Saturday, December 31, 2011

Promptz

We're back on Prompt track!

1. Explain the fear of Commitment to an idea, person, or group. Is there a benefit of not being truly 100% committed to anything?

2. Write your thoughts on these two words (without researching them): "Crystal sea" and "Ebenezer".

3. Would you do a "lesser" evil to prevent a "greater"one? Or would you do no evil and let the greater evil occur?

Response #1

We have to look at the main types of commitments because there cold be different reasons people adhere differently to each one. I have an overall theory as to why they don't (change over time and being unworthy), but we'll see where my reflections lead me.

Commitment to an Idea. You can call this "idea" an ideal, a dream, or a goal -most people usually shoot for the sky and like Michelangelo suggested they then lower their standards because they don't think they themselves can carry out the dream. So lack of Faith or Belief in Self is the first reason people don't commit to Ideas. The second is Longevity. Even if a person commits initially, they usually loose sight of the follow-through as time goes on and they aren't consistent with their commitment -and so it falls to fray. Most people aren't afraid of committing themselves to an Idea, but they do fear not reaching it in reality and so they loose sight of it and cast it off as something less significant than what they initially reached for.

Commitment to a Person. 2 reasons this occurs. Well technically 3. The first reason is the rarest: People don't trust the person they have committed themselves to. They think this person will betray that trust and leave them or betray them, so they hold back their own trust and aren't open with that person. If trust isn't in a relationship -it crumbles. The second, more common reason, is people don't trust themselves. They weigh in their mind the possibility of one person wanting to spend the rest of their lives with them and they feel that it isn't possible because they are unworthy of something like that. They then fear that their partner will tire of them and leave them. They then get insecure and are not open in the relationship. They do not commit to it because they think the other person will end it. The third reason is time and effort. It's all people can really spend of themselves. It's all we have. Time and effort. This is why people pick and choose where to invest themselves in life. Their jobs, their hobbies of interest, pets... things they love that they feel they can control and are not going to leave them anytime soon. But people are independent. So people don't commit to people because they fear if they give time and effort into a person -at some point it will end and all time and energy will have been wasted. They are insecure and do not open themselves. Whatever the underlying cause a particular person may have, the reaction seems to stay the same: Close up and don't commit fully.

If you really want to get down do it -it's a ear of Sacrifice. Of giving up your past, your present, and your future. Giving up your insecurity to be open. Sacrificing fear for love. You must give in order to receive and the greater the "get" is the greater the "give" must be. And not everyone is strong enough or brave enough to sacrifice their pride, ego, insecurity, and fear to commit themselves fully to another person.

Commitment to a Group. It's never the fear that the group will leave you -they're always going to be huddled together. The fear usually involves: 1. not fitting in with the group, 2. not fitting in with people outside the group once you've committed to being in the group, and 3. blending in with the group too much. People want to be Accepted and they also want to be Themselves. Any fear of a loss to individual identity or a judgement of a person's identity (beliefs, culture, values...) will prevent a person from committing fully to a group. You can call this the fear of Sacrificing the Ego.

I think the other issue with commitment in general is that people fear being "tied down". They think that if they "plant their flag" in the wrong belief, person, or group they will come p empty handed from it. People want to so badly to be accepted that they will Sacrifice what they love and what they should commit themselves to in order to seem appealing to everyone. If you take a stand or mark your spot, people will judge you for it. Most people want to avoid judgement.

Is there any benefit to not committing 100%. It does allow you to remain open. But you could also be 100% committed to a belief or group and still be open to the beliefs of others or other groups. You could call it 100% in your truth while adding truths you find later to your beliefs. I 100% believe in God. I also believe 100% in "ghosts". I also believe in many Buddhist teachings as well as Christian... I am committed to 100% committed to the truth and to God by whatever source they may appear.

But when people commit 100% to not committing to Anything, they are boring, dull, and cowardly. Their glass is 100% empty.

Response # 2

"Crystal Sea" and "Ebenezer". When I hear Crystal Sea I think of something Clear, reflective, shining. Crystal is a stone that is known for it's spiritual properties and also for it's clear, glassy surface. You can see through crystal -at least the chandelier kind. Very beautiful. The sea is Water -which is a clear liquid with a reflective surface. Crystal and Water have similar qualities obviously, but the elements themselves: stone and liquid are directly opposite. I imagine a Crystal sea would have Ice in it. Ice is the closest element that's water-related that is almost the same as crystal. As to where this place is or what it symbolizes or refers to specifically -I don't know.

Ebenezer Scrooge is the first thing that pops into my head. The word Ebenezer actually refers to an old, lonely, miserly, greedy man. Today we use the joking term "old gezer". But Ebenezer was more of a negative term back in its day. There use to be a lot of ebenezers running around back then -especially during the Industrial era. Little kids would have to work in dangerous factories and men in charge were often more concerned with profit then the well being of others.

Response #3. Lesser Evil versus Greater Evil. There was a Disney movie I saw once about a bunch of teenage skateboarders. Thy skated for fun, but at one point the main skater joined a professional skate team that was the rival of his skate buddies. He got money from joining that team. When his old skatefriend asked him why he betrayed them he said, "I need the money". His friend said, "W all need the money. But we choose not to get it the wrong way." In other words, money isn't an excuse to do wrong because everyone needs it.

But this doesn't involve money. It involves somebody doing something wrong to stop a greater wrong from occuring. I don't why you would have to do something wrong to stop something wrong from happening. Seem contradictory. You'd think the person would be doing something good by stopping something bad, but if the way it is done is bad -then uh oh. There was actually a debate in philosophy class that says, "Since lying is immoral, would it be immoral to lie to a Nazi and say Anne Frank wasn't in your home if you were hiding her from the Nazis?" Somebody's life is on the line. A little girls. If you lie, you are betraying the trust of someone, which in most cases would hurt them emotionally. Why is lying wrong: it hurts someone emotionally. But if the Nazi found out you lied about Anne Frank, they wouldn't be emotionally hurt, they would be pissed you prevented him from killing her. So you have to say, which is worse: Lying to someone that will feel no emotional pain from the lie other than regret that he didn't hurt you to get to Anne, or to let the Nazi through at no expense to yourself so he can murder her for being a Jew?

It's a sacrifice on your part to put the burden of a "sin" or immoral act on yourself to prevent someone else's sin of greater worldly harm. Nobody Sacrifices their own well being regularly at the drop f a hat. They only do it in extreme cases. If a case were that extreme and the person was strong enough to overcome the wrong they would do to prevent the greater wrong from happening -they could.

When it comes to souls, who stands the better chance of being saved? A brain-washed Nazi who has murdered Jews or a man who has lied to protect a little girl from being murdered? The Nazi has no compassion towards certain people (it's selective) and he has clearly misread the Bible. It would be a greater challenge for the Nazi to overcome his "sins" -especially since he wouldn't view them as wrongful- than a man who obviously has compassion and is willing to risk the well being of his own soul to protect the life of another human being.

Can it not be said that turning a blind eye to wrong doing is not itself a wrong doing? Failure to act against great evil is a form of evil in itself. When you can stand their and watch someone hurt others and do nothing -isn't that wrong? So to sin or not to sin isn't an option. If you do nothing, you allow a great evil to occur (which is wrong). If you do wrong to prevent the evil, you are doing wrong. The better option seems to be: Do wrong to prevent Greater wrong -then humble yourself and plead Forgiveness.

It's also important to remember Evil is always a perspective. Nazis said Jews were evil. Americans said Nazis were evil. Nazis said they were Christian. Christians called Hitler the Anti-Christ.

Same Bible. Vast differences in interpretation. But if God wanted men to kill and eliminate all those who were not "Christian", there would be few people on this planet left -and many others would only convert out of fear. This would not be a religion. It would be a system imposed on people. Religion implies autonomous choice. God didn't want people killed for Him. Why would He? He didn't create man so that men could kill His own creations in His name. It makes no sense.

It's confusing. But if All sins are equal in God's eyes, and the solution to overcoming sin lies in Him, then the only people who could overcome a sin -be it great or small in earthly ramifications- it would be the person who seeks and humbly asks forgiveness of God afterwards. God is the Salvation, not the Damnation. Those who align themselves to His path have the greater chance of overcoming their past wrongs -whether those acts be "great" or "small".

Friday, December 30, 2011

I Wonder...

My friend suggested to me that Buddhism -along with being redundant with things already pointed out in the Bible- deviates into a false land of spirituality that misleads people to believe in things like emphasis on "the self" and crazy notions like reincarnation.

Firstly - "The self" is what Buddhism tries to eliminate. "The self" is what gets people into trouble. It is called Ego and barrier and keeps people from coming together as ONE. Which is kind of what Jesus wanted. He kept telling people not to judge others and divide themselves from coming together as One Nation under God Inadvisable... and yet people kept doing that anyway. Both Buddha and Jesus tried to unite people and make them see they were all One in God's eyes.

Anyways, that aside, I was wondering: What would have happened to the East if Hinduism hadn't been (which of course led to Buddhism).  It's kind of like wondering what would have happened if Judaism had never existed (which paved the way for Christianity). The each "first religion" was a good start in the right direction but only reached a state of "perfection" when the "last religion" came around to complete it.

What would the East have been like without Hinduism/Buddhism? Maybe they would have founded some other religion of a different name, but the with the same notions and the same end result. It seems almost Destined and fated that the East would have developed these religions as it has. Buddhism isn't Satanism. The East could have done far worse. And it was too strong to be concurred by the West. The East wasn't meant to only adopt Christianity, just as the West was not destined to adopt Buddhism by concurring and hostile take over and conversion. So given that the East would never have been christian on its own and the West would never have been Buddhist on its own -Both were lucky to find the religions that they did. They could have done Far worse.

It seems like a Christian can understand and respect Buddhism and a Buddhist can understand and respect Christianity. Both have lots of common ground to agree upon -kind of like the East and the West itself. But neither religion is compatible with Satanism. In fact both would reject that religion instantly because it directly conflicts and contradicts theirs. Even a "live and let live" Buddhist would take issue with someone who went out of their way to justify violence and hate -Darkness. Both Christianity and Buddhism aim for Perfection through Grace and Spirituality.

It would be a shame and a loss to any individual -be it a Christian or a Buddhist to have their religion erased from history. It would in fact be a loss to humanity if either religion were denied and taken away from those who practice and follow their teachings. What would the West be without Christianity? Nothing. What would the East be without Buddhism? Nothing. Neither would have anything of quality and virtue and faith to fall back on. There is no other system in their cultures that stand to uplift and lead people to good the way those two religions do.

So how can it be said that either religion would misguide people and lead them astray? Without either religion in an individual person's life -what are they being led by if not astray itself?

I believe with the whole of my being there is Validity that cannot be contained, fathomed, or ignored in each of these two religions. People were not meant to "accidentally by chance" come to understand and practice these to faiths. These are Faiths of Fate. To exclude one or both is to deny an individual of his or her greatest chance in life to Be in connectivity to the Divine. To become Spiritual and Perfected through these beliefs and to find a path to God. These two religions are needed on this planet just as they were needed in their own separate hemispheres. They are needed to complete a vision and a message sent by God to His creations. That message is to Understand life and Respect it and all who share it. To come together and live in Grace.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Zodiac Dates

Because I haven't memorized these and still can't remember them off hand:

(In general)

Dec 20- Jan 20 = Capricorn

Jan 21-Feb20 = Aquarius

Feb 21- March 20 = Pisces

March 21 -April 20 = Aries

April 21 -May 20 = Taurus

May 21 -June 20 = Gemini

June 21 -July 20 = Cancer

July 21 -August 20 = Leo

August 21 - Sept 20 = Virgo

Sept 21 - October 20 = Libra

October 21 -November 20 = Scorpio

Nov 21 -Dec 20 = Sagittarius

*All signs with dates between 19th -23rd are Cusp signs for the most part.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

MLM Part 2

Today's speech went well-ish. I had way too much information I was trying to cover in only a 12 minute time span. I actual had to use notes. And then my critique was: too much info, not enough humor and story-telling. Gravy. I was trying to work out of the "Speaking with Persuasion" manual. Turns out that manual is stupid and I don't like the prompts they give.

Speech #1: Call up a person and try to sell them a retail store product. Persuade them to buy it.

-I'm not calling up a random Toastmaster to try and sell them something. That's dumb.

Speech # 2: Cold Calling

-Really? Cold calling isn't even recommended at Usana. No ways.

So I'm just going to stick with the Humorous Speaking manual. I think this is the universes way of saying: You're not a persuasive person. You're a funny person. Play to your strengths. Good call universe, good call.

So for my next speech, I'm going to talk about the funny true story of my experiences with MLM companies.

Today I'd like to share the blunders one can experience when trying to work in an Multi-Level Marketing company.

I was helping out at my dad's work in May 2011. I was programming some display boards when my dad walked in and started asking me about my sister, Emily. He said that Em was in a pyramid scheme selling nutritional supplements. I said, "How'd she get into a pyramid scheme?" He said he didn't know, but he was worried about her. A week later I was visiting with my mom and she asked me if I knew that Emily was in a pyramid scheme. I told her I had gotten word of it. She said, "I don't know what your sister is doing these days. She wants me to order stuff from her. But I don't wan to order anything if she's in a pyramid scheme. She's just going to end up loosing money on it." I told her I'd check it out.

