Edgar Allen Poe

The Raven

    Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
  Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
   As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
  "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
                Only this, and nothing more."

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
  And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
    Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
    From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
  For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
                Nameless here for evermore.

    And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
  Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
    "'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door-
  Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-
                This it is, and nothing more."

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
  "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
  That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door;-
                Darkness there, and nothing more.

    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering,
        fearing,
  Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"
  This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"-
                Merely this, and nothing more.

    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
   Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
    "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:
    Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-
  Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
                'Tis the wind and nothing more."

    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and
        flutter,
  In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore;
    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed
        he;
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door-
  Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door-
                Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

   Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
  By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
   "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no
        craven,
   Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore-
  Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
  Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
    Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door-
  Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
                With such name as "Nevermore."

    But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
  That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
    Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-
    Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown
        before-
  On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
                Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

     Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
  "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store,
     Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
     Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore-
  Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
                Of 'Never- nevermore'."

    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
  Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and
        door;
    Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-
  What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore
                Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
  To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
    On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,
  But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
                She shall press, ah, nevermore!

    Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
  Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
    "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he
        hath sent thee
    Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!
  Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or
        devil!-
  Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-
    On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-
  Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or
        devil!
  By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-
    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
  Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked,
        upstarting-
  "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
    Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!
  Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my
        door!"
               Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
  On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
    And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the
        floor;
  And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
                Shall be lifted- nevermore!

8:04 PM - 0 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

by Alina Larson ’Letting Go’
Current mood: melancholy
Category: Life

The Peace of Letting Go

A close friend forgets your birthday.  Your neighbors keep taking your newspaper.  You overhear your mother-in-law making critical comments about your parenting.  Your anger and resentment build into a grudge.  You grab hold of it, resolving that these peope will be punished by your coldest shoulder.  That will teach them.

Only it doesn't.  Aand you end up feeling drained physically, mentally and spiritually.  How do you give up a grdge and get on with your life?

Separate the behavior from the person.

We think, wrongly, that bad deeds equal bad people, and they should regret their actions, says psychologist and author Paul Hauck, Ph.D.  But an unkind deed doesn't make someone bad.  It makes them humna.  Humans make mistakes.

Focus on what you can control: your feelings.

You might blame the bad deed for making you bitter.  But you're the one choosing to feel that way.

Revenge Isn't worth it.

Stop thinking that by being aloof, you'll teach some-one a lesson.  You're just hurting your relationship and not solving anything.

Forgive everything, forget nothing.

That's the best policy, says Hauck.  Let's say someone hasn't repaid your loan.  Try saying, "I don't like what you did, but I forgive you.  People make mistakes.  You've told me with your actions that if I loan you money, I won't get it back.  So I've learned not to lend you money."

Get over your anger.

When you hold a grudge, you're demanding that someone do things the way you like.  Pretty childish, if you think about it.  Change your demands into wishes ("I'd prefer that you...").  It really takes the steam out of anger.  And if you can let go of the anger, guess what?  You can let go of the grudge and start to let inner peace take its place.  Doesn't that feel much more satisfying?

by Alina Larson

7:46 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment

Banishment Stirring Spell
Current mood: melancholy
Category: Life

If you need to banish something from your life,then prepare a pot of soup. I love to cook it is such a meditation for me. 

Draw a banishing pentagram in the soup, then stir nine times counterclockwise,
saying:

 "Blessed Lord, gracious Lady, hear my plea. Remove
                    
(insert what needs removal)
                                                                  from me.

For the good of all, with harm to none; once this is eaten, the spell is done!"
Then eat your soup. If it is an interpersonal conflict and you have the other person's permission, share the soup.

7:38 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Working Wind Magic

Before calling on the winds in your magical work, you must prepare yourself.  Wind magic is simple, but most of us have lost touch with its power.  Stop and think about this for a moment.  When was the last time you truly listened to the wind?  To appreciate the wind, try getting away to a rural area, a garden, or a park.  Begin by sitting and emptying your head.  Next, breathe deeply.  lastly, let yourself feel the wind in your hair or on your skin.  Try this technique as often as you cn and at different times of the day or evening.

