Your Calm Center

Like a cyclone, problems swirl around you. Do you know what a cyclone is? A force—the movement of energy. Round and round the energy swirls, but what is there at the center, but an area of great calm … the “eye,” you call it.

Round and round you troubles swarm, but there at your center is the eye of your soul, watching all with ever-lasting calm. Peaceful and calm are you at your center. When caught up in a storm, when the howling winds rage and the shutters bang noisily, causing you fright and worry, seek shelter there at your center—that wise and knowing part of you which knows that the storm will pass and that you are always safe, protected, and loved.

Seek shelter in the eye—the eye of the soul. Become one with the calm. Do not get caught up in the winds and tossed about by them, rather sit in the safety of your inner shelter and ride out the rough weather. After the storm, the sun always reappears, but never forget that the true light shines ever brightly within you.

The Symphony of Life

Blessed are those who know the truth … who do not live by the lie of separation. Know ye now that all is one. There is but one vibration, and that is Love. This vibration lies underneath all other harmonies. It creates all the music in the scales. Each of you vibrates in resonance with the One Basic Tone. This resonance becomes discordant when you overlay tones of the ego—the baser vibrations which disguise your core vibration.

Choose discordant thoughts, and your whole experience plays out of tune. Choose loving thoughts, and the music plays beautifully, harmoniously, and well in tune.

You think that this is an analogy, but wait until you shed the physical body with which you now express these notes. Then you will see and hear the basic harmony of the universe … all playing but One Note in a most beautiful symphony.

Poem #381 - The Only Thing That Lasts

See not always the danger.
To strife you are no stranger.
But look and see the beauty.
This in life is your main duty.

So very often you deny
That what’s before you is a lie.
Nothing is at all what it does seem,
But pure illusion, as a dream.

This you will finally understand
When you pass completely from this land.
Then the truth you finally will see:
That you as spirit are forever free.

So place not your focus here
Where all do live with constant worry and with fear.
But see instead the changeless face
That dwells inside this temporary place.

At your core pure consciousness you are.
The part that’s neither near nor far,
But always as within just as above …
The seed of God’s undying love.

Use this knowledge to find peace.
May it bring you great release
To know your troubles here won’t last
And these too, you will get past.

Surface and Breathe

Surface and breathe. Inhale deeply. With this breath you draw into you the force which sustains you. Yes, of course it is oxygen which does sustain the body, but it is that which you call the Life Force which does sustain the spirit. The spirit does survive whether or not the physical body breathes, but you can enliven mind, body, and spirit by visualizing the Life Force which animates you flowing freely throughout you with each breath.

Do not drown in your sorrows. Inhale deeply. Suck in the Life Force with the intent of bringing unto your Self full vitality and health, both mental and physical. With your mind, send this vital force flowing to wherever there are blockages. Hold the intention of opening these dams and thus returning to balance and harmony.

Surface, breathe, and heal yourself.

This Too Shall Pass

Focus on the negative. Give all of your attention to that which causes you discomfort. Are you cold, wet, and tired? Wallow in it. Do you mourn and cry from grief? Feel it fully. And now that you have touched this dark side of life in physical form, rejoice, for now you can far better appreciate its opposite—light. Would you be so uncomfortable when cold, wet, and tired if you had not at one time felt cozy, warm, and fully rested? Would you cry so painfully in mourning had you not at one time opened your heart fully to another and truly experienced love?

“But I want to feel warmth, and comfort, and love all the time!” you cry. And you will, my child, when you shed the physical body and return to the dimension of pure love. But you, yourself, have chosen to take this journey of darkness and light in order to more fully appreciate the light. Light exists in your world, and always it is there inside you when you remove your focus from your temporary miseries. It is then you remember who you are, now and forever.

So wallow for a while, for that is how you learn in this life you have chosen. But do not wallow for long. Thank the darkness for its teaching … for showing you just how bright light can be. And with this realization, detach yourself from that which takes you farther from the light. Focus no more on the physical and mental discomfort, but sit back as the neutral observer that you are in spirit form and look with compassion upon all events … all sent to you as gifts to allow you the opportunity to let your spirit shine through the darkness.

Giving Thanks

On this day in which you give thanks, stop and do so for yourself—not just for all the things external. Inside you lies the greatest treasure you can imagine—the link to All That Is. That which you call your True Self is the soul—the part of you which is eternal and eternally loving.

