Question:
Hi all
I’ve recently been experimenting with EFT and stumbled on this forum – seems like a great place for advice.
On the surface EFT seems like a really simple technique but I’m not sure I’m doing it ‘right’. I am trying to use it to improve my overall self-image and self-confidence in certain situations. I am using the Personal Peace Procedure described by Gary as a way of systematically getting rid of negative feelings from past memories.
I have been doing this for about a week now but I don’t really know if it has made any difference. The problem is that I find it hard to get intense about the memories to begin with – the only way I get intense is when I’m in the situation but it’s difficult to start tapping when you’re walking down the street without looking like some sort of freak! Can it still be working even if you don’t feel that much different about the memory?
Another problem I’m having is knowing what to be tapping for exactly – I can get pretty caught up in tapping on emotions, meta-emotions and meta-meta-emotions! For example I can get very nervous when I’m around certain individuals whom I find quite intimidating. I have found incidents in the past where I have felt nervous with them, or they have been dismissive or aggressive with me. What should I tap for - i.e. ‘Feel nervous about’, ‘Feel depressed about feeling nervous’. Also should it be phrased in the past or present – i.e. ‘Even though I screwed up really badly’ or ‘Even though I feel bad now about screwing up back then so badly’.
As you can tell I have a habit of overanalysing things – maybe I should tap for that as well!
Any advice would be great – maybe some tips of how to move forward in the best possible way.
Red
hi red
my reply is that you cant get it wrong.
a handy hint to remember is that if you are in a public situation and wish you could do some tapping, but the whole round would look a bot odd, you can tap discreetly on the inner wrist.
I was in a circle of dancers yesterday, being taught a new dance and a migraine threatened. I tapped on the inner wrist and it did not develop into a migraine after all, despite the initial flashing warning signals
tigress
Hi There,
You'll be pleased to know that EFT taps on all the feelings altogether, thereby removing the need to identify them. So you may find that it is much more efficient to tap on the specific actual incident, not the feeling.
So let's say that one incident is when Sarah broke your vase last Wednesday. The easiest way is to first of all ask yourself do you feel totally zero on a scale of 10-0 about this incident or it it something above zero? If above zero, then tap as follows.
Setup:
"Even though I have this Sarah Broke my vase last Wednesday feeling, I deeply love and accept myself"
Reminder:
"This Sarah Broke my vase last Wednesday feeling"
Repeat until the way you feel about this particular one incident is zero.
Thanks for your replies.
One problem I seem to be having at the moment is using EFT when I am actually experiencing the symptons - e.g. heart beat faster, sweating..etc. When I start tapping I seem to experience no noticeable relief even after doing several rounds.
Could it be that the setup phrase is not being worded correctly by me? When you are actually experiencing the symptons here and now is it ok to say 'Even though I am having these nervous feelings right now...' or do you still have to think of an actual past incident that is causing you to feel those feelings.
Thanks
Red
Hiya Red
It's likely it could be in the wording. You're not quite hitting the nail on the head so to speak. You mentioned in your first post that, for example,certain individuals make you nervous etc. so try wording it very specifically e.g. "Even though 'Fred' makes me nervous, I'm OK"
If it's somehing more specific about 'Fred' that you know makes you nervous then focus on that e.g. "Even though I don't like 'Fred' getting in my personal space, I'm OK" or "Even though I don't 'Fred' always puts me down in front of others, I'm OK".
Attempt to look for the root cause of the issue rather than working on the symptoms.
Love and Reiki Hugs
I think this is because of many incidents in the past too, so keep treating those and you will eventually find relief comes easier when you tap in the moment.
Hi
For many clients I see where we use EFT, they will often report that one or maybe two specific points that we tap on can sem to release more of the issue than the others.
If they make me aware of this, I suggest that the one or two points that they have identified, can be used to tap on in isolation when they can't use the whole EFT routine. The times that people don't or can't use the whole EFT routine is when there are other people around as you stated earlier.
Gary Craig has alsodemonstrated that imagining tapping rather than physically tapping can also be highly effective. This is another way of helping yourself in those public situations.
Regarding the set up phrase... in my experience, changing the words to your own can be a very powerful thing to do. Remembering that the thrust of the set up phrase is about 'self acceptance' and as long as you have that underlying meaning behind any change to the set up phrase, then you should still get results.
Another way of getting more specific is to change a statement like...
eg. Even though I have these nervous feelings right now...
into...
Even though my legs feels shakey right now...
Even though I feel butterflies in my stomach...
I hope that inspires you.
Hi
Have another question... Gary C says it is best to choose memories that are at least 5 years ago (or thereabouts) when neutralising bad feelings. However, can it be just aseffective or more to choose something that occured last week? Or - is working with RECENT memoriespretty ineffective as you arealmost working with the symptons of the underlying problem? I ask becausefor some problems I can't find any bad memories far in the past that might have triggered them.
Thanks for everyones help
Red
I’ve recently been experimenting with EFT and stumbled on this forum – seems like a great place for advice.
