According to traditional Chinese medicine, meridians are a set of channels or vessels that run along the body which allow life energy – also known as Universal Energy, qi, or ch’i – to flow throughout the body. When a meridian is blocked through stressors such as fears, addictions, past trauma, unhealthy relationships, or physical pain – the flow of life energy/Source/ch’i becomes blocked. When stress causes energy to stop flowing freely, physical and mental symptoms eventually show up.
A familiar therapy that works with unblocking the meridians is acupuncture. Another treatment that’s a bit less mainstream, is Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT “tapping”.
According to Gary Craig, the founder of EFT, the practice is “an emotional version of acupuncture, except we don’t use needles. Instead, we stimulate certain meridian points on the body by tapping on them with our fingertips. This has shown repeatedly to reduce the conventional therapy process from months or years down to minutes, hours or a few sessions.”
While this is not necessarily my “go to” way to heal something, it’s still a helpful tool to have in your bag – and it’s easy to learn.
Let me tell a quick story of why I got interested in EFT. Mine was not a very serious matter in the grande scheme of things, but enough to cause me discomfort. When we moved into our new house we discovered it was infested with centipedes. Not just the basement kind – I’m talking in the closets, on the bathroom towel, in the bedroom. It was super fun. Our bug guy said it was “the worst case of centipedes in a house he’d ever seen”. Just what every girl wants to hear! I was panicked. I contemplated moving. I threatened to sleep in a tent outside. My husband thought I should see a hypnotist to overcome my fear. After looking into the cost of that, I realized I’d rather put my money toward the bug treatment versus an expensive hypnosis session.
This was when I discovered a quick online video tutorial about EFT, and after some simple research, I was tapping away. Although I still don’t love centipedes, EFT calmed me down enough to live in my house while we got rid of them (yes, those buggers are gone). I found that the tapping eased my phobia, slowed my heart rate, and reduced my stress. I thought – if this worked for me after only a day or two – imagine what it can do for people who utilize it over a period of time? And with something more serious like an illness, addiction, or trauma?
One of the reasons EFT works so well is that by tapping on the meridians, it has been proven that the body responds by decreasing it’s levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels in the body are associated with high stress. If your body is producing too much of this hormone it can cause accelerated aging, disease, anxiety, and depression. Numerous studies have demonstrated that EFT tapping decreases cortisol in the body by at least 25% compared to simply doing traditional talk therapy. (you can find more info on the studies that have been done in a quick Google search)
The core concept of EFT is that you allow yourself to experience and feel the painful memory/thinking pattern/pain/stress – whatever is bothering you – while tapping on specific meridian points on the body. This way you are not simply talking about the stressor – you are also telling your body (through the meridians) that you can be in a calm state even when faced with a certain memory, feeling, or stimulus. This is why EFT has been proven in studies to be effective in treating PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder. Tapping the meridian points allows the release of strong emotional pain associated with traumatic memories.
So how can EFT help you?
- Take a moment and think of something that causes you stress. Could it be money issues? Relationship problems? Job stress? Chronic pain? A painful memory? Weight/food issues? Whatever it is, write it down.
- Now as you write, notice the feeling that arises in your body. Does your heart rate increase? Do you feel a heaviness in your gut? Do you feel fear? Do you clench your jaw in frustration? Take note of that feeling and/or physical sensation. This is the feeling you will “tap” on.
- As you look at your list and feel your reaction, don’t get discouraged! The best thing you can do for your Divine Self is to address the things that are holding you back. As always, if you’re extremely overwhelmed, seek out professional help. But if you feel it is something you can work with – maybe EFT can help.
So as I’ve said, it’s easy to get started. You simply tap the meridian points one by one for about 5-7 taps on each spot as you state what’s bothering you. The image to the left gives you a general sense of where the points are, but please go online to be sure you are tapping the correct spots.
When you do a Google search about EFT it’s a bit overwhelming – there’s a lot of info out there. But remember this is a simple thing to learn that can be taught to children as well – so don’t be intimidated!
If you’d like, here’s a quick intro video on how to get started:
Remember, allow yourself to feel the feeling. Don’t push it away and say “I’m done!”
When you ignore or push away an energy block you are simply putting it away in the closet. That stress will eventually show up in your life and/or in your body. Instead, allow yourself to experience the uncomfortable memory or emotion and just keep tapping.
As you tap, a new feeling may come up that you want to unblock – just keep tapping. Soon your body will respond and you’ll notice a new calmness when faced with whatever trigger you’re addressing.
Or you can learn from an EFT practitioner in person.
I recently attended an EFT class taught by Julie Jacky at The Metamorphosis Center to address money blocks (an interesting subject to dive into). Julie was an informative instructor, she spoke about how EFT helped her, and I learned a lot about the process. One thing Julie taught that I’d like to pass on is: be sure that while you tap you are focusing, talking about, and feeling the negative or uncomfortable thing you are clearing. She described it as “tap the crap”.
While some newer forms of EFT may try using positive affirmations, the original concept of the practice is to allow the uncomfortable feeling to arise, then tap on that specifically. You are freeing yourself from the control the thought or emotion has on you.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief overview of Emotional Freedom Technique. If there’s something that’s holding you back from being your best self, why not try this free technique that’s at your fingertips! (literally!) Happy Tapping!
In gratitude,
Nicki
