The Fellowship Chronicles Podcast

What is the Relationship Between the Christ Self and the I AM Presence?

Hello and welcome to Episode 5 of the Foundations of the Ascended Master path. In our last episode, we talked about awakening the Christ within and how harmony, love, prayer, and self-mastery help us draw closer to our Higher Self. Today, we’re going to explore one of the most important teachings of the Ascended Master Path: What is the relationship between the Christ Self and the I AM Presence? This teaching can sound abstract at first, but once you begin to understand it, many of the mysteries of life suddenly start making sense. And if you look at the Chart of Your Divine Self in the text, that visual may help you follow along as we walk through it together. The Ascended Masters teach that we are much more than the outer personality we experience every day. Most people identify themselves almost entirely with the human self: our emotions, our thoughts, our memories, our problems, our successes and failures. But that outer personality is not the fullness of who you are. Behind the human self is a far greater spiritual reality. So let’s explore this together. When God appeared to Moses on Mount Sanai in the burning bush that was not consumed, he revealed his name. He told Moses to tell the people that ‘I AM that I AM’ sent him. He went on to say, “This is my name forever, and this is my memorial from generation to generation.” [Exodus 3:14-15] That was not just a name. It was a revelation of Being itself. The words “I AM” are sacred because they express the self-awareness of God individualized. Human beings are unique on earth in that we possess self-awareness. We can say, “I AM.” Animals have intelligence and instinct, but they do not stop and contemplate their existence in the same way humanity does. They do not consciously choose to transform themselves spiritually. That self-awareness reflects something extraordinary. We were created in the image and likeness of God. The Ascended Masters teach that each of us has an individualized Presence of God called the I AM Presence. This Presence is the highest part of your being — your Divine Source, your eternal identity in God, literally God within you. In the chart, the upper figure represents the I AM Presence. It is not separate from God. It is God individualized as you. Perfect, pure, whole and untouched by fear, limitation, disease, aging, or death. The I AM Presence, the part of you made in the image and likeness of God, always holds the perfect pattern for your soul. Now beneath the Presence, you see a stream of light descending. This is sometimes called the silver cord or crystal cord. It is the flow of life itself — the energy of God continually flowing into your being—the energy that keeps you alive. And as long as this connection remains, you live in the physical world. When it is withdrawn, what we call death, your soul moves on to other dimensions of life. Anchored within your heart is the Divine spark of that Presence. The Ascended Masters describe this spark as the threefold flame — the flame of Power, Wisdom, and Love. Now surrounding the I AM Presence are concentric spheres of colored light. This is called the Causal Body, and you can think of it as your spiritual treasury or your “bank account in heaven.” Every act of love, every victory over fear, every selfless deed, every moment of compassion and spiritual attainment creates momentum in these spheres of light. Nothing constructive is ever lost. All positive energy qualified with love and harmony rises into this treasury of light and remains part of your eternal attainment. But energy used destructively does not rise. It becomes what we call karma — energy that must eventually be balanced and transformed so that the energy that was misused is free to also rise to the Causal Body. Now between the I AM Presence and the human self is the most important bridge of all, your Holy Christ Self. The middle figure in the chart represents this Christ Self. This is the individualized expression of the Universal Christ within you. It is your true spiritual identity — the Real Self you are becoming. Jesus fully embodied this Christ Self. That is why we refer to him as Jesus the Christ. Christ is not a last name. It is a state of divine realization and union. The Christ Self is one with God, yet it is also able to work directly with the soul evolving on earth. This is why the Christ Self serves as mediator between the human personality and the I AM Presence. Scripture tells us: “There is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” [1 Timothy 2:5] The Ascended Master understanding, of course, describes the the Christ indwelling within each child of God just as it was in Christ Jesus. The difference, of course, is that Jesus was one with His Christ Self and we are striving to achieve that same oneness. The unique aspect of the Christ Self is that can behold both the divine perfection of the I AM Presence and human imperfection simultaneously. That is why it is called the Mediator. Your I AM Presence can only behold perfection because it is literally God within you, manifested as the Divine Spark within your heart. Your Holy Christ Self, also known as your Higher Mental Body and by other names in other religions, acts as teacher, guide, protector, and inner spiritual mentor. It is called the Higher Mental Body because it carries the mind of God for your individual soul. When intuition suddenly speaks clearly. when wisdom interrupts anger, when you feel lifted above fear, when love replaces judgment, you are often experiencing the influence of your Christ Self. Now something very important happened in humanity’s spiritual history. The Ascended Masters teach that in what is called “the Fall,” human consciousness descended below the vibration of the Christ consciousness. The soul became increasingly identified with separation and fear, ego, and discord. Your Christ Self did not disappear. It became separated in consciousness from your outer personality. The spiritual path is the journey back into reunion. This is why Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is within you.” He was pointing humanity back toward this inner reality. The purpose of life is not merely survival. It is not simply morality. It is not just outer religion. The purpose of life is reunion, first with your Holy Christ Self and ultimately in the final reunion with your I AM Presence in the ritual of the ascension. This changes how we understand spiritual growth. You are not trying to become worthy of God someday. You are learning to align with the divine reality that already exists within you. Every loving thought strengthens that alignment. Every prayer opens the flow. Every act of forgiveness clears the channel. Every decree, affirmation, meditation, and act of self-mastery allows more light from your Presence to descend into your daily life. The goal is not to escape the world. The goal is to anchor more of God into the world through you. Gradually, the soul identifies less with fear and limitation and more with the Christ Self. And eventually, at the conclusion of the path, the soul reunites fully with the I AM Presence in the ascension. This is the great destiny held within every son and daughter of God. In our next episode, we’ll begin exploring another important question. Why do we reincarnate, and did Jesus actually teach it? I will also introduce a series that will help to make all of this teaching thus far practical in your everyday life. Until then, remember this: Your I AM Presence is not distant from you. Your Christ Self is not unreachable. The light of God is already within you — patiently waiting for your recognition, your cooperation, and your love. Take the time to commune with God within you and see how your life transforms. ________________________ Next Free Live Event - Join Us! MYSTICAL KABBALAH Jun 18, 2026, 7:00 PM Central Discover the profound spiritual teachings of the Mystical Kabbalah in this illuminating presentation exploring the nature of the soul, the Tree of Life, and the pathways to deeper self-understanding and divine connection. This session offers timeless wisdom and practical insight for anyone seeking greater meaning, transformation, and spiritual awareness. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER [https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uFMhCfK3QOC5OojUUcjm6w] Get full access to The Fellowship Chronicles at thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

How Do I Awaken the Christ Within?

Hello and welcome to Episode 4 of the Foundations of the Ascended Master Path. In our last episode, we asked whether Jesus is the only Christ — and we saw that he came not to exclude humanity from divine sonship, but to demonstrate it. So, today the question becomes practical: If the Christ lives within me, how do I awaken it? Many Christians struggle here. They believe Jesus was divine — but they quietly assume they could never be like him. But that is not what Jesus said. He said: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” So, think about that. Greater works. If someone said that today and it were not recorded in Scripture, many would call it blasphemy. But Jesus said it. How is that possible? The Ascended Master understanding is very simple and very powerful: We do greater works because we become one with him — and he overshadows and empowers us. Remember, there is only one Son of God, one Christ. The Christ in you is the same Christ in Christ Jesus. When we call for our souls to be one with Jesus, one with our Holy Christ Self, and one with God, there is a multiplication of empowerment. Jesus is not replaced. Rather Christ is magnified through us. What Jesus accomplished is lawful for us to accomplish. He demonstrated it publicly so that we would know it is possible. Let me give you a very human example. There was a story of a mother at home with her children. Suddenly her toddler collapsed. The child’s lips were turning blue from lack of oxygen. Panicked, the mother ran into the hallway crying out for help. No one answered. And then something shifted. A deep calm settled over her. Instead of hysteria, clarity came. She remembered her training. She laid the child down and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Later she described the moment by saying, “It was almost like I stepped outside myself. Something took over.” That night, when everything was calm again, her older daughter quietly asked, “Mommy, who was the man with his hand on your shoulder?” The mother hadn’t seen anyone. But the child had. Now whether that presence was her Holy Christ Self or an Ascended Master or an angel assisting, the point is this: In a moment of crisis, when fear could have taken control, harmony opened the door to overshadowing. The Christ Mind took over and that is what Jesus meant. The “greater works” do not come from the carnal mind. They come from alignment with the Christ Mind. Archangel Jophiel teaches that if we want to truly be in control of our lives, we must access the Christ Mind — because the human mind simply does not have all the answers. In fact, it actually can be confusing us. So how do we maintain that contact? Here is the key: Harmony. Your Holy Christ Self does not dwell in discord. When you are angry, argumentative, resentful, or vibrating in chaos, you move out of alignment. The Christ Self appears to withdraw. But in reality, you moved away from that divine self by your out of alignment state. Light cannot fully anchor in disharmony. And the moment you reestablish harmony and move back into alignment, contact can be restored. This is where the violet flame becomes practical. When you feel yourself in reaction, in irritation, or in fear — stop. Call for the violet flame and ask that the misqualified energy be transmuted. Declare your wholeness and harmony once again and repeat this mantra: “I AM a being of violet fire, I AM the purity God desires.” You can repeat this mantra once or multiple times, focusing totally on the violet fire, the violet color surrounding you and transmuting any and all energies in your aura that are less than that Christ. You can repeat it verbally, which is preferable and more powerful, or mentally if you are in a situation where you cannot verbally repeat it. And as harmony returns, your Christ Self draws near again. Is there a key to maintaining harmony? Yes, Love is the key. Send love to the people you pass on the street. That’s a great experiment. Give it a try. Send love to the person who disagrees with you. Do not argue unnecessarily. Because every argument strengthens the lower vibration. Peace strengthens alignment. You are not asked to be weak. You are asked to be congruent. Speak as you believe Christ would speak — with love, but with firmness when necessary, and with mercy when it’s due. Think as Christ would think. Act as Christ would act. And gradually something remarkable happens: The mind of God begins to synchronize with your mind. This is not mystical fantasy. It is disciplined imitation of Christ. This is why the path is sometimes called the “Imitation of Christ.” Not imitation in pretense — but imitation in vibration. The more you align your thoughts, words, and actions with the Christic pattern, the more the overshadowing becomes natural. And suddenly you realize: You’re calmer under pressure. You’re clearer in crisis. You’re kinder under provocation, and stronger but without aggression. This is how the Christ awakens. Not through spectacle. But through consistency. You do not leave your life. You transform it. And you begin to understand something profound: The Christ within you has always been ready. It was waiting for your cooperation. In our next episode, we’ll explore another important layer: What is the relationship between the Christ Self and the I AM Presence, and what are the components of your Divine identity? Until then, remember this: You are not trying to become divine. OneYou are learning to live from the divinity that is already within you. BOOK STUDY Four Tuesdays in April - 7, 14, 21, 28 - 8:00 p.m. Click Here to Register [https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nIMFkDr1Q6qkwvSf8qJ8Fw#/registration] Join us for our Free guided book study of The Answer You’re Looking For Is Inside of You by Mark L. Prophet, a transformative exploration of inner wisdom, spiritual identity, and practical tools for personal growth. Through reflection and discussion, you’ll discover how to access deeper insight, clarity, and purpose already present within you. No charge. Get full access to The Fellowship Chronicles at thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Is Jesus the Only Christ?

Hello and welcome back to the Fellowship Chronicles and our exciting series on the Foundations of the Ascended Master Path. In our last episode, we talked about who the Ascended Masters are and how they form what is called the Great White Brotherhood, which is a family of enlightened beings dedicated to humanity’s spiritual evolution. Today we come to a question that many people carry quietly, and some carry very strongly: Is Jesus the only Christ? Or sometimes it’s asked this way: Why do the Masters sometimes say “Jesus the Christ”? This question matters deeply — especially for Christians — because it touches the very heart of faith. Let me begin very clearly. Nothing in the Ascended Master teachings diminishes Jesus. Rather, it magnifies him. Jesus’ life was an unmistakable, public demonstration of what it means to live as the Christ in the physical world. He did not come merely to be admired, or even worshipped. He came to awaken us. He came as the living Christ to reawaken humanity to who we really are — sons and daughters of God who are also meant to manifest that same divine light. And I urge you, no matter what religion you follow — or even if you follow none at all — do not dismiss the importance of his life. Set aside preconceptions for a moment and look carefully at what he actually said. Jesus solved a mystery for humanity. He showed that it is possible to be divine and live fully in a physical body. He was born as a helpless infant. He needed protection. He had to grow, learn, and mature. He was tempted. He was tested. He walked through the full spectrum of the human experience. Yet he never lost awareness of his true identity — both Son of Man and Son of God. His life matters to us not only because he attained union with the Father — but because he showed us that this union is attainable. He said the kingdom of heaven is within you. He said, “The works that I do shall you do also, and greater works than these.” Now, if our true identity were not divine, how could that statement possibly be true? When the Masters say “Jesus the Christ,” they are making an important distinction. “Jesus” refers to the individual soul born in Bethlehem. “Christ” refers to the divine Sonship — the universal Light of God — that he embodied perfectly. Christ is not a last name. Christ is a state of consciousness. The Gospel of John says that Christ is the “true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Notice that it says every man. Not just one. Every soul carries within it the seed of Christhood. Jesus fully externalized that seed. He became one with his Christ Self and then reunited with the Father in the ascension. He did not come to convince us that we are permanently separate from God. He came to show us what it looks like to be united with God while still in a physical body. This is why he could say, “I and my Father are one,” and in another breath pray that we also may be one. The tragedy is not that Jesus claimed divine sonship. The tragedy is that many were later taught that he alone could ever claim it. Yes, Christ is the only Son of God. But that Sonship is replicated — just as God creates humanity in His image over and over again. The Christ is the divine pattern within each of us. We have not been taught that we were born to become a Christ. Instead, many have been taught that we were born as sinners — separated from God by nature. Yes, we make mistakes. Yes, we create karma. Yes, we must overcome our misuses of energy. But our mistakes are not our identity. They are conditions we are rising above. If we define ourselves as inherently separate from God, we limit the very power that can transform us. Fear and unworthiness keep humanity small. Jesus came to remove that fear. He came to demonstrate the victorious life. Carl Jung once said that Christ represents the archetype of the Self. In the language of the Ascended Masters, we call this the Christ Self — the Higher Self. It’s also been called the Higher Mental Body— the divine Mind that we are meant to embody. The scripture says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” That is not a poetic suggestion. It is an instruction. Jesus’ mission was not to create dependency. It was to ignite awakening. He demonstrated what we are destined to become. So, is Jesus the only Christ? He is the only one who fully demonstrated it for the entire world in that age. But he is not the only bearer of Christ light. The Christ is the true identity of every son and daughter of God. And the purpose of life — the One Path Above Many — is to awaken to that identity, embody it, and ultimately reunite with the Father in the ascension just as Jesus did. In our next episode, we’ll explore how one begins to consciously awaken this Christ Self and what that process actually looks like in daily life. Until then, hold this thought: Jesus did not come to make you feel small. He came to show you who you are. Get full access to The Fellowship Chronicles at thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Who Are the Ascended Masters? What is the Great White Brotherhood?

Hello and welcome to Episode 2 of One Path Above the Many. In our last episode, we began laying the foundation for this series by talking about why there is one path above the many — not because it claims superiority, but because of where it leads: conscious, permanent union with God. Today, I want to take the next step and address two closely related questions that often arise together: Who are the Ascended Masters? And, what is the Great White Brotherhood? To understand either one, we need to begin with something very simple — and very profound. Every son and daughter of God carries within them a divine spark. And this spark is your God-given potential to awaken to the Christ, to the Divine within and to realize your true identity as a child of God. Now this idea lies at the heart of the world’s great spiritual traditions, both East and West, and it was also central to Jesus’ original message. Jesus never taught that divine sonship belonged to him alone. Rather, he demonstrated what divine sonship looks like when it is fully realized. When he said, “Follow me,” he was not asking us to admire him from a distance. He was inviting us into transformation. He taught that the kingdom of heaven is within. He told his disciples that they would do the works that he did — and even greater works — because he was going to the Father. Those statements tell us something essential: Jesus was not presenting himself as the end of the journey. He was revealing the way. The culmination of that way is what the Ascended Masters call the ascension, which is not death, and it is not escape. Rather, it’s an acceleration of your awareness in which your soul completes its earthly schooling and reunites fully with God — free from the cycles of karma and rebirth. So, to our first question. Who Are the Ascended Masters? An Ascended Master is one who has completed this path. And this through devotion, discipline, service, and love, they attained self-mastery, meaning, mastery of thoughts, feelings, and basically, all of God’s energy that gives us life. They moved beyond their human consciousness into union with their divine Source. And this mastery did not happen overnight. For most, if not all, it unfolded over many lifetimes, as they learned to use free will in alignment with God’s laws and to transmute the karma they had created—karma, as they say in the East or sin as they say in the West. And when that work was complete, their souls entered into full reunion with God in what is called the ascension. Jesus demonstrated this path openly. But he was not the only one — nor would he be the last. The scriptures tell us that Elijah ascended into heaven, that Enoch walked with God and was “taken.” John the Beloved completed the ascension, as did Mary, the mother of Jesus. Throughout history, sons and daughters of God have walked this same path. And what’s important to understand is that those who have completed it have come from every walk of life and every culture. They were not all monks or mystics living apart from the world. Some were teachers, or rulers, mothers and fathers, healers, and seekers whose names history never recorded. They lived in different civilizations, followed different outer religions, and faced very different life circumstances. What united them? It was not background or status, because God is no respecter of persons, but choice — the choice to love God above all else and to master the energy entrusted to them in daily life. This is why the Ascended Master Path is universal. You don’t have to leave your life — you have to transform it. And fortunately for us, those who have completed this path are not distant beings. They are, in fact, our elder brothers and sisters. They stand as living proof that what they have done, we can do. And this leads to our second question. What Is the Great White Brotherhood? Despite the name, the Great White Brotherhood has nothing to do with race, or even ethnicity or culture. The word “white” refers to light — the pure white light of God consciousness. Race can be so divisive, and we see that today, but this division is man-made. I always say, hold up a piece of white paper next to someone who is considered “white,” and observe how there is no such thing. You can do the same with black, yellow and red or any other “color” we have labeled groups of people. The Great White Brotherhood is best described as a spiritual fraternity of enlightened beings who have attained mastery and now serve from higher levels of consciousness. It includes Ascended Masters, great adepts, cosmic beings, and even some who are living on earth. They are servants of divine law who work together for a single purpose and that purpose is the spiritual awakening and evolution of humanity. And the Ascended Masters we’ve been speaking about are members of this brotherhood. They are part of God’s spiritual hierarchy in the heavenly realms. And from those realms, they work behind the scenes of history, culture, religion, and individual spiritual awakening. They serve as teachers, guides, and sponsors for those of us still walking the path on earth. And each master embodies specific qualities of God, such as wisdom, love, freedom, healing, or truth, and radiates those qualities as living currents of light into the world. This Brotherhood has existed since the earliest cycles of creation, long before recorded history. They have guided humanity’s spiritual development, stepping forward when souls were ready and withdrawing when they were not. So from this perspective, the Great White Brotherhood is not separate from humanity. Rather, it represents our future state. In our next episode, we’ll explore other questions. And if you have questions you would like answers to, I invite you to please feel free to submit them in the comments and we will do our best to work them into our episodes. Until next time, stay with the conversation. Because the one path above the many is not about becoming someone else. It’s about becoming who you truly are. Get full access to The Fellowship Chronicles at thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

