EFT Tapping

I'm listening to the World Tapping Summit 2015…it's got a LOT of great stuff. Much (most?) of the stuff fits hand in glove with all I'm learning about Mindbody. It reminds me of Dr. Schubiner's program too as he has you repeat mantras to retrain your brain and get it off of the negative tapes play over and over.

The key in tapping is to first acknowledge your truth and affirm your self acceptance. Eg: Even though I am feeling overwhelmed/my hip hurts/that clerk angered me, I full and completely accept myself. You repeat that 3 times.

Then you go off merrily tapping the acupressure points while affirming your truth until you feel it shift into a positive light. Eg, you go from, "I am feeling overwhelmed" to "I am strong and able to face these challenges." (Check out thetappingsolution.com for detailed directions.)

But I'm still in the "this feels SO silly" stage of tapping. But I've sensed enough of a shift to keep trying.

So my question…is it really the tapping or the affirmations that shift things around? Does anyone know of any studies where this was evaluated? I know these energy modalities are harder to quantify aside from anecdotal evidence. But I am curious. (I think it helps me to get things past my belief-gate bullshit meter if I can understand somethings a little.)

What say ye?

 

I think it works via keeping the feeling real and visualising the hurt then affirming that you are able to deal with whatever is bothering you.
A lot of war veterans with PTSD have reported positive results with it. Some like Eric Robbins MD talks about using EFT in conjunction with Sarnos work and regularly uses it with his more open minded patients.
The EMDR may work on a similar pathway. When you call up an image in the mind it may well be lighting up neural circuitry associated with that image. by affirming new positive statements this overrides the subconscious and makes that experience less prominent in the mind(my own personal theory).
A lot is unknown about the mind and how it relates to the physical tissue of the brain.
The common theme is resolving buried emotions/conflicts within the psyche /unconscious mind.
Affirmations have been found to be effective in those who use them and it makes sense.
Recently I listened to Louise Hays 'Heal your life' and whilst I don't buy everything she claims she literally either ripped off Sarno or came to a similar conclusion.

 

Thank you for your thoughtful reply, IrishSceptic. I think there is a lot of different disciplines that are arriving at the same conclusions…the language may vary though. Mystics, Louise Hay folks, medical professionals, etc.

I have found affirmations to be very helpful, it is my hope that the tapping element can increase the efficacy of the affirmations. The testimonials people share on tapping are pretty amazing.

And yeah - resolving those buried emotions and conflicts that have never been given a voice. I find the EMDR interesting too.

Oh, the mysteries of the brain!

 

Indeed, sadly there are many charlatans looking to capitalise on those mysteries. however I would encourage people to use EFT as it is essentially free to use

 

Very true, IrishSceptic! Desperate people will buy into all sorts of worthless crap.

 

I wanted to add a PS to this thread. I'm on day 3 of doing the tapping and I think it IS shifting some things.

Today's topic was being freed from self-sabotage that keeps you from fully shining. What came to mind while I was doing the tapping wasn't one individual…it was religion and it's many faces. Oh, I did have some specific incidents come to mind (like one woman for scolding me for wearing red since it was such a loud and godless color…or some BS like that.) GAH!!!!

Anyway. The lady on today's seminar went through the tapping to acknowledge how these limitations have caused us to limp and not reach our full potential. WOW. That really blew my mind. With my leg issues, walking limp free has been a HUGE challenge.

I now see some of the issues lurking in my sub c as having a direct connection with my leg issues. I have been crippled by people who have shamed me and placed limitations on me all based on their short sighted perspective of God. (They themselves were limited!)

And get this. I woke up again, as I have been doing so the past several mornings, around 4…severe pain has been waking me up. So, I get up, listening to a guided meditation or one of the tapping seminars and move on.

This morning I thought, Nope. I need more sleep. I did my own visualization along with affirming my love and acceptance of my body. And I'll be doggone…

THE PAIN LEFT. I slept until 6:45…that's LATE in my world! My limping is much less diminished so far today.

Pretty profound.

 

Big fan of the Tapping Summits.

You will also note how many of these practitioners have seen myriad physical conditions go away realizing/accepting/processing the emotional component, and usually digging under the layers to find the causes that are usually from childhood.

Even the tapping talks that I am not sure are "for me" I listen to anyway and always take away something valuable.

The Winter of Wellness also has had fabulous talks about many topics.

 

Yes, Lori, I'm using this 10 day summit to give tapping a whirl. So far so good. I am surprised at how much of this echoes mindbody teachings. Also, many of the topics are very timely for some of the things I struggle with.

