More EFT Information
[ 12 November 2007 ]
Disclaimer! I know that some of you aren’t so keen on hearing me talk about EFT. That’s okay — just treat this article like you would on something else that doesn’t interest you, like Britney Spears’ weight fluctuation or Ms Beckham’s bunions. EFT has changed my life & for that reason it would be completely remiss for me not to advocate its use — not to mention, I receive emails every day from people around the world who have tried EFT & seen amazing results…
This is a follow-up piece to my original article, EFT. EFT is a healing technique that I use on myself. Here are the things I’ve learned about EFT since I started. I use it every day, & have done so for over a year now, so I have a fairly good idea of what works & what doesn’t!
The tapping points are…
Crown of the head / start of each eyebrow / side of each eye / underneath each eye / between nose & mouth / dent of chin / where collarbones meet / an inch below the nipple / an inch below the armpit.
Always, always, always drink lots of water before & after you tap. I often find that sometimes I finish tapping & feel like nothing has changed, but after I take a big ol’ slug of water (think at least 500mL), I feel things shifting. The best thing is to drink lots of water beforehand, though — I find it helps to lubricate my brain, as well as not leaving me so thirsty when I’m finished.
If you feel like you’re tapping & nothing is happening, it could be that you’re trying to tackle a really big problem. From what I’ve seen, trying to remove physical problems (like eczema or psoriasis) can take a little while, just because there’s so much to it. There is the physical manifestation (dry or itchy skin), but you also need to look at everything that surrounds that. When did it start (& what happened at that time in your life)? Do you feel shame about it? What are the benefits of having this problem? (Maybe you don’t have to show your skin which makes you feel more secure, or maybe everyone in your family has it & so it makes you feel like you belong.) What do you think needs to change before this problem will go away? What will happen if the problem goes away entirely?
EFT is a brilliant thing to use to increase your efficiency, which is a major reason why I love it. You don’t have to dip into all that emotional baggage stuff if you don’t want to — just use it to make you more productive. iCiNG would not exist without EFT! Tap whenever you’re feeling grumpy or cranky or demotivated about a project, drink some water & see how your attitude changes. EFT is nothing short of amazing used in this way.
Further to the efficiency thing, I used to find that one week a month (sorry guys…), I was so depressed & angry & emotionally wobbly that I really couldn’t get anything done. This used to frustrate me so much, since I am basically a productivity geek, & one week a month is 12 weeks a year! That is way too much time to waste lying around feeling sorry for yourself. I used EFT to tap out all my symptoms at the time (“Even though I’m really grumpy & feel hideous & have cramps & can’t concentrate on my work…”), which worked brilliantly, & then tapped it for the future (“Even though every time I have my period I end up wasting the entire week…”). These days, I still require a bit more sleep than usual that week, but my productivity is just as good as any other time of the month. Bonus!
Tapping is kind of like peeling an onion. You remove one problem which then reveals something deeper, which reveals something even more core. The best thing to do is stick at it.
Whenever you have a thought about something that you would rather not have — like, “I’m never going to be able to afford anything at Chanel” — if you can’t tap on it at the time (which is the best thing to do, because you’re very emotionally present in the moment), write it down & do it later. Otherwise it will come back, & it’s such a rubbish, limiting belief, who needs it?
It really helps if you can emotionally connect with the problem you’re trying to resolve. That’s why doing the setup (tapping the karate chop point) is so helpful. Sometimes just launching into a few rounds isn’t enough, because you’re not really feeling the problem. You need to have an emotional response to what you’re doing, otherwise you probably won’t see a lot of results.
Tapping is tiring. I make lists of things I need to tap on & then go through them all in the shower (with a bottle of water just outside the shower door). Afterwards I often feel incredibly drained, & will have to go & have a sleep. If using EFT makes you feel tired as well, the very best thing you can do is hydrate & then sleep. Allow your body to process the changes you’re making. It’s actually quite a major upheaval, which you will become more aware of as you continue with it.
One girl said she had tried doing EFT but that her mind wandered as she was doing the rounds. That’s okay! I often have major breakthroughs when my mind isn’t totally on task, because I just start talking. Pay attention to what you say naturally because it is very common for really interesting beliefs or thoughts to come to the surface when you do this — things you aren’t consciously aware of. It’s okay to tap with an empty mind. “Even though I don’t know what to say… even though I think this is reeeeally stuuuupid… even though I don’t want to make a fool of myself… even though I value logic above all things, even my own mental health…!”
If you’re going to tackle an issue of self-worth, self esteem or body image, it can help to do this while you look in the mirror. This can be quite scary. A lot of people find it very hard to say “I love & forgive you” to a reflection. It’s also hard to lie to your reflection, so if you tap in the mirror you will make big progress.
