When I find a simple tool that helps humans clear clutter, reduce physical and emotional pain, experience ease, open the heart, expand consciousness – I’m all in. The more portable and user-friendly the better.
The EFT* Meridian Tapping Technique is turning out to be one of my favorite new discoveries. As a tool for clearing out emotional blocks and trauma and getting the energy flowing again in our lives, it’s powerful and really quick (especially if you’re willing to feel the feelings that come up ;-))
Basically, here’s how it works:
1. Choose an issue. Identify a problem, habit, attachment, physical ailment, situation, or issue that presses your buttons, makes you feel uncomfortable, out of balance, icky, etc.
2. Measure the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10. Assess how bad it makes you feel when you tune into the issue, recall the memory, or feel the pain (10 being the most intense). The purpose of this step is twofold: to help you maintain your focus and mark your improvement.
3. Repeat the set-up statement below while tapping lightly three times [with one hand on the outside of the other hand] on your “Karate Chop point”:
“Even though I feel… [place the issue you are trying to clear here], I deeply and completely accept myself.”
[Personally I love this phrase. I find it immediately calming and self-affirming when I remember that I don’t have to be so hard on myself.] Here are some examples of set-up statements I’ve tapped on:
- Even though I feel overwhelmed right now, I deeply and completely accept myself.
- Even though I feel bad about how I handled _X__ situation, I deeply and completely accept myself.
- Even though I feel like I disappointed _X__, I deeply and completely accept myself.
- Even though my knee hurts so much I can barely go down the stairs, I deeply and completely accept myself.
- Even though I feel small, insignificant, and invisible right now, I deeply and completely accept myself.
4. While maintaining your focus and repeating the problem or issue, tap a sequence of points on the body to release emotional blocks [see diagram below]. These points access and activate energy pathways in the body called meridians – same points where acupuncturists place those tiny needles to get the flow of energy (chi) moving again in the body.
Here are the specific tapping points applied to my first example of feeling overwhelmed:
- Top of the head: e.g. I’m overwhelmed [tap tap]
- Eyebrow point – between eyebrow and top of nose: e.g. I feel overwhelmed... [tap tap]
- Outside of eye: e.g. I feel overwhelmed... [tap tap]
- Under the eye, boney orbit: e.g. I hate it when I’m overwhelmed... [tap tap]
- Upper lip – under nose: e.g. Getting overwhelmed makes me feel lost and disconnected, I hate that... [tap tap]
- Chin point – in the crease: e.g. It’s not okay to be disconnected…[tap tap]
- Collar bone point; put hand in light fist: e.g. I don’t like feeling overwhelmed… [tap tap]
- 4 inches below armpit: e.g. I feel overwhelmed and hopeless... [tap tap]
- Top of the head: e.g. I don’t like feeling overwhelmed… [tap tap]
Repeat the sequence until the intensity eases. Then stop and take an easy breath in and out. Assess your progress by noticing how you feel on a scale of 1-10. That’s it.
Cheryl Richardson calls this EFT a very forgiving tool. You don’t have to get it perfect; you can vary the phrasing as long as it relates to your issue; you can vary the sequence. I find easier to remember if I start at the top of the head and tap my way down.
One thing I’ve noticed (in my very limited practice) is that my phrases can vary and become more refined after each round. Sometimes feelings and words come out that I didn’t know I had in me, or had anything to do with my situation. I also notice that if my issue is a dicey one, I might feel greater charge and intensity for a round or two before I experience the ultimate calming effect. All good in my book.
My recommendation if more emotional weather kicks up:
- Lean in even more.
- Don’t identify with any of it; repeat this mantra: “not mine.”
If you’d like to learn more about how this Tapping technique works and the science behind it, I recommend you check out The Tapping Solution website which is full of terrific videos and resources, which are very rich and helpful.
If you know of any really terrific EFT videos that illustrate the tapping process in general and to address specific issues, please tell us about them in the comment box!
Happy clearing!
*EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique
