Joan Rivers, the American comedian, actress, writer, producer, and television host recently passed away at age eighty-one.

An icon in the entertainment business, Rivers was the queen of re-inventing herself. Outspoken, self-deprecating, and always funny, Rivers first came to prominence in 1965 on the Tonight Show. She considered Johnny Carson her mentor. While she went on to become the first female host of a late night show, she lost Carson as a friend as she had failed to speak with him before accepting the offer.

Rivers authored twelve books, wrote and acted for the stage, hosted her own reality show with her beloved daughter, Melissa, and was a red-carpet interviewer of celebrities. She is widely known for her humorous anecdotes regarding her cosmetic surgery.

A brief numerological analysis of Joan Rivers, born Joan Alexandra Molinsky on June 8, 1933 shows that she had what it takes to become a star—fearless self-confidence and originality (1), talent (3), perseverance (4), and executive ability (8).

Joan 4 Determined, hard-working, persistent, down-to-earth

Alexandra 8 Powerful, executive ability, assertive, business-like, professional

Molinsky 1 Pioneer, intelligent, witty, original, ambitious, self-motivated

Destiny 13/4 Overcomes challenges, transforms obstacles to opportunities, hard-working

Heart's Desire 1 To express originality, competitive, assertive, unique, independent

Personality 3 Communicator, comedic, youthful, sociable, idea-person, charismatic

Day of Birth 8 Professional, powerful, assertive, business-like

Birth Path 3 Communicator, comedic, youthful, sociable, idea-person, charismatic

Realization 7 Spiritual challenges bring insight, becomes an expert

The name Grid for Joan Alexandra Molinsky shows her Ruling Passion (most frequently occurring number) to be ONE, clearly pointing to a life of ambitious goals, unique expression, creativity, and pioneering actions. Her Line of Focus (1,5,9 ) is the Line of Achievement, with strength for originality, self-promotion, and ever-developing talent (ONES). Her Karmic Lesson EIGHT, gave her many opportunities to learn about worldly power, self-empowerment, dealing with authority, and handling financial matters with good judgment, without which she could not truly achieve her goals.

James Wright Foley was an American journalist and video reporter. Working as a freelance war correspondent covering the Syrian civil war, he was abducted on November 22, 2012 in northwestern Syria. In August 2014, Foley was the first American citizen to be killed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/ISIS). The world was shocked to learn of his beheading.

Foley began his career as a teacher and was an instructor for Teach for America. He changed his career to photojournalism, with a desire to show the world the ravages and consequences of war. He helped organize conferences and training seminars for a program designed to rebuild Iraq’s civil service, crippled by decades of isolation and autocratic administration.

He was an embedded journalist with US troops in Iraq, and in 2011, while working for the Boston-based GlobalPost, Foley went to Libya to cover the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi, embedding himself with rebel fighters. Along with three other journalists, one of whom was killed, Foley was captured and released forty-four days later. Despite his capture and return home, he went back to Libya and was present at the capture of Muammar Gaddafi. Foley credited his Catholic faith in getting him through his detainment and the death of friends. He strongly believed that journalism was necessary so that people could see “how bad the world could be.”

James Wright Foley was born October 18, 1973 and died August 19, 2014.

James 3 Communicator, journalist, videographer, optimistic

Wright 4 Tireless worker, builder, practical implementor

Foley 9 World traveler, interested in global events, humanitarian, spiritual

Destiny 16/7 Karma of “the outside observer,” deep thinker, potential for research and under-cover work, spiritually inclined

Heart's Desire 8 Professional, able to deal with authorities, ability to fit in with military embedding (especially with the deeply secretive 16/7)

Personality 8 Professional, pragmatic, powerful, determined, meets authorities at their level

Day of Birth 18/9 Global interests, traveler, interest in culture, education, politics, humanitarian efforts

Birth Path 3 Communicator, idea person, videographer, photojournalist

Realization/Achievement 1 Original life; pioneer; independent thinker; recognized by many

Foley's Grid has the Line of Achievement. His two Ruling Passions are ONE and FIVE, emphasizing his originality (three 1's) and desire to seek change and reform (three 5's). Interestingly, his interests in teaching shows up in two 6's, and his Catholic faith and desire to investigate shows up in his two 7's.

