John Denney – Enhancing Athletic Performance With Meditation And The Harmony Exercises

John Denney is the Minister of Unity of Jupiter and a coach for Olympic-level athletes. He has been practicing The Harmony Exercise, a meditation technique, since 1985. John is also a paddleboarding enthusiast and has had the opportunity to surf with some of the world’s best surfers, including Laird Hamilton and Kelly Slater.

Visit John on his website: https://theharmonyexercise.com/
Also on his website: https://john-denney.com/

Key Takeaways:

  • Unity Church is a metaphysical Christian church that focuses on practical Christianity and the application of spiritual principles in daily life.
  • The Harmony Exercise is a meditation technique that helps control the body’s physiology through conscious breathing and positive thinking.
  • Most athletes struggle with controlling their temper and tension, but learning to regulate their breath and thoughts can improve their performance.
  • In surfing and other sports, being in a state of flow and surrendering to the power of nature can lead to peak performance.
  • Daily practice and finding inner peace are essential for personal growth and making a positive impact on the world.

Native Yoga Toddcast: A Journey to Harmony and Self-Improvement

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast, where we bring you inspirational speakers in the field of yoga, massage, bodywork, and beyond. In this episode, we have the pleasure of hosting John Denney, the Minister of Unity of Jupiter. John is a dedicated practitioner of the Harmony Exercise, a meditation technique he has been practicing for over seven years. He is also a paddleboarding enthusiast and a coach for Olympic-level athletes. Join us as we delve into John’s journey, his insights, and the strategies he employs to help individuals achieve their highest potential.

The Path to Unity Church

John’s journey to becoming the Minister of Unity of Jupiter began with a vision he had for the position. He had been a guest speaker at the church for about a year and had always been drawn to its teachings. After serving on the board for many years and receiving positive feedback from the congregation, he decided to give it a try. Unity Church is a metaphysical Christian denomination that focuses on practical Christianity and the application of spiritual principles in everyday life. John believes that religion should help individuals navigate their relationships, business, and personal challenges, and Unity Church provides a platform for this practical approach to spirituality.

The Harmony Exercise: A Path to Self-Improvement

John’s daily meditation practice, known as the Harmony Exercise, has been a cornerstone of his life since 1985. This meditation technique was taught to him by a man named Carl Writer, who was an astrologer to the stars. The Harmony Exercise involves a 12-minute meditation that focuses on physical and mental relaxation, conscious breathing, and the cultivation of positive thoughts. John and his wife, Barry, have been practicing this meditation together since they first learned it, and it has become a foundation of their marriage.

The Harmony Exercise has had a profound impact on John’s life. He has experienced significant improvements in his physical and mental health, including weight loss and reduced stress levels. He has also noticed a shift in his relationship with alcohol, as his focus on health and well-being became more important than his desire for alcohol. Through his daily practice, John has cultivated a sense of inner peace and happiness that has positively influenced every aspect of his life.

Coaching Olympic-Level Athletes: Controlling Temper and Tension

As a coach for Olympic-level athletes, John has observed a common stumbling block that many athletes face: the inability to control their temper and tension. He believes that most people have never learned how to control their emotions and thoughts effectively. Through his coaching, John teaches athletes the importance of conscious breathing, positive thinking, and emotional regulation. By learning to control their physiology and redirect their thoughts, athletes can perform at their peak and achieve greater success.

John emphasizes the power of conscious breathing in controlling tension and temper. By taking slow, deep breaths, individuals can activate their parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes relaxation and reduces stress. This simple technique can have a profound impact on an athlete’s performance and overall well-being. John also encourages athletes to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations, as this can shift their mindset and improve their mental state.

The Power of Choice and Unity

John believes that unity and common ground are essential in today’s divided world. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing that we are all moving in the same direction, regardless of our religious or cultural backgrounds. Unity Church incorporates teachings from various religions and emphasizes the common principles found in all faiths. John encourages individuals to choose love over hate and to focus on creating harmony in their relationships and interactions with others.

The Legacy of Harmony and Self-Improvement

As John embarks on his role as the Minister of Unity of Jupiter, he hopes to inspire individuals to cultivate inner peace, happiness, and harmony. His goal is to help individuals become light bearers who radiate positivity and make a difference in the world. John believes that by focusing on personal growth and self-improvement, individuals can create a ripple effect that positively impacts their families, communities, and the world at large.

