Christopher Vogler The Writers Journey
ascending order of emotional development that is reflected in the Indian concept
of the chakra system. These are imagined to be a number of invisible but very real
centers of life within the body, most of them located along the spine. There are seven
359
T H E W R I T E R ' S JOURNEY ~ T H I R D EDITION
Christopher Vogler
principal chakras, each governing a different function, ascending from the crude
physical needs of the body to the highest aspirations of the soul. Chakra means ring
or circle and the chakras are conceived as ring-like centers of energy near important
organs. T h e y are pictured as lotus flowers that can be open or closed depending on
the person's spiritual development. T h e y form a map of the stages of a person's
growth or at least potential for growth, for few people progress past the first three