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Thank you for your
readership over the years and months dear friends. Alas,
this is my last column for a while. My health and my
studies are making demands that my very full schedule
cannot meet, thus I am taking a sabbatical until July
2011. Please read the important notice at the end of
this column for details on reimbursing your subscription
INVITATION! Please join me on my new Face Book page:
Astrology By Dulce.
I'll be posting pithy updates there as needed
Cedar at Beaver Creek, photo by Nate
Greetings everyone,
There should be a bumper sticker that reads “Shift
Happens”
because this is the time
when shift is indeed happening. Shift has happened
before and will happen in the future, what is so
different about now is that we are all shifting at once
– individuals, families, communities, governmental
policy, global politics, species, weather patterns, and
earth herself.
We’re
going through some giant rite of passage called endings.
This is the energy of powerful Pluto in Capricorn in an
on-going angle of tension (square) to growth oriented
Uranus in Aries until 2015. This can be compared to a
woman entering menopause, a young man returning from a
war, a factory closing, a dump overflowing with garbage,
a dam breaking its banks, or a child in the birth canal;
something that cannot be put back together the way it
used-to-be is occurring.
Consider these images also: seedlings emerging from a
compost heap, buds on a fruit tree. Yes, know it’s fall
and the leaves are turning on Color Sunday, but from
where I sit the Universe is already weaving the new buds
of spring. Beginnings are a part of the cycle of time
too; equally as old as endings. Beginnings are the
impulse of life itself, insinuating itself in its
rightful place. Do you remember the story about the 6000
year old olive trees by Carol Drinkwater? If you recall,
cultivated, domesticated olive trees planted 6000 years
ago were explored by Ms. Drinkwater on her travels
around the Mount Lebanon area. These trees had been planted with
conscious intent sixty centuries before and are still
alive today. Thus the composting end time we’re in now,
another one in a cycle in a series of cycles, provides
the rich and fertile soil, the spongy, sticky loam of
life itself, so
new
life can emerge.
At this end time we are planting seeds for eras still to
come.
Activist and philosopher Derrick Jensen says (and I am
paraphrasing here) we are desperate for our current
culture to die. We are tired of its violence, senseless
wars, movies, waste, destruction and gluttony. But,
rather than letting go, we fight to hold onto what we
know and thus begin to die ourselves. He added that if
we think our water comes from a tap we’ll fight to keep
the tap but if we think our water comes from a stream
then that is where our attention will be.
And that’s how I, as your astrologer, view the current
situation. The tense angles Pluto, planet of death,
rebirth and utter transformation is making with other
planets, (Saturn in Libra square Jupiter and Uranus)
gives cosmic voice to the situation. We are trying to
let
go of what doesn’t serve us.
And what doesn’t serve us is enormous, old, and deeply
entrenched.
These times were made clearer to me by a movie I saw
recently - The Last Station about Tolstoy in the
last days of his life, starring Helen Mirren and
Christopher Plummer. Though the movie describes the end
of Tolstoy’s life a 100 years ago (at his Uranus return
when he was 82), the themes of his experience are very
much like the conflicting nature or our times.
Tolstoy wanted to bestow his works to the people (in
2010 this is like the
Aquarian contingent of Chiron and Neptune)
but his wife feared destitution and Tolstoy was forced
to go behind her back to meet his followers to give the
publishing rights away (in 2010 this is like Pluto in
Capricorn, Jupiter conjunct Uranus.) The Countess had
rewritten six edited versions of War and Peace
for Tolstoy, so she owned it too and was terrified to
lose her beautiful land and wealth (coming this month -
Venus
retrograde in Scorpio).
Tolstoy and his wife’s values were so opposed, her fear
so great, and his need for peace so integral, that he
ran away from her (in current time this is Saturn in
Libra, oppose Jupiter conjunct Uranus). Taking a train
to escape, he ended up getting sick on the journey and
died in a railway station in the middle of nowhere
surrounded by the press, peasants and regular folk who
had been liberated by his words.
Tolstoy was a wise and revolutionary thinker; his Virgo
energy was activated by Uranus and Saturn transits
around 1860 when he was in his early 30s. He was a
pacifist identifying with Christ against the Russian
Orthodox Church and his book The Kingdom of God is
Within You heavily influenced Gandhi (in current
time this reflects
Neptune and Chiron about to enter spiritual Pisces).
