Stress Free with EFT: 10 Step Guide to Meridian Tapping for Stress, Anxiety and Fear
Copyright 2014 by Patricia A. Pauletto ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Any use of these materials, including reproduction, modification, distribution or republication, without prior written consent is strictly prohibited. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 2
Table of Contents Disclaimer. 4 Introduction.5 What is Meridian Tapping? 8 How and Why It Works.. 10 Diagram of Tapping Points.. 13 How to Tap 14 How to Create Tapping Statements. 18 Quick 10 Step Guide 25 Suggestions for Enhancement..26 Example Tapping Scripts 39 Tapping Script for Stress 40 Tapping Script for Anxiety 43 Tapping Script for Fear 45 BONUS Tapping Script for Anger.48 BONUS Tapping Script for Worry.50 Final Thoughts 52 Tapping Resources. 53 Recommended Reading. 54 EFT releases people from the chains that keep people bound to a mediocre life. ~ Cheryl Richardson, Master Certified Coach, New York Times Best Selling Author ~ 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 3
Disclaimer Tapping, a general term used to describe Emotional Freedom Techniques ( EFT ) and/or EFT Tapping, and Meridian Tapping Technique ( MTT ) is a simple, do-it-yourself method of energy therapy to relieve every day tension and stress that many of us experience. This guide is intended to help you on your personal journey to health and balance. Results are not guaranteed. If you experience unusually severe or overwhelming stress or anxiety you are encouraged to seek help from professional health care providers. Tapping is not meant to be used in place of professional medical treatments, medications or psychological treatment but can work well in conjunction with them. Tapping is not used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or psychological disorder. Although the author is not aware of any reported adverse side effects related to the use of Tapping that is not a guarantee you may not experience any. As with all do-it-yourself techniques, YOU MUST TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY for using them and if you experience any severe or adverse outcomes you are advised to seek professional health care assistance or you may want to consult with a certified EFT Practioner. IF YOU USE THE TECHNIQUE DESCRIBED HEREIN, YOU AGREE TO TAKE FULL REPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF WHILE APPLYING THIS TECHNIQUE and shall neither hold this author nor anyone else associated with EFT or MTT responsible for any adverse side effects or outcomes. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 4
Introduction Hello, my name is Patty Pauletto and first, let me take a quick moment to say thank you for purchasing this ebook designed to you help you relieve stress, anxiety and fear from your everyday life in 10 easy steps using Meridian Tapping. I know there are tons of other resources out there competing for your attention and I appreciate you entrusting me to help you reach your goals. After spending countless years and several thousand dollars trying to find the thing or the method of alternative modality that would improve my life in a short amount of time without a lot of expensive training (bummer, I ended up spending the money anyway), I finally discovered two popular methods of Tapping: Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT). Don t get me wrong, every one of the other modalities that I studied and certifications I received were worth the money I spent on them. Some of them were things like Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Acupressure, Yoga, Meditation, Tai Chi, Quantum Healing and Integrational Breathing. All viable and worthwhile methods! However, most of those methods taught me to be a facilitator of those healing modalities so I could perform a service for clients, friends, and family who would pay me to teach them or administer healing directly to them. Saving others (that s you!) the time and effort, and possibly a lot of money like I spent on my path to discovering Tapping, is my inspiration behind putting this ebook together for you. I want to share with you this easy method that worked for me and provide a few resources so that you can achieve the same level of results I ve achieved in a small fraction of the time that it took me to even find it! 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 5
The purpose of this ebook is to specifically focus on using Tapping to relieve average stress, fear and anxiety that most of us experience in our day-to-day lives. Although not fully researched by the Western academic, medical, and psychological communities, I have used Tapping to relieve mental, emotional and physical distress. Many have used it to relieve pain, trauma and limiting beliefs, as well as blocks to healing, abundance, happiness, love, even fitness and weight loss goals. You can use Tapping in any area of your life, just get creative! There are an abundance of Certified EFT Practitioners, coaches and licensed therapists out there that you can pay to assist you with deeper levels of healing. I ve created a list for you of my favorite tapping professionals and some of their publications at the end of this book. Tapping got me through some incredibly stressful, anxious times in my recent past. It is my hope that you receive the same type of relief that I did. I easily taught this simple method to friends and neighbors and even my 88 year old father. They were all amazed at how easy it was to learn and how well it worked. My dad suffers from chronic pain, anxiety and anger related to past experiences. He easily follows along the tapping points and repeats after me and in short order; he is calm, pain free and ready to take a nap. He even taps by himself to relieve pain and stress. I quickly taught my 73 year old neighbor a simple tapping protocol and she followed along, tapped and repeated the statements I created specifically for her regarding an upcoming surgical procedure that she 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 6