I have often hit a wall with EFT where I feel like I’m not making any changes at all, which can be incredibly frustrating. Thankfully I have a boyfriend who can point out that I never tap on the same problem twice, & that my progress has been phenomenal. When it’s just you, tapping alone, it can be hard to look at it objectively. It might be helpful for you to have a notebook where you write down the things you’ve tapped on, or make a list of problems & as you work through them, cross them out. This will give you some perspective when you’re having a hard time, because you’ll realise that you never tap on the same thing twice.
If you’re tapping & you have a crazy idea, run with it. That’s probably your intuition speaking. I find that often the first thing I think of is right.
Try to be as specific with the issue as possible. If you’re angry with your sister, don’t just say “Even though I’m angry with my sister…” Trace it back to what you think the root of the problem might be, like, “Even though when we went out to lunch my sister told me I was a disappointment…”
Using EFT is scary & requires great personal courage. Most people are terrified by the idea of looking deep inside themselves & examining what’s there, & will never do it. My heart could burst with pride when people tell me about their experiences with EFT; I think they’re the most amazing people who ever lived.
Remember that you can use EFT for all kinds of things. I once had a friend come to visit me in Auckland just before I moved away, & our time together was really weird because she literally couldn’t stop thinking about this boy she liked. It was as if I only had 20% of her attention at any one time. She told me how much it was frustrating her, so we sat down & I showed her how to tap through it. We faced one another & she followed what I was doing, & repeated what I was saying. “Even though I can’t stop thinking about Clark, & it’s frustrating me because he won’t get out of my head, & I can’t stop obsessing about what’s going to happen when I get home…” Afterwards, she guzzled some water, stopped obsessing over him & we had a fantastic time. True story. (Oh, & when she went home, they got together & have been for two years!)
I think a lot of people who use EFT really only use it to get rid of surface problems. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, it’s brilliant to even use it at all, but I’ve had marvellous results from really investigating my life & clearing out the emotional debris. It has turned me into the happy person I am today, hee! Anyway, if you’re also interested in doing this kind of thing, here are some questions to ask yourself, & then tap on anything that comes up:
- If you could live your life over, what events (or interactions with people) would you skip, & why?
- What/who makes you angry, & why?
- What is your biggest regret?
- What is missing that would make your life perfect?
- Which 3 fears would you like to remove from your life?
- Who or what has held you back from being amazing?
The crucial part of tapping is really where you say that you deeply love & accept & forgive yourself. Don’t leave this bit out! The basic formula for tapping a round is “Even though I ________, I deeply & completely love & accept myself. Even though I _______, I deeply & completely love & forgive myself.” If you’re not sure how to structure what you say beyond this, I would advise going with something like…
(Drink water. Deep breath.) “Even though I have writer’s block, I deeply & completely love & forgive myself. Even though I have no idea what to write & it is driving me nuts, I deeply & completely love & accept myself anyway. Even though it makes me feel like a moron, & I shouldn’t have this problem, I should be able to just get on with it, I deeply & completely love & accept & forgive myself. Even though the idea of sitting at my desk not writing pains me, I choose to release this feeling. I choose to be able to write easily with a clear mind, words flowing like water, in a state of bliss. Even though I have had writer’s block, I choose to let that go. I deeply & completely love & accept & forgive myself.” (Deep breath. Drink water.)
One girl wrote to me saying that she was afraid of saying she loved, accepted & forgave herself. That’s totally understandable, & I think we all get to a stage at some point where we are so out of sync with ourselves that we are frightened of who we are. If saying the part about love/acceptance/forgiveness weirds you out, just power on through. Say it anyway, even if you don’t believe it. You basically need to trick your body into believing it. The more you say it, the more true it will become. Fake it until you make it, & all that. It works, I promise!
My amazing boyfriend made an EFT website a little while ago. It has some great tapping examples which are definitely worth a look! (I may be biased, but hey…)
My friend Rod, who is a professional EFT practitioner, is offering all iCiNG readers a free 40 minute phone session! Click for more details. He’s wonderful, I promise!
I was planning on making another EFT video but I’d like to make one that someone can use, straight off the bat. If you have a problem that you think you might be able to tackle with EFT, but you’re not sure how to do it, leave a comment & I’ll choose one to use as an example!
Hyper-love & bunny kisses,
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I should use this right now to get myself back on track with studying!
Just a quick question but is it important to say it out loud? Can you whisper/say it in your head? Usually my house is full of people and I don’t want eyes being rolled at me.
Thanks for doing this though Gala, it’s really opened me up to new possibilities.
You can definitely do it in your head, I do all the time :> Good luck! It should work like a treat to get you back to your study!
