Nature's Embrace

The founders of Ayus Wellness believe that the healing of the body, mind and soul should be left in the loving hands of Mother Nature. After three days of the retreat, away from modern life, we wholeheartedly agree

- Lily Ong

A mid the lush and protected sanctuary of Mulu Marriott Resort & Spa, owned by visionary businessman Dato’ Robert Geneid, we experienced for ourselves the restorative and transformative power of Mother Nature in healing a human’s body, mind and spirit. Organised as part of the property’s inaugural Ayus Wellness Experience (AWE), our itinerary for the trip was chock-full of activities such as sunrise yoga, meditation, healing massage, sleep priority and a slow, meandering canopy walk in the lush rainforest of Mulu, Sarawak which is more than a million years old.

On the second day of the retreat, a sudden onslaught of monsoon rain ended up derailing our plans of the rainforest walk. Despite this, the participants around us clearly did not mind at all. As the rain pitter-pattered on the roof of our buggy which took us through the winding roads of Mulu, my fellow participants were seated in silence as they took in the natural beauty all around us in its purest form. “If there’s one thing I have learnt in my two decades working with Mother Nature here in Mulu, it’s that sometimes you have to let go and adapt,” says Dato’ Robert, who is also the co-founder and director of Ayus Wellness.

Together with Harvard-trained public health academic professor Gerry Bodeker, Dato’ Robert had successfully launched Ayus Wellness, a luxurious experience centre where the wilderness and wellness come together. A key aspect of the wellness experience is the Japanese concept of forest bathing, also known as Shinrin Yoku, which was coined by distinguished academic Dr Qing Li.