1. Soul Willing
This first sector of the Wheel is Soul Willing. In the language of the Wheel
Soul means being; people; the psyche; energy; wave; time; vitality; bio-plasma;
chakras; Ki or Chi; vital force; ego-self; self-other; social; individual;
entity; mind as in body-"mind"-spirit; limbic system, mammalian brain;
instincts. Soul is the middle link between Body and Spirit. Willing means action
of all kinds; decisions; doing; determining; controlling; yes-no; on-off;
accomplishing; effectuating; carrying out; implementing; working; ordering;
intuiting; forebrain; deep sleep and attention.
In the body this part of the Wheel corresponds to the Head and the Brain. In our personal world it pertains to matters of Personality, and in civilization it pertains to Politics, and the like. In the ancient wisdom traditions of the West, and in the Zodiac, it is symbolized by Aires, the Ram.
In language it pertains to a sentence which makes a command; ie. "Do this!"
This first sector of the Wheel lies outside of the Enneagram chart of the 9 personal motivations. Its meaning as a personal impulse lies outside of individual personality. It pertains to a historical compulsion to lead society or to follow a leader. It's archetypal symbol or myth is the King. In India this historical impulse is symbolized by the moon node, Rahu. The complementary sign is the seventh sector, Soul Thinking, and the complementary impulse is symbolized in the west by Neptune, to relate and communicate with people, to persuade or be persuaded by reason, rather than to lead or follow.
In life this is the age span of from 0 - 7 years. This time of life is primarily concerned with "creating the ego." The child first develops a personal center, his own "I". The point of gravity is in the right brain, dream world, and "play" is the activity by which the child discovers the world.
In history the Aryan Age when Soul Willing was emphasized is the period from 4518 BC to 2358 BC (see explanation of the New Age). This was the Age of the Sacred People where the Ritualization of Life became the center of historical evolution. Remnants of this historical age can still be seen in Judaism and Hinduism. The Aries Age of a Sacred People distinguished from the rest - like the Jews or Hindus - used ritual to blend spiritual and material life.
In geography this sector of the Wheel corresponds to the one twelfth of the Earth from 40 to 70 degrees longitude East. This includes Persia and Arabia. People in this zone look for a prophet, or a leading hero: Abraham, Zarathustra, Hammurabi, Mohammed. The ideal for cultures grown in this sector is Sacred Law (Soul Thinking). The beginning point of the twelve sectors of the Wheel on Earth lies in Mecca, the traditional center point of the Earth at 40 degrees longitude East.