OASIS OF PEACE
נְוֵה שָׁלוֹם
واحة السلام
Retreat for Women of All Backgrounds Affected by Conflict
April 12-15 2026
JOIN US FOR A HEALING RETREAT…
You are warmly invited to join us for the Oasis of Peace retreat, hosted by Kristen Vandivier of Meditation Without Borders and Nechama Shaina of House of Healing Arts.
We envision a healing container where women and mothers—across different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions—who have been directly affected by recent conflict could come together. A space to learn a meditation technique, and to engage in creative and embodied healing practices that help process and release deep stress and trauma.
We would be honored to have you with us in this sacred and healing space.
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 you.
By nurturing the healing of women in this land–Jewish and Muslim–we hope to kindle the possibility of reconciliation and renewal. From your healing may grow the first fragile roots of a peace that will one day flourish for all.
The Location
The Nahsholim Sea Side Resort is a beachfront hotel designed in a rustic Greek style situated next to the Tel Dor Nature Reserve and the picturesque artists’ village of Ein Hod.
Retreat participants will enjoy luxury shared accommodations along Carmel Beach and nourishing meals together.
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The Program
Amid a safe space surrounded by the ocean and nature, we have invited a select group of women from different backgrounds to 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 we will come together to restore what conflict has divided.
Kristen Vandivier will lead participants through “rounding”–a restorative sequence of Vedic Meditation, breath-work, and yoga–which will allow us to release deeply held stress and trauma.
Nechama Shaina will guide arts and dance therapies, inviting us to reconnect with nature, with our 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. Vedic Meditation involves sitting comfortably with eyes closed for about 20 minutes twice a day, and the body gets a level of rest scientifically proven to be 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. Each student is given a “mantra,” which works on the level of sound. The mind follows the sound like an anchor to deeper states of restful awareness.
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
My name is Kristen Vandivier, and I’m a Vedic Meditation teacher and the mother of three children—ages 7, 11, and 13—living in Mill Valley, California.
Nine years ago, after a career in advertising, I made a sharp left turn and traveled to India for three months to train as a teacher of Vedic Meditation. The experience changed the course of my life.
About six years ago, as the world felt increasingly volatile and the daily news carried more and more stories of suffering, I realized I couldn’t stay on the sidelines, I felt called to act. That call became Meditation Without Borders—an organization dedicated to bringing the deeply life-supporting practice of Vedic Meditation to people around the world who are in urgent need of profound stress release and healing.
Since launching, MWB has offered programs in unhoused communities in California, cancer centers in Mexico, and in safe spaces for women and at a school for single teen mothers in Rwanda.
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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The Details
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Funding for this retreat has been raised by Meditation Without Borders, a non-profit based in California. We ask each participant to contribute ₪200 as a show of their commitment to the program.
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Most everything is provided. Bring comfortable clothes you can move easily in, a bathing suit, sunscreen, a notebook, and your own yoga mat if you prefer your own.
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You may come on your own. We are also looking at options for carpooling or renting a bus from certain locations, so let us know if this is of interest to you.
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We will try to accommodate all dietary restrictions, please let us know in advance.
Why the name
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Oasis of Peace”?
We call this retreat Oasis of Peace because we imagine it as a living example of a space where gentleness, understanding, and honest communication can flourish even in a larger context of division and violence. A space that carries hope—and the real possibility of peace.
Our retreat name is inspired by the intentional community, Oasis of Peace, also known as Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam which is a unique Israeli village founded in 1972 to demonstrate that Jewish and Palestinian citizens can live together in equality and mutual respect. It is home to both Jewish and Palestinian families who live side-by-side and participate in joint cultural and educational programs designed to promote peace.
About the Gratitude Ceremony
On the day you arrive, we’ll begin with a short, five-minute ceremony called a puja ceremony. I want to share a little about it in advance so everyone feels comfortable and understands its meaning.
A puja is a traditional ceremony of gratitude honoring the long lineage of teachers who have carefully preserved and passed down this meditation practice over hundreds of years. During the ceremony, you’ll see me (Kristen) chant in Sanskrit and make symbolic offerings in front of a painting of these teachers. At the end, each person will be invited to place a flower as a simple gesture of respect and intention.
While the ceremony is traditional, it is not religious. People of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome. The image is not of gods, but of human teachers who devoted their lives to protecting and sharing this knowledge for future generations.
We include this ceremony for a few important reasons. For me, it’s a reminder that I am not the originator of this practice—I am simply passing on something sacred and time-tested. It’s a way of not appropriating the tradition and honoring the culture and tradition from which this technique comes.
For you as a student, the ceremony marks the beginning of a new chapter. It’s a moment to pause, set intention, and mentally and emotionally prepare to receive the practice.
If you have any questions at all about the ceremony or the meditation itself, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m happy to talk more about it with you.
RSVP
You can register for the retreat by clicking the button below. And if you have any questions, send us and email. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have.