OK, you’ve really intrigued me now, Gala. I have been working on a problem for a while now, and I’m trying various ways to resolve it. I’m in the fourth year of my phd, and I’ve been studying now, on and off, since 1996 at the same university. In many ways I think I’ve become institutionalised; I’ve become too comfortable, if you know what I mean. Comfort wouldn’t normally be a problem, but I’m at the point now that I need to finish my thesis in the next 12 months, and the understanding that things will change in all areas of my life, location, career, relationships etc. is hindering that completion. I’m currently trying morning pages and weekly meetings with my mum, where we both set weekly goals, and both are proving helpful, but I’m now wondering if EFT would help with what lies beneath my completion anxiety.
Sorry this has ended up a good deal longer than I had anticipated, but you did ask for it!
amypalko — That sounds like a biggie. Fear of change, becoming an “adult”, new responsibilities, having to prove yourself in a new arena, etc. In my first EFT article I did a video on tapping on fear of change: give that a go, & see what pops into your head. Make notes of anything you think of, & come back to me, okay?
Thank you!
Simon’s words are strengthening and uplifting. I am about to send that gorgeous site to everyone I love.
Thank you again, I am forever grateful for your support.
I am so ecstatic that we manifested each other.
d
xx
I heart you d! xxxxxxxx
oh my goodness, i love that you did another article on this! i must looka bit strange, because i’ve been walking around doing the ‘karate chop’ motion, after reading your advice about using it to calm you down.
and ilove your boyfriend’s site :)
xx
To be honest Gala, I hate the fact that I’m skeptical of EFT because I would absolutely LOVE it to work for me. It sounds amazing. I just think it’s something you have to believe could have potential in order for it to work. I’m studying science so obviously this has turned me into one of those people who require a scientific basis for everything. Rather silly and limiting to be honest. I gave EFT a try after your first post (perhaps even to prove to myself that it wouldn’t work?) but I fear that I have too many negative thoughts in my head to let it work.
Heh. Maybe I should tap “Even though I can’t remotely imagine this technique working I completely and deeply love and accept myself!”. eh? Sigh. I wish I was less jaded and more spiritual.
Hi Gala,
Thank you so much for this, your timing is impeccable!
I’m going to try this in earnest on my nail biting habit, which I’ve been despairing over for the past couple of weeks – I’ve chewed on my nails since I was 3 years old, and no matter what I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to break the habit long-term.
Keep your fingers crossed for me!
xoxo
Mere
nico — Awesome! Have you found that tapping the karate chop point helps you?
gemma — The best thing is that it works even if you don’t believe in it :D I was actually going to do a video on not believing in EFT or thinking that it was stupid, but then I didn’t know how many people would want to do it! If you want to give it a go, I’d suggest saying, “Even though I don’t believe that it will work… even though I think it is ridiculous… even though I am a rationalist…” You might find that that reveals something deeper, like that you don’t want to change or you think getting rid of your flaws would turn you into someone you didn’t like, or something. I can make a video on it if you want though, let me know!
Mere — Yay, good for you! You might find this helpful: http://www.emofree.com/Addictions/fingernail-biting-davis.htm Best of luck, sweetheart!
yeah it has! and i’m all for repetition (i go to supermarkets to calm down, i like looking at the shelves!) so i think that helps as well.
Well it kept me focussed for that study session! I got all my notes done and did a read through which I was refusing to do before. Hurrah because I have 2 exams tomorrow :(
Thank you for the article and perfect timing Gala
xoxo
PS: I’d like to see a how to sort through a semi-multi layered problem via video. Because I’ve only been doing simple things like headaches and motivation to study. I’d love to have a guide on how to work through something that had a couple of layers to it. Can’t really think of an example at the moment though.
i think i might try some EFT magic in preparation for uni next year, as ever since first year i have been naturally jaded and unmotivated towards the whole concept of studying and earning a degree. i’m really at the point where it’s now or never, so i figure it’s worth a try. i shall provide updates on how it’s going! although uni starts next year, so it might be a while :)
i think i saw you at the patrick wolf show last night! turban?
nico — You are totally cute :D
Jess — Hey, a multi-layered problem is a good idea. I can’t think of any examples right now but I’ll see what I can come up with…
anna — Yes! I was trying to disguise myself, haha, but it didn’t work ;D & I think using EFT to get your motivation up for uni is an excellent idea :>
I’ve been trying to use EFT in my life, but I’m not very consistent. After you first started talking about it, I used it to get rid of this small rash on my finger – and it worked so well! It took a week of tapping, but I saw results. Afterwards, I started to debate whether it was the EFT that worked for me, or if it was just a huge coincidence.
I wrote down everything I planned to tap on a few weeks later, but I don’t know why I can’t seem to get to doing it. If I remember to tap on something, I do it only once and for a very short time, and then I get disappointed that nothing’s changed, knowing that I shouldn’t be.
