Some months ago I was guided during a consultation with a colleague from the Netherlands to make at least three essences several weeks or months apart, by a very large and significant Oak Tree on our property.  He suggested I take time on my morning walks to sit a little by the tree and feel what comes to me. This tree he said was very connected with the land and environment here and played a big role in cleansing and transmuting energies from the Earth and Universe. The essences were he felt primarily for me personally and also to given to all the inhabitants here with some given back to the land and the tree.  It was to help us be really connected to nature and our environment and teach us how to allow disharmonious energies that had been affecting us to be cleansed the way the trees do. Creating my own essence range would come in the future he said, but this was needed for me right now.

To be honest I thought I already was pretty connected and in tune with the natural environment, but the consult with Koen was pretty amazing and I was keen to follow his advice.  For a long time I seem to have been constantly trying to fix myself. My husband and the animals too. Its been quite a journey that have led me to work with some amazing healers, teachers and mentors with some weird and wonderful experiences. Perhaps I will write about that another time.  So the three essences I have made so far have all been easing me along with some personal growth and I have been seeing changes in the way of BE ing in me and the horses.  My husband and Dogs also had some of the first one I made back in April this year.

Despite knowing about the Lunar eclipse and the Full Blood Moon on 27th July during that day I only briefly wondered if I should make another essence.  That day it was still over 30 degrees in the drought we had been enduring here in the UK.  I was feeling it was becoming desperate as I looked at the parched land.  The grass was brown and dead, even some of the bigger trees were dropping leaves now and the soil had developed large cracks.  For weeks we had been trying to keep the 1000 saplings we planted back in the Autumn alive by hand watering them all with water pumped from our pond which luckily was spring fed so hadn’t dried up. We had lost some fish due to the high temperatures and lack of oxygen in the water. The dogs and horses were struggling with the heat and although it was lovely to have a proper summer it was not balanced with any rain.  We had only had a couple of showers over the farm since the beginning of May and any predicted rain kept missing us as the showers were very localised. I looked at the Oak that afternoon and sent a thought of should we make an essence and at that point felt I don’t think so. I just wasn’t feeling it.

Then The Storm Came – All Systems Go

It must have been around 9 pm as it was getting dusk and certainly the sky had darkened with storm clouds.  Then the lightening came and some almighty crashes and flashes and rain at last.  I suddenly felt a strong sense of urgency to run down to the Tree and make an essence. It was like someone was saying “Now, Do it Now!!” So like a crazy woman I grabbed my essence making bowl and in pyjamas flew down there in the pouring rain.  Standing under the shelter of the tree and in the cover of the wooded walk way I was able to connect with the nature around me and witness the storm unfolding whilst Co Creating the forth essence on the night of the Lunar Eclipse and Blood Moon.  ( I know standing under and touching a tree during a lightening storm is really not advisable! But I felt perfectly safe and meant to be there )

The images above I have used to try to capture the essence of what I was feeling and what was happening around me.  Some of the images are my own and some are royalty free stock images as I didn’t take a camera at the time.

My Observations and Insights – What is This Essence All About

Even as I was running down to the Tree I pictured the long drought and felt the cool rain on my face and the words perseverance and endurance sprang to mind and pushing through. Standing under the Oak I mentally sent a request out that we could Co Create a special essence this night with the energy of the storm the great Oak and nature around me that is the farm.  It was all happening so fast I hadn’t had time to really connect and set my intention or meditate on what this particular essence was going to be for so I asked that I be shown over the coming days and during taking the essence.

My senses felt heightened and I felt so alive. Pink sheet lightening left a soft pick glow behind the grey clouds, as a sharp wind picks up and cool rain begins to thunder on the canopy of leaves above me. Every now and then there is a flash of lightening and a thunder clap, the air is so fresh and charged with negative ions. The brook beside me is running faster and the sound of running water, wind and rain, thunder and lightening and the leaves above me make my senses feel sharp like an animals. I see the horses in the field and think of their power. They are actually just grazing but I see them in my head as they were the other day in the image above playing and feel their power.  As the thunder crashes I see them rearing and full of energy.  I lay my hands on the Oak and can feel a buzz of energy pouring down her trunk into the Earth and as I allow myself to connect with the tree I sense the energy spreading everywhere through an etheric energy web. I see another large Oak in the distance and instantly see the alignment of them with other large Oaks on the farm and see the connectivity of them all and of that with all the trees and am reminded of the alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon on this night.  I stepped out into the rain with arms open wide in the air letting the elements blast me.

