Saturday, October 23, 2010

Dancing with the 'Stars': Meet Kristi Yamaguchi's Kids

Kristi Yamaguchi is best known for winning the gold in the 1992 Olympics as a figure skater, and most recently for winning the 'gold' on Dancing with the Stars in 2008, but Mlle. Kiddie is especially interested in the dance of her and her family's personal stars--their astrology!

Kristi has described herself as shy, not really fitting in but feeling like she belonged when she was on the ice. She's said she didn't mind missing out on social things in school because she had such a focus and a plan. Her life was skating. Off the ice she just tried to 'do her thing and not be noticed', but on the ice, it was "music and freedom and self-expression."

Kristi entered the world with a shy Cancer Sun and Leo south node, which comes with it a big desire to express oneself, often through creative pursuits. But it's also tucked away in the private 12th house, so even though pop astrology may tell us that Leo likes to be the life of the party, Kristi's party was always on the inside, shining through her skating dreams.

Her work with the Make-A-Wish foundation after the Olympics inspired her to open her own foundation in 1996: the Always Dream Foundation, an organization dedicated to giving support to children so they can reach for their own dreams. Kristi says in the opening line of a welcome video at the Always Dream website: "I think a hero is someone who gives from the heart into the community." This sums up perfectly her Sun in Cancer in the 11th house: a hero (Sun) is someone who gives from their heart (Cancer) to the community (11th house). Her basic identity is about nurturing (Cancer) children to achieve their dreams (also 11th house).

Starting with her own kids! When she had her children, Keara and Emma, in 2003 and 2005, respectively, her priorities changed. Of her kids, she says:
"After the first one is born, you think the second one will be the same—but she’s not. Keara is very social, outgoing and adaptable. I see a lot of myself in Emma. She’s Mommy’s girl, like I was. She’s a little shy in social situations until she gets comfortable. Keara is more artistic. She loves imaginary play. Emma has really good athletic ability. She’s physically tough. It will be interesting to see what they choose to do."

Keara is a sociable Libra, with both her Sun and Venus in the sign of Libra. Libra is ruled by Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, and many Librans have a knack for knowing what's beautiful and how to create it. Keara has an extra ace in the hole, however, with the planet Neptune in a harmonious trine with her Sun. Neptune is a planet that connects us to 'the other world' in some way, be it through spirituality, intuition, or imagination.

Keara also has her moon in Sagittarius, a sign that wants to expand as much as it can and experience all it can, so she'll be mostly unstoppable in her enthusiasm. However, she'll benefit from her mom's example of dedication and hard work to make dreams come true since the asteroid Chiron is exactly opposite her Saturn. When we work with our Saturn, we commit to something and make it happen in the real world through our dedication, but with Chiron pulling on it, she may have some trepidation to work out surrounding her own capabilities to accomplish what she dreams.

Emma's Sun is in the sign of Scorpio, a sign that's more about the inner world. Scorpio likes to observe before it acts and with a calculating eye, sum up any situation so it knows what it's in for. With her Venus in Capricorn, she is likely to make friends more easily in structured situations where she knows what's expected of her and relationship foundations are defined rather than just free play, but her curious and talkative Gemini Moon will certainly reveal itself 'once she's comfortable,' as mom has said.

Emma has Mars in the sign of Taurus, which can definitely contribute to strength and physical 'toughness', and which also brings a natural ability toward perseverance and steadiness. Emma's challenge may be keeping focused, as her Gemini Moon will find lots of reasons to be distracted by new interests.

What a beautiful family!

Photo: Jim Wright
Reference: article by Suzanne Riss, Working Mother Magazine

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