a yoga teacher is no more and no less than a friend.

Shana Swanson, the founder of yoga45., has been teaching and practicing yoga over 23 years.

Her dream was to become a yoga teacher after meeting her yoga teacher, Ananda Adams, in 2001. After a road trip to the D’Adamo Institute, it was recommended to Shana that she practice yoga to de-stress. Shortly thereafter, her brother Roger, was diagnosed with cancer that eventually took his life in 2006. Shana practiced with Ananda through the entirety of his illness, for a total of 8 years. She also spent that time exploring every group yoga class, studio, and iconic teacher available to her in NYC - Barbara Verrochi and Kristin Leigh at The Shala, David Regelin, Ragunauth at Kula Yoga Project, Kelly Morris at Jivamukti Yoga… yoga became her true love.

Shana became a mom for the second time and moved downtown to BPC and decided to become a full time yoga teacher. She started teaching Mysore and Ashtanga Yoga and co-led Ashtanga Teacher Trainings with Scott Harig at PURE Yoga and continued to study Iyengar Yoga with certified Iyengar teacher Nikki Costello at Kula Yoga Project in NYC.

Before moving to Westport, CT in 2016, Shana completed her Primary Series training with her mentor and hero, David Swenson.

In November 2017, Shana was given the opportunity to teach at Kaia yoga in her new home in Westport, CT and 2 years later, Shana opened her own yoga studio, ‘yoga. by, Shana Swanson’, on Main Street in downtown Westport, CT.

Shana renamed the studio yoga45. in 2022 after the lessons learned from COVID. During that time, yoga became so much more than just a class. It was her community again, a daily check in…45 minutes to breathe and move and then connect…catching up, chat and create friendship and love.

Teaching yoga has always brought Shana the joy and freedom to be herself. Her intention remains the same ~ give others the invaluable gift of yoga that was given to her.

We all just need each other to do the work.