My feelings for this essence are that it is to be highly cleansing and energising, a powerful catalyst for change but also a feeling of surrender and letting go of parts of ourselves that limit our greater potential.  It is powerful and action orientated, giving strength and perseverance.  Also about being in alignment of ones Soul and alignment with nature. Due to the cloud cover I couldn’t actually see the moon but her influence and significance of the eclipse were there non the less and I left the bowl out under the night sky over night.

Once back in doors I started googling about the Eclipse and found myself on a website of a lady from the USA that spoke about astronomical influences around this Moon. She mentioned the influence of Mars current location and how that gives masculine drive. The influence of the Asteroid Pallas is awakening a deeper insight into the divine feminine so this is a great time for women in particular to step into their power. She talks about a time for surrender of limiting beliefs, taking action and stepping into our own individual gifts and skills.  To be SEEN and Shine and Shine Brightly.

I m looking forward to taking this essence and seeing how things continue to unfold.

The post Co Creating an Environmental Essence with Nature at Brook Farm appeared first on Oaksbrook.

Horses by their by nature are Claustrophobic and herd animals so having to be confined to a stable for long periods perhaps under vets recommendation for a medical condition and travelling in trailers and lorries can cause problems for many horses.  It’s amazing that so many do adapt and tolerate these things so readily.  It’s a testament to horses adaptability that they do and most if introduced thoughtfully and carefully with positive training methods will accept transport and periods of confinement.

There are of course many practical things you can do to help a horse accept these situation by careful introductions to transport vehicles, desensitisation and care not to over face them. A travel companion or mirror can be helpful and a slow careful driver to take the horse somewhere that it will find enjoyable and not totally stressful so the association with travel is not unpleasant.  For the prolonged stabling you can try mirrors, enrichment toys like food balls, slow feeders, ad lib hay etc.

Some essences I have found very helpful for for horses in these situations are those for emotions of fear. the Australian Bush Essences Dog Rose, Bach Flower Essence Mimulus and Aspen for known fears and vague fears or anxiety.  You could of course use Bach Flower Rescue Remedy, Alaskan Soul Support, Alaskan Guardian Combination, Wild Earth Animal Essence Protection Combination and No Fear from the Indigo range.  These could be given in water or on a treat such as piece of apple or used as a spray to spray the space.

From the Alaskan Essences I like very much using the single flower essence White Violet.  Indications for this essence are for those uncomfortable in closed spaces and constrained environments.  I like from the Indigo Essence Crystal Series “Bubble”.  Horses have a big personal space so their energy field can feel very constrained in tight places or busy excitable environments and Bubble which is a mixture of gem’s Apophyllite and Peach Stillbite will help them feel like they have a bubble around them and feel safe.  I’ve found this very useful at horse shows when I used to take my then youngster Wraheem out.

I would also look at essences to help with grounding as travelling a horse in itself is ungrounding and if the destination is a busy and crowded environment such as a horse show a horse could feel very ungrounded and reactive.  Alaska Violet for grounding, Guardian Spray would be good for this as promotes the energies of calm, stability and security. Gem essence Malachite is very grounding  and Jadeite Jade is lovely for those agitated, upset and easily pulled of centre,  Green Garnet for being ungrounded, disconnected from Earth, disorientated which can be the case after loading on a trailer and coming off at the other end to find you are somewhere else!, easily overwhelmed and scattered.

For horses confined to stables perhaps recovering form an injury I would want to pick individual essences to support the healing process, but also some more general sprays or essences in water to help with the confinement as a depressed horse or overly stressed horse is not going to have the best healing outcome.  For this I might use Bach Flower Impatiens, Alaskan Environmental Essence Polar Ice, Angelic Canopy Orchid Essence or Alaskan Soul Support.

The post Essences to Help with Transporting Horses and Box Rest appeared first on Oaksbrook.

