EFT TAPPING BASICS
Have you ever noticed how, sometimes just when you’re on the top of the world, a painful memory from the past pops up? Then, suddenly, you’re ruminating on an experience you’d rather forget?
Try some EFT Tapping!
I believe that our thoughts are at the root of our beliefs, and that our beliefs inform our behavior.
EFT Tapping is a powerful technique in recognizing and disrupting unwanted thought patterns. When you notice that you are ruminating on a situation from this past, this pattern interrupter can help you release and refocus on the present moment.
There are many variations of this technique, but we’ll focus on the following pressure points on the face: the eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, and the chin.
To begin the process, you want to name the problem as honestly as you can. Don’t beat around the bush – name the problem and the feeling exactly as you feel it.
You might start with something like:
“Even though I refuse to forgive myself for _____ because ____, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
As you’ll see, we’ll continue to return to the phrase, “I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
As you tap on each part of the face, notice how you feel and name it out loud. You might say something like:
“I can’t believe how pissed I am.”
“The shame is overwhelming.”
“I’m angry.”
“I’m in the depths of despair.”
“It’s not right. It’s not fair.”
“I don’t want to let go!”
“I don’t want to forgive myself.”
Name, out loud, each emotion and thought that you have as you focus on the issue. Don’t rush the process, just continue to breathe and continue to tap. Eventually, you may find that the words you’re saying feel less charged:
“Maybe I can let this go.”
“What if I can no longer carry this pain?”
“I wonder if I’ll still be me without this burden?”
Notice the pattern shifting as you continue to acknowledge your true feelings, speaking them out loud. As the thoughts subside, finish with a few rounds of positive affirmations. Here are a few that work wonderfully:
“For the ways I have hurt myself through ________, I now offer myself wholehearted forgiveness. I forgive myself completely. I forgive myself completely. I forgive myself completely.”
And finally, a few rounds of:
“I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
Then take a couple deep breaths, let go of the practice and feel into your body – do you feel more expansive or contracted?
Notice, the next time those thoughts and emotions show up – if they are as strong as they were. Repeat the process as often as you like.
And if you find yourself out in public or in a pinch, you can always simply repeat one of the following mantras – outloud or in your head:
“I deeply and completely love and accept myself” or “I forgive myself completely.”
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