This quote of Tolstoy’s
from Wikipedia says a lot about him: “During his 1857
visit, Tolstoy witnessed a public execution in Paris, a
traumatic experience that would mark the rest of his
life. He wrote in a letter to his friend V. P. Botkin:
“The truth is that the State is a conspiracy designed
not only to exploit, but above all to corrupt its
citizens ... Henceforth, I shall never serve any
government anywhere.”
Those words are the
revolutionary voices of the combined Uranus and Jupiter
of today’s times. And Tolstoy’s marriage to the Countess
reminds me of Saturn in Libra, while the end of his life
reveals the opposing forces of Jupiter and Uranus who
will enter Aries next year. (Jupiter in January and
Uranus in March of 2011.) If you want to understand the
next few months and years a little better try seeing
this movie.
The short range picture of the next few months reveals a
small reprieve, a break in the action of ripping and
tearing that is remolding us to a gentler, more
authentic presence and connection with our water planet.
October and November’s cosmic moves show some side
stepping as the current economic structure attempts to
maintain its hold. This is due in large part to
Venus, who represents wealth, women, money, art and
valuables in general, retrograding in the sign of her
fall – Scorpio.
This is like the Countess Tolstoy terrified of losing
her wealth. Venus retrogrades October 8th to November
18th. We’ll look at what that means generally and what
it could be specifically to you in this report and in
the Sunscope section. Planets also turn direct over the
next few months bringing things that were left behind
back to life. We’ll look at what this might indicate
also.
The
predominant cosmic energy over the next few months is
Libra and Scorpio.
Libra is the sign of the scales, balance, justice and
partnership. Scorpio corresponds to passion, phobias,
power, control and regeneration. Consider your astrology
chart to locate the areas that correspond to these two
signs. This is the area of your life over which the Sun
will be travelling, bringing your attention to what the
solar system is saying to you. This is also the area of
your life that Venus will traverse bringing attention to
your value systems.
As always, I want to thank the Mountain Astrologer
magazine for its excellent articles, Naropa University
out of Boulder, CO for opening my mind, Georgia Stathis
for her pithy Starcycles Calendar and all those wise
people out there who walk the road of life with me. I
especially want to thank my friend and colleague
Cassandra Leoncini whose fine astrological talents can
be found in the Sunscopes this month. Cassandra is
helping me out during this wild time as she flexes her
awesome skills and reveals her wisdom. You can reach her
directly at
www.twoeaglesastrology.com
Fire nest photo by Nate
OCTOBER
The
month opens on the heels of a full moon and the autumnal
equinox. The energy has shifted from busyness to a
lingering quality of life. There is
no need to rush
as the month begins. All is moving smoothly forward for
the first week of this month. Use this time to get your
life and priorities in some kind of order as by the 8th
Venus begins her regular retrograde journey.
Venus’ retrograde is the story of the goddess Inanna and
her descent to the underworld to see her sister
Ereshkigal. This is a story from the Sumerians, an
ancient civilization (see Sylvia Brinton Perera’s
excellent book: Descent to the Goddess) which
describes an ancient journey of descent into the shadowy
realms of hell, where death and destruction occur, and
the journey back up to life through the consummation of
food. It is repeated in the story of Ceres (Demeter) and
Persephone and mimics the cycle of death related to
winter and the emergence of life in the spring. So keep
in mind as you go about the next few months, that
Venus’ retrograde is an archetypal
universal journey we all experience
as part of a regular eight year cycle during which Venus
retrogrades five times. Venus moves in front of the Sun
so she can switch positions from being an evening “star”
to a morning one during this retrograde period.
Sometimes we get to see the inferior conjunction from
our position here on earth. Last time was June 2004 and
the next time will be in June 2012, both times in the
sign of Gemini. Incidentally, Venus is the ancient
ruling planet of Gemini.
Here’s how Venus’ current
retrograde in Scorpio might feel to you
- it could plant seeds of doubt in your money making
ventures. Heavily immersed in Scorpio energy Venus feels
stuck, intense, and jealous and closely watches her
assets. It’s hard to let go
of what you love! If you
need to make business decisions the next six weeks
should be avoided. There’s just too much emotionality
attached to business during this time and all your
values have to be felt through. Imagine giving up
something you know is valuable but it’s no longer what
you want. Well, during this time you really get to feel
how important it is to you. This is how and why people
have cluttered homes. They just can’t give up things
that need or want to go.