I have a question: You mentioned that the issues behind a skin condition (for example) are much deeper than the skin itself. How would someone use EFT to get rid of a skin condition if there’s so much to tap on? Do you mention everything every time you tap, or do you deal with a few issues every time?
Can you tap for good posture?
Ush, this is so embarrassing, but i need help. I have a HUGE farting problem. The doctor said that nothing is wrong in my inners, I just fart a lot. A nutrionist gave me a speciall diet, but it didn’t work. I kept farting. I keep farting. I’m 18 and I’m bully in school because of my smell. It’s just horrible, I just wanna die when I feel it coming.
I wonder if EFT would help me, and how should I do it.“Even though I fart a lot…”?
Thank you.
Valerie — Hmm. Maybe the reason you’re not keeping it going is because you’re worried about how powerful it could be? You could try “Even though I don’t commit to tapping…”, & just kind of let your mind wander from there. Odds are that your mind will tell you why you don’t keep it going. As for dealing with big issues, yeah, it’s best to do it one thing at a time. Tap on each instance separately. Drink lots of water in between! I mean, if I had a skin condition, the first thing I would probably tap on is being angry about it, or embarrassed about it, or how I think it’s an inconvenience. From there, I might go into being embarrassed about it as a child. & then I might tackle genetics, & then maybe more anger, etc. Do you see what I mean?
Lou — Absolutely :> “Even though I don’t stand up straight/even though I slouch/even though I have bad posture.” I used to have terrible posture myself, & I’ve found that using EFT has really cured that — but I think it was incidental. I tend to think posture is a self confidence thing, & since I have used EFT to build up my confidence, it just got cleared up with everything else!
*** — Yeah, I’d say just tap on that to start with. You might want to have a think about other things, or where it might have stemmed from. When did the problem start? Do people in your family have a similar problem? & then you might want to dig a little bit deeper. It sounds crazy, but make a list of advantages of having the problem. Maybe it stops people from getting too close to you, or something like that. Good luck!
I use to be a huge esceptic, but I’m kindda changing right now-my bf is expert on things like tarot, and my boyfriend has always tell me that being TOO esceptic is not that good; I can’t believe that this thing doesn’t work if you are always saying that it changed your life! I tried EFT a while ago (I don’t remember what I tap though xD),but I guess I wasn’t consistent…I’m going to try it again for sure,thanks for the new tips! :)
thank you for another post on this wonderful topic. I use it when I remember to help with my anxiety issues that are a result of my vertigo attacks. I feel it straight away, like a tingle all down my arms and torso. It is amazing people, put your doubts aside and try it. Thanks Gala for reminding me to keep it up.
I have been using EFT to get me through a really rough time with my boyfriend. We have been together for 3 years and living together for about 3 months. I recently had a gut feeling that something was off and I found out he had a crush on this girl that I really didn’t like. (the girl had hurt me before). I was devastated. When I confronted him that I knew he understood the sadness. Told me she was not worth losing me, and that he wanted to try to gain my trust again. This part is where it is really hard. I do trust him and want to get over this, but this whole situation has made me feel so self cautious. He tries so hard to cheer me up but I still wake up crying. I want to try to use EFT to get through this, but I don’t know where to start. I know when I’m smiling again,he will be too.
I’m willing to try anything to be happy again, Amanda
I love using EFT. It helped me during the time the I wasn’t feeling like myself at all, it also removed my insomnia and my father’s.
Right now I’m tackling my fear of driving (yes, I know how to, I’m just afraid of doing it). i think I need a little more time to get it over with though, it is a very nig problem for me.
Without Gala I would never have discovered EFT at all.
Thank you so much!
Kisses.
First time visitor to your site — first time I’ve heard of EFT. I’m going to try it! I have a video idea – letting go of perfectionism. Thanks for the info!
Perfect timing, Gala!
By coincidence, I was brought to your blog because of your original article on EFT. I’ve been reading you daily ever since. Somehow, I forgot all about the EFT, though. Just the other day, I got interested in it again and remembered that you wrote something on it. And here, you’ve written something else on it!
This may sound weird, but I’m telling the absolute truth when I say this – I have no idea how you do it, but EVERYTIME I have a problem or something I’m wondering about – you answer it the NEXT DAY in your blog! I’m dead serious. I was thinking about moving in with my boyfriend, you wrote about that. I was thinking about Feng Shui, the next day you wrote about that. The list goes on and on! Even on days when it’s not specifically helpful to me, your blog is always fun to read! :)
Anyway, thank you so much!
Happy tapping! lol
I tried it a bit today, but maybe I wasn’t doing it exactly right. Or maybe I wasn’t too specific with stating my problem.
I’m not sure what it was, but it didn’t exactly work out as planned. Should I expect immediate results or does it take time?
Gala,
I remember a long while back I read your article on EFT and tried it right before bed when I couldn’t make my mind settle down. I ended up passing out and sleeping like a baby.