On this day you will feast and overstuff the body, but feast as well on love and gratitude. Giving thanks for your very existence brings you into resonance with the Divine and your divine nature.

And so, beloved ones, give thanks not just on this holiday, but on every holy-day of your life. How could each day not be holy when the fact that you exist at all proves your very connection with the Source of all Love … with God.

PEARLS

Yes, it is true. Irritants do form the beautiful pearl inside the crusty shell of an oyster. What are the irritants in your life? And yes, WHO are they as well? Can you look upon that which grates against you and see that in the grating you are given the opportunity to shine your soul to a brilliant luster?

It matters not how crusty the exterior of your shell. Inside each of you lies a beautiful jewel—the pearl of your existence—your Pure Essence, expressing always As love … Real Love. There will always be sand in your shell—irritants that cause the ego discomfort. Regard them with neutrality. Send them compassionate love, and shine like the beautiful PEARL that you are.

When in Pain

Your pain disappears when your wrong-thinking is replaced with love. What is wrong-thinking? Any thought that comes from the belief in separation—that you are anything other than a God-being—one with the Creator … one with the loving, creative Force of the Universe. You are the sun and the stars, the wave and the ocean. You cannot separate yourself from love any more than you could separate the breath from the air you breathe.

Wrong-thinking is anything that takes you away from this loving connection with your Source. Fear, hurt, anger, hate, judgment … these are of the ego. These are naught but learning tools and warning signs to you that you are out of alignment in thought. Physical pain occurs when the body is out of alignment. Quite often this misalignment can be traced (if not through traumatic injury) to misalignment of thought.

Align your thoughts always with love. Love is the great healing force of the universe. Heal yourself with love. It is that simple.

In the Arms of Angels

The death of a loved one is a trying time for those on earth, no matter how enlightened you are. You share memories with the one who passes. You share love and concern. Concern yourself at this time with those who do not have the full understanding of this very natural transition. Concern yourself as well with yourself.

Share with others and remind yourself that death is a point of celebration for the one who will no longer have to bear the pain and darkness of life in the physical world. Know that they will be surrounded by love and loved ones who have preceded them. Life will be far easier now for them, and we do stress this word “life,” for life is indeed eternal.

Concern yourself far more with remembering the good times and know that you will share these again. Feel your grief, but do not become swallowed up in it. Allow yourself a period of sadness for the close contact you will miss, then pull yourself back to that place of love within yourself. Do this as a choice—for yourself—with your own thoughts. It is not necessary to suffer. Your loved one no longer suffers and would want you to know this. They look upon you with new eyes and wish you to know all is well. They are safe and loved in the arms of angels, and so are you, my friend, so are you.

See With the Soul

Release all fears. These do block the flow of Life Force like rocks in a stream, causing the current to meander off course at times and to be completely dammed up at others. The Life Force desires only harmony. It will flow where your thoughts go. What is fear, but the absence of love. If you understood that at the level of the soul you are naught but love—pure consciousness observing the unfolding of events caused by that consciousness—you would know that you have nothing to fear.

The soul is eternal. Troubles, pain, and suffering are part of life in the physical realm. They come and go. The soul is everlasting and changeless. It cannot be harmed. See your troubles and pain as the temporary acting out of thought-energy from the ego and change your very perception of these troubles. Release the fear. See with the soul and become whole.

Poem #380 - Soul Sisters

Sisters know a special connection …
Each sharing such a great affection.
But sisters need not by blood be connected
For by great love to be affected.

There are those who come across your path
Who make you sing and cry and laugh…
Those special souls who touch your heart,
And play a truly special part.

“Soul sisters” you do call these friends.
Your love for them on naught depends.
Their heart and soul you simply cherish.
Without them you would surely perish.

This is how you feel, at least,
When such a love is thus released—
That God has led you to this one,
Whose light is brighter than the sun.

If you find your sister true,
Cherish what she brings to you,
But know that you do play a role
In brightening your sister’s soul.

For this your very paths have crossed—
To find the love that’s never lost.
And with this one on whom you rely,
That love inside does multiply.

