Calm. Tranquility. We all seek inner peace. Our world can bring us many stresses from many different sources.  EFT is one way to help establish a relaxed response to the stress we are facing.  EFT is fairly new and you can read quite a lot about it. I am learning about the physical benefits for pain relief, stress relief, greater productivity and focus.

When we are facing stress – whether physical danger or perceived danger, our body responds by producing cortisol. The purpose of the cortisol is to help us to get ready to deal with the impending threat. Our adrenal glands pump out hormones so that we can either fight, flee or freeze. Our body feels the same sense of panic whether the threat is real (as in a snake on our path) or imagined (when we fear impending financial ruin). Interpersonal discord can also cause emotional stress which the body experiences in much the same way as a real physical threat.

Many of us have high cortisol levels and our adrenal gland is on overload. We need to actively pursue relaxation and stress reduction techniques. We have to give our body the message that we are safe. There is no lioness about to pounce and attack. Our health depends on our brain and body getting this message!

Tapping on 9 specific meridian points of the body helps to send the body a message of safety. Combining the tapping with words that describe our situation can increase the effectiveness of stress reduction and help bring greater clarity to our situation. As a Christian, I always want to submit my actions to the authority of Jesus, and I like to pray with my clients before we begin our sessions. I only want healing that comes through the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

While tapping on the karate chop point on either hand with the fingers from the opposite hand, start with a set-up statement that describes your current situation – with all its anxiety or pain.

Even though ……. (current situation)… I fully and completely love and accept myself.

It is important that your brain (more specifically, the amygdala) gets the message of acceptance because that is what makes it feel most safe. But if you are not able to use those exact words, you could start with:

Even though ……. (current situation)… I desire to fully and completely love and accept myself or I choose to begin to love and accept myself or I know I am fully loved and accepted by Jesus, so I choose to love and accept myself as He loves me.

Repeat your set-up statement 2 or 3 times and feel free to include variations on your situation as they come to mind. Then you will begin a round of tapping starting on the point above the eyebrow and proceeding through all 8 points. Describing the negative situation or emotions or pain that you currently feel while tapping sends a message to your amygdala that while it is true that these things are present, you are safe because you have the time to tap on these points while you are thinking about them. This helps you to ‘re-wire’ your brain.

There is quite a bit more to be learned about tapping and its physical impact on us, but hopefully this will give you a start. After you have tapped through the negative aspects of the situation it is good to state out loud, while continuing through the tapping points, the potential of improvement. When your cortisol levels are reduced and the amygdala stops firing so rapidly, your frontal lobe becomes free to process information. You might find new ideas come to mind that give you relief.

Be sure to take deep breaths throughout the tapping cycle, but especially at the end. Your body is amazing and has the potential to perform complex healing. We don’t understand all the mechanisms involved which is why I always begin with prayer to my Creative Designer, Jesus Christ. He knows how my body works and all the best ways to bring healing!