C.J. Macias has been catching waves since he was a kid with his dad on the beaches of South Florida. Now currently located in Hawaii, Macias has been fortunate to surf some of the biggest waves in the world. In 2011 and 2012, Macias had a few setbacks when he injured his rib and disc in his lower back while surfing and playing high-level beach volleyball, respectively. Throughout his healing journey which brought him from India to Bali and Hawaii, he found that all great healing happens from the heart. Macias is involved with the "Waves of Life" project with The McNamara Foundation, which helps at-risk youth strengthen their connection with nature and themselves through the transformational power of surf therapy and community involvement. He is also featured in the latest HBO Max six-part docu-series, "100 Foot Wave," along with American surfer Garrett McNamara. Read on in our interview with Macias to learn more about his healing journey and future projects!

Where are you based?
Currently in Hawaii.

How did you get into surfing?
My dad grew up surfing in Puerto Rico, and when it became available for me in South Florida, he would bring me to the beach every day, it seemed, to surf whatever waves may be there that day. It started with just loving spending time with him as a little guy, and he introduced me to the ocean to develop my own relationship with her.

In 2011, you received a devastating injury while surfing in Nazare, Portugal and started on the long journey of healing. How were you able to turn this anger and frustration into a valuable lesson?
I wouldn't say it was devastating. I got hit in the rib with a jet ski in the surf and it did take me out for a few weeks, but that was all at the time. The next summer, I went straight into high-level beach volleyball competitions, where I drove myself to blow out a disc in my lower back, and THAT was devastating. And also, like all injuries, they are an opportunity. The vast majority of my identity had been wrapped up in my athletic performance, and that was suddenly taken from me. Some anger and frustration did surface. HOW I was able to transform the experience into valuable wisdom for my life could be answered with any number of tales of my journey and techniques that have helped me along the way that I suppose I'll write a book about at some point. I'll say this, surrendering to one's truth in any given moment and experiencing the peace of self-acceptance can allow great healing to occur. And all great healing happens in the heart. By taking responsibility for ALL that we create in our lives, we can accept that everything is reflecting a part of ourselves back to us. That humility and empowerment allow us to open to the guidance of the situation (injury perhaps) so that we can perhaps choose differently in the future. Then our life can come full circle, and we can become WHOLE again. Healed. Does that make sense?

You traveled from India to Bali to Hawaii to learn about the natural powers of healing. What did you find out along this journey?
I learned that a golden chain is still a chain. Wherever we go, there we are. And the way we do anything is the way we do EVERYthing. Everything that we create in life reflects ourselves back to us. When we see clearly the story that we have been writing, we can center ourselves and choose to take the story wherever we please from there. The key is having a clear perspective in order to make choices that are more likely to create the outcome that we would prefer.

What is your approach to diet, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle?
Since the human body system is bio-electric, it makes the most sense to me to see it as a conductor of electricity. We want maximum energy potential to build it, store it, use it, and ground it. Electrical principles apply, so we want the LEAST RESISTANCE possible to our circulation. Diet that helps with this is whole foods with LIFE FORCE in them. Focus on and learn about gut health because it dictates so much of our physiology. Moving the body freely, naturally, and in rhythm with the breath. Getting good sleep. MINIMIZE STRESS by breathing properly and maintaining a relaxed and aligned posture. Nurture your body, mind, and heart.

Do you have any advice for people who are just starting out on their own healing journeys?
Welcome to the Club! Embrace the term "post-traumatic growth" in order to keep your mindset in the right direction. The best healing is a true transformation of LIFESTYLE. The integration into a new life will be important to make it sustainable. Rally your team of supporters, communicate your intentions with them the best you can, and thank them for their support. Find a good mentor and put nobody on a pedestal. Be gentle with yourself along the way, and enjoy the ride!

You are involved with the "Waves of Life" project with The McNamara Foundation, which helps at-risk youth strengthen their connection with nature and themselves through the transformational power of surf therapy. Can you tell us a bit more about this organization and your involvement with them?
You said it well right there, and I would add that that is our mission through surf therapy and other outlets such as alternative schooling, day camps, and community involvement. It's just in perfect alignment with my mission. The deep reason that I decided to do 100 Foot Wave was to ignite a remembering of the beauty and importance of water for humanity so that we may be inspired to take better care of her and live by her wisdom in order to restore health and harmony to our world. For me, there are few feelings greater than introducing a child to the wonder of water and nature as my father and so many have done for me all throughout my life. Then nature and her waves can become the place where we can gather to support each other as we push ourselves to grow so that we can surf the waves of life with style and grace.

You are featured in the latest HBO Max six-part docu-series, "100 Foot Wave," along with American surfer Garrett McNamara. Can you tell us a bit about this series?
Yea, it's still pretty surreal to me that I'm involved in it. It's turned out world-class. Garrett and Nicole have been documenting the pursuit of the 100 Foot Wave for some time, and it's now been organized into a masterpiece. It's exciting and hilarious and beautiful, and has all the feels.

"100 Foot Wave" was recently renewed for a second and third season. What do you hope the series will explore throughout the next two seasons?
I hope the series will continue to explore the transformation that so many undergo when they choose to dance with the ocean in the most intense way known to man! That includes all sorts of other family happenings. I'm not sure how much I can say, lol. I hope they feature this mountain of a wave I bombed straight down on!

Coincidentally, it was in the town featured in this series that you took one of the worst surfing wipeouts to date. How have you been recovering from that? What was the experience like?
I've been recovering well. It hasn't been easy, and also I've taken comfort in knowing that it could have been MUCH worse. It was the most traumatic and profound experience of my life. I could have died. That near-death life review has left me with a newfound clarity of my values in this life.

What have you learned from your recovery this time around?
I've gotten the "surrender" lesson from past injuries, and this one took some surrendering, but the lesson is to move forward in life with confidence and clarity.

How has the miraculous recovery affected your outlook on life?
The gratitude for having my life and healing body trumps any other feelings or thoughts I may have. What's most important is maintaining a grateful feeling, and then joy will exude.

How are you staying positive during the current wave of the pandemic and everything else in the world?
Gratitude! Instant positivity transformer! Also, the truth of feeding the body the right nutrients and hydrating well is CRUCIAL! Our diet, physical, mental, and emotional ALL play a role in our mood.

What does your new normal look like?
New normal at the moment is beautiful. I'm living on a property in Hawaii with my family and have been mostly focused on taking care of myself throughout the healing process. After getting so comfortable with using technology to communicate and operate, I'm looking forward to returning to some community events in person and finding the balance to capitalize on the advantages of being able to operate without traveling.

Do you have any future projects coming up?
Along with Waves of Life, I'm creating a team on a platform geared towards supporting people through the transformations of life. With the consistent community doing it together, life can feel like less of a struggle :). I've been writing a lot more so, too; we'll see what outlet that comes through. Also, I've been getting back into coaching volleyball through zoom and love supporting athletes going through rehabilitation.

What is your motto in life?
The only constant is change. Thank God. If you're not growing, you're dying. The way you do anything is the way you do everything. Love yourself.

To learn more about CJ Macias, please follow him at his Instagram linked below:
Instagram: @c.j.macias

C.J. Macias's Reflection On Healing