The Book of Tapping

Emotional Acupressure with EFT

Sophie Merle

• Publisher: Healing Arts Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781620556016
• eBook ISBN: 9781620556023
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Alternative & Complementary Medicine

A step-by-step guide to the simple acupressure self-care technique of tapping for acute and chronic emotional, psychological, and physical ailments• Effective for emotional conditions such as panic attacks, anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief, anger, jealousy, and phobias, such as stage fright or fear of flying, providing immediate results in many cases • Shows how this method can treat chronic pain, nausea, and headaches; alleviate insomnia and nightmares; encourage the release of painful memories; boost self-confidence; support weight loss; and improve concentration• Offers the full tapping protocol as well as a shortened version for acute situations• Illustrates easily accessible points to tap and in what orderTapping, or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a simple form of acupressure that treats the energetic roots of emotional and physical suffering. By tapping on specific meridian points you can quickly and easily dissolve blockages in the body's energy system, caused by past traumas and suppressed emotions such as grief and anger, and restore the natural flow of energy in your body, the key to optimal health and overall well-being.In this step-by-step guide to EFT, Sophie Merle details the practice of tapping, illustrating the easily accessible points on the face, hands, and torso to tap and in what order. Explaining how to open your energetic system to EFT treatment for fast and long-lasting results, she reveals how the energy psychology practice of tapping can be applied to any area of your life but is particularly effective for emotional and psychological conditions, including panic attacks, anxiety, depression, PTSD, grief, anger, jealousy, and phobias, such as stage fright or fear of flying, providing immediate results in many cases. She also shows how this method can treat chronic pain, nausea, and headaches; alleviate insomnia and nightmares; assist physical healing from illness; encourage the release of painful memories; boost self-confidence; support weight loss; and improve concentration. The author explains how tapping can be done anywhere, offering both the full tapping protocol, which only takes a few minutes, and a short-form version, which takes less than a minute, for acute issues. Including remarkable success stories of EFT in practice, this comprehensive guide to tapping shows how the solution to many of life's problems is at your fingertips.

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EFT

An Energetic Technique for Health and Material Abundance

The letters “EFT” are commonly used to represent a new treatment procedure, Emotional Freedom Technique, that has been the subject of much talk in recent years. Because its treatment methods are easy to use and produce sensational results, EFT is a fascinating topic.

The central tenet of its theory is that any discontent or disorder in our lives is the result of an imbalance in the energy that flows through our physical bodies. Its main concern is the restoration of harmony using the meridian points of Chinese acupuncture, for which EFT is an emotion-based variation.

EFT is also known as psychological acupuncture, meridian therapy, and, most commonly, Tapping therapy, or simply Tapping. This term refers to the light tapping of meridian points during a treatment session. The term Tapping (capitalized) will be used throughout this book in reference to the EFT protocol, because it is the most convenient expression, while tapping (lowercase) refers to the actual hand movement.

The use of the body’s meridians to restore physical health has been commonplace in China for an extremely long time. Although it has become more accepted in the West today, it was not used for the treatment of emotional suffering until quite recently. Proponents of EFT believe that such suffering is caused by blockages in the body’s energy system, in which each meridian point represents a series of specific emotions (for more information see the section beginning here).

EFT focuses its attention exclusively on removing these energy blockages in order to restore our sense of well-being. The process has been the driving force for some spectacular healings and strongly indicates that negative emotions are due to a disruption in the body’s energy system. In many cases, once balance has been restored to the energy flow, negative emotions vanish, thereby also removing the problems that accompanied this imbalance.

THE BIRTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF EFT

EFT emerged from the initial modality of this type, TFT (Thought Field Therapy), which was created in the 1980s by psychiatrist Roger Callahan, a bold pioneer in a new era in the field of psychology. He was the first individual, in both East and West, to use the meridians for healing emotional problems.

However, Dr. Callahan’s procedure is extremely complex. It requires a precise diagnosis of the points that need stimulation and calls for them to be stimulated in a particular sequences for each problem, which makes his method impractical without the help of an experienced practitioner.

In the 1990s, following an extensive study of TFT, Gary Craig, a nondenominational ordained minister and certified master practitioner in neurolinguistic programming (NLP), figured out how to avoid this difficulty through the practice of EFT, in which the same sequences of point stimulation, more commonly referred to as Tapping, can be used in the treatment of any kind of emotional issue.