Calling upon the Winds

When you summon the winds to aid in casting a spell, first clear your mind.  focus on your one desire.  Write this wish down on a piece of virgin white paper.

Cast your cirlce, outdoors if possible, and begin by facing north.  Ask the winds for their help, speaking words of power, such as:

North wind, wind of mystery, clear away any negativity that would prevent my desire from coming to me.  Thank you.

Turn east and say:

East wind, the wind of renewal, bring this change into my life, with harm to none.  Thank you.

Face south and say:

South wind, I ask you to melt away any obstacles that would hinder my desire, with harm to none.  Thank you.

And last, facing west, saying:

West wind, the wind of emotions, fuel my desire.  Bring my wish to me, here and now, with harm to none.  It must be.  Thank you.

Burn your wish paper, and sprinkle the ashes in a circle, starting at the north and moving clockwise.  Thank the wind, and release your circle.  Let the winds carry your wish to the divine.  You can ask the winds to assist in almost any type of magic.  Remember to ask politely when seeking the wind's help.  Never be demanding.  The four winds are ancient and powerful.

2:25 PM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Wind Magic
Current mood: refreshed

Wind Magic - by James Kambos

Long ago, before the footsteps of human or beast were heard on Earth, there was the wind.  And it was magic.  It whistled over the hills and sang as it soared above the mountain peaks.  So great was its strength it even penetrated the dark virgin forests, whispering its secrets to the majestic trees.

When our earliest ancestors first encountered the wind, they were in awe of its great invisible power.  After all, it had chiseled great masses of stone, creating canyons and other deserts, the winds created the eerie beauty of constantly shifting sand dunes.  And in the snowy regions, wind pushed the snows into mounds of icy crystals.

Air and wind give our planet life.  The ancients, thus drawn to the invisible energy of the wind, made it part of early folk magic.  Sailors of the Aegean Sea believed the wind power could be captured by tying knots in their ship's sails.  When a gust of wind was needed, the knot was untied, releasing a breeze, which allowed the ship to move on.  Such early magical beliefs prefigured the use of wind magic in much folk magic tradition.

The Four Winds

Understanding the four winds lays the groundwork for performing wind magic.  Each wind corresponds to each of the four directions, or quarters, or our Earth.  These are, the north, south, east, and west winds.  In different parts of the world, the wind patterns vary, so you must adjust this to your magical needs.  The following list gives the attributes of each wind according to the weather conditions of North America and Europe.  Remember also, when we speak of a prevailing wind, this means the direction from which the wind is coming.  That is, the east wind is the wind blowing from the east, not toward it.

The North Wind

In magic, the north wind is the wind of the mysteries, for it comes from the darkness of the north.  Use it in spells when you wish to banish a bad habit, destroy a disease, or rid your life of any negativity.  It is a cold and barren wind.  Its season is winter; its colors are black, or the deepest navy blue.  Its element is earth, and its hour is midnight.

The South Wind

This is the hottest of the four winds.  Use it in spells where you need a sudden burst of energy or change.  But be careful, the south wind can bring you more than you've asked for.  It is a hot, dry wind associated with summer.  Its colors are brilliant white, yellow, and orange.  Fire is its element, and noon is its time of day.

The East Wind

The East wind comes from the direction of the sunrise and moonrise.  The east wind is the wind of renewal.  Use the east wind in spells where you need a fresh start - a new job, career change, new home, and so on.  It is a warm fresh wind; its season is spring.  It belongs to the element air.  Crimson and warm pinks are its colors, and dawn is its time of day.

The West Wind

Cool and moist best describes the west wind.  It is the wind to use if you are casting a love or fertility spell. Its element is water, and its colors include green, blue, and misty gray.  Autumn is its season.  The west rules the hours of twilight, so its is a potent wind for spirit contact or seeing into the future.