BORN ANN CLARE BOOTHE; MARRIED NAME, CLARE BOOTHE LUCE

Luce was born Ann Clare Boothe in New York City on March 10, 1903. Her parents, though never married, separated in 1912. Her father, a sophisticated man and brilliant violinist, had trouble holding down jobs as a traveling salesman. Apparently, early in life Luce felt a sense of inferiority about the humble social status of her unwed parents. As we shall see in our next example, her married name more than compensated for any lacks and catapulted her to fame and fortune. She was to become an acclaimed writer, playwright, United States Congresswoman, friend to presidents, and the first woman to be appointed to US ambassador. In the beginning....

BIRTH NAME INFLUENCES

DESTINY 7 Trust and Spirituality. Ann Clare Boothe's original Destiny 7, a number which brings challenges as well as special gifts. This Destiny foretells a life in which periods of disappointments lead to spiritual searching (she became a Catholic as an adult after the death of her daughter in a car accident).

BIRTHPATH 8 Power, Money, Authority. No surprise that Ann Clare Boothe succeeded in several fields of endeavor and married into wealth twice. Her 8 Birth Path foretells a life of high status, and endows her with ambition, executive ability, and an indomitable will to succeed.

PERSONALITY AND DAY OF BIRTH 1—Pioneer, writer, leader. These two 1's indicate an ability to successfully direct her forceful personality throughout life. She was known to get almost anything she put her mind to.

ACHIEVEMENT. The diagonal Line of Focus1,5, 9, (on the Grid below with the circles) signifies a strong will, even more strengthened by her pragmatic, ambitious 8 Birth Path.

EMOTIONAL MASTERY. The Line of the Heart (2,5, 8 on the Grid below) highlights an outstanding ability to interact and connect with people. She is naturally equipped to succeed as an actress, playwright, author, congresswoman, and in the social role and duties of her ambassadorship.

COMPELLING KARMA. Despite the individual strength of having two Lines of Focus, they intersect over the number 5. This “cross over the mouth” often signifies either a fear of public criticism or a desire to make her ideas known despite criticism. Her early insecurities about her family background could have been a critical motivator (albeit unconscious) pushing her toward ever more social prominence.

TIMING OF PURPOSE, ACHIEVEMENT, AND LEARNING. The numbers of Luce's 4 Pinnacles and Challenges outline an almost textbook description of her life activities from her writing success, marriage, to her social power and political life.

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Numerology Delineation For
Ann Clare Boothe
March-10-1903
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First Name      11/2 Ann  Celebrity-status, inspirational
Middle Name        3 Clare   Creative, communicative, charming
Last Name       11/2 Boothe  Celebrity-status, inspirational
Destiny            7 Expert  Spiritual seeker, focused,intelligent, 
feels special, connoisseur of people and things
Heart's Desire     6 Desire of acceptance; comfort, beauty, family
Personality        1 Leader, strong, direct, ambitious
Habit Challenge 14/5 Headstrong, outspoken, mercurial
KARMIC LESSON(S)   4 Learn self-discipline, abhorrence of poverty
KARMIC LESSON(S)   7 Lessons of trust
Day of Birth      10 Bold, confident, achiever, pioneer
Birthpath          8 Executive, confident, powerful
Realization        6 Sense of responsibility, role model
Physically         4 Disciplined, organized, determined
Mentally           3 Creative, talented, optimistic, easily-bored
Emotionally        6 Committed, demonstrative, anxious
Spiritually        1 Idealistic, independent, different
FIRST PINNACLE (Birth to 28)  4 Early financial hardships
FIRST CHALLENGE (Birth to 28) 2 Married a millionaire at age 20
SECOND PINNACLE (29 to 37)    5 Freedom, exploration, plays, politics
SECOND CHALLENGE (29 to 37)   3 Writing, plays, film, divorce, child
THIRD PINNACLE (38 to 46)     9 New opportunities, social status, 
Congress-person, wealth, married to Henry Luce; at 41, lost daughter
THIRD CHALLENGE (38 to 46)    1 Acclaim; leadership roles
FOURTH PINNACLE (47 to end)   7  Spiritual development
FOURTH CHALLENGE (47 to end)  1 Ambition, leadership, independence

Line of Focus 1,5,9--Line of Achievement shows potential for success.

