India's First Forest Healing Centre Inaugurated

• 09 Mar 2021

The first forest healing centre of India has been inaugurated at Ranikhet in Kalika Uttarakhand.

• The centre has been developed by the Research Wing of Uttarakhand Forest Department.
• It draws inspiration from Japanese technique of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) and ancient Indian traditions and that basic theme is, “be silent, go slow, think less and feel more."
• It involves many activities like forest walking, tree-hugging, forest meditation and sky gazing.

How Forest Environs good for Health

• Because of typical molecular vibration patterns of trees, tree-hugging has a beneficial impact on the increase in the level of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine, creating the pleasant effect.

Pine Forest & Health

• This healing centre has been established in a pine-dominated forest as it has been found in various studies that coniferous like Pine trees emit certain oil compounds to safeguard themselves from various microbes and pathogens, which are called phytoncides. It has been found in various researches that these compounds help to multiply natural killer (NK) cells in our blood, which help in fighting infections and cancerous growth and enhance overall immunity.

Other activities in this Healing Forest

• Forest Meditation: Another important activity in this healing centre is forest meditation which is distinct from the traditional meditation system of controlling thoughts or concentrating the awareness on some particular point. This practice is based more on immersing oneself in silence and the ambience of the forest without making any extra effort.
• Sky Gazing: It involves having a gaze at the swaying canopy above and the ever-changing sky. This uncommon view offers a new perspective as well as deep relaxation.