Be a Sponge

All that matters is love. There is nothing else. You are swimming in a sea of love, bathed in it … but your human bodies do act at times like thick wetsuits, preventing you from feeling the love both inside you and out. You control how impermeable is this suit. Discard the barrier and become instead as a sponge filled with love … floating in it … replete with it. If you could but wring this sponge it would pour forth onto all around you. This is the goal of life—to realize that love is all there is. It fills you and all that surrounds you.

Do not be a dry, brittle sponge, but soak up love until you are sodden, heavy, and bursting to drip that love on all who come near you, most especially those who thirst. Impart to these thirsty sponges part of your supply, for it is endless. As you give from the Source of your supply, you are endlessly refilled. It is the Law … the Law of Love.

Loving Vibrations

Searching, always seeking for the truth
You look beyond.
But the truth lies there inside
Like ripples on a pond.

Watch the water and you’ll see
How the vibrations do spread out—
Energy that moves forever onward …
Your thoughts are like this, have no doubt.

You are pure spirit deep inside.
There the purest part it does reside.
And as you thinketh, so you are.
From this truth you cannot hide.

What you think is hidden from your eyes,
But etched forever in your field.
To those who learn to sense the waves,
All is easily revealed.

It is not magic,
Nor to any person should it frighten.
This understanding of your nature
Your spirit will enlighten.

So tune in to these vibrations.
Know that this is who you are.
And more you send out loving thoughts,
More your vibrations travel far.

Expand your Self with loving waves.
In this way the world is healed.
For with the energy you do project,
The face of God is thus revealed.

Focus Outward

When one talks endlessly of self, this shows a need for love. This person has not yet realized that the love they seek lies inside always. On and on they chatter, trying to raise their sense of importance. Do not mistake us—it is one thing to share stories and words which are of importance for others to hear and which may be healing or of service. It is another thing to boast and brag of exploits which merely build upon the ego’s sense of self-importance … and separation.

Do not hesitate to share information which is of service to others, but if you feel an inner urge to speak incessantly of self, catch yourself in action. Turn the focus deliberately outward. Ask about another’s health, welfare, and concerns. Send genuine love to this other as they speak. Listen with interest, focusing on your connection at a soul level. There you will find the love.

Be not selfish, but philanthropic, loving your brother as yourself, and watch your world expand.

Overcoming Blindness

You suffer so from blindness—the inability to see who and what you truly are. Could you but see the radiant light inside, you would never suffer. Why are you so troubled? Why do you cry and treat yourself so badly in word and thought? It is because you are placing your focus exactly where the ego wants you to place it—on the selfish ego. This very real part of yourself keeps itself alive by allowing you to wallow in false thoughts about your true nature.

You are not the caterpillar, but the beautiful butterfly. Allow the butterfly to emerge now and set your spirit free. How do you do this? Shine a light—the very light at the center of your being—on all of the false ego thoughts which you have allowed to have prominence. These thoughts cannot survive in the light of Truth.

Banish the darkness and take flight now. It is never too late, for that is why you are here: to recognize who you are and let that True Self shine through.

Golden Treasure

Sit back on your haunches.
Stare up at the sky.
More beauty lies beyond there
Than you can see with just the eye.

The same is true of you, my friend,
If you could only see.
But only when you close the eyes—
It’s then that you’re set free.

What lies beyond is all illusion.
What’s inside is what is true.
What’s beyond is ever-changing.
Inside the stillness is pure you.

Change is part of life, you know.
Nothing ever stays the same.
Except the part that gives you life—
The part without a label or a name.

Get to know this part of you,
For it is who you are.
That love-filled space that calls to you …
A subtle longing from afar.

Set aside the doubts you have
That this thing called God exists,
And go within to find It,
To the one whose voice persists.

It’s been there calling out for you,
If you would only listen,
And seeking you will find it—
A golden treasure that does glisten.

Grab the gold and run with it,
For this is why you’re here—
To find the prize that’s yours to take:
Pure Love, without the fear.

Always Home

When you find yourself in some place strange and foreign, do you not at times feel a coldness in the pit of your stomach? These are physical reactions to buried thoughts. If you were to bring the thoughts to the surface, you would find there issues of safety, clouded over with fear. All of these are ancient fears, some carried over many lifetimes.

You are on a path of remembering who you are—a child of God—one who has welled up from the spring of love¬—your Source. You cannot be separated from this Source, for it is who you are. When you experience fear, this is an indicator that you are focusing on the physical.

