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CHAPTER III
Manipura—The Indweller,
Your Hidden Power
Many people think that meditation is an escape from responsibility and participation in the world; but, in reality, it is a process of ascending to a higher level of satisfaction and contentment from which you can realize your life's mission. It is impossible for you to reach this level as long as your consciousness is trapped in the valley of fluctuating desires, greed, insecurity, sensual need, and the drive for power. Whether we realize it or not, our minds are hypnotized by the outer world, captured by these external needs and desires.
If you turn your attention to the innermost quiet recesses of your being, you will discover just how much you are under the influence of the world. Ask yourself, “Am I doing what I do out of genuine need or am I copying others? Do I try to impress others to prove that I am somebody, that I am something special? How often do I continue to do something in order to maintain a certain status although the effort is a burden to me?"
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