The next six weeks will help you work through your
attachment to your valuables.
Relationships are also highlighted between now and
Thanksgiving. You can see Venus and Mars together in the
night sky, in the early evening in the west. This is a
celestial reminder that
life is vibrant, sensual, and deeply intimate.
However, Venus slips from view in the evening and won’t
reappear in the sky until November 4th, and this time
she will be found in the early morning sky in the east.
At the start of the month the
Sun travels with stern Saturn,
a reminder to keep life sensible and grounded. The
prevailing Libra energy also reminds you to
consider yourself as a relational
being. You are not an
island and can achieve a great deal simply by teaming up
with another person either in business or for some
pleasurable pursuit. Words carry weight as Mercury
opposes both Jupiter and Uranus. Be mindful of what you
say. Watch for interesting ideas and concepts to emerge
over the first few days of the month.
This is especially true on October 3rd when Mercury,
planet of communication, enters Libra and squares Pluto
leading to sophisticated, decisive thinking and
planning. The 3rd is also a great day for making deals
and, if you’re in relationship, for making love. Quite a
steamy time can be had! But be sure to give yourself
some space by evening when Mars and Uranus bump heads.
Monday the 4th is another good day for financial
wheeling and dealings. The
eclipse of July 11th is triggered this week
and you’re likely to see the next
stage emerge of what was created then. What were you up
to back in July of this year? If it has anything to do
with real estate or your career get yourself ready to
move to the next level by preparing for any eventuality.
October 7th is a beautiful New Moon in Libra.
This is another super Moon, where the Moon is both
syzygy and perigee (both conjunct the Sun and close to
Earth) meaning its gravitational pull on earth’s crust,
core and watery oceans is extra strong; as such the
earth may respond with a shift in weather or some other
earth change. The ethical, diplomatic sign of Libra
invites balanced decision making and this New Moon gives
you an opportunity to do the same. Communication needs
to be crystal clear, sensible and of an ethical nature
as Mercury connects with stern Saturn. Your word is your
bond under these skies.
This New Moon is an important step in the unfolding view
of things. It is a time to connect with others on shared
projects. A shared venture is a lighter load and
companionship makes life sweeter. Astrologer Jeff Jawer
says a Libra New Moon is about
“forming a new relationship to relationships.”
Take
that advice to heart at this New Moon by opening
yourself to bonds that could last a lifetime.
The very next day,
very
early in the morning of the 8th, gracious Venus, Libra’s
ruling planet, retrogrades.
Due
to her retrograde motion she will stay an extra three
months in the signs of Libra and Scorpio, for a total of
five months. Venus loves to be in Libra. She rules this
sign and enjoys the dignity and decorum of the
sophisticated intellectually stimulating air
environment. But, at this date she is in Scorpio until
November 7th at which time she will re-enter Libra.
Venus can be uncomfortable in Scorpio. Imagine wearing a
black Halloween outfit, dark lipstick and heavy
eyeliner, waking up at noon, and staying out until 3:00
AM, that’s one version of Venus in Scorpio! It’s fun for
one night out of the year, but for weeks at time?
Scorpio’s intense energy may feel heavy if you’re not
used to watery emotions and bottomless rabbit holes with
little intriguing breaks along the way. However, Venus
in Scorpio can help you more fully understand your
fears, help you investigate your values, finances, and
romances with keener perceptive vision. Venus will go
direct November 18th.
Try
and avoid the entire retrograde period for deal making
and financial decisions.
It’s a great time to ponder what to do, but not to
actually do them.
The next week is fairly calm, and despite the Venus
retrograde few effects are felt. Wednesday the 18th
could feel a little somber and serious as the Moon
connects with Pluto and Saturn. It’s a good day to do
something important and meaningful. The 17th and 18th
the Moon travels past sensitive Chiron and dreamy
Neptune and then shifts into watery Pisces. It’s a good
time to stay grounded and yet open to healing.
Peaceful pursuits provide a good refuge from full
feelings.