What you experience with this coldness is homesickness of the most primal kind. Know that you can go Home in an instant. Simply turn inside to where your Source dwells. Slip back into the warm, inviting waters of your Well-Source and bathe yourself in love.

True Understanding

There is only one Mind at work in your world. Yes, you have your own mind, but just as there are many ever-changing waves in the ocean, there is only one ocean. You understand the analogy, but how does this help you in your daily life as you go about your day, seeing the troubles of those around you and dealing with your own perceived troubles?

Notice first that word “perceived.” Once you fully realize and internalize that your mind is a focus of the one Divine Mind, you will look upon your troubles in a wholly—indeed, holy—new light. All challenges are naught but opportunities to tap into that Greater Mind and approach the challenges from that higher perspective.

All of Life gives you choices from moment to moment. If until now your choices have resulted in you being less than your loving best, it was out of ignorance of your true nature. Once you truly understand that nature, making the choice to come from that seat of loving power transforms all troubles and challenges into welcome gifts to express love … only love.

Word Power

Your thoughts are the cause of all that you are and have. Your words are your tools. Choose them wisely. An expressed thought in verbal form is manifestation in itself. It carries great power, for it makes the thought more real to you and certainly real to those who hear your words, even if the words carry no truth.

Be on the lookout for words which limit you—insidious words like “can’t” and “never” which hold the power to limit you from being the all-powerful focus of consciousness that you are. Why do you use such words? Purely out of habit. Lift the veil of darkness and see these words for what they are—poorly shaped tools which do not reflect your true nature. Shine a light on your vocabulary. Pause before you speak. Ask yourself if the words you are about to utter reflect your True Self and desires, or if they reflect outdated beliefs, self-limiting thoughts, and false perceptions of Reality.

Seek the truth always. It lies within you. As you find it, speak these truths aloud and behold as you reshape your reality. Quite a wondrous world, is it not?

Vibrations

Sounds that you hear are naught but vibrations hitting the physical eardrum. Sights you see are vibrations of light-energy hitting the retina. Things that you touch vibrate at specific frequencies, which the brain interprets as hard or soft. The brain is naught but a grand computer—a frequency analyzer—that gives meaning to the many vibrations which come in through the skin, the ears, the eyes, the nose, and the mouth. But what if you had not these instruments? Would all cease to be? The answer is no, my friends.

You have come to rely on these sensory inputs, but put these aside and listen with the soul. See with the soul. Feel with the soul. How your perception of Reality would change! You would understand then that all is vibration, including the soul, and all vibrates from the consciousness of the Field—your Source—that which you call God.

You are floating in this Field now, held aloft in the arms of love—the highest vibration … sustained with every breath as an experience in Consciousness, for you ARE that consciousness. Send love and gratitude this day as you awaken to these truths, strange as they may seem. Ask that your eyes and ears be further awakened and simply feel the Love.

Banish the Darkness

You speak of a devil and give this energy the attributes of an actual being. What is the devil, but the personification of one end of a spectrum of life? At one end you have love and goodness and kindness and compassion, embodied in a benevolent, fatherly figure. At the other end you have hatred and evil embodied in a man you call Satan.

Neither exists in the form you imagine. Love and hate, goodness and evil are all experiences within Consciousness. You cannot know light until you experience dark. You have no concept of cold without knowing its opposite. Where you place your focus is what you experience. The so-called devil and evil do not exist unless you create them in your mind.

Do you wish to experience only love and goodness? Then place your focus there. These are the true attributes of your Source, for always you are drawn to the higher vibration. The potential for all attributes—good and evil—lie in every man. The choice is always yours what you will experience and express. Be that which you wish to see in the world. Let your light shine so as to banish the darkness.

The Big Picture

Note from Suzanne. Two posts today ... one the regular message from Sanaya (see the next post) and the following words. These came from Sanaya as further explanation to a question posed to the spirit world during a channeling session. The issue was about spirits knowing when they would leave this lifetime and how to explain seemingly accidental or tragic deaths...

The problem is that you think that death is a tragedy … that the taking of many lives at once is the worst possible thing that can happen, but have we not told you repeatedly that we do rejoice when souls return to our world, where they are more surrounded by love than they are aware of when in your dimension? You have been conditioned to believe that death is the end, and so, when many are taken, to you this is a so-called “disaster.”