8:13 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

The Witches Almanac
Current mood: creative
Category: Religion and Philosophy

The Witches Almanac has been around now for over a quarter of a century and I have several of them saved from years past.  I am happy to announce that I have the latest edition available at The Broom Closet.  This edition is focused on divination in many different forms and I found the following excerpt charming and fun and thought that you all may enjoy it too...

Reading in the Ribbons

In times past, women considered ribbons, laces and braid trims treasures too pretty ever to discard.  Among the mystical traditions of Western Europe, especially in Scotland, a kitchen-witch custom developed around bright ribbon bundles.  The ribbons were knotted or stitched together at one end, then used as a form of divination.  Those who came to seek advice from the wse one would be invited to select a ribbon.  The reader would then combine psychometry with intuition to weave a story apropos to the situation.  Today with the popularity of tarot, palmistry, mediumship and other divination systems on the rise, ribbon reading can again be enjoyed as a simple, beautiful and comfortable way to both divine the future and understand the past.

Begin with seven ribbons, saved, given or purchased, but carefully selected.  Seven is a number associated with wisdom.  Think of the seven chakras in the body; the Sun, Moon and visible planets are seven.  There are seven musical notes, seven days of the week, seven archangels, and other seven relationships.  As time passes, more lovely ribbons may come your way and they can be added to the original bundle.  Any length is fine, but bundles about two feet long work well.  They are attractive set on a reading table and not too unwieldy to handle.

The reader can either pre-assign a meaning to a ribbon or thoughtfully consider what it means to a specific situation as questions arise.  For example, a lace can relate to memories and history, while a ribbon ebellished with snowflakes can indicate a change as winter nears.  A vibrant, rich red ribbon suggests success and quality.  cheerful fringe hints at travel to a sunny climate and a holiday.  The possibilities are endless.  With a little practice, the wisdom carried in the ribbon bundle will unravel to reveal new depths of understanding.

by Marina Bryony

6:17 AM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

A personal Ghost Story
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

A personal Ghost Story

At one time or another we have experiences that we cannot explain away with logic and the following is a story that I can't logic away either.

Quite some years ago, I was around 15 years of age I believe, a friend (Beverly) and myself were walking to my house.  I can't remember where we had been, but it was dark.  Now, at this time I lived in England and it gets dark very early in the winter time, dark by 4pm in mid-winter.  Our house backed onto Wellington College land, which was mainly woodland and a footpath led from the dirt road to the end of the row of houses.  This was our route. 

We were walking on the dirt road (no sidewalks or streetlamps) and could make out the turn that maked the start of the footpath.  As I said, it was dark.  We both stopped and I know that the hair was standing up on end on the back of my neck.  Beverly asked me who was there.  I was rooted to the spot and my eyes were fixed at a point in front of us that seemed to be hazy.  As I continued to stare, it seemed that a mist was forming itself into the shape of two figures, holding hands, one shorter than the other.  I could not make out any features, but got the impression that the taller of the two was female.

Again, Beverly asked me who was there, and I called out the question.  There was no answer, but the mist continued to slowly create a clearer shape.  Just then car headlights lit the corner as a vehicle came up the road from the opposite direction.  This spured us into motion and we ran all the way to my house (using a different route).

We went back to this spot the following weekend in the daylight, and found that the spot in which we had seen the mist was actually in the middle of the barbed wire fence that bordered the college land.

I don't know who or what we saw, but I know that we saw it.

11:49 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Spirits - do you see them?
Category: Dreams and the Supernatural

With Samhain quickly approaching thoughts turn to the supernatural and the spirit world with ease, and I thought it might be fun to do a blog on a group here in Arkansas called The Spirit Seekers, Inc.  This group has newsletter which is available at The Broom Closet and the following is a story taken from the latest edition...