The desert SW in winter photo by Dulce
The next week is a busy one in the solar system as
planets connect with each other inviting you to make
important connections here on earth. It’s a great week
for networking. On the 20th the Moon enters feisty Aries
as she waxes towards fullness giving you energy and the
desire to get something done. The same day
communicator Mercury leaves balanced Libra for steamy
Scorpio.
Your motives become emotionally infused. Take a look at
your underlying motives over the next 18 days as Mercury
traverses this sign - especially when it comes to love
and money as Mercury will soon travel with Venus. The
combination of these two planets helps you realize the
value of communication and the saying “put your money
where your mouth is”. The next few weeks are an
inspiring period for artists and writers. Get writing!
On
October 22nd early in the evening, the Moon is full in
the second Aries Full Moon of the year.
The first Full Moon in Aries occurred at the autumnal
equinox in the early degrees of Libra, while this Full
Moon is at the last degree of the sign of the scales.
The last degree of any sign is a critical degree. It is
at this last point that the scales can be tipped and the
energy shifted and transformed.
This
Full Moon helps you shift your attention to the next
area of your life by releasing any feelings of
separation between yourself, other people and the world
at large.
Active Mars trine erratic Uranus and abundant Jupiter
begs you to listen and act on your intuition.
Within an hour the Moon slips into solid Taurus helping
you ground. And
by
early on the 23rd the Sun leaves Libra and enters
intense Scorpio.
The energy completely shifts now as the dynamic changes
from relationship to possession and obsession. It’s
time to investigate your life from top to bottom, to
examine your hidden agendas, to seek out your underlying
motivations and to regenerate at a cellular level.
The Sun remains in Scorpio until November 21st giving
you plenty of time to soak up the powerful cleansing
energy of this rejuvenating sign.
The next few days, up to and including the 29th, are
wonderful for money making. Yes, Venus is retrograde,
but if you’ve something already in the works these days
are good for progressing on those deals.
On
the 27th active Mars enters fiery Sagittarius
lifting spirits and motivating you to get outside.
Everyone has a positive outlook now and the future deals
you’re discussing all look possible. Mars loves being in
philosophical Sadge; in this optimistic sign it’s all
systems go for hiking and biking and all other forms of
athletic pursuits. Mars will enter practical Capricorn
December 7th so if you like you can use the month of
November to whittle down your waist line.
On the 30th the Moon enters its last quarter square to
the Sun encouraging you to bring things to a conclusion
for yet another month.
Halloween is a spooky time with Mercury, Venus and the
Sun all in mysterious Scorpio.
Yet the Moon is in creative fun loving Leo inviting you
to put your Halloween outfit on and hit the dance floor!
Let’s face it - you need some fun right about now! Keep
Sunday the 31st quiet and restful as the Moon opposes
Neptune and then slips into health conscious Virgo,
possibly making you regret the extra margarita you drank
as Frankenstein, the night before.
The
astrological insight for the month of October is:
hunker down to fully explore your passions and your
motivations. Explore your inner realms. Imagine new
seeds sprouting in the compost of the life you’re
letting go of.
November
November begins on a Monday with the Moon growing dark.
It’s a quiet time but a focused one with the Moon in
industrious Virgo, positively connecting with Pluto and
squaring active Mars. It makes for a productive day but
watch you don’t overdo on Tuesday the 2nd when the Moon
opposes abundant Jupiter making you wonder why you made
your to-do-list so long when all you really want to do
is curl up for a nap. The 2nd is also
Election Day in the USA.
The Moon/Jupiter opposition indicates there are some
strong opinions around. Try not to get into arguments.
The 4th is an excellent day for productive communication
in any form. If you’re a creative person don’t miss this
opportunity to put pen to paper. Ideas even download in
your sleep so have your dream journal handy first thing
so you can record valuable insights. Business deals also
run smoothly today.
November 5th
wounded healer Chiron turns direct just before the
Scorpio New Moon.
This is your annual opportunity dear reader to connect
with your Scorpio essence. Even if you’re not a Scorpio,
we all have the essence or juice of this intense,
regenerative, powerful and insightful energy.
Let
this New Moon renew you on the deepest level possible.
Leave no stone unturned in your search for what gives
you life and passion. New Moons always mark new
beginnings and the next couple of days are imbued with
the energy of healing, forgiveness, surrender and
renewal.