This is why we ask you to see the big picture. If you could see from our perspective the rejoicing that takes place when one returns to the fold, you would better understand. When many more lives can be affected by the departure of one from your world through lessons in compassion, through those that go on to seek the meaning of life because of this so-called tragedy, then there is meaning in the departure.

It is not necessary for a soul to spend four score years upon your earth for it to learn lessons. Often it is not its own personal growth, but the growth of those around that soul who do benefit from its presence on earth. Think of the little children who only spend but a short period on earth and then return to our dimension. There does appear to be great suffering for those left behind. In part, this is from their ignorance of the nature of life. Mostly it is the selfish feeling of need of that one’s touch—and this we do understand deeply. We understand the effects of love, but again, if you were to understand that you will be reunited, perhaps this would lessen the pain you feel.

But do not those who suffer such a loss often grow tremendously and go on to help others? They grow in their own compassion. They are led to seek the meaning of life. They are led to God. Why do you think we call your world a hell? For you do learn these lessons without the benefit of the big picture.

We ask you to bide your time on earth, awaiting the moment when you can see your loved ones and understand the reasons why not all beings live what you consider a “full life.” Until that time, use these so-called tragedies, use the deaths of those who die what you would call “too young” to develop your own character—to develop your own divinity—to grow in your own compassion … to make something good come of that which you consider a tragedy, and then you will begin to understand better why all of life is a cycle—a coming and a going—always with the purpose of growing. There is no set age at which one departs, for it is all about continuous recycling and growth.

This is one of the most difficult lessons you must face. What will you do when faced with tragedy? How will you react? Will you draw inward and continue your suffering, because this is how you have been programmed, or will you face outward and make a difference in the lives around you, hoping to lessen the pain of others? That is why you are here—to work as one large whole, raising the vibration of all of those around you, and in so doing, raising your own vibration.

Work, work, work

Always there is more work to do. Never can you rest fully in your purpose, but this should not be a chore. The problem lies in your interpretation of “work.” Your most critical “job” in this lifetime is to learn to love. Not all jobs are difficult, and this one should not be so hard, yet do you not make it so at times?

With the understanding of your main task in life, can you not see that you can be working while playing? That you can be working while on vacation? That you can be working while sitting in traffic or waiting in a line?

It is not hard to do your work. You are the boss. No one else has supervisory control over your task. You may work overtime or take a break, and there is instant feedback. Give yourself a daily performance review, or perhaps from minute to minute if things are not going well. “How can I be more loving?” is always the reference point. Choose the path of love in every instant. Be the loving spirit-being that you are and you will find your work a joy.

Outside the Box

You have in your world an expression—to “think outside the box.” What is this box you have placed yourself inside? The box of beliefs which make up your reality. The subconscious mind makes most of your decisions for you from moment to moment based on what beliefs you have previously put in this box. The box can be quite limiting. It is also quite full. Any new ideas you try to place in the box are immediately compared with others already held within. If they do not fit, the ideas in the box rebel and throw out the newcomer.

Thinking outside the box is much like accessing your own higher consciousness in which your physical body is the box. Make a shift in consciousness, moving your mind beyond the confines of the brain and there you will find limitless new ways of looking at the world and at yourself.

You can empty the box at any time. We recommend a bit of spring cleaning now and then. Take a look inside the box and see which thoughts do need to be removed and replaced with new ones from outside the box that better reflect your soul’s constant evolution.

Two Ends of the Same Spectrum

“Be strong,” you say to people. What does this mean? In your world, to show strength means to hold the head high and not cry when problems arise. Often, this is necessary, but do not be afraid to let the tears fall as well. There is no shame in breaking down and asking for help.

Weakness and strength … what is the difference? They are two means of calling upon that Force that guides you to guide you. In strength, you summon that Force near and know that you, as a focus of that Force, can create any situation you need, merely with your thoughts. You know that you are never alone. In weakness, you call on that Force to reveal Itself through others who give you a shoulder to cry on or for that Force to well up inside you and reveal Itself as the Love that never leaves your side.

In either case, you are never alone, but buoyed by this Force. Weak or strong, the Force inside remains ever present—there to call on—the one unchanging variable upon which you can rely.