That Monday I saw Emily and asked her when I could go to check out her business club. she got really excited and said I should come Tuesday. I said, "Alright, what time?" "6 pm". I groaned. I don't like staying out past 7pm. So then I asked her when it ended. 9pm, which was a lie because it really ended at 10pm. I groaned. I have stay out late, dang... Then she tells me I have to dress up in business wear to go to this thing. Groannn. "Why do I have to dress up?" She said, "It's a business so you have to dress up for it or they'll kick you out." I said, "What? they'll kick me out if I wear jeans??? Groannnnnnnn"

So then it's Tuesday night and I'm feeling lazy and comfy in my apartment wear. I'm debating opting out. I figured I'd just tell Em I was sick or something. She texts me, "I'm on my way to pick you up." Oh. I'm guess I'm going then.

I get dressed and hop in her car. The presentation is all the way in Milpitas and on the way out there she tells me this, "Ok. The people at Usana kind of act like a cult, but they're really nice. They're going  smile a lot and ask you what you think of the business, so just say you don't know much about it -because you don't." Now I'm a little freaked out. My sister has joined a pyramid worshipping cult. Great.

We get to the hotel where the presentation is at and I get out in my annoying high heels and slacks. Then she had to pay $5 to get me in as a guest. So it's 6:20pm and I'm shake hands with a bunch of talking smiley faces. I notice there are a lot of Asians there. All around the ages of 20-27. I ask Em why that is and she says it's because people invite their friends into the business so a lot of Asian friends invite a lot of other Asian friends and so on. Then somebody reminds us to turn off our cell phones and mentions that Mr. Dinh is coming to the presentation. Everybody freaks out and starts cheering.

Who's Mr. Dinh? Em tells me that he founded Usana in San Jose. Ok. She says he brought the business down from L.A. to San Jose region. The way I explain Mr. Dinh to those unfamiliar with San Jose's Usana group is: he's their Bill Gates. So I'm looking at my watch wondering when this presentation is going to start. Then I find out I starts at 8pm. Apparently we just got there 2 hours early to get good seats. Now I have to mingle with people for 2 hours. Groannnnn. My high heels were killing me. Then Mr. Dinh finally decided to show up at about 7:30. We go in at 8pm and find our seat. There's loud techno music in the background and everybody's excited and smiling. It's was the happiest cult I had ever seen.

Then they proceeded to resent a video with Dr. Wentz the company's founder, speaking about his vision and his goals and why he started Usana. Then two speakers came up and talked about their experience joining Usana. A 23 year old guy named something I forget is retired. Retired from this business. He only worked at it for 4 years. Retired. And he drives a red sports car.

Then Mr. Dinh spoke. Mr. Dinh is awesome. Great speaker. Very calm and composed and funny. He's 29 years old and retired with a mansion and a Lamborghini. But I'm not impressed by his money. His story was pretty amazing, but I didn't decide to join the company because of him. It was Dr. Wentz. I loved his vision and wanted to be apart of it. I also got caught up by the level of positive energy in the room -it was off the charts. For the vibe of the room alone I would have joined. And afterwords I understood why people were so welcoming and friendly. And I liked the inclusivity and the people I met there. So I signed up.

Next day my sister tells me we're meeting up with Ken the 22 year old who had brought her into the business. Ken goes over the products with me in detail and explains the business structure and the compensation plan. It costs $1400 to join. Technically you can join for less -about $150, but if you buy 3 business centers you make ore money more quickly. You also get a package sent to you with a wider range of products to sample. I was a little ticked off that it costs so much. My initial thoughts were: These supplements had better be made of gold or something...

Then my product package came. I decided after trying them all that the products were definitely worth their price. Then came the task of trying to share the products with others and telling other people about it. My dad looked me right in the eye and said, "You joined the pyramid scheme?" I said, "It's not a pyramid scheme. It has products like Mon Avi." He just shook his head at me. Emily had told me that the parents weren't going to be supportive of this. But I told her I didn't care. It's my life and I wanted this business to be apart of it.

Then I did research to see how Usana measured up against the competition out there. I probably should have doe that before I joined, but they insisted I give them the check. Luckily I had made a good call. I looked up the info on various "brand name, off-the-shelf" nutritional supplements and they weren't even on the radar compared to Usana. The problem I saw with the business wasn't in it' quality, it was with what always comes hand in hand with quality items -the price.

Then I realized I have to convince people that they should care about their health. You have to show people in the long run how caring for their health now will mean an overall healthier life span and less medical bills. But nobody wanted to listen to me. It was actually pretty disheartening. The people who always say they support you and will always be there for you couldn't spare 5 minutes to listen to me. It's a lot to accept and take in after a while. I felt like giving up to be honest. This economy isn't the best for anything high priced. More importantly people honestly don't care about their health. That's a fact at this point. Unless they're physically injured or ill, nobody cares about their long-term health. They may say they do, but when it comes to action -they don't.  

So now I'd like to go over some of the blunders I've seen from fellow associates in Usana as well as other network marketing groups I've seen.

The first is the techno music. It seems like every presentation has the stupid techno music playing in the background drowning out the sound of whatever the person you're talking to is saying. It's like being at a really annoying rock concert. When I officially open my own branch and have my own business, I'm not playing the techno music. Maybe some Reggae instead. Everybody likes Bob Marley and the Beach Boys.

Secondly, Do Not Cold Call. Both MLM companies I'm in really stress the lack of results that come from calling random people up They usually get annoyed and hang up within seconds. Do not cold call. It's creepy.

Also, Do Not Act like an Infomercial. My sister has this issue. We were at a nice dinner with some family relatives and my grandmothers elderly friend asked Emily if she had a job. Emily proceeded to give a run down of the business, the products we sell, the vitamins in the products, the reason they are so important, her goals or the future in the business... I just sat there shaking my head. You can look at someone and easily tell when they're bored and half tuning you out. The woman was probably mentally replaying an episode of the Golden Girls or something while my sister was just rattling off facts. Some call this "throwing up on people". Do not throw up on people. I does no good to anyone and it just alienates the person you are talking to and your sister.

Next, don't be a pushy salesperson. This is one of the main reason network marketing and MLM companies get a bad name. Pushy people try to force products on people. And you can see the result of it even when you're not the one who has done it. I've had multiple people say that they don't want to hear from me about my business because they've had bad experiences with people talking about similar companies in the past. I get a little insulted when they assume I would do the same and try to push products on them, but I respect their decision and drop the subject.

Next, if you're going to have a home-based business or join a networking group, it's just good advice in general to know who your Target Market is. If you don't know who could use your product and service, you're just taking shots in the dark. It's more effective to talk to people you think could genuinely benefit from whatever information you have to share.

From what I've learned from Usana it is also good to remember not to act like a cult. Yes, everybody can appreciate smiling. Bt when you are straining you mouth to keep it up and talking through your grin -it just looks painful. Don't try so hard to impress people. It shows. Let people naturally be impressed by who you are.