was nervous about. In just a few short minutes her anxiety was gone and she felt totally neutral towards the upcoming procedure! Later she reported that she tapped again right before going into surgery and she was not nervous at all. Afterwards she continued to tap for pain relief with great success. On another occasion, I lead a friend through a tapping sequence over the phone and was able to talk her down from a full blown anxiety attack. It really is that simple and that easy to learn; you too can help yourself and begin to be stress free in 10 easy steps! In these pages you will learn: What is Meridian Tapping? How and Why It Works Diagram of Tapping Points How to Tap How to Create Tapping Statements Quick 10 Step Guide Suggestions for Enhancement Example Tapping Scripts Tapping Resources Recommended Reading 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 7
What is Meridian Tapping? Centuries ago, the Chinese discovered paths of energy (Chi or Qi) running through our bodies, called Meridians. Every vital organ system has its own Meridian path-way. Acupuncture (with needles) and Acupressure (with touch) were developed to stimulate key points and keep these paths of energy in our bodies open and functioning for optimal health and well-being. EFT and MTT tapping points are found along theses meridians. Many people just refer to this method as Tapping. Very simply put, lightly tapping on specific meridian points while repeating certain phrases has a miraculous calming effect on your body and emotions and can help you relieve and even eliminate many forms of distress. Here s a brief history as to how Tapping came into being: In the early 1960 s George J. Goodheart, DC, a chiropractor, discovered a relationship between muscles, organs and mental/emotional issues which led him to the development of Applied Kinesiology. One of Goodheart s students in the 1970 s, John Diamond, MD, DPM, FRANZCP, MRCPsych, FIAPM, DIBAK, discovered the link between the acupuncture meridians and the emotions. He was a pioneer in the field of alternative and holistic healing and developed Behavioral Kinesiology. In 1981, Dr. Roger Callahan, a cognitive psychologist, developed the first tapping method of its kind, Thought Field Therapy (TFT) which 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 8
used codes (algorithms) to balance the body s energy systems and eliminated most negative emotions and promoted the body s own healing ability. In the 1990 s, Gary Craig, a Stanford trained engineer and a student of Callahan s, simplified TFT and developed the Emotional Freedom Techniques (Original EFT TM ) form of tapping on the end points of the energy meridians. Gary Craig became a leader in spreading the word about tapping to the general public and has written several books on the subject. For further information, check out Gary Craig s Official Gold Standard EFT TM website at http://www.emofree.com/. Tapping helps rewire neural pathways so we can break some of the habits that keep us stuck. ~ Kris Carr, New York Times Best Selling Author, Wellness Activist ~ 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 9
How and Why It Works Our body s natural state of being is health and balance but as humans, life happens and we get off track. We get stuck, emotionally and physically upset, we get out of balance. We get sick. Our bodies have their own innate repair systems that turn on and work quite well but only when our nervous systems are relaxed! When you are having stress responses all those natural self repair mechanisms get turned off and blocked because your body and brain are too busy dealing with stress hormones and deciding whether to fight or flee in order to heal or save itself. Go figure. The average person experiences many stress responses per day. Sometimes just getting up in the morning with a stiff neck or a sore back, getting children dressed, fed and off to school, taking care of pets or elders, household chores and then the daily commute, car pool, errands and unexpected difficulties or traffic along the way is enough to put you over the edge. If you are lonely, depressed, chronically ill, in a demanding job or a job you hate, or possibly in a difficult relationship, the number of stress responses could be in the hundreds...every day. Talk about blocks to self-healing! What you need is the body s relaxation response and Innate Wisdom to kick in so it can heal itself and return to balance. Tapping breaks through blocks and barriers and turns on the switch to selfhealing by calming the Amygdala in your brain. What is the Amygdala? I learned the following from Lissa Rankin, M.D. Most people think that stress is simply being over-worked or overwhelmed. To the body, stress is any thought or feeling that triggers the Amygdala which is part of the primordial brain in the 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 10
limbic system. It is there to protect us when we are threatened and triggers the fight or flight response. That primordial brain response makes you physically and emotionally ready to stand and fight for your life if needed or to be ready and able to run away from any threat. When triggered by stress, the Amygdala communicates to the hypothalamus which then sends a message to the pituitary gland which triggers the adrenal gland and the body is filled with epinephrine and cortisol (commonly known as the stress hormone) and then you are in the fight or flight mode. Dr. Rankin further explained that every thought you have that is threatening triggers the same fight or flight response from the brain. Things like, angry, fearful, worried or anxious thoughts are all interpreted as stress (threatening thoughts) by the body. The Amygdala cannot distinguish the difference between these types of thoughts or when you are actually facing a tiger in the jungle and feeling like you have to run away from the beast that wants to eat you for lunch! The Amygdala doesn t know the difference between something real or imagined. Several different types of practices can create the relax response in the Amygdala as well as Tapping but usually only for short periods of time like, meditation, deep breathing, massage, yoga, Tai Chi, being creative, having sex, laughing, and exercising, to name a few. I highly recommend doing all of those things but Tapping has unique qualities unto itself. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 11
