Causes

HEEL! HEAL!

Skyler the Surfing Dog spreads stoke to those who need it most

*Previously published in the Oct/Nov issue of Santa Cruz Waves

By Neal Kearney

A considerable crowd lines the beach, eyes fixed on the sea, bearing witness to a touching sight: pro surfers sharing waves with wounded veterans, many of whom are missing one or more limbs. There’s hardly a dry eye on the shore. The next set of waves leads to an eruption of applause from the crowd. An Iraq war veteran is sliding down a playful wave, hanging on with giant smile. The man riding alongside him throws shakas while a Queensland Heeler perches on the nose, her tongue hanging out and her tail wagging furiously.

The pooch is Skyler, and she and her dad Homer Henard have been bringing their interspecies surf act to events like these for the past couple of years, combining surf and animal therapy in their own unique and impactful way.

Henard, a former professional surfer, and Skyler have become true local celebrities in recent years for their inventive and intuitive tandem surfing act. The 9-year-old cattle dog has been braving the punchy Santa Cruz surf with balance, bravery and panache since she was just a puppy.

“At first I started going out in the water with Skyler to get exercise on small days to keep the paddle arms going,” explains Henard. “We kept it up it, having an amazing time no matter the size of the waves. It was epic.”

One day in 2016, Henard’s good friend Adam Replogle called him up and told him that he was working with Waves of Impact, a surf therapy program for children facing exceptional challenges. He asked if Henard might come down and bring Skyler, sensing the kids would get a kick out of the dog’s surfing skills.

Skyler shreds with such proficiency that she has no problem riding waves to the shore solo these days, so long as her loving pops provides her with a gentle push. She even competes regularly at “surf dog” championships up and down the coast, earning a victory at the 2015 “World Surf Dog Championships” in Huntington Beach. Her Instagram following has gone worldwide and her Jimbo Phillips-designed merch is flying off the shelves.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but going down there with Skyler changed me forever,” Henard reflects. “I realized how important the kind of therapy [was that] my dog was providing these kids. They show up intimidated and scared of the ocean, but once they see Skyler jump on the board and paddle out with me, they get all excited, and the anxiety melts away. It’s a double dose of stoke!”

Once they are out there, instead of focusing on the waves, cold, or sharks, they’re focused on the silly sight of the surfing dog.

“Next thing you know they’re on a wave themselves, squealing with joy and grinning ear to ear. During these high-energy moments of surf and stoke, I look at these kids and it’s like their disability goes away- it may be brief, but for that moment I’m just blown away at the power of these therapies. The highs and joy levels are crazy.”

Since they started surf therapy, they’ve volunteered for organizations such as Mauli Ola Foundation, which takes kids with cystic fibrosis out in the water, and Operation Surf, another surf therapy program for wounded veterans.

The man/canine duo plans to expand its volunteer work by hitting every therapy event possible; starting in California and willing to branch out internationally should the opportunities arise. Henard suffered a major head injury when he was 18 in a head-on car crash and woke up in a coma, losing a lot of information and memories—something that surfing and Skyler’s companionship have helped with greatly over the years. But it wasn’t until Henard was exposed to the brave, injured and ill men, women, and children he met as these events that he felt comfortable discussing his own struggles.that he felt comfortable discussing his own struggles.

“Starting to tell my story, although vulnerable, has been another therapeutic thing,” Henard explains. “Surfing and animal therapy have saved my life and I’m so stoked we can bring it to others who can benefit from it.”

Follow their exploits @skylerthesurfingdog

Yoga Delight!

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It’s incredible how adopting a new practice can save your life. When I stopped surfing back in 2010, my life reached an all-time low. I’d been suffering for years with chronic pain but losing surfing was a death blow. I became almost forty pounds overweight, loaded on heaps of opiates, and required a cane to walk around due to my arthritic hips. I was living on 13^th avenue but didn’t check the waves, or drive by the ocean for an entire year. I’d already lost so much: my job, sponsors, social life, well- being, and happiness. Not being able to surf was felt like soul strangulation. Being in endless chronic pain seemed, at that point, merely insult to injury.

Being told what you’re capable of doing by doctors can truly manifest into reality if you don’t question the validity of their claims. I’d put my faith in the hands of my doctors at that scary time and I, looking back, feel as though they just didn’t try hard enough. I’d been treating (and identifying myself) for Ankylosing Spondylitis, a nasty autoimmune affliction that causes widespread pain, arthritis, and even fusing of the vertebrae. Not a great prognosis, especially for someone as active as myself. My doctor said I should give up surfing. Gulp.

