Thank for sharing it. (I love karma stories!)
Fearless faith, as you said, means that we accept every moment we are in as being perfect. Nothing needs to be changed… except, perhaps, our attitudes or acceptance of such!
As you know, you and I were in similar situations for quite awhile. (I found solace in your good company, by the way!) I’m happy to say that fearless faith, coupled with detachment, yielded awesome results, and just last week I accepted a phenomenal new job that I’m superbly excited about. It meets my criteria of FUN, flexibility, GOOD PAY, and positive vibes, and is such a cool manifest… I’m almost speechless!
So stay true, Nadia, and know like no one’s business that your perfect work is waiting for you.
Much love & joy to you!
Megan “JoyGirl!” Bord´s last blog ..Authenticity = New Definitions
Hi Megan,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!
Can you tell how happy I am for you?
Good for you! Proves to me, yet again, that things always work out in the end…especially if you are being true to yourself!
Don’t worry about me…I am not giving up at all!
Much love and joy to you too!
Hi Nadia! Boy I’m with ya on not wanting to be a teen again – holy crap, what a nightmare! And just like you, I know all of that yuck made me who I am today. Now I wouldn’t MIND shaving off a few years, haha, except I really truly don’t want to give up one teensy bit of accumulated life lessons/wisdom/experience for less wrinkles and a firm tooch.
I heard something the other day that struck such a chord in me – it was “something doesn’t have to be truth to have people believe it”. I thought about that and wow, look at the number of souls wandering this planet with beliefs that are anything BUT truth. Just had to share that – I’m thinking about this as potential blog topic potential. This is more the flip side of what you are saying, I know, but finding our own truth is such a journey, it may help to see some of the pitfalls as well.
Hugs,
suZen
Hi SuZen,
That is a wonderful quote and very accurate. I know for myself that I had to go through many things in order to make sense out of life and my experiences. I agree with you that we each have our own idea of what is truth.
I can look back in my own life and see certain things that I went after because it was an expected thing to do. Which in a way is a form of truth. Expected achievements or possessions are often confused as being indications of what is truth. So I totally understand how that quote struck a chord for you…it has done the same for me.
I look forward to reading your blog post about it because I think it is a wonderful topic. Truth, like beauty, is often in the eye of the beholder. Yet the real divine truth may be nothing like what we think or believe.
Hugs right back!
Hi Nadia! I love your closing line that life is overflowing. That is an Awesome perspective on life! Way to shake things up! Much love to you, Jodi
Hi Jodi,
Glad you liked it! Life is overflowing at all times…we just need to look.
Hope all is awesome with you!
Oh Nadia, your articles always bring out this immense passion and glee within me and make me want to say Yes! Yes! Yes!
I love all that you shared here and so much enjoy how you share your wisdom!
Evita´s last blog ..Hope For Haiti – You Can Help
Hi Evita,
Your comments and posts do the same for me! Great minds think alike, right?
Thank you so much for always being so supportive. I really appreciate it.
Well written article! We certainly have the responsibility to make conscious choices and shape some of our future by our present action. This applies to everyone whether he or she believes in Karma or not.
We also have the freedom and responsibility to perceive life and respond to it with faith, perspective, acceptance,enthusiasm and non-attachment.
Thanks again for the post!
Gilbert Ross | Soul Hiker´s last blog ..How to Meditate while Being Active
Hi Gilbert,
Thank you so much for the positive feedback.
We definitely have a lot of freedom when it comes to living. We create our existence based on our choices. Our thoughts and actions are mirrored back to us in amazing ways.
Hope all is awesome!
Nadia, – In the context of what you are saying:
I would like to share the following story. A certain wise man was looking for an able and talented student, that had enough knowledge and abilities, so that he could inherit them from his teacher after his eventual death. So the Master, assembled all of his students and said:
I have a certain problem and would like to know, if anyone among you could help me solve it. Now please look behind my back and notice the largest, heaviest and massive door in this town. Who among you can open it without any external help?
Some of his pupils simply bend their heads and immediately resigned. Others started investigating the door, trying to move it with certain things that usually worked in such occasions , checked from what kind of materials the door was build and arrived to the conclusion that the problem had no solution on of its own.
So everyone reported back to the Master that they were unable to find any feasible solution.
Only one student approached the door decisively and started examining it closely .After observing everything, he began pressing the surface of the door, moving his hands around very gently.
Finally he signed with a sense of deep relief, concentrated himself for a moment and pressed the door
very lightly on a specific spot that he had located. The door opened without a sign of resistance.
It was constructed in such a brilliant way, that just a very gentle push in the right spot could do the job.
That is how the Master found his pupil. After the happening he turned towards his followers and spoke some true words of accumulated wisdom:
-The overall success in life depends on several key issues of utmost importance, which you had the golden opportunity to observe in sequence.
First –allow your feelings to perceive holistically the reality that surrounds you.
Second –do not rush into hasty and not well – thought through creatively, decisions that may turn out to be misleading.
Third – be courageous enough to make a decisive step into the right direction when your intuition tells you so.
Fourth – once you have made up your mind and decide on something, act with confidence and without being tortured by needles doubts.
Fifth – concentrate and back up your decision with all your strength, energy and moral.
Finally – don’t be afraid to make a mistake, but learn from it and don’t repeat it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Aej0vQJNQA
Hi Michael,
That is a beautiful story! Where did you first learn of this story?
Those six lessons are just wonderful and so true. Each point was a gem.
Often we complicate life far more than is necessary.
Thank you so much for sharing the story with all of us.
It’s a great story.