"Shoulds'

Should you eat meat? Should you eat meat on Friday? Should you wear a scarf over your head? So many rules, but all of these are merely tools. In the end, the message they send, is which will get you closer to God? You need do nothing to purify the body, but to realize who you are inside—a child of God, pure already.

Your habits will change over a lifetime. Your rituals may evolve. Ask yourself always: what problem do they solve? If by eating less or more, you deepen your connection more, then stay with the practice. “Whatever works,” you say, and this is true. Whatever works to find the real You. Scoff at no other, for each one is your brother. If they dress in different form from what you consider the norm, why do you care? Whatever it takes to get them there.

There are infinite paths to finding God. Some you may find rather odd, but let each man walk his own way. Each will see the light of day eventually, whether here or in the hereafter. For now, may your days be filled with laughter and joy as you enjoy the many paths to Discovery.

Focus on Love

Where you place your focus
Is what you do attract.
If you want to find true peace,
You must understand this fact.

You spend so much time watching the news and fretting over the perceived wrongs in your world, and thus you perpetuate them. What would you like to see in your world? Can you imagine if millions of people placed their thoughts on peace and the well-being of all souls? Can you imagine?

Consciousness creates reality. Your mass consciousness continues to find war and killing acceptable. Were this not so, it would stop. Do not think that you cannot make a difference. Focus on that which you desire to see, not on that which you abhor. In this way you are sending positive vibrations into the vast energy field. These waves intersect with the lower vibrations and cancel them out. Now start a wave of mass consciousness focused on love, kindness, compassion, and respect for life and be a catalyst for change.

Your Perfect Vessel

Note from Suzanne: Again, a spirit poem, received from Sanaya in only five non-stop minutes, complete with double entendres and metaphors ... nothing I could ever put together myself. Spirit is awesome.

Bending over, you feel a pain in your back.
What is this? Some kind of attack?
The aches and pains that come with age
Leave you oft with the feeling you’re trapped in a cage.

But the body a prison cell is not.
It is, in fact, the best tool you have got.
It’s like a pencil in a lesson—
Your very own form of self-expression.

For you are spirit taken form.
And with the body’s shape you now conform.
It moves in time with your desires
But over time the body it tires.

Look not in anger or disdain
When you feel an ache or pain.
But thank the body for its service,
Even tho’ its loss does make you nervous.

To touch and feel and see and smell--
The body thus has served you well.
For as spirit these things you cannot do.
These are the body’s gifts to you.

There’ll come a day when the body you leave
And then the truth you will believe,
And thanks you’ll give to what you've felt
With the physical hand that you were dealt.

We hope you see our message clear:
The body you should hold quite dear.
Even if not perfect in the end ...
The spirit’s tool God did you send.

A New Day

Turn the page and begin with a clean sheet. Is this not how you begin each day? Sleep is a time to rejuvenate the body, but also a time to make a clean break from the thoughts and actions of the previous day. The previous day is gone. It exists no more in the light of a new day. What will you create as you open your eyes anew?

Each moment of this new beginning you are given the opportunity to choose how you live your life, how you wish to feel, how you will affect those around you, and how you will allow those around you to affect you. Pay close attention to the latter. Understand that no other affects your moods, your feelings, or your choices. You are the chooser of your moods, your feelings, and of your every action.

Upon opening your eyes each day, spend a moment in gratitude. Then make the decision to carry that moment with you from moment to moment throughout the day. By living with this attitude, you open your heart to send and receive love, more aware through the expression of gratitude that love is your very nature. Do not waste another day looking at the past nor worrying what will be. Be thankful for this day and all it has to give you. Give from your heart and make the most of this blessed day.

Prayers are Heard

Know that every one of you who walks upon the earth is cradled in the arms of angels. Never are you not cared for or watched over. Know that when one suffers, we are at your side, holding your hand. God forsakes no one, for God is the loving Force that animates ALL living things.

The trials of life are hard for you to bear … the sickness and the surgeries, the suffering, and the pain. The physical body undergoes changes, but know that the spirit is always connected to that Loving Source and cannot be harmed.

When you pray, it is always heard. Your prayers carry a special energy – a loving vibration that is felt and appreciated by the intended spirit. Know that the higher good of the spirit is always fostered by your prayers, even if you cannot see the outward result. Do not cease praying, for this helps all concerned, including yourself. It maintains the link of love, which is always there, but which is strengthened through this most special form of acknowledgment.