The One Earth Tree Spa in Moratuwa is only a small land area, consisting of a variety of trees to generate the idea of being in a vast forest and mask the feeling of being in an urban environment. The Tree Spa is the ideal location for FOREST BATHING. It represents an escape from the busy lives we lead every day and allows one to just focus on the present moment and just be in nature.
Forest bathing is known by the Japanese as Shinrin-yoku, which means taking in the forest through your senses, or immersing oneself in the forest. Shinrin-yoku was developed in the 1980s in Japan. Although people had been taking walks in the country’s forests for centuries, new studies showed that such activity could reduce blood pressure, lower cortisol levels and improve concentration and memory. A chemical released by trees and plants, called phytoncides, was found to boost the immune system.
Forest bathing can be framed as an opportunity for people to take time out, slow down and connect with nature. Thus, it’s essentially just quiet time amid the sounds, sights and smells of unadulterated nature. The idea is to leave all your screens behind, find a spot where you can’t hear the traffic or see a manmade structure, and just sit on the earth and empty your mind.
There are no set rules to how one goes about forest-bathing. But the practice of shinrin-yoku – literally, forest bath – has the power to counter illnesses including cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety and stress. It also lowers blood pressure and aids sleep.
