| Yoga and Shamanism offer ways for people
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| | ordinary and other reality belong
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| to become aware of their potential, to
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| | together, they are two halves of one
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| explore their spiritual relationship to
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| | whole.
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| the universe, to other forms of life, and
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| | Ritual is a way to empower and enhance
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| to each other. The experiences which come
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| | the trance state, and is a gateway to
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| from shamanism help a person to evolve a
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| | contain, translate, and safely guide an
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| deeper bond and respect for all of
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| | altered state of consciousness into a
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| creation, and from this perspective you
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| | spiritual experience. Another way of
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| are likely to lead a life which is
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| | saying this would be that a ritual
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| vibrant and full in harmony and balance,
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| | carries an innate intention, a purpose.
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| and which encourages understanding and
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| | Each of the Shamanic Trance Postures is
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| optimism. The Shamanic path is a way to
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| | in itself a ritual, and it is a ritual
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| experience this expanded view of
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| | with such intrinsic qualities of
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| universe.
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| | exactness and power, that its objective
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| One of the central practices of shamanism
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| | is achieved outside the original cultural
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| has been defined as the Spirit or Trance
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| | setting. This means that we in
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| journey. One of the ways to embark on
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| | contemporary Western society can also
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| this experience of expanded consciousness
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| | successfully participate in the Shamanic
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| is what is called 'the shamanic journey'.
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| | Trance Postures.
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| In this Journey the shaman journeys to
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| | To understand the Shamanic Trance
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| the Spirit world, (commonly referred to
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| | Postures they should be directly
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| as Upper & Lower Worlds), to directly
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| | experienced, no amount of words can
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| commune with the spirits who reside in
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| | compensate for this. The best place to
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| the other realities. This is done for
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| | experience the ecstatic trance states is
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| many reasons, for example to receive
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| | in a workshop environment. This brings
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| guidance for healing, maintaining both
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| | with it the guidance and support of the
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| our own and by extension our communities
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| | workshop facilitator, and the collective
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| spiritual wholeness.
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| | energies of the group. The power of the
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| There are a number of ways to embark on a
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| | group is important in that it helps in
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| Spirit journey; these can be through
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| | terms of the focus of the ritual, and
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| dance, dream, using teacher plants, and
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| | provides indirect and direct feedback.
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| by assuming certain specific physical
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| | Feedback is the way to obtain the
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| postures. The latter is known as Shamanic
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| | ineffable quality of trust. Trust is one
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| Trance Postures, and are a method for
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| | of the pillars of this work, and the
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| achieving ecstatic trance and entering
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| | group provides validation of your own
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| that place of both personal and
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| | experience. Another important factor is
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| collective vision.
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| | that the power of the trance postures is
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| The word ecstasy and ecstatic is used in
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| | magnified, as each person supports and is
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| its original meaning, which is based on
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| | a part of the collective visionary
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| the Greek ex-stasis, meaning 'outside of
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| | experience.
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| yourself', outside of the everyday world.
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| | An Exercise - The Grandfather Bear Trance
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| The ecstatic trance brings with it a
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| | Posture.
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| shift in our perception, a way of
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| | A powerful Healing posture.
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| becoming aware of a reality outside of
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| | You may experience, great energy, certain
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| the world of the ordinary, and the
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| | colours, a feeling of being supported and
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| mundane. The trance makes us able to
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| | contained in a loving and gentle way.
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| perceive the continuum of life, from what
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| | Stand with your feet parallel , about six
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| has been called non-ordinary reality, a
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| | inches apart, and your toes aimed
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| reality which has been known to co-exist
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| | straight ahead. Your knees should be
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| with our physical reality throughout
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| | slightly bent, removing any strain on
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| time. Black Elk, the Lakota medicine man
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| | your lower back that would occur if your
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| and great visionary whose life was
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| | knees were locked. This stance is
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| recorded by John Neihardt in the 1930's,
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| | consistent for most of the standing
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| tells of "the world where there is
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| | postures.
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| nothing but the spirits of all things.
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| | Gently roll both your hands , as though
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| This is the real world that is behind
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| | you are holding a small egg in the palm
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| this one, and everything we see here is
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| | of each hand. Position your hands so that
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| something like a shadow from that world".
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| | your folded fingers form a tall triangle
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| There are certain works of ancient art,
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| | over your navel. The first joint of the
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| glyphs, carvings, rock paintings which
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| | index finger of each hand should touch to
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| are more than creative expressions of
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| | form the apex of the triangle, with your
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| their culture. They are visual teachings
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| | thumbs resting one in front of the other,
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| for a specific ritual. These paintings
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| | not one on top of the other. Your upper
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| and statues from the ancients depict
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| | arms can rest easily at both sides of
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| people adopting distinct bodily postures.
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| | your body, so that your elbows are not
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| Many of these bodily postures are ways to
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| | sticking out. With your eyes closed, lean
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| an altered state of consciousness,
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| | your head back as though you are looking
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| visionary experiences, and a way to
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| | at a point just above the line where the
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| embark on a spirit journey. There is an
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| | wall meets the ceiling. There may be a
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| extensive geographic distribution of the
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| | strained feeling in the muscles at the
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| Trance Postures, and indications are that
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| | back of your neck.
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| they belong to all cultures and
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| | Comments from people who have experienced
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| traditions. These postures have been
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| | the healing Trance Posture known as
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| rediscovered by Dr Felicitas Goodman
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| | 'Grandfather Bear 'on workshops.
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| after years of extensive research, and a
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| | "I have been having a sore and painful
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| full account has been documented in her
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| | throat for some time. As I started the
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| truly outstanding and remarkable book
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| | posture, I very quickly felt that I was
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| 'Where the Spirits Ride the Wind'.
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| | being cradled from behind by a warm
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| When a person adopts a specific posture
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| | energy, which I saw in my mind as a large
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| as shown in one of the ancient artefacts,
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| | bear. I felt the bear rip open my throat
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| with an accompanying rhythmic sound e.g.
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| | with its claws, and pull out heavy, thick
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| Rattle or drum, the person may experience
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| | mucus like material. This went on for a
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| a vision which although is personal , is
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| | few minutes, and then the bear blew
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| also specific to the posture. It is as
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| | warmth into my throat, and I began to see
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| if, however personal the vision, it will
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| | flashes of violet-blue colours around me.
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| conform within a consistent framework.
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| | When the trance posture ended, my throat
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| Ritual has great power in this reality;
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| | felt clear, and my body felt as if it was
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| it is a way of combining, the heart,
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| | glowing."
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| mind, spirit, and body in a single
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| | "My back felt as if it was being opened,
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| physical action and intention. Religions
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| | and metal plates which covered my spine
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| from all over the world have long
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| | being levered open and dragged out of my
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| recognised the importance of ritual.
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| | back. When we finished, my back felt so
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| Ritual is a means of communication
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| | much more flexible, I could even touch my
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| between the Spirits and ourselves, it is
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| | toes, which is something which I have not
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| a way that the Spirits can cross over
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| | been able to do for quite some time. I
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| from their world into ours. In Western
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| | had forgotten how stiff my back had
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| society we have forgotten that the
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| | become.
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