AS WE COLLECTIVELY ATTEMPT TO EXHIBIT THE DARK AGES of war and ignorance, we must drag ourselves out of various eras. In these eras we have embraced the atrocities of binding women's feet (Chinese fashion), the maintenance of harems and the use of burquas to hide women's lives and faces (the Muslim and other orthodoxies), the denial of education for women (our almost global reality), and other repressive behaviors. Now, we stumble towards the possibility of "granting" women "rights" that have been held by men for ages. Why these "rights" were ever denied women, or why women gave up their Mother Earth to a male dominion is quite a study, but perhaps not within the bounds of this article.

We somehow fail to appreciate how inappropriate it is to have as the figurehead of world democracies a man who was a failed businessman, a washout in college and as a military reservist, who has a history of alcohol and alleged substance abuse problems, who did not receive the popular vote in being elected, and who appears consumed by terrorism and waging war, rather than, for example, a woman, (his wife) who is a very literate, loved and successful librarian and teacher, who is making her mark in expanding literacy and educational possibilities for people. I do not know whether it is appropriate for a woman to take on roles that have been set in place by men - certainly it would look very strange for a woman to declare a military war on anyone - but then who, apart from bigots and the makers of weapons and mayhem, needs war? Are we still cave dwellers looking for the best in real estate? Did we not learn to speak and resolve issues? Has any woman ever felt honestly ennobled that her child should be tortured or killed in war?

In this article, we look at the Design of Martha Stewart, one of the very few women who has pulled herself squarely, and perhaps unwittingly, into the arena of competing with male dominion, succeeded with flair, only to find herself confronted by a wall of accusations and detractors. For those who have not heard of Martha Stewart, she is a woman who has taken the word "perfect" to a new level of comprehension, particularly in terms of home decor, cooking, catering, spirituality, fashion and many other realms. Lately she has been accused, among other things, of insider trading on the stock market.

In reading a Design chart it is possible to describe the journey of the person's life according to their gifts and tendencies. It is not so easy to look into someone's use of these gifts and tendencies. Morality is an endless debate, and rules exist only to be broken sooner or later. The question that confronts each individual is: "Can I be true to myself?"

Martha Stewart was born on August 3rd, 1941 in New Jersey. She is born into the Incarnation of the "Four Ways," implying that like another extraordinary woman, Oprah Winfrey, she cycles through time passages of approximately 17 years, in which she is either extrovert and reaching out into the world, or more introvert and examining life more introspectively. It would be clear that in this phase of her life (since 1992,) Martha is definitely playing the world stage, and particularly in the US, having launched one of the most successful companies, in growth terms, that has ever been traded on the Stock Market. This particular outgoing cycle will come to an end for her around 2009, at which time she will step back into a less publicly visible life.

This particular incarnation, with the approximately 17 year (Nodal) tide, allows one to have maximum exposure to life both in one's outer and inner reality. As we look through Martha's Design, we will see how much energy she has pulling her in many directions simultaneously.

In Design, wherever one of the nine Centers is colored in, it implies that the energy, in that part of the being is "on" and "flowing" consistently throughout the lifetime. Some of the Centers are what are called "motor" Centers, implying that they produce motivational energy, other Centers are more passive. The more "motor" Centers that are turned on, the more energy that person can produce or use. Martha has three (out of four) defined "motor" centers.

Martha the Manifestor


The "linchpin" in the Design chart is the Throat Center, the square Center, third down from the top of the chart. The Throat Center is associated not only with our speech but also with our means to manifest in this world. In Martha's Design, this Center is colored in brown, indicating that it is "defined", activated and turned "on". It is defined because of its connection to the Emotional Center, the brown triangle Center on the lower right of the chart, through the Channel, 35 - 36, the Channel of Changeability, the restless energy that is constantly looking for new distractions, experiences or sensations of "progress". The Emotional Center is one of the motor Centers, which in Martha's Design brings a charge of emotion directly to the Throat.

People who have this particular channel defined in their chart seem bothersome, in that, depending on their emotional mood swings, they are constantly shifting anywhere from a state of excitement to a state of depression about the same issue. A conscious person, someone who has been meditative or objective enough to watch their emotions, can register how intensely their moods swing and subsequently affect other people. Conscious people have the opportunity to find a level of emotional clarity that can be immensely perceptive, having observed issues from the top and the bottom of their emotional cycles. With such a degree of perception, they can easily and clearly point out to other people experiences that are worth living out.

In Martha's Design, she has Jupiter activating the 35 Gate at her Throat Center in the line called "Hunger", giving her an almost insatiable appetite to experience progress in her world. Jupiter brings a very expansive energy, so that Martha will often find herself juggling dozens of people and projects simultaneously without necessarily finding lasting satisfaction in anyone or anything. It can all become one big blur unless she is careful. Also, if she is not clear about her emotional moods, she can be treading on people's toes while blazing through her life in search of the elusive "progress".

The Stress Factor

From her defined Emotional Center, runs the channel 49 - 19 connecting to the Root Center, theplace of stillness and joy, meditation and celebration… Or, when used unwisely, the opposite: Stress. The 49 - 19 channel is the channel of "Synthesis" or sensitivity, particularly through the sense of touch. People who have this channel defined in their Design are naturally sensitive to the world around them. They can be aware of what it is that inspires people to expand their feeling senses, particularly towards embracing their spirituality. Often, people with this channel defined will catalyze others to review their religious nature and spiritual beliefs.