Since then, I had completely forgotten about it. I’m so happy you wrote about it again because it works for me. In my yoga class, I brought it up to others and they were intrigued. Hopefully they will try it out too!
xx
I tried it again today for the 2nd or 3rd time ever and I couldn’t believe how much just came out! Whenever I got stuck on what to say I just went back to doing the ‘karate chop’ point and let my mind wander! I don’t know if it has made any massive difference on anything I have tapped on, but once I’d finished I just felt light and happy like a massive weight had been lifted. Maybe just vocalising my problems helped! Thank you so much for introducing me to this wonderful thing! And THANK YOU for the tip about having some water ready! I downed a 500ml bottle in one!!! x x x x
I just wanted to mention – for anyone who is skeptical – that it really doesn’t matter to your mind & body whether a method is a placebo or not.
For example, I’ve seen skeptical commenters on iCiNG who have replied to other’s EFT success stories with “Oh, it’s just a placebo, it only worked because she believed it would – nothing really happened to her.”
But you see, it worked! Scientific studies have proven that the Placebo Effect is a real occurance. Our brains can actually go through the same changes as someone receiving the “real” treatment, as long as we believe that the method we’re using is “real” as well. The positive results are not just “all in your head,” they are scientifically measurable!
The simple act of believing is enough to produce real, measurable changes – that is now a proven fact.
my mothers friend is an energy therapist who specializes in eft.
when i started visiting her, she taught me all about it, and i swear eft is just the beginning of something so much bigger. but it works! it has definitely changed my life for the better.
Thankyou so much for these articles on EFT, I am definitely going to try it tonight before i go to sleep, with my problem of anxiety and worrying far too much.
I was just wondering whether I should repeat the, ‘I deeply & completely love & accept/forgive myself’ saying after every point tapped?
I tried it for about a week after you first mentioned it. I didn’t notice anything, so I stopped using it.
I decided to try it again today after reading this. This time I made myself drink some water after and I had no idea how thirsty I was. I think before I was focusing more on the actual problem then the feelings that the problem made me experience. I definitely just went with whatever came to mind, so it did kinda change and it even went to, “Even though I feel kinda silly trying this…” So, I think I will try it again, because it really did make me feel happy this time around. I’ll let you know how it goes.
OK, Gala. I feel like writing you a big long email to thank you for this article, and for your site in general (and I probably will anyway, so I hope you don’t mind a big long rambly email from me soon!), but I’m putting this as a comment so others can see it and maybe take something from my experience.
After reading this article, I decided to tap on my depression. I’ve had clinical depression for four years (I’m 18), and it’s affected my life to a HUGE extent. I did a setup, tapping my karate chop point and thinking about how my depression is affecting my life until I felt an emotional response, then I started a round of tapping.
I went through how my depression made me feel, how it affected my life, and why I was afraid to let go of it. I did several rounds, and now I feel completely different. (Very thirsty indeed- I must have drunk about 800ml of water since tapping, and I’m still thirsty!) I feel as if a blockage in my body has been released, and energy of some kind is flowing through me. I feel as if something heavy and restricting has dissolved, or fallen away, or just vanished. I feel a bit shaky and definitely ready for a rest. I feel lighter, and hopeful.
Something is telling me that this has had a deep effect on my depression. It’s maybe a bit early to tell, but thank you. Thank you, Gala, very much indeed. I think you’ve given me the key to solving a huge problem here.
xxxxx
Gala,
I have borderline Personality Disorter and I am Bi-Polar. I also struggle with an eating disorder, as well as depression and basically anything else someone with metal health issues suffers from.
Do you think this could help me (along with taking medication) to control my emotions and help myself get better?
I am looking for anything and everything that can help.
-A.
(by the way, I found your site a few weeks ago, and I love everything I have read so far. You are a very talented girl.)
there are many issues i would like to confront using this technique – i’m glad you introduced this to so many people, my godbrother is a naturopath and discusses natural ways of emotionally healthy the body, and how the body needs to be able to heal itself.
i started tapping about two weeks ago – after i read your original EFT article, and i’d so far i’ve been working on the fact that my father has had a defunct relationship with me, and used to hit me when i was a child. as much as i hate him and never want him to control me ever again, i’m trying to use this to get over this deeply emotionally-scarring issue, but i’m finding that it’s such a deep problem, i feel like i’m going around in circles with my tapping.
also, many things that happened to me growing up have effected my emotional state at the moment, and genetically, i’m not the most healthy person out there… i’ve struggled to come to terms with it.
so maybe, a video on tapping for BIG issues, or finding closure on a subject?
x
I bite my nails, and for the last year or so, I haven’t really been able to stop. I’ve been biting them since I was very little (I’m fifteen), but before if I really tried to give up, I could – I always just started again at some stage. Lately though it seems like I can’t stop, and I want to because it hurts, is disgusting and unhygienic, is bad for me, and helps to make me not like the look of my hands at all. If I didn’t bite my nails I might wear rings more: at the moment I feel like drawing attention to my hands is a really bad idea because they’re icky and scare people who look closely at the nails.
