About Kannon

I was born in St. David’s Community Hospital in Austin, TX on 26 April 1970, the first child of my parents, and named Joseph Brandon McAfee. I spent nearly my first four decades in Texas, enduring various sorts of challenges and obstacles, mostly health-related, but involving all areas of life. So I learned to focus on soul growth and healing.

I now live in the St. Johns neighborhood of Portland, OR with my wife, Heather. In May 2011 e were married on Cannon Beach here in Oregon with my father officiating. We return to the beautiful Oregon coast every year to get some renewal and celebrate our relationship.

I started out first as a creative writer (songs, poetry) and singer while I was in high school. I wanted to be an athlete and was very driven, but had to stop distance running when I developed temporary scoliosis from the repeated impact on my body. Music got more of my attention after that and I won a full tuition college scholarship for my voice. However, that was not my path and some obstacles helped turn me in another direction.

After grade school I dealt with a prolonged depression (about two years) that led me to aspire to being a healer. I didn’t go through with the formal training that I thought I needed, but was led to the right training by my deeply held desire. I wanted to help prevent depression and loneliness in others that I was experiencing. I discovered herbal medicine in April 1995. Later I interned with and worked for Ruby Lawler, ND at House of Sunshine in Tyler, TX. In a hypnosis session in 1998 I discovered my inborn talent as an herbalist.

I began studying astrology in 1996 and am self-taught. Astrology has helped me better understand myself and others. My specialty is birth chart rectification. My belief is that the planets urge us gently, but do not compel. It is our intention — purposeful living — that creates the results. Astrology describes our windows of opportunity for doing this. Your birth chart is the message in a bottle you sent yourself as you were being born. Click here to view my birth chart in another tab.

I continue to write poetry and attend open mic meetings here in Portland. Another creative project I started is a set of herbal medicine cards that will serve a dual purpose of flash cards for learning herbal medicine, and as a deck that can be shuffled and drawn from for intuitive guidance on personal herb use. It is my purpose to empower others to feel the nature working within themselves and to live life in balance.

My Intention is to be of service first as a healer and secondly with astrology. These help me fulfill my chosen ideal in life, to be a healer. I’m becoming a community herbalist here in St. Johns.

I am also interested in shamanic medicine and in the restoration and preservation of aboriginal and indigenous medicine and spirituality.

Biographical article: On Religion, Fear, and Liberation

Email me at kannonmcafee [at] gmail [dot] com