If I am going to do some Equine Touch Which is a modality that works gently over meridians, fascia, muscles and ligaments and promotes calmness and balance and encourages the body to begin its own healing process and find its best balance then essences to support that process are going to help.  Many times I myself have found that you can be having all sorts of physical treatments for your horse, self, dog etc like Chiropractic, Physio therapy etc and the results are short lasting.  This can be due to many things.  Postural habit, cellular memory, trauma and tension held in the body, dietary concerns, underlying health conditions causing a compensatory posture, poor hoof balance in horses,  environmental influences, herd and people dynamics etc.

In the U.K. Only a vet is allowed to diagnose.  Often a client may have a diagnosis or two or three and will give me a detailed history. The information can be useful to build up a picture of what is going on, but none of the modalities I am trained in allow me to claim I am treating or cure a physical condition.  They can support the animal emotionally and promote healing by encouraging the release of held patterns and tensions, traumas and address imbalances allowing the body’s inate healing ability to try to come into balance and harmony as its original blueprint.

I would often choose initially gem and environmental essences mostly from the Alaskan Essence range as Alaska represents a very pristine, energetically intact environment and the essences carry that vibration. Gem essences from the mineral kingdom bring gifts of structure and stability and environmental Essences cleanse, purify and also bring energy to the healing process that may be catalysed by flower essences or the release through some body work.

Where there has been physical issues I might try Alaskan Research Essence Green Tourmaline/Smokey Quartz. This is for anxious individuals, holding tension in the body, especially after shock or upset. I enjoy using the Pacific Essences especially the Sea Essences and have found many times in body work that Sea Horse has been helpful.

Where there has been chronic illness I might try Carnelian for burn out and fatigue, Portage Glacier for cleansing vibrant energy, purifying and energising Brazillian Quartz, Bloodstone where energetic stagnation has occurred or Flourite where stagnation has manifested as rigidity and inflexibility, Purification combination essence, Black Tourmaline and possibly Silver where I think some toxicity has added to the problem. Pacific sea essence Green Kelp can be good where there has been an imbalance in the digestive system of the horse as it has properties of soothing, cooling, cleansing and calming.

Essences are great to use alongside Reiki or other energy healing work as many have healing properties relating to the Chakras, Meridians and Nadirs and the subtle bodies.  They can be added to creams or oils and I mix a selection in a spray bottle which I call Release Spray that I will smooth on my hands or spray around the horse if he is happy with that before I do any Equine Touch or Energy Work.  I do always look at each case individually and take into account the many factors that can be contributing to that animals particular problem or disease.  The Flower essences can act as catalysts for growth and release of anything no longer serving and the gem and environmental essences can help give the energy and energetic structure for the healing process.  Many times then the more physical treatments will have lasting benefit.

Gem photo curtesy of Steve Johnson, Alaskan Essences.

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I use the Alaskan Essences a lot myself and in practice and although of course there are many essences that can support us I felt the webinar had real relevance to the current events. Therefore I will mention some of the key things that were presented in the webinar.

Why Gem Essences Are So Important At This Time

Many of the old social, economic and political structures that we used to depend on for stability are going through unprecedented change or collapsing altogether.  We therefore need more than ever some structure in our lives that we can count on for support. The mineral kingdom can help with this since minerals from the Earth give form, structure and support.  Gem essences primary action is to stabilise and balance the energy field of the body, including the subtle bodies which make up the aura and the chakras.  They also work by catalysing the release of stress and tension that accumulates in the auric field.  They help release the dissonant energies so the body’s energy field can come back into alignment and so too does the physical body which is then able to regain its natural state of balance, stability and resistance to stress.  They help us to integrate change at the deepest level.

Below are some gem essences that will be particularly helpful in these fast changing times of uncertainty.

Blue Topaz

The above photographs and  some descriptive content curtesy of Steve Johnson, Alaskan Essences.

I hope that these essences may prove helpful to you.  If you would like to try some of those mentioned or consider a consultation for a more individual combination for what you need right now, do please get in touch.

lets all try to unite and focus on creating the world we would like to see. We can’t do that when we feel, lost, ungrounded, separate, fearful, angry and divided.

Love and light

Jane

The post Coping with Uncertainty and Deep Change with the Help of the Alaskan Gem Essences appeared first on Oaksbrook.