I’d like to tap that, but always find written instructions for tapping hard to follow. I suppose I should just set aside some time and really concentrate on it.
After reading your last article i used EFT to help me get over the flu with as little medicine as possible… but when i started to use it on my emotions i couldnt finish tapping because i’d just break down…
I have depression and zero self-esteem, i feel like my friends all ditched me after i had a baby.. and i cant see why my boyfriend is still with & i never believe him when he says he loves me.. i feel like throwing up when i look in the mirror…and i feel like a failure as a mother and a ‘housewife’..and whenever i start something i never see it through..
Whenever i tried to tap on these issues the emotion i felt became really overwhelming and there are just a thousand things that i really would like to tap through, things that anti-depressents and talking to people aren’t going to help, but it just doesnt seem to work even if i am in a positive frame of mind and i do it when im emotional..
Wow sorry i just blabbed on there..
xx
Amanda (Fuzz) — Well, there’s quite a lot there to work through. Maybe you should make a list of the emotions you feel about the issue (anger, loneliness, sadness, betrayal, fear of abandonment), & then expand them out & tap through those individually. When I say expand them out, I mean, “Even though I feel angry because my boyfriend _____”, or “Even though I feel betrayed because my boyfriend _____”. It probably feels like you have so many things to work through that you’ll never get through them, but one thing I’ve learned from using EFT is that often, a couple of the emotions are the major ones, & once you clear them out, everything else just collapses with it. It’s definitely worth doing. Just start, see how you go, & get in touch if you want more help!
Juls — That’s awesome, good for you! When it comes to driving, make a list of the aspects (responsibility/fear/ability etc.), then work through them individually. It’s only a big problem if you think it is; trust me! xx
jenny — Letting go of perfectionism is a big one because it can come from a lot of places. Your parents? School? Being hard on yourself in general? You get the idea…
Kristen — Haha, that’s amazing! How cool. Mwah!
Pinup_Girl — Usually I find I feel that it has worked immediately. There are a lot of reasons why you could feel that it’s not working, though — not drinking enough water, not being specific enough, not continuing tapping until you feel the emotion subside. Try it again, but do all of those things, & see how you go!
Lizzie — That is fantastic! GOOD FOR YOU! I’m totally stoked on your behalf :D I hope you keep it up!
kirstie — I’d love to hear about the other things your mother’s friend does. I am really interested in pretty much any healing technique there is!
Sparkle — You can say it as much as you like. I usually say it a couple of times per round (from top of the head to the wrists), but basically, you can’t say it too much!
Victoria — Ahh that’s so great! Yay! I’m glad it’s working for you now. Sometimes it can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but once you start & see results, you’ll work out how to do it so it is most effective for you.
Alice — Oh my god, that is incredible. I’m soooooo happy for you, YAY! I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am! If you feel like you need a rest, definitely take one as soon as you can! Your body probably needs it, badly. I really hope you keep using EFT to sort through your depression debris, it works like a treat, I promise!
Aye — I was also diagnosed with all of those things once upon a time, & these days I couldn’t be more “sane”, so yes, it definitely works! I suggest going to emofree.com & searching under “borderline” or “bi polar”. Sometimes just tapping on “Even though I’ve been diagnosed as ____” will work miracles. Good luck baby!
flaminko — What you need to do is tap on specific examples. So, for example, the first time you remember your father hitting you. After that, you might want to tap on the other times that he hit you (separately, or at least, what you can remember). You’ll probably find that that helps a lot. As far as not wanting him to control you, you should tap on that too. & hating him, as well. I promise you, it will go away :> I would also say you should tap on anything he said to you that really hurt you — use the exact words if you can remember them. I found these articles, too:
http://www.emofree.com/articles.aspx?id=31
http://www.emofree.com/Articles2/when-not-work.htm
I hope they help! I have my fingers crossed for you! xxxxooo
Roo — The problem with following written instructions is that we all have different experiences, so what I would tap on for biting my nails would be different to what would work for you. Tapping is about being specific, & we all have different lives! However, someone up the page had the same problem & I found a link on nail biting for them — http://www.emofree.com/Addictions/fingernail-biting-davis.htm Enjoy!