In Martha's Design, unconscious Mars activates the 49, the Gate of revolution and dramatic change, giving her the drive to go beyond "normal" bounds in changing people's fixed beliefs. The 19 Gate is activated by her conscious Earth, her grounding, in a line that allows her to bring people together by feeling their needs. In her Emotional Center, she has Neptune in the 6 Gate where she attunes to the emotional world around her and rules it, potentially on a psychic level. It would be very difficult for someone to disagree with Martha to her face.

The Ego Factor: Initiation

When I told a friend of mine, someone with a good understanding of Design, that I was going to write about Martha Stewart, he told me jokingly that there must be Ego involved in her Design. And, yes, Martha has direct access to Ego, Willpower, and Heart energy! Martha has the channel 51 - 25, the channel of Initiation defined between her Heart Center (the small red triangle) and her Self Center (the yellow diamond Center).

The channel of Initiation can be perceived in many ways. On one level it is purely competitive, as in: "There ARE no other participants! I am it!" And on another level, it is deeply empowering and transformative to others, as in: "Go on! You can do it! Surprise yourself! Be you!" Anyone who has the 51 - 25 channel defined in their chart, depending on their own personal awareness, has a profound effect on everyone who comes into their life. Initiation is a description for a transformative change of state. On one level, the 51 - 25 can cause others to be more competitive; on another level it can cause people to enter into the Spiritual transformation of recognizing and honoring who they are. Martha's presence can push all of one's "ego buttons," and get one's ego pumped up and competitive, disputing; at the same time, it can cause one to stop and review exactly who's life one is living... One's own, or perhaps a caricature of everything one has been told to be.

Martha's very presence is a challenge for others to be themselves, and while they are at it, to try all the sensuous, outrageous, fun and spiritual experiences that life in human form offers! Yes!

Communications

Martha Stewart conveys much to the world through her body language and personal attitude. When she speaks, she is an emotional person, first and foremost. This emotional expression is also backed by her willpower and Root energy that can compel herself and others into new explorations of themselves.

In her Throat Center, Martha has the 62 Gate of details defined by her conscious Mercury in the line of "Metamorphosis", implying that her communications always contain details of things-in-progress. On the lower side of the Throat Center are three Gates that each voice different means of guiding others. The 31 is the Gate of Influence, directing others towards logical outcomes. This Gate is activated by her Pluto and her unconscious Moon. Whenever Martha speaks, her logic is very hard to dispute!

Martha also has the 8 Gate activated with her Saturn and Uranus. This Gate draws together individual efforts to bring about transformative growth for all. With her Uranus, Martha empowers growth through compelling honesty and a deep communion with harmonious situations. With her Saturn, Martha can find trouble when she endorses people and things that she is not emotionally attuned herself. This is her meditation in life; to double check for herself exactly who and what she feels clear about before joining in!

Martha's conscious Sun is in the 33, the Gate of Retreat, in the Line of "Dignity". The conscious Sun in anyone's Design is the most powerful presence within the chart. Martha will constantly seek a dignified exit from life's demands whenever she feels she needs one. She will find a perfect excuse to disappear at any time she wishes! Manifestors are constantly in demand to "make things happen" for others, and Martha will find herself exhausted in attempting to fulfill the expectations of others. She will also make it crystal clear that her personal privacy remains unquestioned, which in some ways will make her secret life all the more compelling!

In the extreme, the 33 Gate of Retreat relates to deeply held secrets and also the potential of removing oneself to an unreachable destination, i.e.: prison. If the eventuality of going to trial for stock trading irregularities does come about for Martha, it is clear that she will manage it all with great dignity and flair, and may well be instrumental in bringing about much needed revolution in the American "Criminal-Justice System" as well as the "Prison-System".

The Undefined Centers

Martha is open-minded in her Design. The 24 Gate gives her a mental acuity to constantly review issues, and the 11 Gate of Ideas, inclines her to promote restless activity in the search of peace and tranquility! Her undefined Spleen Center contains an unconscious 44, the Gate of Instinctive recognition of patterns. She can alert people's attentions to any deep-rooted changes that are taking place, particularly in the marketplace.

Martha has open Crown and Sacral Centers, allowing her to be inspired by unlimited possibilities in life, and a deep sense of awe for life. From these undefined and open Centers, she mirrors the world back to itself.

In conclusion

Martha is born into a lifetime of confronting many people and issues. She is very sensitive, and at the same time very able and powerful in what she can accomplish, therefore becoming the target for the jealousies from those who "cannot". All manifestors get into the same kind of difficulties when they fail to communicate what it is they are about to do. A simple thing for a Manifestor is to communicate clearly to people that are about to have their lives affected by the Manifestor! And yet, this is so often the very last thing a Manifestor will do.

In this time of terror and reaction, the man's game of stupidity, we need every available strong woman to speak out and show their great and peaceful abilities. This is a beautiful Mother Earth; we have seen her pictures from space. This is our home! We need to beautify it and rejoice at having such a wonderful place to share together. Any idiot can be destructive, but it takes the likes of Martha Stewart to show real strength, purpose and creativity.
Martha Stewart for World President!

Next Month: Richard Gere

© Chetan Parkyn, 2002