I began with Alaskan Combination Essence Pregnancy Support and started this before she conceived.  The trip to visit the stallion caused me more worry I think, but I gave her some Mimulus for know fear as she was a little worried about travelling in the trailer. All went well and she conceived after her second visit to her husband.  She actually had a very uneventful pregnancy which I would like to think was partly due to the Pregnancy Support Essence.  The birth went well too and when I went out to the barn the morning after a heavy storm there was this tiny filly foal we named Scarlet.

All seemed fine at first, but by the second day Milli was becoming reluctant to feed Scarlet who seemed to be ravenous and constantly wanting to feed.  She was very long legged and seemed to be having trouble reaching the udder and was getting frustrated. Milli was getting frustrated too and on inspection of her udder it looked very full and sore. She also had not passed the placenta which needs to come away intact or can be very dangerous to the mare. We had the vet out in all three times over the next couple of days.  He administered oxytocin injection to help Milli expel the placenta. She had also been showing signs of colic.  I had been spending the whole time supervising feedings as Milli had started squealing and trying to kick the foal every time she tried to feed. I was spraying Soul Support in the stable and whilst waiting for the vet on one occasion when Milli was colicky was doing Equine Touch moves for her. I was tired with all the lack of sleep and worry so wasn’t really thinking about more specific essences.  Following on from my previous post about how our emotions can affect animals, was my anxiety contributing to the downward spiral of Milli being reluctant to feed the foal?  She was getting anxious every time Scarlet went near her because she was sore and was in pain and Scarlet was getting anxious and bewildered when her mother was telling her off and pushing her away.

The vet suggested now the weather had improved that we turn them both out and maybe if the foal had more space to run about and explore that Millis maternal instincts would kick in again and she would allow her to feed without me holding her.  At this point a thought popped into my head for the flower essence Green Bells of Ireland.  This is a lovely essence and such a nice one to give a new born as it connects them to nature and shows them the huge support from nature. I felt it was quite a key essence as the birth and first few days after had out of necessity been confined to the barn and had to have human intervention from the vet, drugs and interference with the bonding due to Milli not wanting to feed her foal. I also gave them both Grove Sandwort which helps the bonding and nurturing process and the connection between mother, offspring and the Earth.  This is a key essence in the Alaskan system for animals especially where that bond and connection is missing and in poor weaning. I’ll talk about that in another post.

Scarlet was a bold foal and couldn’t wait to explore and stretch her long legs and sure enough when she started cantering about and the other horses all rushed to the fence full of excitement over the new arrival Millis protective and maternal instincts kicked in and she was following Scarlet everywhere and very soon letting her feed happily.  Both became relaxed and all the tension that had been present in the stable disappeared.

The post Giving Support During Pregnancy and Birth For Animals appeared first on Oaksbrook.

Animals that share our lives are often in environments far removed from their wild cousins. Those that share our homes like dogs and cats live closely with us and the dynamics in a family can have an impact on them.  Animals live in the emotional realm and are very good at absorbing and reflecting emotional energy from people around them. If there is a lot of stress and friction, grief or sadness, they can take on more emotional energy than they able to process.  Physical symptoms may then manifest just as it can in a human that is experiencing prolonged stress or trauma of some kind.  Just like if we get an upset stomach from nerves or anxiety, stiff sore shoulders from holding tension etc so our pets can experience things like this too, from minor niggles to chronic debilitating illness. We should try not to hold any guilt over this as the realisation that we may be contributing to our pets problems can be something we have never considered.  If we begin to see behaviour changes in our pets or physical symptoms of illness manifesting we could ask ourselves if things have been bad at work, school or at home and we are upset, sad, angry, anxious etc especially if it’s been for a long period and perhaps we ourselves are experiencing ill health as a result. The same could happen if you take your emotions after a bad day to your horse expecting a relaxed ride to help you unwind. If you are tense and upset it’s highly likely the horse will be too!  The good news is there are lots of essences that can help our animal friends and help ourselves in the process too.

Many animals that are in or have been through rescue centres, abandoned, traumatised, lost or have been lacking in emotional care and nurturing or deprived of basic necessities such as food or water are likely to have accumulated mental and emotional stresses and scars.  They may not be visible scars but none the less can severely affect the animals behaviour and cause disease.

