Tap Your Way to a Guilt-Free Life!
publication date: Jun 23, 2009
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author/source: By Judith A. Wentzel, CTACC, EFT-ADV
By Judith A. Wentzel, CTACC, EFT-ADV
 Emotional Freedom Technique (or EFT) is a powerful energy technique that can transform the quality of your life or business, often sky rocketing you to achieving goals or greater business success. This technique is easy to learn, works quickly and painlessly, and allows you to feel calmer and think more rationally. You are about to be introduced to the complete four step process of EFT as we apply it to an actual issue involving guilt. When doing EFT, we use many of the same meridians or energy sensitive areas on the skin as with traditional acupuncture, only instead of using needles, we activate these spots by gently tapping on them with our fingertips while focusing on a particular emotion, problem or issue we wish to resolve or release, such as guilt. Guilt can cause one to be moody, withdrawn, angry, sad, depressed, resentful, or have low self-worth. When you feel guilty, you may have difficulty accepting or giving affection or trusting others or yourself. You may avoid people, places or events. Over an extended period of time, guilt can be quite harmful, due to the added stress it exerts on the body. The results of long-term guilt may manifest as other symptoms such as weight gain or loss, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, digestive problems or ulcers, just to name a few. When dealing with an issue such as guilt, EFT works remarkably well, especially when using the full four step process including the Nine-Gamut Procedure. I often refer to the Nine-Gamut Procedure as the “Gatlin Gun” of EFT, as it really blasts out those deep rooted emotions, allowing you to release feelings of guilt, anxiety, resentment, and betrayal much more rapidly than if you used the shorter or Basic Recipe of EFT. The full EFT process has four steps: 1. The Set Up 2. The Reminder Phrase 3. The Nine-Gamut Procedure 4. The Reminder Phrase Let’s use the four steps of EFT on someone who feels guilty about surviving an accident. Step 1. The Set Up Phrase The Set Up Phrase is where you initially identify your issue, problem or emotion. Once identified, you then measure it’s intensity (how strongly it effects you) using a scale from zero to ten, with zero having no effect whatsoever and ten being the most intense, uncomfortable feeling possible. Once you have found where your intensity is, jot this number down as you will refer back to it after doing the full procedure. You will check your level of intensity or discomfort often as you use EFT to monitor your progress until you achieve a zero discomfort level for the particular emotion, issue or problem you are dealing with. The standard Set Up Phrase is: “Even though I have this problem, I totally and completely accept myself.” Let’s break this statement down a bit further so you can see the role each part plays. The first part, “Even though I have this problem”, begins focusing your subconscious mind on the issue you wish to resolve or release. The second part of the statement, “I totally and completely accept myself”, allows the subconscious mind to accept this issue and begin to release it. This is the portion that counteracts any potential resistance within you. In step one, our Set Up Phrase would be: “Even though I feel guilty about surviving the accident, I totally and completely accept myself”. We would state this phrase three times while tapping the Karate Chop Point (see diagram). When tapping, you generally tap with your dominant hand. If you are right handed, you will use all four fingertips of your right hand against the Karate Chop Point of your left hand during the Set Up, and use the index and middle finger tips to tap on the remaining nine meridians (or EFT points) using the full EFT four step process outlined below. You will tap approximately seven to ten times at each point – but don’t get hung up on counting the number of taps you do; as long as you continue tapping while stating your phrases, you will tap at least the required number of times. To understand how hard to tap, imagine drumming your fingers across a table top. We have all done this, generally when bored. This is about how hard you will tap each point – just enough to make a nice bounce but not hard enough to hurt or bruise yourself. If you wear glasses, it is best to remove them while doing EFT so that you have easier access to the points around the eyes. Step 2. The Reminder Phrase After the Set Up, the next step is the Reminder Phrase. This is a scaled down version of the statement used during the Set Up. The Reminder Phrase we will use for this example will be, “This guilt about surviving the accident”. The Reminder Phrase keeps the subconscious mind focused in on the issue or emotion, allowing you to resolve or release it, and enabling you to feel more calm and relaxed. State the Reminder Phrase while tapping each of the remaining EFT points, beginning at the top of the head and working down the body. You will tap each point using the index and middle fingertips of your dominant hand (except at the top of the head and under arm points where you will use all four fingertips). Tapping points and Reminder Phrase used:
It is after tapping the under arm point that you begin the Nine-Gamut Procedure. The Nine-Gamut Procedure is valuable to learn for more intense emotional issues such as such as guilt; generally several other intense emotions are involved with the issue as well. The Nine-Gamut Procedure activates both sides of the brain, keeping the subconscious mind totally focused on the issue, which dramatically increases the effectiveness of EFT. It is probably one of the more strange looking procedures of all the energy techniques but is designed to stimulate various parts of the brain, thus yielding better results for EFT and greater release for the person. Looking at the tapping chart, you will see the Gamut Point, located between the knuckles of the little finger and ring finger and about ½ an inch down from the knuckles toward the wrist. To start the Nine-Gamut Procedure, begin rubbing the Gamut Point using the fingertips of your index and middle fingers of the opposite hand while focusing on your issue, while doing the following:
After the Nine-Gamut Procedure, you repeat the Tapping Sequence using the Reminder Phrase once again (as in step 2):
With EFT, persistence is the key to successfully releasing and resolving an issue or emotion. Pay attention to your body and how you feel. Note any new emotions or memories that may have surfaced and apply EFT to those feelings or memories, then reassess your level of intensity. If you find nothing and feel no intensity, congratulations, your work on this issue is complete for now. If any remains, repeat the procedure, using “This remaining guilt” as your issue in both your Set Up and Reminder Phrase. Continue until you achieve a level of zero intensity. Once an issue has been completely resolved, it is often resolved permanently. However, there may be other aspects of an issue that will come to the surface at a later date. If and when they do, simply apply the procedure to them until they are resolved as well. Now you have the basics behind using the full four-step procedure of EFT. Once you have learned this technique, you are empowered with the ability to self-treat whenever the need arises. You no longer need to suffer through bouts of anger, guilt, jealousy, or any other negative emotion. EFT gives you back the freedom over your emotions and allows you to literally transform the quality of your life. Good luck and happy tapping! Disclaimer: While EFT has been used by thousands of therapists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, doctors, and individuals worldwide with exceptional results and minimal negative side effects, this does not mean that you will not experience any side effects. If you use EFT on yourself or others, you are advised to take full responsibility for yourself and the treatment. About the Author As a certified life coach, Judith educates, liberates and empowers her clients by teaching them EFT; a powerful and easy to learn technique that can transform the quality of life or business, often sky-rocketing them to achieve goals and greater success. Judith specializes in issues dealing with divorce, relieving stress, anxiety, weight management issues, resolving fears, guilt, grief, business blocks, and other negative emotions. By strategically combining the power of EFT along with Life and Business Coaching, Judith’s clients achieve their goals much faster and with greater success. For more information, visit her websites: www.UsingLawOfAttraction.com and www.EFT-Coaching-Consulting.com. EFT Coaching and Consulting LLC, Judith A. Wentzel, CTACC, EFT-ADV, 3944 Burton Lane, Denver, NC. 704-517-2484 |