Lastly, don't diss other companies. My step-mom worked at Cisco and she calls Usana a pyramid scheme. The people at Usana look at Cisco and call that company a pyramid scheme. It's a joke that I've heard multiple times. I've heard people tell me to avoid other Network Marketing businesses including joining supportive networking groups that help people in those types of businesses expand their client base. My sister actually went to a presentation at the company I work out now and they dissed MLM companies that sold nutritional supplements. She was slightly angry at that. Do not put down companies similar to your own -selling the same sort of products. Do not diss other companies at are out there that have the same MLM structure as you. And do not diss companies that have traditional business structures. People just end up getting put off and they close up to whatever you are trying to share with them.

Well I think that about covers it. Oh yah, the greatest advice I have heard repeatedly mentioned by multiple companies in the MLM businesses is this: always be Positive, Respectful, and Open-Minded. I like to take that advice and apply it to all parts of my life.
I hope you do too.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

MLM Speech

I’m doing a speech next week on MLM Structured Businesses. Yayz.
Today I’d like to talk about MLM structured companies. Who here knows what MLM stands for? *Picks on person to share with the class* Great!
So why does MLM matter? Well as it turns out we’re in the middle of this thing called a Recession. Because of the Recession, jobs are scarce and people are struggling to make ends meat. Yet while most businesses are letting people go, there is a surge in the number of MLM- structured companies employing people. It is actually recommended for people to start adding home-based businesses to whatever work they currently have.  
Now for those who don’t know what MLM really means, I’ll go over its brief history. MLM structuring really got started in the 80s. It was flourishing, until the 90s came along and some people took advantage of the system. This is where Pyramid Schemes came from and it finally got to the point where people started getting arrested for fraud. Then MLM companies decreased in popularity because of their negative association to pyramid schemes and also in necessity because “traditional business structures” were working just fine.
For the past 5-10 years MLM-structured companies have been making their way back on the scene and today they are flourishing. Why is that? Well, MLM –which is also known as Network Marketing or Home-based businesses- offer several things that traditional businesses do not. 1) Since most MLM businesses work on commission of sales or services and not a fixed schedule like the 9-5 routine in traditional companies, there is more time freedom for those who work in MLM companies. 2) They allow for growth. Most employees will never become CEOs in traditional business companies, but in MLM structure –you get paid what you put in, so if you work as hard as a CEO would, you will become one. 3) Most people like the tax-breaks that you can get from “owning your own business. Unlike Mom and Pop Shops you don’t necessarily have to pay for a physical building or even products, which allow you to deduct certain costs, but also not have to pay for those you would have if you had a building. 4) Lastly, one of my favorite things about the MLM-structure is the fact that anyone can join and they are usually invited into the business by friends. I have never seen as much diversity in a traditional office as I have seeing different MLM businesses. Some MLM businesses are now starting to become more selective with the people they let in, but in general –anyone can join regardless of their level of education, past work experience, and even their fluency in speaking English.
Now for the downsides. MLM is not for everyone. 1) It involves “being a salesperson” on some level because you are either trying to sell a product or a service. Mostly this entails Networking –which is why most MLM companies prefer to use the term Network Marketing. They go about making business transactions by word of mouth –the same way a Mom and Pop shop would. 2) This would be a lot easier if it weren’t for issue number two: People will assume you are in a Pyramid Scheme. Your friends will call you an idiot. Your parents won’t believe in you. Few will support you. You have to address and remove that stereotype from their mind as soon as you join if you want to have any sort of support from your friends and family. Here’s how you know if you’re in a Pyramid Scheme: If the company does not offer a Product or a Service and they ask you to pay money into the company itself with little or no explanation as to why –it’s probably a Pyramid scheme. 3) You don’t get paid regularly for doing little work. With a normal job if you slack off and nobody notices you get paid regardless. With MLM –you get paid on commission. You get paid directly for the amount of work you do. Some people who are not independent and self-motivated find this line of work to be very challenging. They make excuses and doubt themselves and ultimately let themselves fail at the business.
Now I’d like to go over types of MLM companies that are around. There are firstly Home-based businesses that sell products. My mom sold Mon Avi for a while. Avon make-up is another one. I’ve heard of people selling Tupperware, Cutco knives, vacuum cleaners, my sister and I joined a company that sold Nutritional Supplements. Then there are other MLM structured companies that offer services. I’m in a company that offers financial advice to people. I’ve heard of people who provide physical training services. Career coaches also fall into this category. I will say that although MLM and Network Marketing are similar in the way they practice their business; their internal structuring can be different.  For instance Real Estate would be better termed as Network Marketing while a Broker Firm would be called a MLM company if it had that internal business structure.
But who cares about the products, it’s all about the money right? Let’s go over the monetary compensation plans for these MLM businesses… 1) First thing to note is that most MLM companies pay on Commission. This commission tends to vary according to your position in the company –same as it would in a traditional business with the CEO making more than the Employee. They way you increase your position in the company is by either making more sales or building a team to work with you. 2) There is also something called Residual income. This is why, if you are going to have a home-based business selling specific products, you should make sure the products you sell will continuously need to be renewed by your clients. This is why people in my grandmother’s neighborhood avoid the Tupperware lady who tries to sell them plastic containers, but people don’t avoid Avon if they’ve tried it once because if they like the product some point soon they will need more. You have to find a need and cater to it. We’re in a recession. If your product is higher priced and only gets sold once –you will make a lot in one sale but in general you won’t sell a lot. So you have to decide if the Quality of your product is needed more than the cost of it. People don’t need to renew Tupperware and knife sets on a regular basis. Find something people do need regularly, then you will get residual income from your clients buying regularly from you without you having to resell them the same thing over and over. 3) Home-based businesses are intended to be on the side in support of your traditional job. Sometimes you have to buy and give out samples so it helps if you have more income coming in from a steady job to support your home-based business. But MLM companies that provide a service of some kind should probably be done full-time or with the intent of eventually going in full-time. Comparing the commissions earned between a Home-based business and a Service-based MLM business, what will happen is this: In your Home-based business your commission will usually tart out at 10% and reach its peak at 20%. Then when you move up in position within the company you will be given stocks of that company. The higher the position, the more company stock you get. People don’t usually reach the point of getting stocks in home-based businesses unless they’re going full-time in it. On the other hand, with Service-based businesses, you will usually start off with a commission of 25% and as you gain higher positions you will increase your commission from 35% to 61% to 82% -at least from what I’ve seen. Then when you hit the “CEO” position, you will also be given stock on top of that. You get more money with Service-based MLM companies because it’s easier for people to go full-time and commit to the business.
Lastly I’d like to go over the Internal Business Structure itself. Traditional companies have differing ranks called Employee, Manager, and CEO –with some job positions in between. The MLM structure is actually pretty similar. You have your Associate level –which is a new employee. Then you hit your “Manager level” –which is usually called something like Senior Associate or Director- which you will usually get after you’ve made a certain number of sales and have built a team. Then there’s the CEO level, which is when you are training multiple teams of people and are making lots of sales on your own. When you hit a position related to being a Manager or a Senior Manager –you can retire from the business, and often people do. You can only do that however if you have built up a team and have a certain amount of residual income from your services or sales.
I would now like to go more in detail over the Internal structuring itself because it bugs me when people say MLM is a Pyramid Scheme.