This
New Moon marks a shift in the Mayan calendar: we are now
in the final stages of what they foresaw, and this
period is called the Seventh Day.
It lasts until October 28th 2011 and corresponds to the
end of duality and the beginning of unity consciousness.
I happen to be teaching an experimental class this fall
and all next winter called
Unity
Consciousness.
The basic idea of the class, and the Seventh Day, is to
come to a place of peace and stillness where we are not
moving from one extreme to another on the pendulum of
opposites. Things are not yes or no, black or white,
they just are. See astrologer Stephanie Austin’s work
for more information on the Mayan Calendar. You are
welcome to contact me to join a class this winter if
you’re ready to experiment and to surrender your
isolation and feelings of separateness.
Very
early on the 7th Neptune turns direct also, following
Chiron’s recent shift.
Chiron has been retrograde since June 4th and Neptune
since May 31st. These moves bring social issues to the
forefront and reconnect us with the problems of the
world. We’re also given tools to heal one another, to be
present for each other, and to be kind. It’s time to
love and forgive, to open our hearts and to keep them
open. These gentle planets will move into watery Pisces
in 2011 and will stay for many years, shifting our
attention to the health and wellbeing of our oceans; and
to the quality and importance of water and all fluids
(including oil). If the theory of
peak
oil
holds true, we will have used up all our oil supplies by
2014. The only place to get oil will be from miles under
the ocean. Chiron’s presence in Pisces will mean we’ll
have to protect our oceans.
Paramita Campus Naropa University
Neptune, the planet of dreams,
turns
direct just before the time change here in the USA. Be
sure to reset your clocks back by one hour the morning
of November 7th giving you a little extra dream time.
Also on the 7th gracious Venus slips backwards into
Libra again. This is a softening action and though Venus
is still retrograde, it’s a
beneficial move for love
and
business matters.
Chatty Mercury enters free spirited and opinionated
Sagittarius on November 8th.
Spirits rise and all things seem possible but your
attention may be easily distracted as Mercury loves to
jump all over the place in the abundant domain of Sadge.
Try to listen as much as you speak. Next month Mercury
retrogrades in Capricorn giving you reflection time and
you may want to ruminate on all the fascinating
discussions you had during this Mercury in Sagittarius
period. Mercury in Sadge is also
the
truth teller.
The discoveries you made over the New Moon about your
deepest darkest secrets need to be kept under wraps or
you’ll find yourself sharing all you know without
meaning to.
The rest of the week is excellent for building on your
projects. Slow and steady does it despite Mercury’s
desire to take a trip and leave the work behind.
Monday November 15th the Sun and Jupiter blow kisses to
each other across the sky making it a wonderful day for
all transactions, meetings and general well being.
Take the good feelings generated by this move into your
dreams over the next night to replenish yourself on a
spiritual level. The Sun enters Aries the next day
picking up the pace and quickening your spirits and
possibly lending a little impatience to your day and
others.
The
18th is a full day from the solar system’s perspective.
Jupiter and Venus turn direct.” O frabjous day! Callooh!
Callay! They chortled in their glee!” The players that
encourage a healthy and prosperous economy are now going
in the right direction. Optimism prevails! It’ll take a
few weeks for their momentum to build up and lead to
significant improvement in sales and such but the
turning point happens now. There is nothing holding you
back from wheeling and dealing now. Go for it.
The
Taurus Full Moon on the 21st
occurs in the last degrees of Taurus. Again, this is a
critical degree where energy is poised to transform.
With Mercury conjunct fiery Mars at this time rhetoric
could be inflammatory as differences in value and belief
dominate the news scene. Talk of troops and/or sports
teams could well make news.
Taurus reminds us where we stand, literally, on our
earth home, and helps root you to the basics of life.
This
Full Moon occurs within minutes of the location of the
Pleiades or Seven Sisters,
a star home that apparently some of us have come from
according to African and Native American myth. The
reminder that there is no other home but this planet is
very strong at this time of fullness and appreciation.
With Jupiter and Venus now direct there is nothing
standing in your way – see your path and take steps
along it. Do what you need to, to reduce your carbon
footprint and to enhance your little corner of the
world.
The Moon slips into curious Gemini soon after the Moon
peaks to fullness, lightening the mood and encouraging
communication.
