Young Drew McPherson learned to surf in the deep end. Raised on the beaches of Lake Macquarie, within what he calls a “really old-school rootsy surf culture”, Drew’s Dad exposed him to wild surf at a young age.
He remembers that time as one of fun and fear. Or more accurately, fear peppered with bursts of fun, which is fair. The ocean is intense and unpredictable, frightening even to adults, let alone a kid.
But as Drew grew into a teenager, that balance shifted. Surfing became mostly fun and only occasionally fear-inducing. He grew comfortable. He grew proficient. Quite quickly, the ocean became a lifestyle, a mode.
It became home.
What the heck is surfing, anyway?
At first, surfing was a scary yet exhilarating thing Drew did with his dad. Then it became a fun thing he did with his mates. But once he got into competition, it became something else altogether.
It became serious. It became structured. It went from freeing and breezy to constricting and heavy. He won some, he lost some, but either way one thing was for sure: hitting the break was now all about materialism, machismo, and the societal pressure to succeed.
So at age 19, Drew finally faced his niggling unrest and turned his back on the ocean. He sold his boards, moved to the east end of London, and dyed his hair black.
Ahh… so THIS is surfing
While deep into the London music scene, someone flicked Drew a copy of The Celestine Prophecy. It was all about energy and connection to nature, and it allowed him to articulate what he once loved —and turns out, still missed— about surfing.
He didn’t buy a new board…yet. But the black dye faded and so too did his aversion to the ocean. He moved to Canada, swam a lot, reconnected with the water. And eventually, inevitably, he started surfing again.
Except this time it was different.
The ocean knows
From that point on, a new philosophy took shape - towards not only surfing but all things. One of spirituality and symbiosis and respect.
Now, going for a surf isn’t just going for a surf.
It’s going to a place to immerse in nature.
A place of mindlessness and flow state.
A place that benefits the body and mind in a multitude of ways.
A place that — like most truly meaningful human experiences— forces you to brave the line between falling into oblivion and riding the best wave of your life.
“It went from being this shallow and material thing to an artform, a practice, a ceremony and I put a lot of value on it.”
For Drew, it’s also a place of wisdom. He believes that if he goes into the ocean with a question or a problem, he usually comes back with an answer. He believes the ocean gives to us unconditionally, but we mustn’t ask too much from it.
We are lucky enough to ride its energy.
It takes a SuperHuman to know one
When asked what defines a SuperHuman Drew had a lot to say.
To him, Superhumans are his elders - both in his personal and professional worlds. Those that have lived life and have wisdom to share. Their knowledge and insight is magical, if you just take the time to sit with them, and actually ask.
He believes that because they have spent half their lives without certain technical innovations, they know how to slow things down and truly connect.
He then drew a line to First Nations people, who through their culture show equally SuperHuman ability to live with intentionality.
SuperHuman Habits
As a conservationist, Drew now spends his days fighting alongside equally passionate humans to protect the world’s oceans. This work is often demanding and high-stakes.
Surfing might no longer be Drew’s primary concern, but it’s inseparable from his being, and one of the daily ‘little ceremonies’ that connect him to the earth and allow him to show up as his authentic self.
Drew’s ‘little ceremonies’ include:
- Surfing - well, that’s a given
- Mindfulness - closing his eyes, sitting with himself, setting intentions
- A morning meal - nourishing food that sustains him
Tonics - a cup of tea with his favourite tonics (he’s been taking Mason’s Mushrooms for over 10 years)
“I know by doing these little ceremonies every day, that I can stand there and be confident and that my mind will work in the way that I need it to and it's not going to get snagged or it's not going to get caught.”
As far as we can tell, it’s working just fine.
Browse Drew’s instagram here.
Shop Drew's SuperHuman Habits collection here
