‘The angels must have had pity on me when I heard about EFT. After all, it was painless (no needles), did not take long (I had limited time being a working mother) and it did not cost the earth. It sounded too good to be true, but I felt that I had nothing to lose.
‘The first feeling that surfaced was anger – I did not feel comfortable with anger at the best of times. In fact, I was more afraid of other people’s anger than of my own. I followed the simple procedure that starts with the recognition of a negative emotion, tapping all the points and within two minutes it was all over. I didn’t know why, but when I tuned in again, I burst out laughing. The relief and release of tension was incredible. I became excited and confident and wanted to try it on lots of other things. I used it for simple things like headaches, stomach upsets, backache, PMT. I then went on to more complex issues like fear of deep water, fear of aggression, fear of rejection, being alone, not having enough money. Each time, there was an immediate effect – once, a pain in my shoulder that I had experienced for many years, literally shifted down along my arm and disappeared while tapping.
One aspect central to my original problem was the feeling that other people were responsible for my happiness, or the lack of it. EFT made it easy for me to see the connection between my early experiences and my adult choices. My experience of EFT has freed me of countless negative beliefs and emotions. I lead a different life now – one with very little fear. I am confident and face new challenges every day. I can finally look for the things that I want to be doing, instead of staying in situations because of fear. If fear comes up or I feel unable to cope, I have a quick session of EFT.’
If you are grappling with a certain area of your life, or feel stuck in a rut, use EFT to work through your feelings of frustration. Whether you are caught in an unrewarding career, an unproductive relationship or unfulfilllng circumstances, balancing the meridians will break up the stagnant energy and layers of resistance to making positive changes. No matter what the area of difficulty, this technique will help you to get the energy flowing back into your life again.
Now it’s time to introduce you to the EFT formula. It is based upon the original EFT procedure that Gary Craig devised, plus our own personal modifications that have evolved over time. It is probably unlike anything you have ever come across before. When first introduced to EFT, people find it very hard to believe that such a strange procedure can have any effect at all, let alone the dramatic results that it regularly achieves. The concept of the body’s energy relieving emotional blockages may take some adjusting to. However, EFT will work regardless of whether you believe in it or not; all it requires from you is to remain open to the healing approach.
It is important to become acquainted with and memorize the EFT procedure before you begin working with the technique. This is to ensure that you are familiar with the process and comfortable with the application, as well as understanding the purpose of each individual step. You will then be able to concentrate solely on the problem you are clearing, as opposed to trying to remember what step comes next! A description of the whole process now follows. It can be divided into ten easy steps and these are split into four distinct stages:
1 The Set-up
2 The Sequence
3 The Gamut
4 The Second Sequence
A complete round of EFT looks like this:
1 THE SET-UP
The first stage of the EFT process is known as ‘The Set-up’. It is designed to remove any psychological or energetic obstacles or blocks to the healing process and prepares the energy system for the clearing work to begin.
Step 1 – Identify the Problem
Identify the physical pain, fear, memory or issue that you would like to work on. Tune in to the thoughts and feelings it provokes. This will reproduce the energetic disruption that has been causing the problem.
Step 2 – Formulate a Statement – The Set-up
Create a statement that encompasses these feelings. This sets the intention of what needs to be cleared. It is important that you are as specific as possible and that your statement represents the reality of your situation. Be honest with yourself about precisely how you are feeling. The more you pin down the exact emotions, the deeper the level of healing.
Some people feel uncomfortable with a statement that they perceive as negative and instead replace it with a positive statement about what they desire to happen, but the truth resonates more profoundly than a rational or positive statement. The statement you choose needs to have impact and register a disruption within the energy system. Saying ‘I am anxious and afraid of giving this speech’ generates a stronger emotional charge than ‘I want to be calm and relaxed’.
Naming the problem you are currently experiencing will produce better results than a statement based in the past or that does not hold true. As you think about your problem, ask yourself how it makes you feel in this present moment.
Formulating the Perfect Statement
For instance:
‘I feel angry.’
This statement would be a good place to start but it can still be improved. Take a few minutes to think about why you are angry. The most beneficial outcomes are achieved by creating a precise statement that would be more like:
‘I feel angry that Bob wouldn’t listen to me.’
‘I feel angry that Bob let me down.’
Equally, if you are feeling hurt from a past action, form a sentence that best describes how you feel now:
‘I feel hurt that I wasn’t included.’
‘I am hurt that I was left out.’
Physical problems also need formulating into a sentence. It is very important that you describe the feeling of pain or discomfort you are experiencing, rather than the name of your disorder. Use the language that you actually use when complaining of your condition:
‘A stabbing pain behind the eyes’ ‘This tight band around my head’ ‘I have a sick feeling in my stomach’ ‘Stiffness in my neck’
Now place the words ‘Even though I …’ in front of your chosen statement, followed by ‘… I deeply and completely accept myself.’ For instance:
‘Even though I feel angry that Bob wouldn’t listen to me I deeply and completely accept myself.’
‘Even though I fear failure I deeply and completely accept myself.’
‘Even though I have this anxious feeling I deeply and completely accept myself.’
‘Even though I am frightened of flying I deeply and completely