SKY Campus Happiness provides stress management tools and techniques for success through the use of breathwork and meditation, yoga and personal awareness seminars. Mississippi State University recently established a chapter of the organization.
With over 100 chapters across the U.S., SKY Campus Happiness is a nationally recognized club. However, MSU is the only university in Mississippi with an available chapter.
This program is a branch of the International Association for Human Values and Art of Living Foundation and was designed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
SKY Campus Happiness has five key goals: emotional intelligence, breathwork and meditation, inclusion and belonging, service and leadership.
The club also aims to provide opportunities for community service projects and trainings, both on and off campus.
Chandra Sarap, a research associate of chemistry and advisor of SKY Campus Happiness, founded the new campus organization.
While his doctoral is focused on chemistry, Sarap said he also has a passion for the mental health of students.
Sarap discovered this program while he was working on his doctorate degree and said he felt the program changed his life for the better.
“When I was working on my Ph.D, I was working 10 to 12 hours a day. I was working so much I wanted to quit my Ph.D. My adviser suggested me to meet with the university’s doctor, so I met with him,” Sharap said. “Instead of prescribing me a pill he suggested I do the SKY program, so I did, and it completely changed the trajectory of my life.”
Sarap said he brought this club to MSU to help students develop their breathing skills and meditative states.
“After COVID started, many people went into a depression, and a lot of things happened,” Sarap said. “It is a high time for having some tools and techniques that they can incorporate in their life to get out of the anxiety and depression.”
Sarap said the organization had received funding from MSU. This funding allowed the club to host a weekend retreat with three hour daily sessions to learn and practice breathing and meditation techniques.
Sarap has been active in these techniques and wants to share this information to other students.
Using his experience, Sarap has taught free breathing and meditation classes in the Joe Frank Sanderson Center.
Yuliya Gluhova, a senior majoring in anthropology and officer in SKY Campus Happiness, said she had been heavily impacted by the organization.
With the organization, Gluhova said she has found a community with like-minded people who can understand the struggles of college and who wish to better themselves mentally.
“I thought this was a good idea to have this club because we don’t have a club like that,” Gluhova said. “I mean, we have the counseling center and yoga classes in Sanderson, but we have nothing like a meditation and breathing techniques club.”
She said she felt the club is important to have on campus.
“SKY Campus Happiness is important because students need a place where they can find a community to just relax together,” Gluhova said. “When you meditate in a community with other people, it is a totally different experience.”
Gluhova said she learned the importance of spending time by herself.
“I think the things SKY Campus Happiness teaches students is really beneficial for them, even if they don’t continue practicing meditation and breathing techniques in the future,” Gluhova said. “I think having that knowledge is really important because they can implement it at any point in their life.”
Kirsten Porch, a senior majoring in fashion design and merchandising, has practiced meditation and agrees the club is a great addition to campus.
“I think SKY Campus Happiness can bring awareness to a practice that can really help the mind,” Porch said. “I practice meditation on my own and am really excited to go to one of their Sanderson events.”