On the surface EFT seems like a really simple technique but I’m not sure I’m doing it ‘right’. I am trying to use it to improve my overall self-image and self-confidence in certain situations. I am using the Personal Peace Procedure described by Gary as a way of systematically getting rid of negative feelings from past memories.
I have been doing this for about a week now but I don’t really know if it has made any difference. The problem is that I find it hard to get intense about the memories to begin with – the only way I get intense is when I’m in the situation but it’s difficult to start tapping when you’re walking down the street without looking like some sort of freak! Can it still be working even if you don’t feel that much different about the memory?
Another problem I’m having is knowing what to be tapping for exactly – I can get pretty caught up in tapping on emotions, meta-emotions and meta-meta-emotions! For example I can get very nervous when I’m around certain individuals whom I find quite intimidating. I have found incidents in the past where I have felt nervous with them, or they have been dismissive or aggressive with me. What should I tap for - i.e. ‘Feel nervous about’, ‘Feel depressed about feeling nervous’. Also should it be phrased in the past or present – i.e. ‘Even though I screwed up really badly’ or ‘Even though I feel bad now about screwing up back then so badly’.
As you can tell I have a habit of overanalysing things – maybe I should tap for that as well!
Any advice would be great – maybe some tips of how to move forward in the best possible way.
Red
Answers:
hi red
my reply is that you cant get it wrong.
a handy hint to remember is that if you are in a public situation and wish you could do some tapping, but the whole round would look a bot odd, you can tap discreetly on the inner wrist.
I was in a circle of dancers yesterday, being taught a new dance and a migraine threatened. I tapped on the inner wrist and it did not develop into a migraine after all, despite the initial flashing warning signals
tigress
Answers:
Hi There,
You'll be pleased to know that EFT taps on all the feelings altogether, thereby removing the need to identify them. So you may find that it is much more efficient to tap on the specific actual incident, not the feeling.
So let's say that one incident is when Sarah broke your vase last Wednesday. The easiest way is to first of all ask yourself do you feel totally zero on a scale of 10-0 about this incident or it it something above zero? If above zero, then tap as follows.
Setup:
"Even though I have this Sarah Broke my vase last Wednesday feeling, I deeply love and accept myself"
Reminder:
"This Sarah Broke my vase last Wednesday feeling"
Repeat until the way you feel about this particular one incident is zero.
Answers:
Thanks for your replies.
One problem I seem to be having at the moment is using EFT when I am actually experiencing the symptons - e.g. heart beat faster, sweating..etc. When I start tapping I seem to experience no noticeable relief even after doing several rounds.
Could it be that the setup phrase is not being worded correctly by me? When you are actually experiencing the symptons here and now is it ok to say 'Even though I am having these nervous feelings right now...' or do you still have to think of an actual past incident that is causing you to feel those feelings.
Thanks
Red
Answers:
Hiya Red
It's likely it could be in the wording. You're not quite hitting the nail on the head so to speak. You mentioned in your first post that, for example,certain individuals make you nervous etc. so try wording it very specifically e.g. "Even though 'Fred' makes me nervous, I'm OK"
If it's somehing more specific about 'Fred' that you know makes you nervous then focus on that e.g. "Even though I don't like 'Fred' getting in my personal space, I'm OK" or "Even though I don't 'Fred' always puts me down in front of others, I'm OK".
Attempt to look for the root cause of the issue rather than working on the symptoms.
Love and Reiki Hugs
Answers:
I think this is because of many incidents in the past too, so keep treating those and you will eventually find relief comes easier when you tap in the moment.
Answers:
Hi
For many clients I see where we use EFT, they will often report that one or maybe two specific points that we tap on can sem to release more of the issue than the others.
If they make me aware of this, I suggest that the one or two points that they have identified, can be used to tap on in isolation when they can't use the whole EFT routine. The times that people don't or can't use the whole EFT routine is when there are other people around as you stated earlier.
Gary Craig has alsodemonstrated that imagining tapping rather than physically tapping can also be highly effective. This is another way of helping yourself in those public situations.
Regarding the set up phrase... in my experience, changing the words to your own can be a very powerful thing to do. Remembering that the thrust of the set up phrase is about 'self acceptance' and as long as you have that underlying meaning behind any change to the set up phrase, then you should still get results.
Another way of getting more specific is to change a statement like...
eg. Even though I have these nervous feelings right now...
into...
Even though my legs feels shakey right now...
Even though I feel butterflies in my stomach...
I hope that inspires you.
Answers:
Hi
Have another question... Gary C says it is best to choose memories that are at least 5 years ago (or thereabouts) when neutralising bad feelings. However, can it be just aseffective or more to choose something that occured last week? Or - is working with RECENT memoriespretty ineffective as you arealmost working with the symptons of the underlying problem? I ask becausefor some problems I can't find any bad memories far in the past that might have triggered them.
Thanks for everyones help
Red
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