Early
on the 22nd the Sun leaves Scorpio for another year and
enters optimistic Sagittarius.
Again, celebration is appropriate! Thanksgiving is
coming and we are filled with appreciation for the
abundance in our lives. Jupiter, the planet that rules
Sagittarius is still travelling with crazy professor
Uranus so we know that
we
are still re-inventing the rules.
There is much more progress to be made in all areas.
Some highlighted areas are: publishing (new forms of
books and knowledge); technology like solar and wind
power and new kinds of transportation or fuels; shifts
and changes in opinions, ideas and beliefs about the
world’s religions; shifts and changes in political
power; and overall the ability to see beyond the end of
your nose. Speaking from personal experience the last
one can be tough because it means opening up to trust,
opening up to wisdom greater than one's own.
Thanksgiving week helps you center yourself in what is
really going on. Truth, family, food and shelter really
matter and inconsequential chit chat is meaningless. The
Moon is in home loving Cancer on the 25th, Thanksgiving
Day, so be sure to be with those you love. The weekend
can be fun making it a great time to catch up with old
friends.
On the 28th and 29th feisty Mars pokes at erratic
Uranus.
Watch
out!
Someone could get angry, or inventive, hard to tell when
Uranus is around. Just be careful on the roads, please.
Pay attention when driving and using machinery but do
let your creativity come through. It’s a great time for
experiments and going outside the box of preconceived
notions.
The month ends as Venus re-enters Scorpio, the Moon
enters diplomatic Libra and Mercury enters sensible
Capricorn. This makes for a rather interesting blend of
energies. You can observe this shift without becoming
involved in what could be other peoples’ issues.
The Moon is becoming smaller in the sky. It’s time to
bring things to a close, to finish what you began at the
beginning of the month. The next few months are alive
and rich. Your job is to honor your own process and to
deeply connect with your place here on earth.
The
astrological insight for the month of November is:
explore the dark recesses of your desire nature. Allow
yourself to surrender, and if needed change course.
Prepare for expansion and new life.
Your astrologer,
Dulce
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
In light of the nature of these times of endings and
beginnings dear friends and readers, I am going on a
sabbatical to immerse myself in my studies. This is my
last column for a while. What is left of your
subscription will be prorated out and returned to you in
the form of a mini reading with me about your chart, a
personal one-on-one about the upcoming trends you’ve
been reading about here in this column over the last
several months. Or, if you prefer, I will deduct the
cost of your full subscription if it has more than six
months left on it, off a session with me. Please
contact me
when you are ready to make that connection. PAYPAL folks
- I have cancelled your subscription renewal to avoid
any inadvertent charges.
Making the decision to put this column to sleep for a
while, and possibly forever, hasn’t been easy. I simply
cannot keep up and feel that I might be getting myself
into dangerous waters with my health should I continue
to go at the pace I’ve been going. I am very grateful to
Cassandra for helping me literally limp to the finish
line. Please take her up on her wonderful Venus offer
you'll find in the Sunscopes. She has a unique view that
will be most enlightening to you.
I am still your astrologer and want to maintain our
connection. I am available for readings and will be
running many discounted sessions for you my treasured
readers and supporters. I will e-mail you the specials
when I do them and you can always follow me on Facebook.
My page there is: Astrology By Dulce.
I
will also be keeping a page open on this site for cosmic
notes as I am sure I’ll be moved periodically to share
my view of the cosmos’ unfolding with you. Keep an eye
on your e-mail as well as I will continue to post new
and full moon tidbits.
I will be teaching more and
offering all kinds of classes. Cassandra and I continue
to build on our Goddess workshop. Both she and I have
been teaching on the emergence of the Goddess for some
years separately, but want to combine our work in the
spirit and power of collaboration, which is important
and vibrant as Saturn travels through Libra over the
next few years.
Please continue to use my website as a resource. Print
off the articles that interest you. Especially important
is my article called
Financial Update, dated March 13, 2009. It gives a
timeline for the chart of the USA that could be very
useful to you.
Many blessings to each and every one of you. Please know
you are loved. Thank you for being with me in this
collaborative adventure. It’s time for a new one.
Much love
Dulce
I WANT TO BE YOUR ASTROLOGER
give me a buzz :)
dulce@astrologybydulce.com
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