Shannon Kehoe: Hairstylist, Shamanic and Healing Arts Practitioner

Spotted: Mission, SF

What are you up to today?
I just got done doing a Reiki session. It's energetic body work, and Reiki ultimately is love. And if everything on earth is made of energy, it can actually physically manifest in your body — you have blockages and traumatic wounds. So you take that Reiki energy and it kind of just pushes everything through, transmutes things and gets you back in touch with yourself and things flowing smoothly.

Do you do that pretty often?
Yeah, I'm getting into the shamanic and energetic healing arts myself.

How did you start out?
I did an Ayahuasca ceremony and it just kind of opened me up to my gifts and senses and I actually feel energy now. It's a little intense at times, but it's a very new way of being, so it's kind of like I don't have an option now. Because it's like trying to survive in this world that is not that open to that. Thank goodness I live in the bubble of San Francisco! [laughs] Anywhere else, they're kind of like, "You're crazy."

How did Ayahuasca ceremony come about?
At the start of my Saturn Return, I broke my hand and was forced to not do work for about nine weeks. I do hair for a living which was my passion, and then I was like, this industry is really toxic! I've always been sensitive, so I could feel it. I just wasn't that happy in it, and realized I want to help people heal themselves and wake up every day no matter where they are and love themselves and be happy where they are at that point in time. Hair is just the appearance — I want to go deeper. And at the time, my boyfriend of six years broke up with me, and I didn't have any money. And I was like, I need deodorant and toothpaste and I don't have the money for it, so how can I make it? So I started making my own products and I went to Trouble Coffee all the time. I met these people that were like, Oh, they're super hippy dippy but they're really cool and not totally out there and make you want to cringe! Now I'm the epitome of what I've always made fun of! [laughs]

I guess that's usually how it works, you know? But yeah, I saw this balance and so I started meeting more like-minded people and it just opened my up and it's just been a natural progression now. I'm coming toward the end of my Saturn Return now, I'm almost 30, and it's just this new way of being and I can't imagine ever going back — being an angry little punk kid with all the teen angst I'm like, uh-uh! [laughs]

What are some of the things you've discovered from doing this?
So now all of my clairs are totally active — clairsentience, clairaudience, clairvoyance, claircognizance. I'm an empath so I actually feel other people's emotions and thoughts. So, I'm just learning to discern what is mine and what is not mine. I have healing hands, so things other than Reiki will come through. I can talk to spirits now. I like to communicate with plants and animals — it's a trip! And this is all just like in the last six months. So it's just a very new way of being! I also like doing art, and I'm just a big ball of love and want to spread love to everyone!

What are your biggest inspirations lately?
Females for sure. Just seeing women be themselves, no matter what shape or size, and just being empowered. I'm really working towards getting my personal power back and being me for me and not conforming to what I think people want me to be. The industry I'm from, it's like you look this part, and then you feel so empty. So seeing these women just be themselves, it's so awesome. And any artist that's putting themselves out there — because it's scary and we want enough likes and we want people to like our work and buy our work. If you can think it, then so it is. And so it's just beautiful to see these amazing awesome women doing whatever it is they're trying to do and killing it.

What are you favorite things to do in the area?
I really love going out to Ocean Beach. Just being by the ocean. The trees in Golden Gate Park are amazing, really magical. I love going to Trouble Coffee — I've met so many amazing people out there and that's right on Ocean Beach. Right now, I've kind of been a homebody! So anything to do with nature or good vibes, I'm all about! [laughs]