OK, having sex has its own unique qualities too, but never mind. Yes, you can tap for 20 minutes and feel relaxed but if administered correctly and diligently, Tapping can also lead you to some pretty profound quantum shifts. It can lead you to eliminate pain, deeper levels of trauma and limiting beliefs which can help you bring about serious life changes. The body LOVES tapping and immediately accepts it as the message to stop, come back into present time, relax, release and return to balance. The tapping rhythm felt by your body is similar to your pulse, heartbeat and blood flow so the body easily resonates with it as a communication tool. It s like a comforting security blanket that makes everything feel better. Have you ever held your head when you have a headache, rubbed a sore spot, or patted someone to comfort them? Tapping is another non-invasive, gentle form of soothing touch with a bit of oomph added in. Tapping can help you connect with your innermost self to transform procrastination, frustration, overwhelm, disturbing memories, fear, pain and suffering into a life of freedom, joy, abundance and gratitude. EFT is a tool that allows healing to occur. It s a self applied tool that s easy, simple that creates miracles. ~ Carol Tuttle, Master Energy Therapist, Author and Spiritual Teacher ~ 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 12
Tapping Points 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 13
How to Tap Step 1 - Identify the issue you wish to treat: What is bothering you right now? For example, you could choose work related stress, anxiety or upset over a bad experience. Then tune-in to what that feels like and where you feel it in your body. For instance, I always feel stress as tightness in my stomach. Step 2 Determine the Level of Intensity: Determine the level of intensity you are feeling this distress using a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no intensity and 10 being the highest level of intensity. Write this number down or keep it in mind for use a bit later in the process. Using the Tapping Point Chart on page 13 for reference, use one to three fingers of either hand, whichever is most comfortable, and gently tap each point in the sequence listed below as you repeat the Set Up Statement and the consecutive Reminder Phrases (more about these in a moment) which refer to the issue you are treating. Tap lightly; just use the same pressure you would use to tap someone gently on the shoulder to get their attention. Tap several times (5 to 7 times), or however long it takes for you to say one statement at each point before moving on to the next point. Step 3 The Set-Up Statement: Start by tapping on the Karate Chop point (located on the side of your hand) and repeat the Set-Up Statement (pg. 18) 3 times. Here s an example: Even though I m feeling this [state your issue], I honor that I feel this way and I deeply and completely love and accept myself. Keep tapping and repeat the statement 2 more times. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 14
Step 4 The Reminder Phrase: Next, move on to tap the head and torso points in the following order. Say one Reminder Phrase (pg. 20), such as, This stress at each point while you tap. EB: Eye Brow (inner edge of brow) SE: Side of Eye (outer edge of eye socket) UE: Under Eye (top of check bone, directly under eye) UN: Under Nose (1/2 way between nose and upper lip) CH: Chin (in the crease, between bottom lip and chin) CB: Collarbone (just below the collarbone) UA: Under Arm (approx 4 inches under arm pit, at bra line) TH: Top of Head (crown of head) Step 5 - Repeat if necessary: Repeat step 4 by repeating the statements (or some of your own) tapping through all the head and torso points more times as necessary until you start to feel better. It is not necessary to tap the Karate Chop point or repeat the Set-Up Statement again. Start the second round of Reminder Phrases at the Eye Brow point. Step 6 Optional: Re-assess your level of intensity from 0-10. Step 7 - Forgiveness Step: Perform one or more rounds of tapping on the head and torso points saying forgiveness related Reminder Phrases (pg. 20), such as, I forgive myself for getting upset. Start at the Eye Brow point. Step 8 - Reframe Step: Perform one or more rounds of tapping on the head and torso points saying positive affirmation Reminder Phrases (pg. 20), such as, I feel better now, I can love myself through this. Start at the Eye Brow point. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 15
Step 9 Tap and Release: Take a few slow, deep breaths and exhale slowly while tapping again on all the head and torso points without any words. Think about releasing any remaining stuck energy. Step 10 Final Assessment: This is your final barometer check. Re-assess your level of intensity from 0-10. Did your original number change? How so? Do you feel better, worse or the same? If you still have not achieved any level of relief or change, you can immediately start over at Step 3 with a new Set-Up Statement: Even though I have repeatedly tapped, I am not feeling any better and I don t know why! I m going to do my best anyway and trust that I will feel relief shortly because I really do want to feel better. Ask yourself, When was the earliest time in my life that I ever felt this way? Then tap on that event and how it made you feel. As a general rule, I suggest you keep tapping until you reach an intensity level of 2 or less. Of course, getting to zero is the ultimate goal but if I am short on time, I find that reaching a 2 or 3 is acceptable for me in most cases. You have to judge for yourself. Although most people feel immediate relief, your individual experience may require you to tap on the issue for one or more rounds, then do the Forgiveness and Reframe steps before you feel any improvement or shift. Don t judge any lack of progress, just go with it. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 16
Sometimes it may take a day or two for you to feel better. Some people who did not feel immediate relief often reported that they felt better the next day after a good night s rest or even a nap. Every person is different and assimilates change in their own way and in their own time. Be patient. Stay positive. Consider tapping on any frustration you have with the tapping process being slow to work for you. Keep breathing and if necessary, seek professional assistance. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 17