EmmaRose — I suggest you make a list of all the emotions & then tap on them individually, but before you do that, read the comment you left here & tap as you read it, out loud. This should hopefully sever some of the emotional connections so you can see it more clearly. Even if it overwhelms you, just keep tapping. Even if you are bawling so hard you can’t see, just keep tapping. Even if you can’t speak because you’re so upset, just tap. Good luck!
a girl i work with recently went to a seminar and they were talking about this/ /when i didn/t understand it, i was my usual skeptical self and made a joke of it all/
but started reading about it and went ‘oh.. this stuff makes sense’
now i do it every day and have even managed to get my best friend (he lives in qld & i in melb) doing it//
the changes aren/t significant yet// but i still feel them// and it makes a difference// even if i did bring it on myself//
Gala, the love of my LIFE broke up with me a few days ago (stress after the brain surgery?) & i’m so distraught, hoping he still loves me as since he’s been in hosp i have gotten SO much better & changed back into the girl he used to love so much!
Should I ask for another chance at some stage, or just be myself and see what happens? I can’t stand not knowing if we can start over completely when I want to so badly!
I am seeing Rod soon & wondering how I can tap on these feelings without Ridding my life of him completely?
xx tasj
i have never ever heard of this before!
:o
i wanna try it, but i think that the only way it would benefit me is to write it down.
i daydream way too much and the only way i can keep focused on my thought is the write them down in a diary.
it would still work right??
xxx
Hi. Will I be able to take advantage of the free 40 mins session even though Im not in Australia or will I have to pay because Im abroad? xxx
Hi Gala!
I’ve been reading your blog for a while but I never posted. I read your piece on EFT yesterday, watched the videos, and downloaded the manual from the emofree website. I tried tapping for lots of different things today but when I tap I can write them down what my issues are and everything, and THINK about them, in like a thinking way…but I can’t really feel any emotions. I tried all day but failed quite miserably and I was real excited about EFT too AND I drank more than 1000 mL of water so it wasn’t dehydration, is EFT just not for some people :( or is it something I’m doing wrong?
Ohhhh, thank you Gala!
I’m in my last year of uni, just got back from a year studying abroad, and just moved in with my boyfriend for the first time, and it’s all been a really stressful experience, even though it’s generally all been good changes. I’ve been suffering from some pretty intense depression.
I gave EFT a try a few weeks ago, and though I felt pretty good and really drained afterwards, I had a total breakdown just a few minutes later when my boyfriend came home and asked why I was napping. All of the emotions all welled up again!
I haven’t tried it since, but this second article and Simon’s beautifully simple website have really inspired me to try again, and now I’ve pinpointed some specific stressful issues that I think would be good to tap on. Thank you thank you thank you.
Also, good luck to all of the other folks who have posted on here! It’s such a lovely, supportive community!
Jaymi — Yep, you can use it anywhere! Just call him via Skype :>
Laiba — Hmmm. Some people don’t ‘feel’ the emotions, so that doesn’t mean you’re a freak or anything! It might just be that you’re a bit blocked up. Try tapping on “Even though I can’t feel my emotions” or “Even though I don’t know if this is working”. Other than that, my best advice is to do lots of rounds & be as specific as you can be! Good luck!
This is some real magic and it actually works! Both on physical and mental problems and I’m so grateful to you for showing me!
It’s cleared things from croaky throats to sad moods and stress.
Wow, ive given this ago and i thought this MIGHT work and it cant hurt to try, i tired it on my skin to see if it would work, my skin has had terrible acne dryness and scaring for years now and my boyfriend told me the very next day your skin looks beautiful today darling…i had told him about EFT but not that i had tried it on my skin. i was accually very spooked. i then gave it a go on my work ethic because its really bad and i have accually been doing so much more work and i am so proud of myself.
thank you so much for showing me gala, this has probably changed my life forever.
Ouch.
It looks like sitting and tapping on ‘procrastination’, ‘not doing my work’, and ‘not being able to tap (*cough*) into my emotions’ was just another way for me to procrastinate, given that it’s three (4?) hours later, and I haven’t done any of the work I’ve had all day to do.
(And tapping on any radom thing I could think of, or that you mentioned – starting with change, going through to minor obsession with someone – thought that’d done something, before realising I hadn’t been thinking of them before you (Gala) mentioned your friend, and then a wee while later, argh, back to the obsessing).
Notes from the failed to the wary: Yeah, it just might not work for you either, you cynic.
But, if you’re hoping for the placebo effect – don’t read this. Ooops.
Ok, well don’t read the wikipage for EFT either (If you’re like me, and you know the placebo effect never works if you know it’s a placebo (or possibly just doesn’t work that well for you anyway, going by past experience of) then don’t go looking up information that will negate that apparently valuable, valuable placebo effect).
I’m wondering if part of it is that I’m quite aware and confident that I am deeply & completely deserving of love, acceptance and forgiveness from myself?
If you can’t love & accept yourself, then who can/will you love/accept or be loved & accepted by, right?
And yes, I may be a fuckup at times, I may fuck up with my actions and sometimes my thoughts, but it never changes that underlying truth.
