Feng shui portends Megawati's chance as president

Feng shui portends Megawati's chance as president

By Mauro Rahardjo

BANDUNG (JP): In feng shui, an individual's rise to leader of
a country is simply accounted for in terms of the interaction
between the five earthly elements -- water, fire, wood, metal and
earth. Most political events that involve the leaders of
countries are explained in a number of books on feng shui.

Over the past fifteen years, more and more women have become
the leaders of countries. This phenomenon is very interesting and
a number of explanations have been put forward. Feng shui offers
its own reason why the world is seeing an increasing number of
women leaders.

The interaction between the five elements follows the cycles
of birth and destruction. The cycle of birth says Water nourishes
Wood, Wood lights Fire, Fire produces Earth, Earth contains Metal
and Metal transforms into Water. The cycle of destruction states
Water puts out Fire, Fire melts Metal, Metal cuts Wood, Wood
treads on Earth, and Earth absorbs Water.

One becomes a leader when his self-element is surrounded by
other elements which destroy it. Thus Mao Tse-tung was destined
to become a leader because his self-element, Fire, was surrounded
by Water. Water which destroys Fire is found in his Luck Pillar.
Iraq's Saddam Husein has lead his country since his self-element,
Wood, was surrounded by Metal, an element which cuts Wood, in his
Luck Pillar. John Major was appointed prime minister of the
United Kingdom when his self-element, Metal, was surrounded by
Fire.

The Hsia Calendar

The Hsia calendar divides time into nine ages, each lasting
for 20 years. Each 20-year age makes up one period, so it takes
180 years to complete a full cycle. Each period is assigned to a
number, from one to nine.

The year 1999 belongs to the Lower Period of Age seven, which
runs from 1984 to 2003. In feng shui, the number seven symbolizes
many aspect of life, including Direction (West); Object (gold and
metal); Occupation (entertainment, fortunetelling and spiritual
matters); Action (speaking, sex, demolition and rebuilding); and
Person (young girl and female). Most interesting is that number
seven symbolizes girl or female, and during this period -- 1984
to the present -- when many women leaders have emerged in the
world. This is shown in their Luck Pillars.

The Luck Pillar consists of four columns: Hour, Day, Month and
Year. Since each column has two elements -- the heavenly stem and
the earthly branch -- a person's pillar consists of eight
elements. A person's self-element is found in the heavenly stem
of the Day Pillar, and the concept of self-element "surrounded"
by other elements is shown in the table of one's Luck Pillar
derived from the Hsia calendar. As already mentioned, it is
determined that a man or a woman will be the leader of a country
when their self-element is surrounded by elements which destroy
it. An individual's self-element is indicated by their birth date
and shown in their Day Pillar. These elements are obtained from
the Hsia calendar, a lunar calendar known as the Calendar of a
Thousand Years.

Therefore, it is important to look at a person's Luck Pillar.
However, since day, month and year change in time, the elements
also change time, and therefore, a complete analysis requires the
consideration of those elements which appear in time and in the
individual's Luck Pillar, which complies with the Hsia calendar.

Women leaders

To obtain feng shui explanation of why women become leaders of
countries, two prominent figures have been selected as
illustrations. They are former British prime minister Margaret
Thatcher and former Philippine president Corazon Aquino.

The Day Pillar represents the self-element. The following
table A shows Thatcher's self-element is Metal. Her self-element
is surrounded by Fire, and since Fire destroys Metal, Thatcher
was born a leader. People possessing such a star configuration
are good leaders who possess charisma.

Being a Metal person born in the autumn when Metal is in its
prosperous phase, Thatcher's Metal is strong. The major
breakthrough in her political career occurred in 1975 when she
was elected to lead the Conservative Party. Not by coincidence,
1975 was a Wood year, which generates Fire. When Thatcher turned
54, she had just entered her Luck Pillar of Wood, and in May -- a
month of Fire -- 1979, she was elected prime minister of Britain.

Now let's take a look at Aquino's Luck Pillar in table B. She
is also a Metal person, born in December when Water is most
prosperous. In her Luck Pillar, there are many Water elements
since Water is produced by Metal. Thus, her Metal is exhausted
and her self-element is a weak Metal.

Unlike Thatcher, Aquino does not have the Fire element in her
Luck Pillar and thus she was not born a leader. In her Luck
Pillar, there are many Water elements. Water is produced by
Metal, and in feng shui it symbolizes her intelligence and
aspirations. In fact, Aquino is an excellent speaker. However,
she also has many Wood elements in her Luck Pillar, and since
Wood produces Fire, her role as a country leader was hidden,
which is why the time dimension played an important role for
Aquino.

The murder of Benigno Aquino in 1983 inspired her to continue
her husband's struggle, and in 1985 Aquino bravely challenged
Marcos in the presidential election. Because 1985 was a year of
Earth and Wood, and since Earth produces Metal, it represented
supports for Aquino. Also, Wood produces Fire, which lead Aquino
into becoming the leader of the country.

On Feb. 25, 1986, she was installed as president of the
Philippines. As the Hsia calendar indicates, February 1986 was a
month of Fire over Metal -- representing Aquino's destiny to be a
leader -- and the 25th was a day of Wood over Fire. Fire is the
element which leads a Metal person into becoming a leader.
Corazon Aquino changed herself from a housewife into the
country's president.

Megawati's chances

Now, the question is of Megawati's chances to become president
in 1999. If she does become president, does feng shui offer an
explanation?

Megawati's self-element, as seen on table C, is Fire sitting
on Metal. She was born in January (no data on her hour of birth),
when Water is at its full strength, which weakened her Fire.
Since Earth elements surrounded her Fire, and Earth exhausts Fire
energy, her self-element is weak Fire. In her Luck Pillar, Earth
and Metal surround Megawati's self-element. Earth symbolizes her
aspirations and intelligence, and Metal symbolize her wealth.

A Fire woman becomes a leader when Water elements surround
her. However, in Megawati's Luck Pillar no Water elements are
found. Thus, similar to Aquino, Megawati's chance for leadership
is more based on the situation, i.e. the time dimension.
Nevertheless, observing her Day Pillar, Fire sits on Metal, which
can produce Water, making it possible that her talent for
leadership is hidden.

Now, 1999 is the Year of the Rabbit (Wood) and Earth. Wood is
the element that nourishes Fire, and it represents support.
Hence, Megawati has much support, which was shown in the recent
general election. However, Earth absorbs Water, the element which
makes a Fire woman a leader, and therefore it is understandable
that many parties have questioned Megawati's ability to become
president.

Looking at the elements in November, when the General Session
of the People's Consultative Assembly will meet to elect the
president, we find -Wood over +Water. Wood gives support to Fire,
so Megawati has this necessary element, and Water is the element
which favors her for the presidency.

The next two years, 2000 and 2001, will fall on Metal, and
2002 and 2003 will fall on Water. Metal produces Water, the
element which makes a Fire woman a leader. Megawati's likelihood
of being a leader over the next four years is thus increased.

Table: A. Luck Pillar of Margaret Thatcher: Heavenly STEM (HOUR: Metal;
DAY: Fire; MONTH: Wood; YEAR:), Earthly BRANCH (HOUR: ?;
DAY: Fire; MONTH: Earth; YEAR: Earth)
B. Luck Pillar of Corazon Aquino: Heavently STEM (HOUR: Metal;
DAY: Metal; MONTH: Water; YEAR: Water), Earthly BRANCH (HOUR: Wood;
DAY: Wood; MONTH: Earth; YEAR: Metal)
C. Luck Pillar of Megawati, born Jan. 23, 1946: Heavenly STEM (HOUR: ?;
DAY: Fire; MONTH: Earth; YEAR: Wood), Earthly BRANCH (HOUR: ?;
DAY: Metal; MONTH: Earth; YEAR: Metal)

-- The writer is a feng shui consultant

Table A: Luck Pillar of Margaret Thatcher:

HOUR DAY MONTH YEAR

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Heavenly STEM ? Metal Fire Wood

Earthly BRANCH ? Fire Earth Earth

Table B: Luck Pillar of Corazon Aquino:

HOUR DAY MONTH YEAR

------------------------------------------

Heavenly STEM Metal Metal Water Water

Earthly BRANCH Wood Wood Earth Metal

Table C: Luck Pillar of Megawati, born Jan. 23, 1946:

HOUR DAY MONTH YEAR

------------------------------------------

Heavenly STEM ? Fire Earth Wood

Earthly BRANCH ? Metal Earth Metal