Our lives were overwhelming enough before the novel coronavirus hit — juggling work, family, friends and financial pressures in addition to pursuing personal goals was a plateful. But we’re currently facing a litany of new challenges and new stressors, without shedding all of the old ones. Right now, It’s extremely important that we tap into our bodies’ innate intelligence and cultivate resilience.
Physically “tapping” acupressure points on your body while mentally focusing on what’s troubling you can actually release fear and stress (or food addictions, trauma or other issues) and even boost immunity.
This concept, officially known as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), has been gaining fans since it was first introduced in the 1990s by Gary Craig, a Stanford graduate and certified master practitioner of neurolinguistic programming. Here’s how it works and what the science says.
What is EFT Tapping and How Does it Work?
Tapping is a type of alternative therapy used to enhance emotional health. By tapping fingers on specific points on the body, practitioners clear away negative emotions.
I love tapping and have used it often in my life to release old ideas and thought patterns, to create new and better thoughts about myself to relieve stress and anxiety.
Tapping is a powerful healing technique that includes gently tapping on the different meridian points of your body. These are the same points that are stimulated during acupuncture and acupressure treatments.
When you experience a stressful, fearful, or traumatic event, your body releases cortisol—a stress hormone. The release of cortisol creates a memory of this event (whether conscious or subconscious) that disrupts the natural functions and energy flow in your body.
This disruption can lead to chronic or acute illnesses, various injuries, physical or emotional pain, or psychological beliefs. These beliefs can show up in many different ways.
What are the EFT Tapping Points?
During tapping, you “reset” the amygdala and create a new energy pattern – now in a safe, calm, and present state of mind.
The emotional freedom technique (EFT) tapping sequence is a sequence used while tapping on the ends of nine meridian points. The process uses a simple but precise pattern of tapping on 9 acupressure points of the body while you simultaneously imagine the object or experience that stimulates your phobic reaction.
It acts in much the same way as a virus in a computer program by permanently interrupting the “program” or sequence of events that occur in the brain between the initial sighting of the thing you are afraid of and the physical response you experience.
There are twelve main meridians reflect each side of the body and correspond to an internal organ. However, EFT mainly focuses on the following nine:
- Karate chop (KC): small intestine meridian
- Top of the Head (TOH): governing vessel
- Eyebrow (EB): bladder meridian
- Side of the eye (SE): gallbladder meridian
- Under the eye (UE): stomach meridian
- Under the Nose (UN): governing vessel
- Chin (Ch): central vessel
- Beginning of the collarbone (CB): kidney meridian
- Under the arm (UA): spleen meridian
How Do You Tap For Anxiety?
Tapping for anxiety can be an effective way to decrease distress. Many people wonder how to use EFT tapping to relieve their symptoms. This is specifically speaking to our clients who have a tendency to pick their faces during the healing process. However, over time — and especially during a stressful period such as a global pandemic — our bodies build up tension from these low-grade fight or flight responses and that disturbing energy gets retained in the body.
To successfully integrate tapping into your wellness routine, first identify and focus on a particular negative emotion, whether it be a fear, a worry, anxiety or a traumatic experience or memory.
While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times on each of the 9 specific meridian points of the body: side of the hand, eyebrow, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collar bone, under arm (arm pit), and top of head.
As you tap, repeat a simple phrase to remind yourself of the negative emotion you’re looking to eliminate such as, “my anxiety” or “my pain.” Or “even though I pick my face…I accept and love myself.”
We know how difficult it can be to scratch that itch! The EFT tapping method utilizes several simple steps that guide you gently into a state of mind where you feel freedom from the anxiety of having an urge to constantly pick at your healing face.
A Final Thought
It takes energy to hold a thought or a memory in place. By tapping on specific points along meridian lines on the head and torso, we can open up the energy that is holding a thought or a memory in place. It’s a great tool for personal change — ideal for anxiety and stress, but also for supporting goals and dreams.
There’s a lot of information available online to further your understanding of the tapping process. Learn more about tapping here. Find out for yourself how this incredible technique is used to help you reduce your anxiety and urge to pick.
For those on the hunt for a glowing complexion, the reality is that stress impacts everyone, and it affects your entire body, not just your skin.
Schedule your initial consultation today. Begin your clear skin journey now!
Cheers to clear!
Rene