My Scariest Investigation Experience - By Jason Hall

"...It was early spring, we were investigating the Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Booneville, AR.  I have always looked forward to this investigation because it seems there is always something paranormal going on there.  The first time I went to Booneville in 2006, I captured some good photos.  I have one that actually looks like a face coming through the floor.  These kinds of photos are always good to get, but I wanted real proof.  A photo can always be explained away by a hundred different explanations: light, reflections, shadows etc.  They can never be one hundred percent verified.  I left that investigation a little disappointed that I hadn't seen anything with my own two eyes.

The investigation this spring was very different, towards the end of the night Alan was tryign to make contact with the dowsing rods and contact is exactly what he made.  Alan made contact with a female on the fifth floor, after some yes or no questions it was determined that this spirit wanted to take us to her room on the fourth floor.  To be honest I wasn't very impressed at first, until she led us to her room.  We were all walking down the hallway on the fourth floor, Alan asked her to point out her room as we were walking.  All of a sudden the rods swung tot he left as pointed to room 445.  Here is where I started feeling a little antsy, like something might really be happening, and I was witnessing it.  We walked into the room and Alan started asking questions.  It turns out she was a female patient who had died in this very room, she had brown hair and brown eyes and children (when she was alive).  As I was watching this entire spiritual Q&A, I couldn't help feeling sorry for her.  Why is she relegated to the place she had died, how depressing is that?  Are we stuck in whatever place we are unfortunate enough to die?

Alan talked to her for about twenty minutes, and the entire time my mind was racing.  I was truly frightened.  I am not sure if I was scared of the fact that there was an actual ghost in my presence or if I was scared of being like her when I died.  I just knew that these thoughts would be on my mind for some time.  I wanted to leave that room and that building as fast as I could, and never go back."

Spirit Seekers, Inc. can be contacted at 14900 Wild Oak Lane, Roland, AR 72135.  They conduct meetings and training session and investigations.  Check out their website... Spirit Seekers 

7:17 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Lammas

   A LOAF FOR LAMMAS

Lammas,  the Great Sabbat of harvest, takes its English name from the Anglo-Saxon hlaf-maesse, meaning "loaf mass."  The old custom of baking bread from the first ground grain and presenting it at the place of worship was an expression of spiritual thanks for a bounty.  Our present-day harvests are likely to be metaphorical, but expressing gratitude for our blessings is a graceful and appropriate gesture.  With that theme in mind, we offer a modern version of a harvest loaf.

1 large loaf French or Italian bread

3ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup black olives, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

A hand full of parsley, chopped

A generous pinch of dried mint leaves, crumbled

A sprinkling of dried thyme

A scattering of capers

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

A dash of lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut one end from the loaf and with a long knife loosen the bread within, leaving about a half inch of crust.  Scoop out the crumb into a large bowl and combine with the tomatoes, olives, scallions, parsley, mint, thyme and capers.  Add the cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.  Stuffthe mixture firmly into the empty loaf, wrap in alluminum foil, and chill over night.

Slice and serve as picnic fare, hors d'oeuvre or as a part of the lammastide celebration.

Note: If the tomatoes are especialy juicy, you may have to add additional bread crumbs.  The object is to get the stuffing moist enough but not so wet as to soften the outside crust.  A delicate problem.

4:30 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Like Snakes?

Sacred Serpent Mound

Whether snake images make one recoil in horror or feel charmed and awed, seldom does the topic meet with indifference.  since prehistoric times few creatures command the same sense of mystery, emotion and genuine fascination.  In southern Ohio, a group of Native Americans honored the snake by building a gigantic serpent replica of stone and earth.  The fabulous creature stretches 1,348 feet, the body is about 20 feet wide and varies in height from two to six feet.  Dubbed Serpent Mound, this intriguing creation appears to perpetually uncoil its body over more than a quarter of a mie along a remote and wild ridge.  The indigenous culture which created Serpent Mound left no written history.  Archaeologists don't know whether the sculpture was intended as a gesture of veneration or repulsion.