In conclusion, John Denney’s journey to harmony and self-improvement is a testament to the power of daily practice and the pursuit of inner peace. Through his dedication to the Harmony Exercise and his coaching of Olympic-level athletes, John has witnessed the transformative effects of conscious breathing, positive thinking, and emotional regulation. His role as the Minister of Unity of Jupiter allows him to share these teachings with a wider audience and inspire individuals to live a life of harmony and happiness. By choosing love over hate and focusing on personal growth, individuals can create a positive impact on the world and leave a lasting legacy of unity and self-improvement.

Note: This article is based on a transcript from the Native Yoga Toddcast episode featuring John Denney. All quotes are verbatim and directly from the transcript.

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Christina D’Arrigo ~ Making Mind, Body & Spirit Yoga Accessible

Episode  110 – Christina D’Arrigo – Making Mind, Body & Spirit Yoga Accessible

Join in listening to this wonderful conversation I had the pleasure of  having with Christina D’Arrigo. Christina is a Mom and a Yoga Teacher from New York. 

You can connect with Christina at the links below.
30 Days of Mind, Body, and Spirit Yogahttps://chriskayogamember.com/orders/customer_info?o=96615
YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/chriskayoga
Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/chriskayoga/

During this episode we discuss topics like:

  • How she got started in yoga?
  • Advice for youtube yoga teachers.
  • About her Yoga and dance training.
  • Advice for pregnant yogis.
  • Christina’s thoughts on short practices.


About Christina
My name is Christina, I’m a native New Yorker, and I’m the yoga teacher over here at ChriskaYoga. I have a background in dance having studied movement all my life, and along with my 500 hour Yoga Teaching certification in the YogaWorks Method, I also have a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in dance and choreography.

 

Check out an excerpt below from our conversation.

You can listen to the full episode for free here: https://nativeyogacenter.buzzsprout.com

Todd McLaughlin

You said you published three books, what are the other two that you wrote?

Christina D’Arrigo

So the second book was a chair yoga book. So basically yoga in a chair all sequences that take place, seated in or be seated in a chair, or, you know, standing next to a chair and things like that, using the chair as an aide to get into the poses, basically, for anybody with mobility issues, or any any injuries. Yeah, things like that. And then the third book was a pelvic floor book. So basically all about pelvic floor yoga, and how to strengthen your pelvic floor how to release if it’s too, you know, tense, any? Yeah, recovery from pelvic floor trauma, injury to the area, things like that.

Todd McLaughlin

With your dance background, is that something that was taught to you when you were going through dance training? Or is that something that you became more aware of in your yoga practice and training?

Christina D’Arrigo

It definitely was a part of the dance training. For sure. Actually, along with yoga, dance training, we also do a lot of Pilates. So it was actually more strongly emphasized in our Pilates kind of supplementation to the dance training. So I do have that as a, I had that in the back of my head as well. But the poses are fairly similar. It’s just a different. Yeah, totally different thing. Got it. Yeah. The dance training helped a lot.

Todd McLaughlin

That’s cool. Did you said you dance professionally, when you were a child? I’m just trying to imagine. Does that mean like in plays, or for television, and TV? Or movies? Or?

Christina D’Arrigo

I was a part of a dance of ballet company as a child. So we did stage work.
Yeah.

Todd McLaughlin

Do do any work currently with dancers outside of the yoga realm? Or have you have you transitioned fully from the dance world?

Christina D’Arrigo

Yeah, I’m no longer involved with dance. Which I mean, in a sense of staff, but you know, that was one part of my life. And then I moved on.

Todd McLaughlin

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. That’s cool. Did Did you ever injuries in the dance world? Had you ever sustained in your or suffered any?

Christina D’Arrigo

Yeah, dance is intense. Being a dancer is very difficult on the body, especially ballet. So when I was young, I think I was in high school. I had my first kind of real injury, where I had a knee issue. It was tendinitis in the than the kneecap. So yeah, it was tough. And you have to do a lot of physical therapy around that. And then I had some hip injuries and things like that. So yeah, that being a dancer is tough on the body. But then in college, I discovered yoga and it definitely helped. And the yoga and pilates also really helped with keeping my body injury free.

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