OASIS OF PEACE
נְוֵה שָׁלוֹם
واحة السلام
Retreat for Women of All Backgrounds Affected by Conflict
April 12-15 2026
HELP US HELP WOMEN HEAL
Kristen Vandivier of Meditation Without Borders and Nechama Shaina of House of Healing Arts are coming together to host a deeply transformative healing retreat for women from diverse backgrounds who have been directly impacted by the violence and conflict of recent years.
Taking place April 12-15, 2026 at the Nahsholim Seaside located near the town of Zichron Ya'akov, this retreat will create space for true healing and connection for 35 to 40 women. Through Vedic Meditation, breathwork, yoga/rounding, art and dance therapy, participants will find rest, renewal, and reconnection–releasing trauma, restoring hope, and awakening the peace that lives within us all.
We invite you to help make this healing possible.
Your support will directly fund scholarships, travel and essential program resources–ensuring that women diverse communities can come together to begin the powerful work of peace from the inside out.
And there is even more reason to give right now:
A generous donor has offered to match every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $11,000.
That means your $100 becomes $200.
Your $1,000 becomes $2,000.
Your gift today goes twice as far in creating a space where healing, dignity, and connection can take root.
Women Lifting Up Women
In a time when the world feels deeply divided–when even the world ‘peace’ has become politically charged, and true healing can seem impossibly distant–it is so often the women who quietly begin the mending.
It is women who tend to the broken threads, who see others’ children as their own, and who nurture the seeds of the next generation.
This retreat is for them
By nurturing the healing of women in this land–Palestinian, Jewish, Druze–we hope to kindle the possibility of reconciliation and renewal. From their healing may grow the first fragile roots of a peace that will one day flourish for all.
The Program
Amid a safe space surrounded by nature, women from all backgrounds–Jewish, Druze, Palestinian–will gather in the spirit of healing, unity, and remembrance. Each has carried the weight of loss and the echoes of violence from the past two years, and now they will come together to restore what conflict has divided.
Kristen Vandivier will lead participants through “rounding”–a restorative sequence of Vedic Meditation, breathwork, and yoga–which will allow them to release deeply held stress and trauma.
Nechama Shaina will guide arts and dance therapies, inviting the women to reconnect with nature, with their bodies, and with the quiet wisdom within.
Within this sacred circle, we will explore the role of the Feminine in mythologies across cultures, share stories from our own traditions, and care for one another––finding strength, softness, and healing through both silence and expression.
WHAT IS VEDIC MEDITATION?
Vedic Meditation, an ancient, effortless meditation technique that originates from the Vedic tradition of India–the same body of wisdom that gave rise to yoga and Ayurveda. Vedic Meditation involves sitting comfortably with eyes closed for about 20 minutes twice a day, and the body gets a level of rest deeper than sleep, allowing for profound stress and trauma release.
Unlike concentration or mindfulness techniques, you don’t try to control thoughts or focus–it’s a natural settling of the mind.
No beliefs or lifestyle changes are required, it’s a practical technique anyone can learn regardless of background or worldview.
About Kristen Vandivier + Meditation Without Borders
Meditation Without Borders began with a simple principle, the peace we seek in the world must first awaken within us, and that everyone is deserving of both inner and outer peace. Founded in 2020 by Kristen Vandivier and Isabel Keoseyan, now led by Kristen, this 501(c)(3) non-profit carries a mission both timeless and urgent: to share the transformative practice of Vedic Meditation with every person who seeks peace, clarity and connection.
Kristen Vandivier is regarded for her ability to make profound teachings relevant to everyday life and her mission of promoting meditation for social change. After completing an intensive curriculum of training under renowned Master Maharishi Vyasananda Thom Knoles, including a three-month immersion program in the Himalayas, Kristen returned to found her practice. She lives in Mill Valley with her husband and three children.
About Nechama Shaina + House of Healing Arts
House of Healing Arts is a therapy practice founded by Nechama Shaina which focuses on holistic and arts-based approaches to healing. The practice offers individual therapy as well as group therapy and retreats using modalities like talk therapy, visual arts, drama therapy, and mindfulness to help clients navigate challenges such as family crisis, trauma, relationship issues, and spiritual growth. Nechama Shaina uses a variety of expressive arts to help individuals explore their inner world and find emotional support.
Nechama Shaina holds a Master’s degree in clinical psychology with a specialization in holistic studies and expressive arts therapy. She has intensive training in Drama Therapy and for her first practicum worked and trained as an intern at Living Arts Therapy clinic which included three intensive trainings with Armand Volkas. Nechama has been working with clients in therapy since 2015. She is also mom and a freelance artist, specializing in Ketuba and scribal arts.
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