I was written a letter by another doctor at the Ankylosing Spondylitis study group I’d been participating in up at UCSF to inform Social Security that I was unfit for work and should be awarded Disability. I quit my job and was spending most of my days sleeping, surfing the internet, and stretching on the deck. I got to the point in which I’d had enough. I needed to take some action!

My mom told me about a “water yoga” class at our local gym–Inshape on 41^st avenue– that she thought it might help me gently stretch my tight, aching joints and muscles in zero gravity. I was initially reluctant, but with some persuasive prodding from she “who knows best”, I decided to try it out. It was quite nice making the leap from random stretching to yoga in that heated indoor pool. I found the shapes that I was putting my body in were truly helpful and felt quite nice.

It was only a few weeks into practicing until the class was canceled, but I dragged my carcass into that pool every day, nonetheless. I also began to work out again. Within a month I’d lost 20 pounds. When I met with the hip specialist he informed me that Ankylosing Spondylitis was definitely not the issue; my arthritic hips were due to bone spurs on the head of my femur impinging the joint capsule, and there was a surgery that could possibly enable me to regain much of the athleticism I’d lost.

Suddenly, the darkness that had engulfed my life seemed livable. Successful surgery coupled with physical therapy would get me back on my surfboard, which would in turn improve my quality of life and social interactions. I began thinking of other ways I could manage my lifestyle to maximize my stoke. I thought of yoga again and got inspired. I decided that, once I’d adequately recovered from my hip surgery I’d start back up in a studio.

The surgeon had successfully shaved the bone spur from my femoral head and cleaned up dead cartilage. Because I went so long without knowing about the spurs, the cartilage loss was substantial, so they employed a, at the time, new technique called micro-fracturing. Basically, they fractured my hip in a score of places, where the body’s own healing abilities provided an enriched environment for tissue regeneration on the chondral surface.

In other words, the fracturing promotes blood flow to the area which produces a scab-like buffer in lieu of a sufficiently cartilaginous cushion between the bones.

In yoga class, I felt my worries scurry to the inactive realms of my brain. My nervous system was soothed with the deliberate yet controlled nature of my movements and breath, and the number of helpful shapes I could manipulate my stiff and sore body into for relief was vast. I’d been stretching hours a day before this, yet this guided union of concentration, movement, and breathing was like discovering a precious gem that had been buried underneath an outhouse…true sparkling diamonds in shit.

My first teacher, Janina, happened to be my close neighbor and wife to one of the older guys I looked up to in the water. Her sweet and relaxed personality was truly reflected in her teaching and I found myself eager to attend her classes. As I came to realize the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits of a regular practice, my spirit was invigorated.

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For years I attended Janina’s classes, and as my interest and proficiency increased, I began trying classes taught by the other yoga instructors at Inshape. From there I tested out several other studios around town, such as Pleasure Point Yoga, Hotsource Yoga, and the Pacific Cultural Center. I’d never realized what a thriving yoga community we have here in Santa Cruz; it’s a beautiful thing!

I’ve been so inspired by yoga and grateful for its effect on my well being that I decided, almost a decade after my first class, that I wanted to devote my life to learning and living the practice that has served me so well. This Summer I signed up for a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with the fabulous Dawn Hayes, facilitated by Luma, located in Downtown Santa Cruz.

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This series on How to Heal with Neal will document my growth as a student, experience as a teacher, touch on some of the most important aspects of my practice, as well as shine a light on the wonderful teachers and studios who’ve supported me thus far.

NEXT ENTRY-WHAT IS YOGA TO ME?

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Surf Therapy This Weekend! w/Adam Replogle, featuring Skyler the Surf Dog!

Nothing heals like the ocean. Former professional surfer Adam Replogle, who underwent a hip replacement 4 months ago, has been spotted swimming and longboarding Pleasure Point to stay fit during his bionic bonding. Not only does Replogle know how therapeutic the ocean is for himself, but for those suffering from a wide range of health problems; especially kids.

roadieshaka — Replogle-pure stoke! Framegrab by Kyle Buthman

Over the past decade, Replogle, and a number of other local surf stars such as Anthony Ruffo and Jimmy Herrick have been participating with surf therapies such as The Mauli Ola Foundation, which brings those afflicted with cystic-fibrosis into the healing sea, as well as Operation Surf, which focuses on wounded and traumatized veterans, just to name a few

roadieocean — Replogle soaking up the sea

This weekend, Replogle, along with Waves of Impact, a surf therapy charity for children with special challenges, are hosting a touching day at the beach here at Pleasure Point. Volunteers like Replogle are helping children with severe disabilities, health problems and more get in the surf for a fun day of safe surfing and community support.