 

People though I respect Everbody opinion on every topic of self healing, I just can get my arms around this topic. I have read and watched u tube it just seems like another placebo like PT or message therapy...but after reading your post I will give it another look.

 

Marco, I am still struggling with embracing it fully…it seems so ridiculous! Really….tapping spots on your body? I just feel silly! It's worth noting that Dr. Howard Schubiner advocates applying pressure to an acupuncture spot while repeating similar mantras presented in the tapping seminars.

Well, it's day six for me…no miracle cures so far but my symptoms have been moving around, so worth pursuing a bit more.

 

NS

I also read Dr Shubinier theory on apply pressure to these acupuncture spot and found them a little hokey seeing that acupuncture really did nothing for me, but NS if you are getting results go for it....

This will sound hokey but when I am having bad flares like today I hold my dog and the pain subsides....I call it dog placebo lol

 

The calming affects of pets is well documented. How "they" managed that, but cannot believe mindbody is one of life's mysteries! Enjoy your dog and the connection to another living creature!

 

Ok I am going to chime in a bit. I did a whole lot of EFT work about 5-6 years ago, before I read much about Dr Sarno or started specifically working on TMS. I think it did help me in many ways, but it did not in and of itself cure my chronic pain. It did perhaps help me manage the pain better. I think though it might be a very good complement to TMS work. Whether or not you buy into the physiology behind it, it does bring considerable attention to how we treat ourselves internally and process our emotions. EFT acknowledges and allows us to feel what is going on in the moment, and then gives us an avenue to process it and let it go. "Even though I am really, really angry at my boss for saying such and such....( breathe, feel it, tap, tap, tap, deep breath)... its okay, I am okay( tap some more, breathe, let it go) and I deeply and profoundly love and respect myself..." If you do it regularly, that is a healthy, positive way to think and process some of the more difficult experiences and emotions. Not everyone needs that kind of reinforcement. But some of us might take something that has upset us and have the opposite response, not acknowledge it or feel it and if we do, use it as an occasion to really beat ourselves up. So in this sense, I think the EFT can be used in TMS recovery in a really positive and beneficial way.

 

I just feel stupid doing the tapping and the mantra....my hang up of course

 

That's funny. I don't do it in public that's for sure!

 

I hear ya I did it once in a park where I thought nobody was watching I thought they where going to call the funny wagon on me

 

Annie, What you said is sort of how I'm thinking about this. I think it provides a process to give voice to one's truth and gives a path to a resolution in a healthy way. I think my TMS developed because I was so well-trained in repression. I HAD to be strong. I HAD to be an example. I HAD…blah, blah, blah.

I think the tapping think provides a 1-2-3/how-to element to the process so in that way, I think it's great. Is it working on "meridians"? I have no clue. Still skeptical. But if there IS something at work beyond our present understanding, it should work, eh?

I would be mortified if anyone saw me tapping so I make sure I'm behind a closed door when I follow along with this summit stuff. LOL

Lizzy, I have two Bichon Frise doggies…their presence is healing. Delightful, loving little companions. Rare is the time I don't have one or both of them in my lap. I was never a "dog" person so this been an unexpected pleasure to my second half of life.

 

Lap dogs are the best. My Annie loved being in my lap whe she was a puppy (black Lab mix)
but stopped that a few years ago She's 12 now. I miss that, but she's still great to be with.

 

I don't do tapping when anyone is around. I guess I would feel funny about that too.

I consider tapping to be another "maybe" TMS healing tool.
Like the Cherokee Indian healing saying: "I you doubt something will help, it won't.
If you believe it will help, it will."

 

I tried tapping several years ago, but it didn't do a lot for me. I have recently been using it again, this time guided by Nick Ortner of the Tapping Solution and am very pleased with the results. Yes, it does work on the meridians in your body and having had some energy work done, I may be more receptive now.
The biggest difference I'm finding between tapping and the journaling for Drs Schrubinger and Sarno is that the tapping seems to put the issue to rest. With the writing an issue and it's related symptoms would reappear. Nothing tapped on until the charge is gone has reappeared. It doesn't stop 'new' things from popping up, but at least I have a way to deal with them now. Sometimes I have to wait to identify the old or not so old issue that is causing my current pain. Who is my 'Pain in the Neck' who is causing my current neck pain? I'm sure it's TMS as it moves around and occasionally backs off.
Nick Ortner has a new book on pain - the first was on stress relief. I have ordered the book and received 10 free audio downloads.