But…
I’m guessing that phrase is supposed to be more of a psychological trigger? Ie, a lot of people have trouble with that, and therefore it would have power because of the emotional conflict and release? The act of searching and seeking love & forgiveness being something of a life goal, and here you are, gaining it in oneself?
Or, I could just be wildly hypothesising. Point being, I don’t think I’m getting the same conflict and therefore resonance from that statement, so maybe that’s a factor in it not working for me?
Argh. 9pm. Go home (with your already-late & unfinished work hanging over you – from your actually pretty awesome job :P). Damn. What else can I do?
I am very intrigued by EFT. I’ve been studying it since your first mention of it and recently tried a small session on Monday. Through my research though I have found some varying information. One guide says that after we do the sequence of tapping and saying the phrase we have to do this 9 Gamut Procedure where we close our eyes, hum, and count, and then do the sequence again. I wonder if that Gamut part is even necessary? The guidebook says it is, but from what I’ve seen on your site and other forms of info, they don’t include that. Do you think it would just be a distraction to the method/process or have you heard of it and is it actually valuable? Thanks lovey!
I have a question gala-
(oops. sorry about the partial post!!!) Well i was just wondering if EFT works for anxiety about public speaking. whenever i have to do a presentation, speech, etc. my face turns flaming red, i get nervous and i can barley talk. ive never liked public speaking, but starting at the begining of high school, i look like im having a ferocious allergic reaction!! even in front of people im very comfortable with, i get embarassed and jitterey. please help me gala!! im an artist in high school and i frequently have to speak in public about my work, and its a bit hard to do when my face looks like a christmas light. Thanks!
hugs and kisses,
laura
laura — Yes, of course it does! Well, not really “of course” but yes, it works! Have a look at these…
www.emofree.com/Perf…
www.emofree.com/Arti…
Good luck sweetheart!
hey gala i have a question-
I tried EFT last night after watching the video you did and went to some websites on it, then tried it again but i’m not sure if it worked. I did it on my fear of being alone and I was wondering if you knew of any ways to test it to see if it worked or not. I really think it’s a cool thing and I would definitely do it, but I just don’t know if it’ll work for me. Also I was wondering if there’s a certain requirement for how hard you have to tap? Oh, and when you’re saying the phrases over and over again do you wait to finish before tapping a new spot?
thanks,
tess
tess — Hi cutie! Well, the best way to test it is to see how you feel about the situation. When you think about being alone, do you feel better about it or just the same? When you are alone, is it scary, or do you just think, ‘Yay, more time to myself!’? If it doesn’t seem to have cleared, try tapping on another aspect of the same problem — be more specific or relate it to an example from your own life. I often find that when I tap on something & it works, I get a sign pretty soon after that proves that it did the trick, but you have to be attuned to looking for that kind of thing. Otherwise I will just feel the fear/anger lift & know it’s not a problem anymore. You don’t have to tap hard — just lightly should do it. & you can do it however you like! I usually say about one sentence per tapping point. Hope this helps!
Hey Gala! I have just discovered your blog and I am totally addicted! I have been so pessimistic lately, worrying about what I want to do with my life, unhappy with the job I am in, wanting desperately to go travelling but my partner of almost 5 years doesn’t want to leave his job and I have also been struggling for the last 2 years with anxiety & panic attacks… I am willing to try almost anything to get over this so I am going home tonight to try it!
Thanks for all your amazing advice xxx
so i found myself googling “i don’t know what to do with my life” and found myself directed to your article on the subject, and thusly discovered EFT.
THANK YOU for providing this kind of support! i feel better already. i’m eager to get to work on bettering/freeing myself.
i followed along with your EFT video, went to have a glass of water, and wound up cleaning the kitchen (a task that usually takes me a great deal of effort to force myself to do).
with that said, i’m still unclear as to what to say while tapping. if i have a problem with being unmotivated, disorganized and lazy, do i just say, “Even though I’m lazy, I deeply & completely love & accept myself. Even though I’m unmotivated, I deeply & completely love & forgive myself.” or do i say something more about what my goal is, “even though i’m lazy, i deeply love and accept myself, and want to be motivated and organized.”?
m. — I usually say what it is I don’t like. Honestly I would just describe the problem, just talk about it while you tap around. “Even though I am _____, & it really bugs me because _____, & I wish I could be ______, & even though ____ has always told me I’m ______, I deeply & completely…” Know what I mean? But the thing is that there are no rules, just see what works for you!
Good luck baby!
Hi gala, I am from India.
My examinations are 1 month away but I am finding it tremendously difficult to concentrate on my studies. Could you please tell me what should i tell while tapping to tackle this problem. One more thing.Even though I am quite good at english, I can’t speak it fluently infront of others. Could you please tell me what should i say while tapping to tackle this problem