Line of Focus 2,5,8--Line of the Heart shows strong people skills, and ability to motivate and charm. “Cross Over the Mouth” indicates possible inhibition, secrecy, or drive to overcome inferiority.

Secondary Line 1, 2, 3--While not a highlighted Line, this Line of Talent and Individual Expression is in perfect balance, indicating a remarkable ability to focus her talents in a productive expression when she puts her mind to it. Now, let's look at what changes when she changes her name after marriage.

MARRIED NAME OF CLARE BOOTHE LUCE

DESTINY 19/1 With her married name, Luce now focuses on a life of achievement, power, and recognition, which she fulfilled with by her own efforts as a writer, playwright, congresswoman, and the first United States woman ambassador. Her high status marriage to publishing mogul, Henry Luce (Time, Life, and Fortune magazines) only gave her more access to power and people in high places. A Washington fixture, she moved in the same circles as nine presidents-- from Roosevelt to Reagan.

HEART'S DESIRE 22 gives her an almost unstoppable motivation to influence or change large organizations or systems. This number of the “Master Builder” drives her to promote her political policies and to wield power.

PERSONALITY 6 and HABIT CHALLENGE 6 may account for her becoming more conservative with age. Her often opinionated expression (often a pitfall of a 6 Challenge) in political circles did create setbacks and enmities, most significantly of which lead her to serve only four days of her appointment as ambassador to Brazil in 1959.

REALIZATION (ULTIMATE GOAL) 9 shows the potential for world-wide influence, wealth, and high social status, all of which were hallmarks of her high-profile life.

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Numerology Delineation For
Clare Boothe Luce
March-10-1903
======================================================================
First Name            3  Clare  Creative, communicator, social
Middle Name        11/2  Boothe Charismatic, famous
Last Name             5  Luce   Active, bold, political
Destiny            19/1  Influencer  Leader, political, pioneer
Heart's Desire     22/4  Master-Builder  Determined, motivator
Personality           6  Teacher  Opinionated, conservative
Habit Challenge       6  Opinionated, lifelong family issues
KARMIC LESSON(S)      4  Need to learn follow-through, abhors poverty
KARMIC LESSON(S)      7  Need to develop spiritual (took LSD)
Day of Birth         10  Realistic and achieving
Birthpath             8  Executive, wealthy, high social status
Realization           9  Humanitarian, world-wide player
Name Grid 

LINE OF THE DIRECTOR 3,6, 9. Now her Grid fairly pulsates with self-expression and social influence. Note the massive energy of the FIVE 3's radiating out in the Line of the Head (3,6, 9). These 3's show her marked ability to socialize, find creative solutions, and express her ideas as a writer, politician, social leader, and stateswoman. Her position as the wife of arguably the most influential publisher of his time extended the reach of her abilities to communicate through these 3's.

LINE OF INDIVIDUAL TALENT 3,2,1. If the intellectual mastery of the Line of the Head (3, 6, 9) were not enough, Luce also acquired the Line of Talent (centered on the combined arts of the 3's).

LINE OF FAME AND RECOGNITION 3, 5, 7 delivers the final thrust to accelerate her to a high social position. This Line gives the potential to become a world-wide recognized celebrity.

Interestingly, however, the lack of a circle on the number 7 (one of her original karmic numbers) indicates that she may have trouble relating to the common man, or of not being able to reach as wide an audience as she would hope for. In fact, her life and views were controversial and she lived in a highly public—and not always harmonious--fishbowl.

Name changes do affect our focus and direction in life.

The transition from the name Ann Clare Boothe to Clare Boothe Luce is a powerfully clear example of how we might understand the seemingly amazing developments of a person's journey through analyzing the changes in his or her name. While the name gives only a potential for development, the innate energies represent the calling of our ever-unfolding spiritual destiny.

If you are interested to read an in-depth look at her life, you may want to get author Sylvia Jukes Morris's two-volume biography:  Rage for Fame: The Ascent of Clare Boothe Luce (May, 1997) and Price of Fame: The Honorable Clare Boothe Luce (June, 2014.)