Shanna Small

Shanna Small is a yoga educator and spiritual teacher whose work centers on helping householders integrate the wisdom of yoga into the realities of modern life. With more than two decades of study and practice, she teaches yoga as a comprehensive path of inner transformation, emphasizing its relevance for people navigating work, family, community, and social responsibility.

Her yoga journey began with a deep immersion in Ashtanga Yoga, including study within the Jois lineage of Mysore, India. Early in her path she engaged closely with foundational texts such as the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita, establishing a lifelong orientation toward yoga as a philosophical and spiritual discipline rather than solely a physical practice.

Shanna later expanded her training through Vinyasa yoga and ultimately attained E-RYT 500 and YACEP designations through Yoga Alliance. Over the years she has directed multiple Ashtanga and Vinyasa programs across North Carolina and has taught thousands of students through studio classes, teacher trainings, workshops, and mentorship programs.

A spinal condition, combined with the social awakening that followed the murder of George Floyd, marked a turning point in her teaching and led her to specialize in Accessible and Trauma-Conscious Yoga. Since then her work has emphasized accessibility, trauma awareness, and creating spaces where students of all backgrounds can engage the deeper teachings of yoga with dignity and support.

In recent years Shanna has deepened her engagement with Vedic and Veda study, mantra recitation, and Tantra through advanced study with teachers including Kaya Mindlin and Shanthala Sriramiah.

Shanna is the creator of Householder’s Guide to Yoga, a teaching platform designed for people seeking to live yoga within the responsibilities of daily life. She teaches nationally through workshops, teacher trainings, and yoga festivals, while also reaching a global audience through her online programs and writing.