There are also animals doing a great service like those involved in Equine Assisted Therapy Centres.  They are helping people from all walks of life and even having great success helping war veterans many whom are carrying very deep traumas from the horrors of war.  There are many dogs in service too.  If we can give healing to these animals and choose essences for them or let them choose their own then we can give something back to them so they don’t end up carrying heavy emotional burdens that will affect their wellbeing.

Useful Essences

In any emergency or stressful situation one of the most well known essences is the Bach Flower Original Rescue Remedy Formula.

A less known Combination Essence that I have used a lot is Animal Freedom by the Blosem Remedies of the Netherlands. This essences Is perfect for releasing the animal from the problems and sufferings it may have taken on from humans and in rescue and abuse cases it can help release the sufferings actually inflicted by humans whether conciously or unconsciously.

Some favourites I turn to a lot are from the Alaskan Essence range.  Animal Care which consists of a mixture of  Alaskan flower and gem essences can be a great first bottle to reach for and was originally created to assist in animal rescue work.  It can be given to any animal in need.   Soul Support can also be used in any emergency situation and helps bring balance, stability and strength to animals that have been involved in stressful or traumatic circumstances.  Both are available in a spray too which can be really helpful to spray in the house, pets sleeping areas, stables etc and have the bonus of affecting the people in the vicinity of the spray too.  Therefore if you suspect your pet is taking on your emotions and stress the sprays can help lift the mood and atmosphere.  The Alaskan Essences Animal Kit contains a great selection of combination and one individual essence that have been found to be really useful for helping animals.

Without delving too deeply into individual essences there are lots of wonderful combinations available from across many ranges from around the world that can be a great introduction and first course of action that can make a lot of difference to an animal and empower people to give this great healing modality a try.

The post Do Animals Take on our Emotions and Stresses and How Can Essences Help Them appeared first on Oaksbrook.

I will be posting some short articles about some of my own experiences with using essences for animals and also talking about a few key essences from different ranges that I have found very useful.

I will also talk about how I might combine essences when I am going to use another of my modalities to help an animal and assist that healing session.

During that week I will also be offering half price consultations and distant healing sessions.

The post Flower Essence Awareness Week appeared first on Oaksbrook.

As soon as I spotted it I tried to clean it up and clip away the hair surrounding the patch to help prevent it spreading.  Of course its not only sore but intensely itchy so that provoked a round of rolling all round the floor, digging up his bed and trying to scratch it.

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The pictures above show how the eczema patch started of quite small but because Kai kept scratching it and rubbing on the ground it soon spread, each day getting bigger.  This was such a shame as I had immediately cleaned it and applied Aloe Veterinary Formula spray and then Aloe Gel and within the first two ours of discovering it the redness and heat completely disappeared.  We had such trouble keeping the buster collar on him as he is a very big strong dog and would smash through the dog flap breaking it off or roll on it. We even tried duct taping it to keep it done up but he would roll on it buckling it backwards so it would form a big crease which was digging into his neck really tightly.  His other trick was to run and hide in the flower bed where I couldn’t reach him and dig soil up with such passion as to hurl it into the “Cone of Shame” all over the sore.  He really was an incredibly difficult patient and although I have no doubt if I could have kept the cone on and kept the sore clean enough the Aloe would have helped this heal without veterinary intervention  in the end as I was about to go away for a weekend trip leaving my husband to cope with him we took him to the vet.

As I used to work at a small animal practice for many years I had done the right thing clipping back the hair and keeping the sore clean and as dry as possible, but even the vet couldn’t get near him with the clippers.  We discovered he had an ear infection which was likely the cause of the scratching in the first place. He was given antibiotics, ear drops, and some Steroid gel.  I d hoped very much to avoid all this but the steroid is fast acting and with the antibiotics working from the inside I knew this would be be easier as it would start to heal without the need for too much actual handling and trying to apply things directly to the sore. On return from my trip he is doing really well as you can see from the bottom line of pictures and I am now bak to applying Aloe gel and he is having Aloe drink on his feed to help settle his gut after the antibiotics.

For more info on Aloe products that can help your pets contact me or visit my online shop.

The post Wet Eczema in Dogs appeared first on Oaksbrook.

