About Shannon

Shannon Burns, E-RYT 500/E-RYT 200, YACEP is the founder of Salute the Sun Yoga, which she opened in 2021. Previously, Shannon was the Lead Vinyasa Yoga Teacher at FlyDog Studio in Charlottesville, Virginia and taught for 6+ years at the studio. She has practiced yoga since 1996, and completed 200 & 300-hour yoga teacher training at FlyDog Yoga. Shannon is a Tier 1 Certified Baptiste Yoga Leader. She is currently working on her second 300 hour training with Hot Asana. In total, Shannon has more than 1500 hours of yoga teacher training.

An intuitive and energetic teacher, Shannon has practiced yoga since 1996. Shannon is a double graduate from the University of Virginia (BSN & MSN/FNP), and has lived in Charlottesville for more than two decades years. For part of those 20 years, prior to opening Salute the Sun, Shannon worked in the field of medicine as a nurse, then as a nurse practitioner. 

Shannon has a deep knowledge and understanding of human anatomy and how most injuries and ergonomics can impact movement. Her background and training help her deliver alignment-focused classes, informed by her understanding of the human body and how different each body truly is. She takes special interest in self-myofascial release, and enjoys seeing the calming effects of this release in her students at her workshops.

She lives at home with one patient husband, two beautiful daughters, two ridiculously cute English labs, a handful of barn cats, and — at times — a few other random animals she has chosen to nurse back to health.

Other honors, trainings, and accolades:
  • She received the honor of being awarded Best Yoga Teacher in Best of Cville in 2020.
  • In July  2020, Shannon was appointed as a Lululemon Ambassador. She represented Lululemon for 3 years.​

  • Shannon is certified in teaching Pure Barre, power sculpt, LSD, standup paddle board yoga, and Yin yoga.
  • She has completed the Social Impact Training, Long, Slow, Deep (LSD), #Unstoppable & #Unbreakable trainings with Baptiste Yoga, and has facilitated  the “40 Days to a Personal Revolution” program twice.  
  • She created a yoga program for the Boys & Girls Club Southwood, in Charlottesville.
  • She also led a free series of “yoga for anxiety and depression” and has worked with University of Virginia athletes to complement their sport.   
  • She put together a fundraiser with MADabolic, Pure Barre & HiLow to benefit The Body Positive .  Each year, Shannon will organize an event to support local non profits.
  • She continues to work one day a week as a nurse to keep all of her knowledge & skills up to date. 
  • She has led four 200 hour yoga teacher training programs & can’t wait to offer a 300 hour YTT (coming in 2024).
  • She LOVES to travel, and leads retreats all over the world.  Her retreats are infused with fun, self exploration, laughs and endless relaxation.
  • She’s a published author! Read Shannon's article, published in the online journal, Elephant Journal, here: https://www.elephantjournal.com/now/relief-through-yoga-for-connective-tissue-disease/