Tap Your Way To Freedom

Mind & Spirit : NST Life & Times 23/11/2010

http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/MIND_SPIRIT_Tapyourwaytofreedom/Article

By CHIM LI YEN

It almost sounded unbelievable when Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) practitioner Manjeet Kaur says that we can tap away pain, irrational fears, anxiety and worries away. Do you think that it is too good to be true?

“EFT is a self-help tool everyone can use to de-stress in life. Most of our physical pain has an emotional core related to it. We can shift physical pain simply by addressing the emotional core or the limiting belief which created the emotions,” explains Kaur.

EFT was developed in the early 1990’s by Stanford engineer, Gary Craig who created this amazingly simple yet effective technique that provides relief from physical pain, diseases and emotional issues. EFT is a unique form of acupressure where one stimulates the energy meridian points in the body by tapping the points using the fingertips instead of needles. It can be used anywhere and at anytime.

The therapy is rooted in ancient Eastern belief that there are 14 major pathways of energy flowing through the body – known as the meridian system or the pathways of chi which are adopted in alternative therapies like acupuncture, shiatsu, etc. These meridians can be disrupted by negative experiences and emotions we encounter in our daily life.

According to clinical psychologist Dr Jerry Wesch, “When an emotional or traumatic event is registered in the brain, a neurologic response is created so the body and the mind remembers it as negative. Every time the brain is reminded of this event, the electrical response to the memory triggers complex emotional responses in the body.”

Kaur says “The energy system in the body can be balanced using a sequence of taps on specific points in the body while focusing on the issue, as it allows the brain to reinterpret the stimulus in a different way. Instead of taking months or years using conventional “talk therapy”, EFT does the same within minutes sometimes. EFT dissolves emotions and often the physical symptoms or ailments fade away, usually with insights or cognitive shifts regarding the issue. You will notice yourself feeling more energised and lighter right away.”

Kaur has assisted countless individuals remove limiting beliefs and emotional trauma resulting in weight loss, achieving business and career goals, stress relief, better relationships, recovery from depression, insomnia, abuse, addictions, fears & phobias, allergies and migraines. She loves using this technique because of its gentle nature and quick results.

“Children respond to EFT very well as they learn fast and do not have as much conditioning as adults. EFT teaches them how to deal with emotions so they can tap on themselves each time they are angry or upset to dissipate the emotions. In school, it is extremely helpful as it gives children and teachers an alternative way to handle anger instead of the usual fights and screams. These kids grow up into emotionally intelligent adults,” says Carly Nair, EFT practitioner and mother of two year old twins.

Research has shown that U.S. veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were successfully treated using EFT. They reported that combat memories that had previously haunted them, including graphic details of deaths, mutilations, and fire fights, dropped in intensity to the point where they no longer resulted in flashbacks, nightmares, and other symptoms of PTSD. The study involved veterans from Vietnam, as well as more recent conflicts.

You can try out this simple EFT process by following the steps below. This short cut works well however the full process and effective application is taught in workshops.

1. Think about a particular issue you want to resolve (eg. aching pain in your shoulders, irritation you are feeling now, etc) and quantify your feelings on a scale of 1 to 10, with a 10 representing maximum distress.

2. Tap on the each of the 7 energy points (see picture) about 5 – 7 times while remaining focused on your issue. You may go through all of the aspects of the issue that troubles you (eg. the physical sensations like ‘tightness in my jaw’, the emotion, the person or event triggering the emotion, etc)

3. Now, think about your issue again and rate it, indicating how much distress you feel. At this stage, most people will report that the distress is reduced or completely gone.

4. You may repeat steps 1 to 3 if the issue is still present.

Results seem to be permanent in most cases. This process can be used on anything that bothers you in your life. Working on ourselves is like peeling an onion as we transform a layer at a time. If you are addressing a long standing problem in your life, it may have a number of unconscious connections to different aspects of your life so it is best to work with a trained EFT practitioner for maximum results.

Meet Kaur at 7.30pm this Thursday at The Violet Flame to try out this wonderful technique yourself as she will be giving a free introduction and demonstration of EFT.

Please call us at 03-20959868 to register.

Besides being an EFT Trainer and Level 3 Advance practitioner, 50 year old Kaur is a certified hypnotherapist from the world famous Cal Banyan Hypnosis Centre in the US and a Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) Trainer. Manjeet set up Ultimate Performance Solutions offering transformational coaching and workshops in Centrepoint, Bandar Utama after leaving her 23 year corporate career in 2006.

She works with clients on a one-to-one basis as well as in workshop settings. Her keen interest in the ‘feel good factor’ from her corporate experience combined with ‘effortless abundance’ has prompted her on a journey to understand the Body-Mind-Emotions-Spirit connection. See www.ultimateperformancesolutions.com for more details.