EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or Tapping is a technique of tapping on specific acupuncture points on the head and upper body while repeating positive emotional affirmations, with the objective of connecting with the emotions to reduce the stress caused by that thought.

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Related Pages : Anxiety : Emotions : Stress ::

What is EFT And Who Developed It?

If you haven’t heard of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping), you will do soon. Its one of the most effective and yet easy to use methods currently available to reduce all kind of stress, fears, phobias, food cravings, guilt, and anxieties which prevent us from being at peace with ourselves and the world.

EFT was developed by Gary Graig in the early 1990 and due to his generosity offering a huge amount of free training material on his website, the process has since spread widely throughout all continents and all walks of life. Gary has now retired and handed the baton over to Dawson Church. Gary stated that any dis-ease is due to the body’s energy field being disrupted and when tapping frees it’s flow.

Some of the medical profession are “watching” us EFT practitioners very closely, as meridian tapping, as EFT is called sometimes, has reportedly reduced high level of post traumatic stress, phobias, panic attacks, anxieties and many other related problems, with lasting results.
Also athletes and the performing arts are using EFT, as it clears mental blocks which stops them being the very best and to excel.

What amazes most of the medical fraternity and to come to think of it: most of us, is; that it is not a talk therapy and it does not require medication. It is a wholesome process and embraces all facets of our being and for the purpose of this article I break it up into its different stages, a bit like holding a prism into pure white light.

The Process Of EFT - An Outline

It works by gently tapping on particular acupuncture points with two or three fingers. In actual fact many practitioners call it: “Acupuncture without needles”. The pressure is slight and lasts for about 5-8 taps per point.

While tapping, we acknowledge emotional responses which come up while we think about a certain problem. This almost happens by default. Most people don’t even have to try and a lot of unexpected feelings come up when tapping on these points. I explain the process in more detail further down.

EFT And Emotions

EFT works with our emotions. Our emotional responses when we remember stressful events. It heals the memory.

Most of us have learned to ignore emotions. Especially the negative ones. However, they never ignore us. Oh no! They sit snug in our muscles, bones, tissues and unless we acknowledge them, they remain stuck there and keep nagging us with pain and chronic illnesses.
So, before you can get rid of something, you need to take ownership of it. Whether it’s a car or emotions. You must declare that it belongs to you. What you don’t have you can’t release!

So therefore the process of EFT invites negative emotions, like old friends to come to the fore of our attention. Take centre stage for a while and when they step forward, we assess their intensity level between Zero and Ten. Ten being the most intense. Can you remember when you were invited, in fact allowed, to fully feel the intensity of say: Anger? Rage? Guilt? Shame? Envy? Often times we are in total denial they even exist and in a strange kind of way denial keeps us safe.

EFT And The Magic Of Accepting Ourselves

Profound healing has been achieved with Emotional Freedom Technique because it does NOT push away any unwanted feelings around a re-appearing issue or upsetting memory.
Have you noticed, when you link into those events with all their dramas how much power they still have over you so many years later? Pushing feelings away hasn’t helped to get rid of them, has it?

A lot of us are trained to keep a stiff upper lip. Well, from my experience a stiff upper lip can, over the years, become a stiff lower back, shoulder, knee and colon.

Therefore EFT encourages to acknowledges all those unwanted feelings which is one of EFT’s “little” secrets and, wait for it, after you acknowledged your raging anger, the all consuming jealousy, envy, guilt, feeling out of control, feeling rejected, unloved and overwhelmed, EFT invites you to accept yourself anyway. For most of us, accepting our unwanted feelings, not to speak accepting ourselves despite of them can pose quite a challenge.

For better understanding let me give you an example of the following problem:

“My partner has not enough time for me and that makes me so angry”

and also explain to you where the different tapping points are:

On the side of your hand, its called the karate chop
Inside the top of the eyOutside the eye just next to the eye brow
Underneath the eye
Underneath the nose
Underneath the bottom lip
Underneath the collar bone
Underneath your arms, to the side roughly in line where your bras is.
On the top of your head.
Some also tap on the side of the finger nail and on top of the hand but this method is not used so much any longer.

We start the session by tapping on the side of the hand by saying:

“Even though I feel this intense anger towards my partner for not spending more time with me, I deeply and completely accept myself anyway.”

Some EFT practitioners add: “….and I love myself anyway.”

A Typical Tapping Round

Lets stay with the above example: "My partner doesn’t spend enough time with me and that makes me so angry"

You are asked to remember a specific event when you felt that kind of anger. Preferably your first memory of anger. If you can’t recollect, you can start from any event.
Then you are asked to assess the intensity of that anger. Say it is a full blown 10. In actual fact you are seething.
You then start the setting up by tapping on the side of your hand and say: “Even though I feel so much anger because my partner hasn’t got enough time for me, I deeply and completely accept that part of me anyway.” You do that 3 times and carry on tapping on the face points and collar bone with the finger points.
After you have been tapping a few rounds while acknowledging your anger and whatever else comes up, you tap until the intensity of your anger is right down to zero or very close to it. Impossible? Do try it.

The getting rid of your anger will not make you forget the event. The memory is still there, however, and here is where the magic comes in, thinking about the whole scenario has no more emotional power over you in terms of anger.

Now you can talk with your partner in a calm manner instead of flying off the handle. And guess what else happens? Now, you are also much better equipped to deal with relationship problems at work, with friends and family. As an additional extra, your heart rate calms down and your blood pressure benefits also. Personally, I love those kind of side effects. Do you?

Tapping As Your Self-Help Tool

You can use EFT on almost everything and in my opinion; the best about this entire process is, you can learn how to tap yourself. It’s a very effective Self-Help tool. However, I think it is advisable to consult a fully trained practitioner, who guides you to get to the bottom of your bothering issues and to release their emotional hold over you. In between visits you keep on tapping on a daily basis.

Try to tap on physical pain and notice what comes up for you. It is amazing!

Why not start your day with a few rounds of tapping.

“Even though I may not be able to resist this chocolate bar again today, I deeply and completely accept that part of me anyway.”

Much scientific research has been done around EFT and you find details on their official website. It is packed with free information, case studies and news. http://www.eftuniverse.com/

Tapping is so affective that even the US Congress had to take note after many veterans, who suffered for decades with severe attacks of combat stress, known as PTSD have benefitted greatly from this method. Their immense sufferings could not be helped by traditional therapies nor by taking heavy medication. Please read more about this most important work with Dawson Church and pass it on to as many people as you can. http://www.stressproject.org/

Some day the medical profession will wake up and realize that unresolved emotional issues are the main cause of 85% of all illnesses. When they do, EFT will be one of their primary healing tools .... as it is for me. - Eric Robins, MD – (taken from the EFT official website)

Author

This article was written by guest author Gabrielle Burgess.

Gabriella Burgess

In my own practise “Quantum Transformation” in Gloucestershire, I use EFT frequently on food cravings, long term panic attacks, anxieties, the feeling of being totally overwhelmed by life, anger and relationship issues, to name but a few.

Since April 2011, I expanded by specialising in Wedding Whispering, which is a bespoke wedding service for the bride, groom, family and friends. Emotional support right up to the wedding day. Follow me on Twitter @weddingnerves.

This article is based on my own experience of the powerful and gentle effects of EFT. Always consult your professional health practitioner before using EFT.