Well there it is in all its glory. The ameba-shaped pyramid of Giza.
As you can see, the higher the rank –the higher the commission. However, the higher the rank of those working under you, the less over-ride commission you get from them. You cannot “mooch off” your team. There is always a CAP preventing you from living off of the work of others.
And just as with traditional businesses, the CEO makes more than the manager makes more than the employee. Only with MLM, the employee can at any point they choose put in the work and promote themselves to a higher position.
I hope this overview of MLM structure was helpful either in giving you a better understanding of this new type of business that is reemerging or in helping you yourself decide if a MLM company is right for you.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Emotions

What the hell are emotions? What are they?

I was walking to my car at night after buying some stuff at Target. My heart was compressed, my brows furrowed, my eyes distant, my chest heavy... I was sinking into myself. And I thought, What is this? How do I get these feelings? Where do they come from, physically? What are emotions?

I feel them so frequently. My moods shift like waves on the sea. This morning I was happy I think. I rolled out of bed and started thinking of my day. I had gotten some good thoughts for a blog, and actually went strait to my computer to write it. Then I took a shower and texted my sister -we were going on a quest to buy Xmas presents.

Then she got here. My mood had probably shifted 5 times, but overall had been pretty steady. Then I started reading my blog comments. Then I got frustrated. I went cerebral on myself. My thoughts become silly puddy I can't quite get off of my head. I mead them and stretch them and get them untangled and retangled. It's a mess that consumes my mind and distracts me from more practical matters -like dealing with reality.

My sister is annoyed at my typing. I turn the computer off and grab my purse to go. We head out. Parking is impossible and the stores are crowded. What you want isn't there. But I'm not frustrated, just bored. Life is so boring. I think about what I told my friend the other day. She said she feared death. I said I use to fear death, but not anymore. She said she wished she could never die. I said, "I definitely want to die." I hate this life. I don't know why I put myself through it sometimes. I'm ready for death. But as always, I'm eternally patient. I can wait it out.

I find the move I was looking for. Buy it. Get in the car. I'm feeling lazy and more anxious to play Skyrim with my sis. We get there. We start to play. Then I get texts.

Them I'm depressed. My mind is elsewhere. I'm starting to feel physically weighted. Life doesn't seem to matter. I want to go home. Still have some more shopping to do. I suck at it. I give up after buying a few more things. I go home with the hopes of writing several impressive blogs. I lose interest halfway through the first. Why does it matter? I'm disheartened. Having physical pain that's hard to describe. The throat tightens, but with subtlety. The eyes get weary. It's in the chest and it's in the head. The legs never feel soar or in pain when you're depressed. It's never the arms, it's never the back, it's never the ears... always the chest and head.

That's why people say your heart carries the feelings. When you get unpleasant emotions your chest is always affected. For me it's Head above Heart. If I don't cling to rationality and clear lines of logic I get too emotionally attached to the situation and lose myself to it. And then it hurts. Not the typical hurt like a stomach cramp or a punch in the face. More like a wave of internal shipwreck. Your thoughts acknowledge the pain, and your thoughts themselves are hurt by that fact.

You associate sadness with several lines of thought, at least if you have a submissive nature (I don't know what a non-submissive nature would feel or think). The first is usually: "I've done wrong". Then follows: "I'm not good enough." "What's wrong with me?" "Why does somebody dislike me?" "Why is love gone?"

Sadness is beautiful. I think I will always maintain that. Ther is so much beauty in it and I don't know why. Anger frightens me, but sadness draws me in. Sometimes I purposely let it overwhelm me. In dreams I'll imagine things that will bring me to that point, and I'll let a tear slide -not because it is based on reality or anything actual- but because the dream brought out something real in me: a true emotion. I feel like feeling it because Emotions are real even when they don't come from reality. That's why people can cry during movies or hearing someone else's bad news. That's why Emotions lead people to Spirituality. It's a Letting Go and an Embrace of What is within.

I rarely cry because of real-life situations. I was raised by a Libra and a Gemini. The Libra wasn't emotional and the Gemini was overly emotional. From these two I learned: You're supposed to act happy, even when you're not. Sadness is something to be held in private, not public. When you are sad, people will either care too much or not at all. Either way it's not good. Crying doesn't fix anything.

They never said these words out loud to me, but this is what I learned from them.

I internalize everything. When I was in my teens I felt like a robot somedays because I was so good at not showing my emotions. There are days I know I can't hide my feelings, and those days suck. Other times I'm suprised how well I fool everyone. It almost feels like a victory. B the only moods I ever really get are Depression, Happyness, Fear, Doubt, Apathy, and Empathy. When I do get anger, I can't control it. That's why I try to avoid it because I really turn into an idiot when I get angry.

But most of the time, I just think. My thoughts lead me and I let them, paying little attention to the emotioinal states I pass through as I follow them.

God is a Visionary

Everyone shares the same vision of a Utopia. Maybe not initially, but when you dig deep, the site is there:

A peaceful place without pain where one every person never has the need for need because they have plenty and are satisfied and fulfilled.

Some may add ice cream rainbows and lollipop forests, but the desire for candy comes from the joy of Taste, which is a sense. Senses and hungers are never satiated, which is why it is even hard to imagine Utopia without them. The ultimate Utopia would have no need for Taste because everyone would enjoy themselves and their state of being as they are, not as they could be. They would not be found wanting in any way.

So you can say you want ice cream in Utopia, but it's only because you've never experienced not having the yearning to want ice cream.

Anyways, I believe this is God's vision for people.

All great institutions have a founding leader who envisioned the purpose and ultimate goal for the institutions legacy to fulfill. Then the leader delegates others to carry out the vision. Then it's like a game of telephone and as the vision gets further from its source it begins to take on a life of its own and become reinterpreted many many times by many many people. The more concrete a system you have in place, the more consistent the vision is with the reality of the institution.

Take Usana for example. Dr. Wentz, its founder, had a Vision. In his mission statement he said he wanted to create the highest quality nutritional supplements to make people have the greatest optimum health they can achieve.

