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Natalea-Rae Gibbons
DeBock
English 4 Honors
17 November 2015
Real World Narrative
When I began the Senior Digital Exploration I intended on choosing a topic that was important to
me and would teach me something I was not familiar with. I had already practiced yoga which led me to
be interested in meditation. In the end I chose to research how a regular practice of yoga and meditation
was beneficial physically, mentally, and spiritually. I learned benefits that I had no idea could even be
derived from a practice of this art form. After completing my research, I chose to do my service research
paper on how implementing yoga and meditation in schools would benefit students physically, mentally,
and spiritually. Starting off the service portion, I began contacting yoga studios finding the perfect fit of
where I wanted to spend my time. I divided my hours between Yoga in Common, Inlet Yoga, and Island
Wave Yoga.
Planning the service portion of my project opened my eyes to real world experiences. I began by
researching local yoga studios from Myrtle Beach to Pawleys Island; later sending emails to five
individual studios about participating in classes, shadowing, and volunteering. Only three of the five
responded, giving me the option to choose which I would complete my hours. I felt Inclined to do service
at each of the three studios, giving myself the perspective of differences in studios, instructors, and
practitioners; also serving as a way to pick the ideal studio for myself. I set up a time with Maribeth
MacKenzie from Inlet Yoga to have a tour of the studio and attend a yoga class followed by guided
meditation on Saturday, November 7, 2015. I made arrangements with Linda Phillips from Yoga in
Common to spend Sunday, November 8, 2015 at the studio; I was informed to arrive at 1 p.m. giving
myself plenty of time to take classes, shadow and instructor and obtain an interview or two. I kept in

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touch with Jodi Ryba from Island Wave Yoga taking two classes one on Thursday, November 5, 2015 and
the other on Tuesday, November 10, 2015.
Each day and session brought on a new experience. At Yoga in Common I was introduced to the
instructors, practitioners, and toured the studio. I was able to take three classes: New to Yoga, Qi Gong,
and Meditation. New to yoga were basic positions that an individual would encounter later in the
continuation of yoga. Qi Gong integrates movement, breathing techniques and focus to create a
movement meditation; the movement is used to push away bad energy and pull in good energy.
Meditation is sitting in silence and bringing focus away from the body and mind resulting in an
experience of consciousness within. After class I spoke with the instructor, Scott Pomicter, about what
caused him to first become interested in meditation. He turned to meditation about ten years ago after a
long battle with drugs and alcohol; it was difficult for him at first but with practice comes success. During
my interview with Scott Pomicter, he described meditation as, A common misconception is that
meditation is about being happy all the time, which is not the case. Meditation is about being able to
experience life in the moment and appreciate what you have to be grateful for; realizing you will not be
happy all the time but becoming aware of the times you are. At Island Wave Yoga I attended two
separate classes, both beginning and ending with meditation: Ashtanga Flow and Vinyasa Flow. Ashtanga
focuses on building strength and stamina while Vinyasa is a slower pace focusing on breath, liberation of
limbs, and posture. At Inlet Yoga I participated in a community yoga class followed by thirty minutes of
guided meditation. The cost for the yoga class was a five dollar donation that is then given to Coastal
Animal Rescue, as a way to give back and benefit the studio karma, the meditation that followed was
free. Yoga was packed and the room was a comfortable temperature. I took a mat with me and placed
myself in the front of the class; I felt rejuvenated after. During meditation I was able to clear my mind of
everything; it was amazing that I was able to not have any thoughts running through my mind. After class
I had a chance to talk to Maribeth and explain my project to her in more depth. She was incredibly
interested in the implementation of yoga and meditation in schools; claiming that when her children were
homeschooled she encouraged them to begin their days with meditation and end their days with yoga as a

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way to benefit the body and mind. After talking to her for about fifteen minutes she offered me a job at
the front; checking people in, being in charge of merchandise, heating the studio for hot vinyasa, etc., to
which I accepted. The encounters throughout my project have shown me that many people practice yoga
and meditation and giving themselves the peace of mind to tackle life with a clear and enlightened mind.
I realized that with yoga and meditation follows valuable lessons. I learned that being a yogi is
difficult, it takes much more strength, flexibility, and mind power than one would believe. I also learned
that meditation is difficult, it takes much more than just a quiet room to genuinely release the mind. A
studio is incredibly welcoming, I felt like everyone authentically wanted me attending the class. It opened
my eyes to see that a studio is like a family. Everyone is there to offer support and encourage each student
to practice hard and achieve the greatest benefits. I did not feel intimidated or uncomfortable; I perceived
the studio as a second home, a retreat to nirvana. Most importantly I decided that I want to continue to
implement yoga and meditation in my daily life.
Since completing my service hours at Yoga in Common, Inlet Yoga, and Island Wave Yoga, I was
thankful I chose yoga and meditation as my topic. I am pleased with the businesses I was invited to spend
my time with, and will continue taking the time to visit each. I know that this experience will impact my
life in a substantial way, I will carry the skills I learned with me for years to come.