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It is no secret that positive affirmations are a great self-care tool that helps us to develop the right mindset and be more positive in life.
And what happens when you combine the use of affirmations with EFT tapping techniques?
Is this something difficult to execute? Can the two be used concurrently? And most importantly, does EFT tapping affirmations work?
Well, I have prepared this post to address the questions above and also show you how you can get started with this unique technique to get rid of negative roadblocks in your life.
What is EFT tapping?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a technique that draws on various theories of alternative medicine including acupuncture, neuro-linguistic programming, energy medicine, and Thought Field Therapy (TFT).
It is best known through Gary Craig’s EFT Handbook, published in the late 1990s, and related books and workshops by a variety of teachers (it is interesting to note that he is an engineer with no formal training in psychology or medicine).
EFT has been described as being psychologically similar to some forms of memory reconsolidation.
According to proponents’ claims about EFT: when properly applied, it can rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional distress.
Once the distress is reduced or removed, people can think more clearly and respond to counsel.
How does EFT tapping work?
The word “energy” is used in a metaphorical sense, to refer to the body’s energy systems.
EFT and other energy psychology techniques are based on the premise that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.
The idea is that by tapping on specific meridians (energy hotspots) while concentrating on certain thoughts or emotions, you can clear these blockages and restore balance to your energy system, which eliminates negative emotions.
EFT and similar techniques are often discussed under the umbrella term “energy psychology”.
Energy psychology encompasses any method that uses stimulation of certain points on your skin along what practitioners consider to be your body’s energy pathways (known as meridians) for therapeutic purposes.
Other examples include Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), Thought Field Therapy (TFT), Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT), Healing Codes, and EmoTrance.
In a way similar to acupuncture, but without the use of needles and a trip to a traditional Chinese doctor, EFT tapping tries to stimulate a few meridian points, which has been shown to reduce fear.
Acupressure is a more accurate term to describe how EFT works.
What are the EFT tapping points?
Unlike acupuncture, practitioners of EFT tapping only focus on a few main points on the body:
The Karate chop (fleshy part of part below pinky) – small intestine meridian
Top of head – governing meridian
Inner eyebrow point – bladder and stomach meridian
Outer corner of eye – gall bladder meridian
Under eye – stomach meridian
Under nose – large intestine meridian
Under lower lip – central or conception meridian
Under collarbone – kidney meridian
Under armpit – spleen meridian
What are positive affirmations?
Positive affirmations are positive statements that you repeat to yourself.
They can be anything from “I believe in myself” to “I am a great person.”
You might have heard of positive affirmations before, but maybe you’re not sure what they are or why they’re important.
Here’s what you need to know:
Positive affirmations help you change the way that you think about yourself and your life.
They can help you improve your self-esteem, build confidence, and become more motivated to do the things that matter most to you—even if those things are scary or intimidating!
They can also help reduce stress and anxiety by focusing on the good things in life instead of dwelling on all the negative stuff that happens every day (like traffic jams, ugh).
EFT tapping technique explained
If you want to ensure better success at utilizing EFT tapping, I would highly recommend you prepare before you start each session.
It will take only a few minutes but can greatly enhance the efficiency of each session.
Find a peaceful place where you will not be distracted during the duration of the EFT tapping session
Turn off all mobile devices that can potentially disrupt you
Keep a notebook or journal handy in case you wish to write down your thoughts
Measure the intensity of the session, rating it using a scale of 0-10
Starting the process
For each tapping session, it is ideal to only focus on one issue at a time. So before you start, think about the matter that is bothering you most, and list it out.
And here is where EFT tapping and affirmations come together.
When you recite affirmations, you normally would avoid using any negative words at all.
But in this case, the idea is to list out the negative problem and use positive affirmations to change the way you think about it to one of positivity,
I like to use this format: “Even though I am shy when it comes to public speaking, I know that I can speak well and communicate my ideas clearly”.
Quantify the problem
Remember when I talked about measuring the intensity of the session?
What you do is assign a rating to the issue you are facing.
For example, your scale of 0-10 could be in increasing severity, and right now, you feel that your issue is a 6.
After the session, you will need to rate it again and see how this works for you and you will know right away if there is an improvement.
The sequence
Now, you are ready to start, and it’s really quite simple.
Familiarize yourself with the tapping points from above and start with the karate chop (KC).
At this point, you will say out loud your positive affirmation three times while you tap your KC.
As all the meridian points are symmetrical, it does not matter which side of your body you tap. Also, I typically use two fingers, but it is really up to you.
Once the first point has been established, you now continue the sequence, tapping each meridian point 3-5 times each, but this time only using a reminder phrase.
Using the example from above, my reminder phrase will be “public speaking”.
After one round, take a deep breath, drink some water, and note down your score for the intensity again.
The aim is to bring it down as low as possible or even down to zero.
Repeat the same process for 1-3 rounds, or increase the duration of the rounds by tapping a few more times.
And that’s about as complicated as EFT tapping affirmations can get!
Examples of affirmations you can use during EFT tapping
“Even though I may not be the best, I am the perfect mother for my child.”
“Even though others discourage me, I am my best source of motivation.”
“Even though change is frightening to me, I know I can adapt well to the changes in my life.”
Does EFT tapping and affirmations work? Tapping positive affirmations
There has been some research conducted in this field that shows positive results, leading to even Olympic athletes trying it out.
It seems to have the effect of helping one relax, reduce stress and fear, and in some extreme cases, deal with PTSD.
My take is that you can try this out as part of your self-care routine.
It’s not going to hurt you!
But with all things, it is important to be honest about your feelings and make this as intentional as it can be.
Preparing for EFT tapping
While this is not a miracle cure for everything, it does help me to calm my mind and relax properly.
Work it into your daily routine or mediation sessions.
You never know, it might just be the thing you needed!