How to Create Tapping Statements The Set-Up Statement (Step 3) The Set-Up Statement, repeated three times while you continuously tap on the Karate Chop (KC) point, consists of two parts. The first part, Even though I have this [state your problem] acknowledges your issue and alerts the body and emotions as to what you desire to relieve and puts you in present time by accepting that you have that feeling or issue. Tapping on the Karate Chop point at the meridian point on the side of your hand helps override the psychological or energy reversal you may be experiencing. A psychological reversal is when our conditioned beliefs have no basis in truth but we still believe them to be true. They are actually false beliefs that feel true to us. The second part of the statement, I deeply and completely love and accept myself affirms that you are OK and that you love and honor yourself despite having that feeling or issue. If you can t say, I deeply and completely love and accept myself for the second half of your Set-Up Statement, that s OK! Many are not yet at that level of acceptance. No worries; it may take time to get comfortable with saying those words and believing them. First, I invite you to try it. Give it your best shot. Have you ever heard of the expression, Fake it until you make it? This is the 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 18
perfect application for that very thing. The more you state, I deeply and completely love, honor, accept and forgive myself while you are tapping, the more your subconscious mind begins to accept and believe it. The subconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is a real experience and what is not a real experience. It learns by repetition of what you see in your mind s eye. This is a very important piece of the Law of Attraction! The more you imagine or visualize something; the way it looks, feels, tastes, smells, etc., the more your subconscious mind believes it is real. In essence, you can re-train your subconscious mind with repetition. What you focus on is what you create and manifest in your reality. Can you see why it is so important to release negative behaviors and change your focus from unwanted outcomes and reframe them into what you DO want? When you love and accept yourself at the deepest level is when you are closest to All That Is. Loving and accepting yourself is the ultimate confirmation of Source and is the foundation for creating a happier, healthier life. If you choose not to say, I deeply and completely love and accept myself for the second half of the Set-Up Statement, it is perfectly acceptable to use modified statements that you are more comfortable with. Try these or create your own. I choose to release this now. on some level I know that I am OK. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 19
I know that with Spirit s help, I can get through this. I accept that I m human and having these feelings is OK. I know that the Universe supports me and I am ready to let this go. Use your intuition to make up your own second half the Set-Up Statement as long as it is positive, accepting and in present time. Remember, the Set-Up Statement is always repeated 3 times as you continuously tap the Karate Chop point. The Reminder Phrase (Step 4) The Reminder Phrase simply states your issue again and is repeated at the head and torso points. It can be as simple as, This stress. Most beginners choose to repeat a simple statement at all head and torso points until they feel more comfortable creating more detailed statements like: This stress I feel because of that argument. As you become more comfortable with the process, slightly change the Reminder Phrase by adding in more detail. Be sure to stay on the same subject you started with but slightly change the words. For example: This stress could change to, This unbearable stress I feel as tightness in my stomach or This stress that is overwhelming me or This stress that makes me want to run and hide. Get the idea? Follow your intuition and be creative with your Reminder Phrases as you go along. Be as specific and provide as much detail as possible. If you get stuck and don t know what to say, go back to a simple statement such as, This stress. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 20
I find it worthwhile to use simple descriptions for the first round of tapping because it really helps me tune-in to my issue. Then it becomes easy for my intuition to chime in later with more specific and elaborate descriptions of my emotions or physical pain. If you have trouble putting your emotions into words, that s okay. It is perfectly acceptable to think and feel whatever is bothering you and go through the tapping process in silence until you are able to verbalize what you are feeling. It s not so much about the words, it s about feeling the feelings you want to clear. Saying words to verbalize emotions helps most people connect with their issues and that s why tapping protocols instruct you to use them. Again, words are not required to achieve relief. In the same manner, if you can only verbalize sounds like a groan, moan, or even a scream, that is perfectly acceptable as well. Don t be afraid of doing it wrong. You cannot do it wrong and end up with a negative result. You could, however, do it without any affect at all and just not get the results you desire. No harm, no foul, no damage done. Why Tap on the Negative? Some people have trouble tapping on their negative issues because they are afraid it might act like an affirmation and further enhance what they don t want. But that is just not true. Tapping on the negative is tapping on the truth as you see it. Your unwanted feelings are real and they are your truth. It is important to tap on the negative feelings you want to relieve in order for the body to release them. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 21
