Hello, I’m Maia Dery.

Waves to Wisdom is a website dedicated to exploring a world I stumbled on when, after decades of dedicated outdoor pursuits, I fulfilled a childhood dream, finally learning to surf at forty. As I’ve come to know the community and culture of surfing over the last ten years, I’ve encountered many of the same types of people as in other active endeavors, fierce competitors, gear heads, bums, and the hopelessly cool. But there was this subset, this smaller population who seemed to treat their wave riding habit more like a practice or a spiritual discipline. One that had more to do with seeking wisdom than perfect waves, These folks appeared to have a primary concern with being good people, and saw being good performers on the board as a way to cultivate that larger goodness. They shared a profound reverence for the ocean and all who dwell where we can’t breathe. As my own dedication to this pastime grew, I developed a desire to meet more of this tribe of people with ocean-centered wisdom practices, and to tell some of my story of mid-life transformation. I hope this site offers you something of use on your own journey!