How do I successfully transplant a large Bismarkia Palm,from ground to
container. the palm is 6' tall and 4 yrs old. i have heard these palms
die if not transplanted properly

There's some clues as to why transplanting bismarkia palms from the
ground to container usually fails here:

RE: repotting bismarkia palm
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/palms/msg052154144805.html
Be EXTREMELY careful when repotting not to disurb the roots. Any
broken root on a Bismarckia nobilis may die all the way back to the
base of the trunk. If it is the tap root that breaks, you've got a
dead palm on your hands. That's why this species of palm is known to
be extremely difficult to successfully transplant from the ground. I
found this out the hard way and since then I dig the hole, set the
entire pot into the hole and carefully cut the sides of the pot and
then remove it. Then backfill with the soil mix. I have three thriving
Bismarckias now and they're some of my favorite palms in my palm
garden now. These palms eventually get HUGE. What will you do in a few
years with yours.