Tapping releases the cork, so to speak, as it calms the Amygdala in your brain. Have you ever just talked about a problem with a friend and felt better afterward? By doing that you released some of the negative charge regarding that issue. Tapping on the negative does NOT affirm or embed the issue further. In fact, it does just the opposite by releasing the pressure similar to a volcano. Once you have tapped on your truth for one or more rounds you should start to feel a shift. Keep tapping until you DO feel a shift of some sort. Are your eyes starting to tear, are you yawning or feel like you must take a deep breath or stretch your body? You may just start feeling better or lighter, or simply less upset. These are clues that your body is responding to the tapping and are clear signs of a shift taking place. If you are unsure, think about your issue again and rate it on an intensity scale from 0-10. If the number is the same as when you started, another round or two of tapping on the issue or emotions in greater detail may be enough to create movement. The Forgiveness Step (Step 7) This step is not part of the MTT Tapping protocol that I originally learned but I find it extremely valuable so I wanted to share it with you. I use it every time. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 22
After one or more rounds of tapping on your negative issue, do another round or two of tapping with forgiveness related reminder phrases. Some that you create could be similar to these: I forgive myself for having these feelings; I am doing the best I can. I forgive myself for acting that way; I choose to do better next time. I forgive myself for [state the issue]; I am doing the best I know how. I forgive [so-and-so] for doing that; they did the best they knew how. I forgive that person; they had no idea what they did would hurt me. I forgive myself, I forgive myself, I forgive myself! I forgive myself for allowing them to hurt me; I am stronger now. I forgive my body; it s doing the best it knows how. I forgive my mind; it did the best it could in that situation. Reframing Step (Step 8) If you felt a shift and/or your intensity rating decreased to a mid-range number like 4 or 5 it is time to introduce some positive affirmation reminder phrases to reframe your experiences and anchor in some positive energy. Just make sure these statements are in present time and are positive. Do not use negative words like, no, can t, won t, don t. Also at this point, try not to use non-empowering words that could have a negative connotation like debt, stress, frustration, anger, and worry as those words are best used for stating your issue in the beginning, not for reframing into positive behavior. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 23
Here are some examples of positive affirmation Reminder Phrases to use while tapping on your head and torso points: I am ready to let this go and feel better. I allow my body to let this go now. I can feel a shift coming on. I choose to release this and feel better. I am ready to move on by letting this go. I am grateful for help from God and my angels I am letting this go, NOW. I know my body easily heals itself. I am now calm, cool and collected, ready to move on. I am worthy of feeling happy and free. I now choose to love and accept myself. I feel better and better, every day, in every way. I know I can do this now. I love myself by taking better care of me in this way. Thank you, Universe, for always supporting me. The Quick 10 Step Guide on the next page lists all the previous steps so you can refer to them quickly and easily. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 24
Tapping QUICK 10 STEP GUIDE 1. Identify your issue and tune-in, where do you feel it? 2. Determine your level of intensity 0-10 3. Set Up Statement: Say 3 times, tapping on Karate Chop point 4. Reminder Phrases: Tap and repeat on head and torso points 5. Take one or more deep breaths, repeat steps 1-4 if necessary 6. Optional: Re-evaluate your level of intensity from 0-10 7. Forgiveness Step: Tap head/torso points, forgiveness phrases 8. Reframe Step: Tap head/torso points, positive affirmations 9. Take a few deep breaths, exhale slowly, tap all points, release 10. Re-evaluate your level of intensity from 0-10 If you ended up with an intensity of 2 or less, good work! If you did not get an intensity of 2 or less, keep tapping using tips from the next section, Suggestions for Enhancement. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 25
Suggestions for Enhancement Keep a list Keep pen and paper handy. The tapping process can often inspire thoughts of other issues or events for you to tap on. When these pop into your head, quickly write them down so you can easily get back to them later. Some find it helpful to give certain events from their past a short description or name, and write the name down along with the intensity rating in order to keep track of their progress. Breathing and Water In between tapping rounds it is very important to consciously take some slow, easy, deep breaths. This helps your body expel negative emotion as well as fuel your brain with much needed oxygen. Keep a glass of water handy and stay hydrated. Energy work can often make you thirsty and water helps flush toxins out of your tissues. An occasional sip of water also has a calming effect on your emotions. Be Specific Describe the troubling event in detail, how the negative emotion makes you feel and where you feel it in your body. Focusing on a specific limiting belief, particular person, event, fear of a possible future scenario, etc., in full detail can provide faster results. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 26
Tap Frequently and Consistently Tapping when you are upset about something at the moment you experience it is the best time to tap. As life happens, it is not always convenient to stop what you are doing and tap it out. In that case, tap as soon as you can, first thing in the morning, on your break, and/or before you go to bed at night, whenever you possibly can. When I was working in a job I hated and everything seemed unbearable, I was pretty stressed out. I dreaded going to work every day. I tapped every morning before work when I walked my dog. The neighbors may have thought I had a nervous tick or something, but what they thought of me walking down the street tapping myself made little difference to me because I knew that by the time I got done with my tapping walk, both the dog and I had gotten our exercise and I was cool, calm and collected. I was able to face the day ahead of me to the best of my ability. Sometimes I would tap all the way to work and again during my commute home in the evening, but only at the stop lights! Like all ailments we experience, sometimes our issues have many layers, like that of an onion. Until you become adept at the tapping process, it may take several sessions for you to reach deeper layers. For instance, if you were taught as a child to react to certain situations with anger and fear and that was compounded by years of reacting with anger and fear, you probably have a lot of layers to get through. Be patient and keep tapping, this is normal, you ll get there. You may 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 27
