Vanessa Fleming

I have practised yoga nidra for over 20 years and completed my Total Yoga Nidra Facilitator training in 2021 with the intention of sharing this beautiful and powerful practice I think of as my ‘secret sauce’. My approach to yoga nidra is creative and non-dogmatic. I hold space for you to listen to your body and explore what you need to feel more ease in your practice. I don’t follow a script. Recorded nidras will always be ‘live’ in all their wabi sabi imperfection. The nidras I offer are frequently inspired by my love of nature and I often record ‘wild’ nidras while out walking in the mountains and forests, by waterfalls and campfires. I grew up in the English countryside but spent my 20s in the Brazilian Amazon and more recently have spent most of the last decade living in West Africa. I’m currently living in a renovated 18th century cobbler’s workshop in village in the foothills of the Serra da Estrela mountains in central Portugal. I am inspired by the lands I have lived on. Expect the scent of the lavender-covered Mountain of Stars to waft into your nidra dreams… I also offer sound ceremonies and often weave instruments and song into my nidras.

I have a particular interest in yoga nidra and trauma. My intention is to empower you to take ownership of your nidra practice through the use of permissive language and by offering choices throughout the nidra. For those who prefer to have the practice signposted before engaging with it, each recorded nidra is accompanied by a note which will details the key language and imagery used, style of rotation of consciousness, whether I use any instruments or any other sounds, whether there is any unusual background noise etc. This is intended to facilitate more safety for you by providing a little map to guide you through the nidra. Of course, you may also decide that that particular nidra is not for you at this time. I am currently developing a project to facilitate access to yoga nidra and other healing arts for survivors of human trafficking in Nigeria and to co-create nidras with Yoruba and Bini speakers.

If you are interested in hearing more of my yoga nidras, I have a Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/thealchemyofnidra with a range of offerings including access to recorded nidras, live co-created nidras and 121 sessions.