EFT’s worldwide success is due to its simplicity of use as well as its effectiveness, which is often superior to that of other healing techniques. Numerous health professionals employ it, either by itself or as a supplement to more traditional treatment, and play an active role in its growing popularity by frequently publicizing its effectiveness in promoting rapid healing of critical physical and mental health problems.^*1

Making it even more appealing, this procedure is simple to master, and although it is best learned from a professional, either in person or via teaching materials, it can be regularly used to control personal health problems without the need of additional help. This is an invaluable option for those who have limited access to professional care.

EFT IN A NUTSHELL

EFT can be summed up as the stimulation of several specific points on the face, upper torso, and hands while the individual concentrates at the same time on a specific difficulty. This should be done until all accompanying negative feelings disappear completely. The biggest challenge lies in determining and then administering the appropriate number of rounds of tapping required to completely uproot and remove these upsetting emotions. Were it not for this, EFT would be so simple that even children could use it by themselves.

A number of psychotherapists incorporate Tapping in their practice and are qualified to teach the proper use of the protocol, and there are numerous online tutorial videos and listings of EFT workshops (see the resources section in the back of the book), but no knowledge of psychology is necessary to make good use of the technique. EFT is the instrument of choice for personal development and will soon make all other methods seem obsolete—especially methods that ask us to use mind control or the power of positive thinking all by itself to curb negative feelings. It is impossible for such approaches to work effectively, as the required state of vigilance is difficult to sustain. Moreover, negative thoughts have an energetic component, and when energy blockages occur, they require physical stimulation of the energy system to dissipate. This somewhat explains why a long walk outdoors can be beneficial in eliminating nonclinical depression.

Nor is it necessary to “believe in” EFT to obtain results. Most people begin the process with great skepticism because its basic concept goes against our ingrained belief systems. But we’d better get used to it, because the era of energetic healing techniques has begun and can only expand rapidly. As Gary Craig likes to say, “We are on the ground floor of a new healing high-rise,” and there is no end to the potential for surprises.

EFT’S BENEFITS

Learning the basics of EFT should not take you more than a couple of hours. It will then allow you to do things you thought impossible to accomplish before, such as speaking in public or flying in an airplane without fear. The extent of the ways in which EFT can help us is practically infinite. It makes sense to try it on any problem, even those issues that seem impossible to solve. Some of the common problems EFT can eliminate are:

• Phobias. EFT quickly liberates us from the anguish of agoraphobia, claustrophobia, and any other fears or aversions, regardless of how long they have existed or how terrifying they may feel. It also stops panic attacks in their tracks, usually quite quickly.
• Tragic memories. The emotional pain of traumatic memories melts away, along with any regret, fear, anger, or guilt they inspire. The past no longer has a malignant grip on the present. The memories remain, but they have been stripped of their ability to cause pain.
• Irresistible urges. EFT is able to rapidly halt any desire at the moment it is first felt. This could be the desire for a cigarette (EFT is especially amazing for a smoker on a long airplane flight), alcohol, drugs, or foods forbidden by a diet. The anxiety behind the need vanishes, as does the need to fight anxiety by ingesting certain substances.
• Difficult emotions. Tapping can remove anxiety, discouragement, bitterness, regret, obsession, anger, frustration, resignation, dismay, shame, lack of self-confidence, and stage fright, as well as feelings of abandonment, rejection, jealousy, and so on. EFT can also rapidly soothe the pain of a broken heart.
• Restrictive beliefs. EFT neutralizes mental limitations, which can be powerful hindrances to achieving ambitions in any aspect of life: professional, academic, sports, financial, or relational. It is the ideal procedure for improving performance in any domain.
• Illness and physical suffering. The contribution of EFT in this domain is remarkable, with a very impressive list of case studies (see the ACEP web-site). It is recommended as a potent supplement to traditional treatments for any kind of physical ailment, and it improves the effect of medications. It can also be used to treat weight problems and insomnia, and it dispels nightmares as well.

EVERYTHING IS ENERGY

It is commonly believed in the Western world that matter and energy are entirely separate things. However, to understand how EFT works, it is important to recognize that we live in a world comprised of a single energy. It is a primordial force that imagines, engenders, and connects everything that exists in creation.

On the underlying level of our reality, this single energy mass is continually in movement. It is only a vibrational diversity that makes things appear to be distinct from each other, while time and space appear to separate things and events.

Our circumstances in life are purely energetic in nature, as are the beliefs, thoughts, and emotions that create these circumstances. Because of this, our problems are of a purely energetic nature as well. They arise from a vibratory dissonance between what we already have in life and what we would prefer to have in its place. These two forces find it impossible to merge, because their vibrations are not in resonance with each other. This is a disparity that EFT can correct. It then allows us to attract health, better material circumstances, love, or whatever else we yearn for, with no other real effort required. Things then proceed quite naturally.