wish to employ the assistance of a certified EFT Practitioner or Coach to assist you. The biggest mistake you can make is not tapping enough! It is important to keep tapping to find the deeper connection or the earliest experience related to your distress. Tell a Story Tap on a specific event that upset you and elaborate with your Reminder Phrases by telling the story of what happened as if you were talking to your best friend. What do you need to say? Do you need to be heard? Do you need to tell your side of the story? Another option is to say what you need to say to the other person you argued with as if they were standing in front of you as you tap on each point. After repeating your Set Up Statement three times (or you could skip the Set-Up Statement completely), start tapping at the Eye Brow point and work your way through all the head and torso tapping points, moving to the next point with each new statement which describes the event. If you use the talking to a friend scenario it could go something like this. Note: the initials indicate the name of the tapping point (reference chart on page 13) KC: Even though I am so angry and upset over that argument yesterday, I acknowledge my feelings and I know it s OK to have them. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 28
KC: Even though my stomach is still in knots over that argument and I keep reliving it with so much anger, I choose to love and accept myself anyway so I can move on and feel better. KC: Even though I am still hurting over that argument, I choose to release these negative feelings, I know that I am OK and I love, honor and accept myself. EB: SE: UE: I can t believe she said that to me! I was so shocked, I was speechless. The nerve of that woman! UN: And then this happened CH: She is such a witch! CB: UA: TH: I got so angry; I almost told her off right then. And then she said, I was so upset and so embarrassed by it all! It is helpful to tell the complete story using as many rounds as it takes to elaborate on how you felt during the entire event and what was said. Tap until you feel a shift before doing the Forgiveness Step and then tap in some positive affirmation Reminder Phrases to reframe the experience. Play a Movie in Your Mind Are your emotions so intense that you can t think of what to say? 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 29
Think about the event in your life that caused your upset and give it a name, like a movie title, and then determine your level of intensity according to how upset you re feeling. Then run the movie in your mind, silently without Reminder Phrases. Watch it play out, as the observer, while you tap on your head and torso points. Tap through the entire movie until you feel a shift, then do the Forgiveness and Reframe steps verbally. Are the feelings you have too intense to handle? Try this instead: Think about the event in your life and give it a movie title name then assign the level of intensity according to how you feel. Tap through all your head and torso points while repeating the name of the movie only. The point here is to take a step back from the seeing the movie play out, by just saying the name of the movie at each point instead of watching it. This should allow you to process the event at a manageable distance without becoming too overwhelmed. Check your intensity rating for any change. If you are not down to zero, keep tapping with the Set-Up Phrase, Even though I still have some remaining feelings about [movie title], I love and accept myself anyway. Use Reminder Phrases like, These remaining feelings I have about this movie., I still have some remaining feelings about this and These remaining feelings I have about [movie title]. If you find that your emotions are still too overwhelming just back off to a level you can handle and continue tapping or walk away from it 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 30
completely until you feel stronger. You might wish to obtain a professional tapping coach to assist you. Let Your Emotions Flow If you cry, yell, or use profanity, great! Let it out. Just do it in a safe and appropriate environment, not where it will affect others. I often cried during my morning tapping walks with my dog and described events and people in not-so-flattering terms. Any emotion you can physically express while tapping gives the process that extra oomph and you ll feel a lot better. I think it s a bonus to have a good cry because I feel like I released on a deeper level. So if it feels good, do it. Get Angry About It Here s a tip I learned from Gwenn Bonnell at www.tapintoheaven.com. Gwenn got fed up because she tapped on everything she could think of to heal her swollen elbow and it was just not getting better. She admitted that she was only tapping about once a day, so that may have been part of the reason her body was slow to respond but still, she knew tapping was the answer and was frustrated that it hadn t yet worked. She finally got so irritated, she did some angry tapping! She did not tap on the anger to release or address the anger in any way, instead she expressed anger while she tapped. She really got into feeling how angry she was that this problem had lasted so long, how much it hurt, how inconvenient it was, and how long she d been expecting it to get better without results. After 2 rounds of some angry tapping on that stupid swollen elbow and then a nap, her elbow was back to normal when she woke up! 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 31