Now this vision is a noble one. Dr.Wentz clearly states he wants to make the world physically healthier. This will decrease the chance for diseases in people in the long run and give people more energy and vitality. He doesn't just want people to live, but to live well -physically speaking. Part of the training process Usananites go through is reading his vision an hearing him speak on DVDs about his goals. It's moving and it hits home with people. I'm sure some individuals could care less, but the system they have in place ensures that at the very least -even if the vision is neglected by the sales crew- the goal giving people better nutrition in their lives is still achieved.

God is such a visionary. He has a dream. I believe the lines of His vision to be the one we all wish for: The Land of Utopia. unfortunately, reality is in play right now. I think what God wants of people at this time is to strive for Utopia and adhere to some basic concepts.

1. Do not act violently, hatefully, or abusively in any way.
2. Don't have inappropriate sexual relations.
3. Don't engage in the abuse of drugs, alcohol, and other addictive substances.
4. Act out of compassion.
5. Be knowledgeable, but not condescending.
6. Be Virtuous.
7. Avoid sin -lying, gluttony, greed... Not because it is insulting to God, but because it moves people further from His vision and leads them further off the beaten path into dark forests of emptiness.
8. Do not hurt others emotionally/ physically.

I'm going to stop here. I don't feel physically well. I ate too many cookies earlier. Also this isn't coming out the way I wanted it to in my head.

The point is, God wants us to carry out His vision. If people don't carry it out, it's either because they haven't seen the vision, or they honestly don't care about it. You can talk to people about the most beautiful dreams and goals you can think of, and some are just too blind to see or even conceive of them.

It's like with Usana. Only the Usananites who have seen the vision and carry it out will actually achieve Dr. Wentz's vision. Only through them will it become a reality. Same with people and God. Only the people who see God's vision and try to uphold it and make the dream a reality will 1. get to enjoy the benefits of it and 2. share those benefits with others.

And the fact is, the vision never leaves the person once they've seen it. There are dozens of people I've met who have heard of or were part of Usana. They tell me, "Yah that is a great company". Even if they don't work there anymore, they still believe and acknowledge the vision. They still uphold that the nutritional supplements are of high quality. They still take the supplements themselves and will continue to do so for years, along with others they have shared the products with. They just don't work for the company itself.

I think that's what God gives to people. He gives them dreams and goals all tied into His greater design plan to achieve His true vision. The virtues and visions people strive for are part of a larger, greater line of site not everyone can see yet.

Who's Right?

Who cares abou Who is right. It's about What is right.

First off I want to say -Thank you Past-Self for writing these blogs making it easier for me to copy/paste past points and perspectives i have clearly identified and written down.

That being said, Let's analyze: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism.

Judaism -as suggested by a friend, this religion contains many many practices and customs that were important to be followed by a specific group of people during a specific time period. To Universalize Judaism however would have negative consequences on the world -not to mention be virtually impossible for all to follow. We can use Pig meat as an example because at the time it was a meat that would rot very quickly and make people sick (making it a practical law to ban it being eaten) but today we have refrigerators and pig meat no longer poses a threat to people's health. Ultimately the Teachings in Judaism are valuable to us and will always be -but not necessarily the Practices/Rituals/Customs.

Christianity can and has been used Universally. It's hard to imagine South Americans practicing Judaism instead of Catholicism or Christianity. Christianity can be followed anywhere by anyone. It focuses les on rituals and more on Spirituality and following a clear path to God. I removed the clutter to create a space for everyone to come together. It advocates Compassion and Forgiveness v. Judgement and Punishment. Faith over Matter.

Islam. I can appreciate things this religion brought to the table. Once a year Muslims give 1/3 of everything they own to charity. This relgion taught people to look after orphans, widows, and the destitute. It also brought morals to a desert landscape of waste and hopelessness. They also mandate acknowledgement and worship of God 5 times a day (although some people acknowledge Him more times a day than that just out of habit making this practice seem obligatory and overly redundant). But the one thing that alwys turned me away from this religion was the concept of Revenge. They justified killing people because someone's cousin killed someone's uncle who killed someone's great great grandfather 200 years ago... It's an endless cycle of violence that this religion deems justified. It cannot be Universalized then, because the Go-Ahead for violence would end humanity, compassion, and faith. In fact, it seems strange that some of the teachings in Isam directly contradict those of previous prophets and speakers of the Word such as Christ and Moses. But in this life you have to decide for yourself what is right. Take in the good and weed out the bad. Like a selectively permeable sponge. From this religion I would take the good and leave the violence.

Buddhism. I always say this religion is on equal par to Christianity. Someone told me that it was an unnecessary relgion to follow since that which can be appreciated in it can also be found in Christianity -which comes direcly from God. This is true, however Buddhism has more physical/secular/practical ways for people to get in touch with their actual Spirituality -not just philosophically. Meditation, yoga, Being Mindful... these are directly appliable lessons people can use.

Buddhism also mentions Reincarnation which Chrisitanity leaves out. Why does it leave it out? I think it was because, like Buddhism, Reincarnation is something to be avoided -like Hell. There is Heaven, Hell, and Reincarnation and the Bible focuses on keeping people out of Hell and getting them into Heaven. Reincarnation is something that bleeds through both states, but is not something to be striven for. As I said in a previous blog:

"Everything gets Reincarnated if you think about it. Nothing ever ceases to exist, it just changes form. Water drop becomes evaporated becomes cloud becomes rain becomes ocean becomes... People are the same. Soul becomes enfleshed becomes old becomes soul again becomes uplifted or weighted down or reincarnated becomes enfleshed again... Heaven is a temporary reward zone. How long is temporary? -No idea. Could be a couple centuries, could be a millenia... No Clue. But at some point, people can chose to become reincarnated. They then come from above down to earth and have more of a say in the next life they lead and are usually better off/ rewarded in that life with comforts and good living conditions. Hell is a temporary punishment zone. How long is temporary/ -same as Heaven. No Clue. But if souls from Hell become reincarnated they are coming up above from below, and have more suffering in their next life and less say in where they end up -making it more challenging for them to find happiness and serenity. They have to work harder for those things. Most people who ignore their spirituality or don't seek it out, but do good,  just end up being reincanrated right off the bat. Think about it, if you don't progress and you don't change, why do you think the afterlife will be any different? You get reborn over and over and over until you make that journey up. Then you get a reprieve. This is Karma."

Yesterday I talked to someone who said that she thought Buddhism was far better han Christianity. This woman was raised by Catholics. Being a Pisces she experienced spiritual activity (ghosts) and directly opened herself up to those experiences by communicating back. She tried to tell her parents about it but ,being Catholic and belieiving in demons but not ghosts, they said there was evil in the house instead of spirits. Not helpful. She also feels afraid to talk about and express her spirituality because growing up around Catholics, you were not allowed to express opinion of beliefs that fell outside of the realm of what you had been taught. She was essentially "over churched" like my grandfather was -making her agnostic and more Universalist in thought towards the realm of Christianity. Also, like many people today, she has heard false "Christians" preach about hate towards homosexuals and against certain people -making her associate the religion with bigots and self-serving ignorants. It sucks when you try to vouch for a religion but the person you are talking to has a negtively schewed pre-association with it thanks to losers who misrepresented it before you came along. The same goes for Buddhism (thanks hippies...)

