Episode 51: Bringing Love and Healing to Israel with Nechama Shaina
“Once you connect to the people that have been at the edge of life and death there is something very sacred there.”
-Nechama Shaina
Episode Summary
With all eyes on the conflict in Isreal, Lebanon and Gaza, it can be easy to sink into despair witnessing the endless stream of news stories of violence and devastation. However, there are some who are like lights in the darkness, spreading peace and love at the center of the strife.
We are so honored to have one of those people on our podcast, Nechama Shaina, an expressive arts therapist originally from the Chabad community in the Bay Area of California who currently resides in Israel with her two teenage children. She has a background in clinical psychology and uses dance, drama and visual arts in her therapy. She has been playing an active role in healing those who have been so horribly affected by the current conflict there including giving hands-on treatments for the Kibbutz Be’eri survivors of the October 7th attack where Hamas-led terrorists killed 101 people in that kibbutz alone. She also organizes healing retreats for the grieving Druze women who lost their children during the Hezbollah attack on the soccer field in Majdal Shams this past summer.
Speaking with Nechama, we were in tears listening to how she brings her life journey of creativity, her passion for the sacred feminine and her deep knowledge of the Jewish tradition to anyone who has need allowing those she treats the space to heal on the level of mind, body, heart and soul.
She is a true pioneer, and her diverse background puts her in the unique position to be of great service at this particular time in Israel’s history. We feel like we got a glimpse into what it is really like to be there now at the center of the conflict, and surprisingly, miraculously, it was a glimpse of hope.
Meditation Without Borders is currently raising funds to go to Isreal in 2025 in collaboration with Nechama Shaina to teach Vedic meditation to the women and mothers in Isreal of various backgrounds who are most effected by the current conflict. If you would like to contribute to this effort, please consider donating HERE.
Highlights
.30 Intro to Nechama
2.00 Nechama´s current work
3.19 Druze Community
6.18 “Once you connect to the people that have been at the edge of life and death there is something very sacred there.” Nechama
7.53 Nechama means comfort
9.25 “He said I want to continue learning Arabic cause I want to learn how to speak to the Palestinian people and not fight with weapons.” Israeli Soldier
14.00 Nechama´s story in her own words
14.20 “My Mom and Dad raised me with one of the many many foundations of the belief system that we are being breathed into existence every moment by the divine. It's not the divine that created us and this universe and just took a walk. That we are being intended or dreamed into this planet.” Nechama
15.00 The Hasidic Community
16.30 The Role of Women in Judaism
18.28 Being a Scribe and the Ketubah
22.00 Inspiration for Ketubah Piece
25.52 Collective Consciousness of Israel right now
29.30 Methods of Healing
33.50 Priestess and Weavers
35.00 The Feminine in Judaism
37.49 “Our words are so powerful right? Our words create reality. Our thoughts create reality. How much more so do our words create reality when we bring in the divine feminine in our prayers, in our words. So we are bringing her in reality, in our presence, in our consciousness.” Nechama
38.38 The Feminine Rising as Controversial in Different Traditions
40.46 Different therapies and Body work therapy for working with communities in Israel
43.00 Breathing Techniques
50.27 Pilgrimage Dream
52.07 “I felt like this dream was about opening the gates of prayer for each other. Like we are opening those gates together and praying in different languages. And that's actually what I did back in the year 2000. There was a whole group of Christians, Muslims and Jews, Israelis that came together overlooking the temple mount and the mosque and the western wall. and right in between the Jewish and Muslim quarter in the old city and we would come together, pray in different languages, talk, sing.” Nechama
52.27 “I've had this strange opportunity and it's weird to say it's an opportunity to be here in this country for really challenging times. And opportunities for a lot of growth and healing.” Nechama
Jai Guru Deva