Since at least 1848, visitors have enjoyed visiting and speculating about the form.  In 1883 Frederic Ward Putnam, a scientist with vision, realized that Serpent Mound was being destroyed by vandalism and erosion.  He raised funds through Harvard University to purchase the mound for a public park.  A 25-foot observation tower was erected by the Ohio Historical Society 25 years later, providing visitors with a view of the whole serpent.  A museum offers information aboutthe history of the site.  Photos of picnics enjoyed by visitors over a hundred years ago are displayed with pottery and other artifacts, including tiny ceramic replicas of snakes uncovered during excavation. 

Serpent Mound lies along the northern portion of the Ohio bluegrass region.  It was never covered by glaciers and has flora and fauna more similar to that of Kentucky than the rest of the Midwest.  Red cedar thickets, Ohio buckeye, maple, American beech and a variety of wildflowers make the surrounding countryside a rich and lovely place to explore.  Between the vernal equinox and May Day the area is expecially wonderful.  Visitors can expect early spring to bring a special treat; the lawns surrounding Serpent Mound itself is carpeted with blue violets.

Looking at this splended monument, tourists wonder why the big snake was built and by whom.  There are no human remains present to indicate a burial mound.  In 1991 a group of archaeologists used the most sophisticated techniquest to probe the myster.  Radiocarbon dating of small pieces of charcoal found in an undistrubed part of the mound yielded the date 1070 AD, nearly a thousand years ago.  They concluded that it was built by the Fort Ancient peoples, a culture which followed the Adena and Hopewell Mound Builders.  There is a similarity to divine feathered serpents, Quetzalcoatl of the Aztecs and Kukulcan of the Mayas.  Traditions from the Algonquian tribe of Lake Superior tell of a lake serpent that provided copper from its horns, which the Delaware Indians of Ohio feared an evil river snake.  The WyandotIndians have the sam word for 'snake' as they do for mysterious evil power.  But the Shawnees, another Ohio tribe, use the term manito to describe both snakes and spiritual awareness.  This reflects the concept of kundalini as the pwerful healing snake force within as identified by contemporary mystics and yoga practitioners.

About 1900 a Reverend Landon West saw the effigy as a representative of the biblical snake from the Garden of Eden.  The small mound or tongue in the front of the head he felt showed how its jaws grasped an apple-shaped fruit to symbolize the choice between good and evil.  Other visitors recalled the fiery visit of Halley's comet in 1066.  This appearance of Halley's comet almost exactly coincides with the radiocarbon dating of the mound's construction.  Perhaps the cosmic spectacle was seen as a gleaming sky serpent that the Amerindians felt should be honored.

Before damamge was done, early drawings of the Serpent Mound showed smaller projectios around the serpen'ts head.  These could hae been aseries of feathers, a protruding forked tongue, or frogs about to be swallowed.  Perhaps this was a clue that the serpent was one that might have swallowed the Sun and Moon during eclipses, an early common metaphor.

During the 1980's and 1990's several prominent astronomers examined Serpent Mound for astronomical alignments.  Two of them, Robert Fletcher and Terry Cameron, demonstrated tat a line drawn alon the upper body of the structure across the center oval aligns with the setting Sun in the summer solstice.  They continued to map the peaks of the three undulating humps from head to tail to find alignments with the sunrises at the summer solstice, autumn and spring equinoxes and winter solstice.  This suggests that the snake was used as an astrology calaendar for ritual worship and to time planting and harvest cycles. 

The deep sense of beautyand mystery surounding the structure is well worth experiencing.  Part of the sppeal lies in the knowledge that we will never really know exactly why it was built or by whom.  The site has even provided the inspiration for a recording of Native American themed music called Serpent Mound.  many sensitives believe that this superb structure is an important power vortex, a sacred site of great significance.

the Serpent Mound Park is located on State Road 73, 4 miles northwest of Locust Grove, Ohio.  visitors arriving from Cincinnati travel east on Highway 50.  The Serpent Mound Memorial Park museum and gift shop are open daily.  There is a small admission charge.

by Dikki-Jo Mullen

12:38 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment