  Let (g,K)(k) be a CMC (vacuum) Einstein flow over a compact three-manifold M
with non-positive Yamabe invariant (Y(M)). As noted by Fischer and Moncrief,
the reduced volume V(k)=(-k/3)^{3}Vol_{g(k)}(M) is monotonically decreasing in
the expanding direction and bounded below by V_{\inf}=(-1/6)Y(M))^{3/2}.
Inspired by this fact we define the ground state of the manifold M as "the
limit" of any sequence of CMC states {(g_{i},K_{i})} satisfying: i. k_{i}=-3,
ii. V_{i} --> V_{inf}, iii. Q_{0}((g_{i},K_{i}))< L where Q_{0} is the
Bel-Robinson energy and L is any arbitrary positive constant. We prove that (as
a geometric state) the ground state is equivalent to the Thurston
geometrization of M. Ground states classify naturally into three types. We
provide examples for each class, including a new ground state (the Double Cusp)
that we analyze in detail. Finally consider a long time and cosmologically
normalized flow (\g,\K)(s)=((-k/3)^{2}g,(-k/3))K) where s=-ln(-k) is in
[a,\infty). We prove that if E_{1}=E_{1}((\g,\K))< L (where E_{1}=Q_{0}+Q_{1},
is the sum of the zero and first order Bel-Robinson energies) the flow
(\g,\K)(s) persistently geometrizes the three-manifold M and the geometrization
is the ground state if V --> V_{inf}.