After this conversation with her, I was reassured of my own Spirituality, but dismayed that 1. Christianity wasn't present in her life more and 2. she felt afraid to talk about Spirituality in general to people. I feel this myself sometimes. Not fear of talking about Spirituality/Religion, but dismay that so many others honestly don't give a f*ck about it.

She looked at me and said she was knew she was weird for wanting to be spiritual. It killed me. I told her she wasn't weird, other people are weird. It's weird as hell that so many people acknowledge they have souls and that there is a God and yet those two things have no relevance in their passing lives to the extent that they avoid the topic altogether and look down upon those who bring it up at all.  

Thursday, December 22, 2011

AIDA

I'm pretty sure this stands for something different in "real life", but I'm going to use it to establish a concept people can apply to rewriting their character and habits.

I'm going to use being lazy as an example to apply the concepts of AIDA to.

1. Acknowledge.
Acknowledge when you are putting off a desired Habit or trait and maintaining your pre-established undesired habit.
Example: Well I could take out the trash... but I can just do it tomorrow.

2. Identify.
Identify when you are engaging in an activity that you wish to change.
Example: Putting the trash off until tomorrow is what I did yesterday and the day before. At this rate my house will become a garbage dump.

3. Dissassociate.
Remove the concept of the bad habit from outside yourself and recognize it as something you can control and change.
Example: I really should stop procrastinating and do more -starting with taking out the trash. I will become more of a Doer and less of a Procrastinator.

4. Act to Change
Act on the new habit you wish to replace the old one with.
Example: I am now taking out the trash. Yay.

Using AIDA will aida you in achieving better habits-character-personality-actions-life.

Amazing Movies

I've lost it. There was a lot of stuff I wanted to say about Sherlock Holmes 2 and Hugo, but now I don't feel like it. I expected little of the movies initially and I was overwhelmed by how amazing they were in the end. 

Zodiac Spiritual Ages Revisited

None so long ago in a blog that's God only knows where now, I laid the foundation for a theory assessing youngest to oldest Zodiac signs in terms of Spiritual growth in general.

Today I'd like to revise and fine-tune that theory.

This actually came to me after thinking about my go-to image of Zodiac personality orientations. I'd upload the photo again here, but I can't find it at he moment.

Anyway, I was thinking: What is the process like for people growing up (ideally) and where do there interests tend to be during that process.

1. When you are first born, you're reactions to the immediate environment are instinctual and based primarily on Physical elements. You're not well enough developed as a person to respond to things from an emotional or contemplative point-of-view so instead you react physically to your physical environment. Babies are focused on Their Physical senses.

2. Then you become a toddler. In general, up until a more mature age, you react to things Emotionally. Suddenly things like "feelings" come into play and since you don't know that much knowledge-wise, most of your reactions aren't well thought out. Kids are temperamental, frightened, adoring, selfish, confused, gullible, energetic, happy... but they aren't very Focused, Contemplative, Reflective, or Mentally Acute.

3. Then by the time your in high school/ college -you start to grow up and "mature". Very few adults act emotionally in general. Those who do -like Snookie and well I can't even really think of others to be hones- are considered immature on some level. People tend to be a lot less impulsively reactive with their feelings when they have more knowledge under their belt.

4.Then there's the Ideal of the Elderly. People in their "golden years" are suppose to be calm, wise, reflective... They're basically suppose to be prepping themselves for the life to come. At this age you'd think that people would have their "affairs in order" spiritually speaking and they would be focused on guiding the younger generations and leading by their example. Hence why so many old people go to church of their own will, but younger generations tend to avoid it -unless they're convinced by the older generation to attend.

Given this assessment of the Life Cycle of Maturity in People, it seems that the same applies for the Zodiac signs.

1. Youngest Souls:

*Aries (Spiritual/ Physical) -Physical/Dominant by virtue of Fire sign)

Taurus (Physical-By virtue of Earth Sign) 

Gemini (Physical/ Emotional) -Mental by virtue of Air Sign

*Now this is an interesting situation. If you take the concept of Reincarnation into consideration, the Aries lies on the cusp of Spiritual Maturity and Physical Newborn Immaturity. Basically it's like an Old Soul being reborn and forgetting itself, making it seem younger. It's a strange combination to say the least. This makes the Aries both Old in a lot of wise and Young in others.

2. Toddler to Young Adult Souls:

Leo (Emotional) -Physical/Dominant by virtue of Fire Sign

Cancer (Emotional) Emotional/Spiritual- by Virtue of Water Sign

Virgo (Emotional/ Mental) -The least Physical of the Earth Signs

3. Adult Souls:

Libra (Mental -by Virtue of Air Sign)

Scorpio (Mental/Emotional) -Emotional/Spiritual by Virtue of Water Sign

Sagittarius (Mental) -Physical/ Dominant by Virtue of Fire Sign

4. Oldest Souls:

Capricorn (Spiritual/ Physical) -Physical by Virtue of Earth Sign

Aquarian (Spiritual/Mental) -Mental by Virtue of Air Sign

Pisces (Spiritual/Emotional by Virtue of Water Sign)

*Aries (Spiritual/Physical) -Physical/ Dominant by Virtue of Fire Sign

As always it is important to remember that Experiences, Vices/Virtues, and Education can always shift the tendencies of what someone was Born with. The personality/sign type depends Always on the person. Birth is only an indication of a starting point on a journey of someone becoming who they are.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Zodiac Sign Associations: Libra

Capricorn/ Libra

Issues: The Capricorn before he marries is far more liberal on his views on sex before marriage then he will be afterward. Libra had better screen the social environment to suit Capricorn’s views or there may be some embarrassing moments later on. Unless Capricorn can open up a little more there could be problems here. Libra requires affection and Capricorn tends to put it off.

Strengths:  On the surface these two seem to be on the opposite, but the taciturn Capricorn is very much intrigued by Libra. If Libra does not find the steady Capricorn nature too boring, there is good chance here for a successful marriage. Fairly Compatible 70%
Aquarius/ Libra

Issues: Possibility one of the few problems may be a misunderstanding because an Aquarius mate is unpredictable at times, and for no reason at all, may seek seclusion and refuse to communicate. In that event, the best thing to do would be to let them enjoy their solitude. They will soon revert to their lovable self, and all will be well if Libra doesn't insist on explanations. There may not be monumental disagreements between these two, but Libra will need to understand the Aquarian unpredictability.

