Thirteen people meditated their way to happiness Thursday in a study room on the second floor of Library West.
YES+ Gators, a UF student organization that teaches people how to relax, hosted a celebration of the United Nation’s International Day of Happiness. The holiday aims to raise awareness of the importance of happiness, said Tushar Bhattacharyya, former president of YES+ Gators and 25-year-old UF second-year electrical engineering master’s student.
The UN General Assembly declared the happiness holiday in July 2012, according to the Day of Happiness website.
Nitin Garg, founder of YES+ Gators and a biotech engineer, told attendees the key to happiness is based on breathing techniques and guided meditation.
The event, which was open to the public, explained a technique involving breathing through one nostril and guided meditation.
“We have been running around a lot looking for happiness in all the wrong places,” Bhattacharyya said. “Somewhere we have forgotten that happiness lies right within.”
Sean Irby, a 23-year-old UF material science and engineering sophomore, found out about the event through a College of Engineering email.
“I’ve been trying breathing techniques and yoga in morning and already see the impact,” Irby said.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 3/21/2014 under the headline "UF group celebrates happiness, meditates"]