She suggested that maybe the energy of anger enhanced the EFT process or perhaps tapping with emotional intensity allowed her to harness the power of that energy to move her forward in her healing process. This Reminds Me Of A wonderful tool to use while tapping is to say to yourself, This reminds me of [fill in the blank] and tap on whatever comes to mind. This can easily lead you to connect with past events that are related to the same emotions you are currently clearing. A very effective way to use this technique is at the beginning of your tapping session. Once you have identified the emotion you want to clear, ask yourself, When was the earliest time in my life I ever felt this way? Then tap on that scenario by telling the story or while you play the movie in your mind. Clearing the emotional energy from a past event BEFORE you try to clear the current event could allow your process to flow that much quicker. It s like clearing the clog out of the drain pipe so the dirty water can be released and clear, clean water can flow freely. I recently tapped on an event where someone at work was making fun of me and it really hurt my feelings. I tapped several rounds describing the event and the negative feelings I had, I tapped with forgiveness to my co-workers for being so childish, I tapped with forgiveness to myself for giving my power away and letting those people define me. Before I moved on to tapping with some positive reminder phrases to reframe, I asked myself, and this reminds me of when I was a child and my brothers ganged up on me by making 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 32
fun of me and I felt degraded and humiliated. That hurt was pretty deep because it was such a common occurrence when I was growing up. I carried that pain for a lot of years without realizing it. Tapping out that issue from the past allowed me to quickly move through the remainder of the tapping session and completely relieved my current distress. Even though the sequence I used worked, it may have gone quicker if before I started to tap I asked myself when was the earliest time I recalled being made fun of and I felt humiliated and disrespected. Then I could have tapped on that early experience first. Regardless of the sequence, it would have brought me to the same conclusion. Back to those layers of the onion again. We all have many experiences of hurt, anxiety and fear throughout our lives and we tend to bury them. Unless cleared away, they build on one another creating layers of dysfunctional, emotional gunk. What we don t face on a conscious level, we suffer on an unconscious level. Using the This reminds me of statement is a great way to trigger your memory into recalling similar experiences from the past that may be keeping you stuck in a cycle of dysfunction. Be sure to tap them out! Opposing Thoughts Tapping This is an alternative option that may work better for you. Pick an issue you wish to work on then make a list on a sheet of paper of your negative thoughts or beliefs about that issue on one side of the page 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 33
and list your exact opposite, positive thoughts or affirmations on the other side of the page. Tap out the negative thoughts on the left side of your body and the positive thoughts on the right side (or vice versa) and keep alternating one negative tap with a positive tap until you finish your list. Here s an example for stress and overwhelm: Left EB: My to-do list is too long, it s too much to handle. Right EB: If I prioritize, my list becomes less threatening. Left SE: There are still too many things I need to get done. Right SE: If I can delegate some things, I will feel better. Left UE: My stomach is in knots over all this stress. Right UE: I release my stomach tightness with every exhale. Left UN: I repeatedly run out of time every day. Right UN: Time expands to meet my needs, I can do this. Left CH: If I don t get it all done, I m a failure. Right CH: With every failure comes knowledge; I learn a new way. Left CB: It is not OK to fail. Right CB: Mistakes are OK, I AM OK, I learn from mistakes. Left UA: I am so critical of myself and others. Right UA: I accept myself and others; we re doing the best we can. Left TH: I just feel stuck. Right TH: I release all my limiting thoughts and beliefs. I know I can do this with ease and grace. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 34
Opposite Hand Tapping Alternate between using your dominate hand and your nondominate hand to tap with. You can switch between rounds or use one hand on one day, and the other hand on the next day. Switching hands can allow you to more easily integrate the emotional transformation and help to more fully neutralize the issue(s) you are working on. Cross-Over Hand Tapping Use your right hand to tap on the left side of your body and your left hand to tap on the right side of your body. Do this at the same time (both hands tapping at once) or alternate one hand at a time. This hand cross-over could stimulate new issues to surface. Change Location Do you always tap in the same room? Experiment with tapping at different places like your back yard or a favorite nature spot. Having a lie down in the grass or sitting against a tree at your local park or hiking trail may trigger a deeper connection and allow an energy shift for new focus. On the same note, try changing the position of your body. Stand versus sit, lie down, or tap while you walk the treadmill. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 35
Define the Pay-Off Here s where you get to be really honest with yourself. It was a big eye-opener for me. Tapping on the answer(s) to this question could bring you surprising results! Ask yourself, What is the benefit or excuse I get to enjoy by holding on to this [fill in the blank]? What is the pay-off you may be addicted to? Could it be that by telling yourself because you are so stressed out about other things, that it gives you an excuse for being short tempered with your spouse? Could it be that you have too many things on your plate and that gives you the excuse you need to not take time for yourself or to walk the dog? Is being angry with your boss your excuse for losing your cool and yelling at your kids for irritating you? 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 36