Strengths: This could be a good combination for marriage. Aquarians have perfect affinities for Libras. They both love beauty, society, and people, this helps to make this an ideal union. Both of these signs are naturally friendly people, while Libra is best at the one on one relationship, Aquarius wants to love the world as well. Very Compatible 90%
Pisces i/ Libra d
Issues: Attraction doesn’t usually last long -especially true under intimate circumstances. Libra’s love of social affairs may generate jealousy and disharmony in the intimate life. Pisces is more discriminating when it comes to friends to hangout with. It’s harder for a Pisces to be around certain types of people. This is the source of their disagreements. Nothing makes Libra more miserable then a sulky, complaining Pisces. Pisces may also be too clingy.
Strengths: Mutual Attraction (Opposites Attract).  Pisces will be content with Libra's exclusive company. Libra can get along well with most people. There is a mutual appreciation for art and beauty and all that it entails between these two. There is a good balance of compromise and looking out for each other. Both are spiritually bound and make amiable, trustworthy friends. Reasonably Good Combination 70%
Sagittarius f/ Libra d

Issues: Sagittarius ' philosophy of life may be too much for the free and easy going Libra to cope with. Will Libra's endurance be able to last through the long haul with the Sagittarius partner? Sagittarius hates bondage and cannot be confined, and will not tolerate bondage, whether it be legal or not, and will use all the means at his command to break through bonds.

Strengths: This is a good marital combination. Libra will get all the excitement they want if they marry Sagittarius. The Libran love of beauty, luxury, and social whirl appeals to the Sagittarius, but he will not be tied to the Libran apron-string. Again we have the tactful Libra nature surfacing to create some harmony in the relationship. They will do well together, if Sagittarius can manage to be around enough to fulfill Libra’s need for togetherness. Compatible 90%

Scorpio e/ Libra d

Issues: There is a strong sexual attraction here, but Libra may find Scorpio’s intense nature a bit overwhelming.
Strengths: There is much sympathetic magnetism between these two signs. While Scorpio is the more dominant sign of the two, the Libra's beauty and sense of fair play appeal to Scorpios good judgment. Libra sees all the virtues that she admires in Scorpio, for Scorpio's sex drive is all Libra's hope to be. There is much to recommend this union, for they have many sympathies in common. Libras are sentimental and susceptible as lovers. This seems to be appealing to Scorpio's dominant and possessive urges. As long as Libra does not hurt Scorpio’s pride, Libras will find what they are looking for when they marry a Scorpio. Common goals and shared interests could avert any difficulties. They are also Builder signs for each other. Very Compatible 96%
Libra d/ Aries^

Issues: This could be a poor match if either one of them is from a culture or religion varying from their own. However too much of a good thing could spoil it.

Strengths: A great combination of Mars and Venus. The warm and passionate Libra person will make a welcome home for the fiery, impetuous Aries. This will be particularly true if both persons are on the same cultural and intellectual plane. Aries appreciates the passion and emotion that Libra person possess. There must be balance for this to work. There is a wider than ordinary margin for error though, and most of these combinations will go the distance. Libra's refined and artistic temperament yearns for reciprocal attachments. And this is something Aries can provide. Very Compatible 90%

Libra d/ Taurus_

Issues: If one steps out of line, then the feathers will fly. A large bank account will be needed for these two to appease their desire for luxury.

Strengths: These are both ruled by Venus, the love goddess and it does shine on the two love birds. There are common interest and a meeting of the mind and body making this a very good marital combination. These two signs are intrinsically joined by their ruling planet Venus. They appreciate beauty and the finer things of life. The success of this relationship will require Libra’s sense of diplomacy and Taurus’s patience. Libra an air sign, loves to roam, and Taurus an earth sign loves to sit and smell the roses. With understanding it could be a harmonic relationship. Compatible 85%

Libra d/ Gemini `

Issues: Only the usual –Vices v. Virtue combos and Educational level (These apply for all signs)

Strengths: This is considered to be a great astrological influence for a long and happy marriage. Both signs have much in common and enough contrast to make an ideal partnership. Libra being under Venus's influence and Mercury ruling Gemini makes for a very good planetary configuration. Both favor similar changes of interests. In the case of this pair, Libra is the judge and Gemini the responsive jury in the nuptial courthouse. The combination's intellectual and artistic interests are compatible. Both sides of the Gemini nature will be understood by the Libra. This will be a very stimulating relationship. One sign compliments the other and brings out the better part of each other's nature. Gemini will find it easy to communicate with Libra who is only too happy to share information and ideas. Very Compatible 96%

Libra d/ Cancer a

Issues: Cancer is not temperamentally suited to cope with the freedom loving Libra. They could go for days of no recognition if they have a serious disagreement. Libra's great desire for attention may bring on a period of sulking depression that could create a highly controversial situation. Though Libra love's justice and fair play, Cancer has a tendency to take advantage of all of these quality for his own private use.

Strengths: On the positive side though, they could make it. Ruled by the Moon and Venus respectively, there is common ground here despite the fact that we have a water sign and an air. The sensitive Cancer can rest assured that Libra is generally peace-loving and won't often stir things up. Libra is also love-loving as well and this should sit well with Cancer. Libra will appreciate Cancer's loyalty and generosity. Somewhat Compatible 80%

Libra d/ Leo b
Issues: The hale and hearty may prove to be too much for the sensitive Libra nature. Leo demands constant adulation which a may cause problems.

Strengths: They have a lot in common that could make for a good combination. The sun ruling Leo and Venus ruling Libra usually form a strong and luxurious aspect. Both signs love luxuries, are subject to flattery, and are very artistically inclined. Libra may get the idea what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Somewhat Compatible 80%

Libra d/ Virgo c

Issues: They would have trouble finding marital bliss. There is one thing that Libra cannot take and that is criticism, and of course Virgo is a champion in that department. Virgo is very particular to detail, while Libra is easygoing and detest detail.

Strengths: Builder signs for each other –they will improve upon one another, but tend to work better as friends than lovers. The conflict of interest will cause a storm soon after the sexual novelty has worn off. There is hope though, Libra looks for peace and harmony is likely to do well with Virgo who is a perfectionist in his/her own right. Providing the aspects in the synastry are just right. Fairly Compatible 75%

Libra d/ Libra d

Issues: If the Over-riding tendencies of the one or both Libras make them fit the personality of an incompatible sign, there would be issues. Libra is most susceptible to having over-riding tendencies of other signs. The biggest problem may be unresolved conflicts, as neither wants to stir the pot when differences appear.

Strengths: Here is a match made in heaven. They both have basically the same interests and qualities, so there would be great understanding in the relationship. While both like to be admired, and may cast a roving eye away from home territory, each is understanding of the other's motives. With this combination there is so much in common and so little negatives against it (a possible incompatible sign rising in either) there is no hesitation in advising it. They may both say the heck with it and that’s all, just to preserve the peace. But if this is the worst that could happen, well... Very Compatible 96%