BODY AND MIND

The mind and the body form an intimately integrated whole that is indivisible. Our thoughts (beliefs and emotions) dwell throughout our entire body. Because of this, our physical sufferings often have their own stories to tell. A backache can signify that we have had enough of carrying the full responsibility for a household, or a pain in the knee can be a statement that we need to stop for a moment to think about our life. In other words, the body notifies us when the time has come to make significant changes.

Our deepest feelings, with all their repressed needs, often show themselves in the form of physical pain. But their emotional content is of small importance because, from the perspective of EFT, they are always the result of energy blockages. Once these blockages have been removed, the connections may eventually be revealed to us, but becoming aware of them is not required; it is only useful as a matter of curiosity.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

We all have an ally: the subconscious mind. This is an immensely powerful companion provided to us by nature to help us travel through life in the greatest possible comfort. In the ideal situation, its role consists of applying its phenomenal powers to help us achieve our dreams. Our role is to clearly indicate to it just what those dreams are. Other than providing this clarity in our requests, there should not be much left for us to do, other than to take advantage of life—our dream life, of course!

However, we are more often ill and starved for love or money than we are satisfied and happy. This suffering is entirely the result of ignorance. Quite often we are not even aware that this collaborator is living inside us, or we are not skilled at putting its expertise to work to our benefit. This is why it heads in one direction, busy with matters it considers important, while we go off in the other direction, concerned with tasks we believe are equally essential. This divergence creates an exhausting conflict, from which we always emerge the loser.

No one can say for sure where the subconscious resides in the human body. But we do know, and have known since the advent of meridian techniques, that the pieces of information it holds are at the very least anchored in our energy system. EFT allows us to go there at a steady pace to alter our suffering at our convenience.

Our subconscious mind has absolute control over everything that happens (or does not happen) in our lives. It is what brings us ideas, tells us how we should conduct ourselves in this or that situation, determines who we meet or don’t meet, and opens a door for us over here while shutting another one over there. It is also our subconscious mind that causes us to continually repeat the same mistakes. But this is not because of a malicious intent but solely for our own protection. Our subconscious mind is actually obsessed with protecting us. If it could, it would imprison us and throw away the key, so as not to run the risk of something bad happening to us. And most certainly we are already locked up somewhere. All we need to do to realize it is to write up a list of our problems.

Everything stems from the fact that our subconscious mind follows the directive we give it in our moments of weakness. So if the first experience of speaking in public is too terrifying, for instance, it becomes impossible for us to henceforth speak in public. If our subconscious mind has a lesser opinion of our merits, as a result of various betrayals and other misguided notions about our true skills, we are unlikely, for example, to earn a larger salary.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS AND PROBLEMS

If there is a domain in which everything appears to work against us, it is clearly that of our problems. They arrive, obviously outside of any direct action on our part, and spoil our lives with blatant unfairness. We were so happy before, but that tranquillity is now gone. Armed and ready, we then engage in a fearless battle. We won’t go down without a good fight! However, if we are overwhelmed and exhausted by all the battles we have already waged, or if we just don’t know what else to do, we remain rooted to one spot, desperately waiting for help. Each time we look outward for solutions, not knowing that our problems—and their solutions—reside within our subconscious mind, which is solely responsible for both.

To get a better grasp of this, let’s say that our parents have expressed great animosity toward our artistic talent because it would cause us to abandon the path they had envisioned for us. We decide, nonetheless, to continue on the artistic path we have previously chosen, but all of a sudden, things no longer go as they once did. Doors that were once wide open suddenly slam shut, our creativity withers, and our talents suffer. In short, problems arise, often followed by blistering self-attacks. We obviously lack any talent; this is clearly the proof.

In one sense we are right. We have lost our talents. They are no longer accessible to us because our subconscious mind has shut the door on them to protect one part of the self. This part is the well-behaved child who does not want to disobey h...

Table of contents

• Cover Image
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Chapter 1: EFT: An Energetic Technique for Health and Material Abundance
• Chapter 2: The EFT Protocol
• Chapter 3: Working with EFT
• Chapter 4: A Collection of Painful Statements
• Chapter 5: The Body’s Meridians and Their Emotional Function
• Chapter 6: The Various Ways EFT Can Be Applied
• Chapter 7: EFT and the Realization of Goals
• Chapter 8: Group Sessions with EFT: Borrowing Benefits
• Chapter 9: Two EFT Variations
• Chapter 10: In Conclusion
• Resources
• Footnote
• About the Author
• About Inner Traditions • Bear & Company
• Books of Related Interest
• Copyright & Permissions
• Index