Special guests include Homer Henard and Skyler the Surfing Dog, the talented tandem man/pooch duo. As if getting the chance to surf with surfing legends isn’t enough, Henard and Skyler will be out in the lineup sharing the waves with the courageous kids.

“That’s our calling, to spread awareness about ‘surf therapy'”, proclaims Henard.

“It’s real and helps out a lot of people. When we work with groups like Waves Of Impact, one thing that we’ve noticed is that the kids, sometimes they’re afraid of the waves and the ocean, but when I get Skyler out there on the board, all the attention goes to her, you know? The fear goes away when they see it, probably thinkin’ to themselves, ‘Well if that dog can do it, I can do it!’. It helps them believe in themselves–we love sharing our passion for riding waves. It’s impactful!”.

skynnuts — Follow Skyler @skylerthesurfingdog on Instagram!

Come down to Pleasure Point tomorrow for a touching display of the power of surf therapy!!

You Are What You Eat #001

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Like clockwork, I pull out of the 7-11 parking lot, mind spinning with the array of toxic mistakes in my lap: Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie, two 16oz Gatorades, a bag of Doritos, an Almond Snickers bar, and a pack of Skittles. When I finally snap out of my trance, I realize I’m already at the front door, hands clutching my bag of crap like a dope fiend. I stow away my preciouses, knowing that after dinner I’ll be able to dig in and slide into that comforting sugar coma snugger than O.J.’s black glove. The next day, I wake up on the couch, slumped over with my neck sagging painfully into my shoulder. The detritus of wrappers and empty bottles stand testament to my evil deeds. Aside from the financial and physical repercussions involved in this addiction, my self-esteem tanks when I get up to look at my sagging gut and puffy face in the bathroom mirror.

Reckless self-care breeds sorrowful self-hate, and after recently that I’ve been suffering from significant chronic pain for over half my life. It’s been such a lonely, sad, and frustrating road, yet this struggle has made me dig deep for new ways I can take control of the runaway train that has me so derailed.

Almost to the point of obsession, I’ve been jumping head-first into mental and physical methods to heal and remain healthy: Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, cognitive based therapy, breathework, Heartmath, journaling, cranial sacral therapy, hypnotism therapy, rolfing, acupuncture, yoga–just to name a few. Over the years, along with these methods, I’ve built my resolve and taken control of my spun-out existence. I’ve been steadfast in this mission; utilizing deep dedication, discipline, and commitment to integrate the good ones into my daily life and weed out the ones that harm or do not serve me.

I’ve made some tremendous leaps and bounds in this journey and am incredibly proud of myself. However, rich and sweet foods have been one part of my lifestyle I’ve clung to like a baby his blanky. Crappy food became a place of comfort and refuge, an escape from the unpleasant sensory experiences that have come to infiltrate my earthly existence.

From maintaining a healthy heart and brain, lowering cholesterol, increasing energy levels, improving circulation, lowering inflammation, and much, much more, a healthy diet can seriously affect one’s health and quality of life. Even the most conscious and informed eaters must work hard, day-in and day-out, to make sure they are consciously feeding their bodies with the type of fuel it needs.

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For everyone it’s different. For myself, I chose to start with a simple diet that made sense, the Mediterranean Diet (more on this next post), and I’m really stoked to report that I haven’t had refined sugars, gluten, or dairy for the past few months!! I’ve always been advised and at times scolded for not paying sufficient attention to the kind of fuel I’m putting in my body (Juices, candy, processed foods, genetically modified, etc.), yet never utilized that steely resolve I know I’m capable of summoning to address my diet. Until now.

In addition to changing up my diet for healthier alternatives, I’ve become determined to educate myself and others as I make these adjustments. You Are What You Eat will be a regular series here on How to Heal With Neal— where I will convey the information I’ve gleaned about proper nutrition through books, online content, and my own experience on this healing journey.