He is barefoot and has been for many years although only recently transitioning to an actual barefoot trimmer from my usual farrier.  Wraheem has had a lot of issues. He is a great teacher because of this as I have been led down many holistic and conventional paths in the quest to restore him to full vitality and health.  He also mirrors me a lot.  We both frequently have the same issues going on, but thats all another story and a very long one best dealt with in bite sized chunks.  For this current subtle change in Wraheems posture and foot sensitivity I was initially worried it could be laminitis, but it didn’t quite add up with him avoiding heel pressure and tow landing as normally you would expect a laminitic horse to try to relieve the toes.

I began doing foot soaks on him which he obligingly stood happily for in his blue wellies full of warm water containing epsom salt and Dynamite Instant minerals.  These are great to draw out deep seated bacteria and help with bruising.  I gave him some arnica in case it was bruised heels and made up an essence for him to help with detox.

You can see from the picture on the left how he is standing very base narrow and even his hinds are up on his toes.  Whilst he was relaxing in the boots which I left on for half an hour he was dozing off and I used my Photonic Therapy torch to go over the wellness points, then the laminitis points an some over the lumber back area which was very tight from standing in this posture.  I did this for two days and he seemed very relieved and standing more normal the last evening.

The next morning though when I went to turn him out he could hardly more and was severely lame on his left fore unable to weight bare on it at all.  On closer inspection I could see a huge difference between normal coronary band and the affected leg.

It was clearly an infection that had travelled up the back of the heel into the coronet band.  The foot soaks had obviously acted like a poultice in drawing the infection to the surface.  Because he was in such pain I called the vet later that day and he found a tiny crack at the front of the hoof which he quite aggressively cut away to relieve the pressure.  I was a little concerned as now Wraheem had a hole in his sole at the toe about the size of a 5 pence piece which bled profusely and no sign of any puss.  The vet felt the crack was the entry point of the infection however and that it had tracked all the way back under his sole to fill at the heel and ultimately up the back of the coronet band.  He had to wear a poultice which was Animal Lintex padding soaked in hot water. I continued to add the Dynamite Instant Minerals to the water too.  I had to change it daily for about a week in all.  Once he was no longer lame on it I packed the hole with Red Horse sole paste and continued to put a hoof boot on for turn out.

Standing in such a tight compromised posture for so long in pain caused him to still be quite tight in his muscles especially his hamstrings and over the loins.  Luckily this coincided with the Craniosacral day and Wraheem was treated to a session.  The change in his posture was really clear afterwards.  He was a lot softer, able to stand square again and able to lift each hoof more freely and without trying to pull them away.  His stride was longer too.

One should never underestimate how the acute pain of an abscess in the hoof can affect the horses whole posture for some time afterwards as well as when its manifesting and is first discovered.  Since this incident I have been riding Wraheem again and we even completed a 7 mile pleasure ride.  However just the last few days he is once again seeming very tight in his body, toe landing again and a bit foot sore on stones.  I m limiting his grazing and managing him as if he has metabolic issues and hoping foot abscesses are not going to become the norm.

Further updates to follow in other posts.

If you find yourself with a similar predicament with your horse, I have a range of natural products available that may assist.  Always consult your vet first if any condition becomes acute and the horse is in obvious distress and pain.

The post Hoof Abscess – symptoms and treatment appeared first on Oaksbrook.

Aloe is known to help boost the immune system and aid immune disorders with its powerful anti inflammatory, anti fungal, anti bacterial and anti viral properties. It has been used to help a variety of skin conditions and has been known to help digestive disorders when taken as a drink.

Aloe Vera products can be safely used to help animals.  It can be used topically for inflammatory skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, abscesses, boils, infected insect bites, rubs and abrasions.  Can also be used for wounds, ulcers an burns, to speed the bodes own healing response and minimise scarring.  Given in the animals feed it can help boost the immune system, provide essential nutrients, help fight fatigue after viral infections or for horses that are competing it can help with energy levels.

Left an example of a drinking gel made from the inner gel of the Aloe Vera plant.

I am now an Independent Distributor for Forever Living and am able to provide a range of products for animals and people with a very high % Aloe Gel.

For more information please get in touch.  I will be posting about some of my own experiences using Aloe for myself and animals in the coming weeks.

You can visit my shop page for Forever Living at:

https://www.foreverliving.com/retail/entry/Shop.do?store=GBR&language=en&distribID=440500057263

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