There are various ways to look at karma. In the west, we tend to look at it as pay-back. The views vary in Vedanta, Advaita and Buddhist traditions, and Krishna’s karma-yoga in the Gita is different still. I see it non-mystically, as the conditioning and beliefs which build up in us, and take away our free will.
It’s a good point about fear–many people are afraid of negative karma, or prescribed destiny, or even simply facing up to what is negative in us. A lot of it I suppose comes from recent spiritual movements towards the law of attraction and positive thinking. It takes just a bit of experience to see that we can simply allow, and release whatever we think is negative. We are not bound by negative karma.
In the end, it all comes down to releasing fear. As you say, it’s up to us, and we all have the power to open up.
I hope you are well!
k
Kaushik´s last blog ..Why we don’t do the things that are good for us?
Hi Kaushik,
A lot of fear of payback, I think, results from a Christian perspective of there being a hell and that people are sinners. Some interpretations of Christanity are rooted in the concept that people are bad and there is no hope unless you follow Christ. So with that framework in mind, I think that is why in the West karma is viewed as a negative thing. While in the East, the perception is different as you wisely noted.
The great thing about karma is that we can change it by how we choose to act and be in any given situation!
All is awesome over here and hope the same is true for you!
On working, my experience is similar. I’ve been out of work for a long time. It’s my particular combination of experience and I wonder also if I sabotage myself–not playing along with corporate words and persona which seem to be required.
But it all works out. We simply have to be authentic.
k
Kaushik´s last blog ..Why we don’t do the things that are good for us?
Hi Kaushik,
I totally agree about the importance in being authentic. Life has a way of working things out in a manner that is perfect for all involved.
“Yes, there is a thing called destiny. Certain things you are meant to experience but you also have the free will to choose how you experience an event.” – It’s amazing how many people don’t get this concept. They believe they are mutually exclusive but they are not- hey whatdya know, my next blog post!
There is a grand order and there is a microcosm of decision and experience.
Thank you Nadia! x
Amit Sodha – The Power Of Choice´s last blog ..Honouring People And Cultures With Language Skills
Hi Amit,
You are welcome. I am happy to have provided inspiration for a blog post!
You are right, people often think free will and destiny are mutually exclusive but they are not. Both work hand in hand which surprises many people. I know that it was not until I studied Eastern thought that I realized that both worked in unison. For me, that was such a wonderful realization because it brought a sense of understanding as to how things work. It also made me realize that I have the ability to determine my experience in life even if certain things are out of my control. There is a lot of beauty in that…at least for me.
“Faith is knowing that at any given moment you are being watched over and that you are being taken care of constantly…” that is a superiorily wonderful and true thought, Nadia. The loving universe will always provide what we need, and we can choose to take our life to its highest level, or not.
Jannie Funster´s last blog ..(And I Thought “Leaven” Was Just A Bread-Baking Thing!!)
Hi Jannie,
That is so true. At any given moment, we are supplied with what we need. There is a lot of mercy and beauty in that awareness. I remember when I first discovered that to be true, it changed my perception about fear. And we are the creators of our reality. We can either take every opportunity as a springing board to move up or we can choose to remain stuck. I prefer to move up!
Hi Nadia!
Overflowing and sloshing over! Your article reminds me very much of one of my favorite poems, Invictus – especially the last two lines…
I am the Master of my Fate
the Captain of my Destiny!
Riding the wave with ya!
Peggy´s last blog ..Struggle
Hi Peggy,
That is one of my favorite poems too! I featured it on here a while ago. Those last two lines are very powerful.
And yay for riding the wave with me! There is always enough room for anyone who wants to join in.
Hope all is awesome!
Nadia, this is wonderful. Your learnings are profound and I can see (definitely!) how this time off has been so very valuable and necessary for you. I bet you feel like a different person now than when you were working. I love the teaching story about the paper cut. It feels so true. Life is change. Life is impermanent. And we have a very large chuck of responsibility to pick up and carry through life about that. Our choices do make or break our lives. They do create karma. We create our destiny with every breath. May it be a wise breath. xo
Hi Jan,
Thank you so much for all the positive feedback and the support!
The more time goes by, the more grateful I am for the journey that I have been so blessed to have. Life is so much more than we may realize. Often we may feel like we are the victim of circumstance but that is not the case. Each second we choose how to be. We are the creators and destroyers of our reality. Yet despite that, there is a Higher Power which looks over us at all times and always has our best interests in mind. There is so much comfort in that.
And amen for wise breaths!
Hi Nadia – some very poignant thinking here. I’ll play some zen buddhism “devils advocate” and offer that you are also “what you don’t think”. Zen is about self reflection and not. It’s the “not” part most people struggle with. Interestingly, focusing on this can help you get unstuck when the motion of life (job, money, stress from friends or work, etc…) is swirling around you. //Marc
Hi Marc,
Thank you for the positive feedback. I hear what you are saying and I agree.
You are what you don’t think and it is tru that not many engage in self-reflection. I think many do not because it is kind of scary or they just simply do not know how to do so. At least, that is what I have noticed.
Many people view life from a surface level and do not dig deep. Maybe they do not because they may not like what they see or they will be afraid that it will remove any sense of fun. The irony is that when we reflect on ourselves and on life, that is when we realize what it is all about and have fun while we are alive.
Hope all is well with you!
An excellent post. You hit the nail on the head when you said: The only person who can hold you back is you and that is an easy obstacle to remove. Simply change your perception.
Forgiveness is indeed a change in perception.
Hi David,
Thank you so much for the positive feedback.
It is amazing what a change in perception can do. Often we think it is others who get in our way but the reality is that we often get in our own way.
Hope all is awesome!
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