Trauma Conscious Yoga Training

Reggie is a 500 hour certified yoga teacher and the founder/Chief Serving Officer of Active Peace Yoga. Through Active Peace Yoga, he offers asana and meditation classes to help others nurture peace of mind, creativity, equanimity in spirit and physical health – helping people nurture well-being as foundational, rather than an afterthought. His practice combines mindfulness, yogic philosophy, somatic awareness, refined concentration and discipline to help his students approach life with more ease and balance.

As part of his studies, he has authored a thesis entitled, “Yoga and Spiritual Activism: Serving Humanity from a Sense of Devotion and Love and has also been a featured speaker on new consciousness, racial justice and civic engagement for leading wellness publications, podcasts and platforms (CTZNWell, Wanderlust, the Be Here Now Network, the Hanuman Academy, Yoga Alliance, Upaya Zen Center among others).

In addition to his yoga teaching practice, Reggie has held many senior strategic and logistical roles across a variety of fields, ranging from global marketing, digital and community organizing, government relations, international education to Presidential campaigning.   He recently left a senior position as a leading progressive political strategist, regularly interacting with elected officials on Capitol Hill and managing relationships, impact and communications among the broader progressive movement.  

Reggie has taught Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, leading progressive organizations and individuals from all walks of life. Reggie’s dharma sits at the intersection of bringing more peace and balance to activists, guiding the wellness community toward being more engaged, concerned citizens and enhancing the well-being of all walks of life. Achieving this balance is how we catalyze transformative change in our society, which we are desperately in need of at this moment.

Shanna Small is a seasoned yoga educator committed to fostering social justice and accessibility within yoga spaces. Embarking on her yoga journey over two decades ago, she delved into the intricacies of Ashtanga Yoga, immersing herself in the study of asana, Yoga Sutras, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Sanskrit, and chanting within the Jois lineage of Mysore, India.

With a solid foundation in Vinyasa yoga, Shanna earned her 200-hour Yoga Alliance accreditation under the guidance of Dolly Stavros. Building on her extensive experience in Ashtanga, she attained 500ERYT and YACEP status from the Yoga Alliance. She ultimately became the director of numerous Ashtanga and Vinyasa programs in Yoga studios across North Carolina.

Two pivotal events— an accident revealing damage to her sacrum and spine and the tragic murder of George Floyd by police— catalyzed a transformative shift in Shanna’s yogic journey. This led her to specialize in Accessible Yoga, studying with Dianne Bondy and Amber Karnes, and Trauma Conscious Yoga under the guidance of Nityda Gessell. Shanna explored her experiences as a racialized woman in the yoga community and initiated Yoga Teacher Training programs and social justice initiatives.

In her pursuit of healing, Shanna found inspiration in Vedic studies under the tutelage of Kaya Mindlin and Shantala Sriramiah. She shares her wealth of knowledge through extensive travel, offering teachings on accessibility, social justice, and yoga philosophy both in-person and online. Shanna Small is not just a yoga educator but a passionate advocate for a more inclusive and mindful yoga community, empowering others on their own transformative journeys.