One Path Above Many

Welcome to The Fellowship Chronicles. Today I’m beginning a new podcast series that has been forming for quite some time — not only in my own heart, but also through many conversations I’ve had over the years with people who are sincerely seeking God. I’m calling this series One Path Above Many, Foundations of the Ascended Master Path. And you might be wondering — why that title? Because truly, we live in a world with many spiritual paths. There are many religions, many philosophies, many teachers and many ways people describe their relationship with God. And yet, despite this great diversity, the human heart continues to ask the same essential questions: Why am I here? What is life on earth really about? And is there something more — something deeper — than what I’m currently experiencing? So what is it that makes the Ascended Master Path the one path above many? It’s not because it claims superiority over other religions or traditions. Rather, it is distinct because of its destination. It leads to the ultimate victory of the individual soul: the conscious and permanent reunion with God at the end of its many sojourns on earth. This sacred victory is called the ascension. The Ascended Masters are souls who walked this path to its completion. Jesus is perhaps the most well-known Ascended Master — and the purest expression of the living Christ, the Son of God, that the world has ever known. Yet many people don’t realize that when Jesus invited humanity to “follow” him, he was not asking us to follow as a puppy follows its master. He was showing us what it means to become the Christ — the living Light that, as the Gospel of John tells us, “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” And Jesus was not alone. There are many others who have also completed this path, ascended, and now serve humanity from the higher realms. Now, some people believe that all religions eventually lead to God. Others believe there is only one way — and that way is through Jesus Christ. The Ascended Masters resolve what appears to be a contradiction between these two viewpoints. In doing so, they open the door to a much greater understanding of God’s magnificent universe — and how you fit into it. They reveal many mysteries of heaven, and most importantly, they teach you how to achieve the ascension. For this series, I’ve chosen a question-and-answer format because over the years, I’ve noticed that people tend to carry the same questions quietly in their hearts, even when they don’t quite know how to articulate them. Questions like: Why am I here? What is the purpose of life on earth? What does “union with God” mean anyway? Rather than presenting this material as a lecture or a doctrine, I want this series to feel like a conversation — the kind of conversation seekers have when they are being honest, curious, and open. In each episode, I’ll take a few foundational questions and respond to them as clearly, simply, and compassionately as I can. If you’re new to the Ascended Master teachings, I invite you to explore them with me. If you’re a longtime student, perhaps we can work together to find clearer language for explaining the path to others. And if you sense that there must be more to life than what you’re currently living, then you are very much in the right place. And this leads to our first question. Question One: Why are there so many spiritual paths? This is often the first question people ask — sometimes out loud, sometimes silently. If God is one, why are there so many paths? The answer is actually quite simple. Humanity is not at one level of consciousness. Souls awaken at different stages, in different cultures, with different needs, karmic patterns, and levels of readiness. Many spiritual paths serve a beautiful and necessary purpose. They awaken faith, they heal emotional wounds, they teach compassion and help people believe in something higher than themselves. These paths, of course, are not wrong, they are preparatory. But preparation is not the same as fulfillment. Eventually, the soul reaches a point where it wants more than comfort, more than belief, more than inspiration. It wants union. And today, many souls are ready. That brings us to our second question. Question Two: Is this path for everyone? This is an important — and often misunderstood — question. God granted humanity free will, and the Ascended Masters, above all, honor that free will. They never interfere with it. The Ascended Master Path is universal, but it is not imposed. No one is required to walk it. No one is judged for choosing another way. But when a soul is ready for union — when the longing for God becomes deeper than the desire for comfort — this path begins to resonate. You might feel drawn without fully knowing why.You might feel challenged and comforted at the same time. You might feel as though something ancient within you recognizes the call. That recognition is not random. In upcoming episodes, we’ll explore questions such as: What does union with God actually mean? Is karma and reincarnation found in the Bible? How do the Ascended Masters help us? And can this path be walked while living a normal, everyday life? Each episode will build gently and logically, always returning to the same central truth: Nothing less than union with God ultimately satisfies the soul. So if you’re listening to this and feeling curious — or even quietly stirred — I invite you to simply stay with the conversation. You don’t need to accept anything. You don’t need to reject anything. Just listen. Because the one path above the many is not about convincing the mind. It’s about awakening the soul’s memory of where it came from — and where it is meant to return. Until next time, be blessed. Get full access to The Fellowship Chronicles at thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe [https://thefellowshipchronicles.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]