What is the pay-off or excuse you get to enjoy by experiencing this fear, stress or anxiety? Does holding on to your issue make it easier for you to say no to people by telling yourself you have a valid reason? Consider eliminating any unknown reasons for self-sabotage through tapping. You don t always have to know why they exist or how you got them in order to let them go. Tapping in the Breath After your final round do one round of tapping on all the head and torso points while taking a few slow, deep breaths. No need for words just let it all go and breathe. You may choose to think thoughts of releasing, letting it all go, and I am well. Just tap and focus on your breath. Alternate Methods I know of one energy therapist that prefers to say several short or one word Reminder Statements before she moves on to the next tapping point versus saying one statement or word for each point. Because she has the location of each tapping point memorized, she moves to the next point as her intuition guides her so she can concentrate more deeply on the feelings and emotions she is releasing. I ve tried this method and like it a lot. If you are in a hurry or in a very public place, tap a quick round using just the Karate Chop point without moving on to the other body points. This can be a very effective quick fix. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 37
If it feels good to you, try tapping on your favorite point, all by itself. Pick the one that comforts you the most. The collar bone point is my personal favorite. If you prefer, tap on all the points in any order you wish. Allow your divine guidance to lead you. In my experience, it is all a matter of personal preference and once you know the basic protocol I invite you to experiment with what works best for you. My research brought me to several different methods of tapping and some with additional tapping points and I ended up blending them together to create one that worked for me. Jessica Ortner of the Tapping Solution (www.thetappingsolution.com) often instructs ending a tapping meditation by placing both hands on your heart and acknowledging yourself for who are and what you are doing to improve your life through tapping. Honor yourself for taking care of you and for loving yourself enough to want to feel better. Just for you. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 38
Example Tapping Scripts It is always best to tap using your own words to describe your particular situation and feelings. However, as a beginner you may not be quite sure how to start. Again, if you re feeling stuck, tap without words for a while, just feel your feelings and tap. The words will come if and when you need them. The benefit of using tapping scripts is that they may help you discover something you didn t know was there, silently sabotaging your peace of mind, happiness and/or your success goals. Use the following tapping scripts as they are and borrow benefits or use these scripts and mentally change the words as you go along to fit your situation. To borrow benefits is when you tap along with a pre-written script or recorded session that may not be in exact alignment with your issue but you still receive the benefit of the tapping session by tapping along with it as written. Before you start, set your intention on your issue and that you will borrow the benefits from the session. Then allow your body to do the rest, it knows exactly what to do. You can also find a plethora of tap along videos on You Tube. Go to www.youtube.com and search for your particular issue, i.e., EFT Tapping for Anger or Tapping for Weight Loss. Even though the You Tube videos are often short in length and may not contain the exact same steps as I describe, they may just be what you need to get yourself started. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 39
Tapping Script for Stress The more you tap to rid yourself of overwhelming emotions, the better you become at making empowering choices. KC: Even though I am so stressed out right now, I completely honor my feelings and accept that I feel this way. KC: Even though I m feeling this stress in my body, and I m completely overwhelmed and don t know what to do, I know that on some level, I am OK. KC: Even though this stress seems to rule my life right now, I know that the Universe supports me, and I still deeply and completely love and accept myself, no matter what. EB: This stress/this work stress/school stress/this family stress. SE: It is overwhelming me/i don t know what to do/don t know where to turn. UE: There is too much on my plate/i can t handle it all/i need help. UN: This feeling of overwhelm is too much/my stomach is in knots/i want to run and hide myself away/i just want to cry. CH: Not dealing with everything seems like the answer/i m not really sure if I can get out from underneath all this. CB: Too many demands on me/people need me/i have to do everything myself. UA: My spouse needs me/kids need me/parents need me/boss needs me/too many tasks to perform/i m so overwhelmed. TH: My body aches/i am so tired/exhausted/worn out/burned the candle at both ends for too long. ~DEEP BREATH~ 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 40
EB: I can t take this anymore/i m freaking out/losing my mind/i can t sleep/all I want to do is sleep. SE: I keep forgetting things/dropping things/tripping over things. UE: If one more thing comes up I m gonna lose it/this is not right. UN: It s making me crazy/i m raving mad/i m short tempered. CH: My patience is gone/i need to yell/i need to break something. CB: I m worried my family hates me/friends hate me/co-workers are frustrated with me/my boss is upset with me too. UA: What if I fail/i can t fail/what if I get fired/what if I hurt people I love/my self-respect is gone. TH: My life sucks/i need help/i need a way out/i need a solution. ~DEEP BREATH~ EB: Maybe if I forgive myself; I ve been doing the best I can to keep my head above water. SE: Maybe I can forgive myself for thinking I was alone in this; I forgot that help is always there if I ask for it. UE: I forgive me for being too hard on myself, for not taking better care of me. UN: I forgive everyone who dumped on me; they did the best they knew how. CH: I forgive my spouse/kids/parents/friends/boss for getting frustrated and angry with me. CB: I forgive myself for all the times I acted out inappropriately, was short-tempered or intolerant of others. UA: I forgive my body for holding on to this pain and overwhelm; it didn t know what else to do. TH: Releasing my need for excuses/my need for blame/my need to shut down. ~DEEP BREATH~ EB: Maybe if I keep breathing/maybe ask for help/think positive. SE: I deserve to be calm and loving and funny and happy again. 2014 Patrica A. Pauletto www.alternativeavenues.info 41