The History and Technique of EFT
The Basic History of EFT
Present day EFT is an offshoot of a process called Thought Field Therapy (TFT) which was developed
by Dr. Roger Callahan. TFT used the series of tapping points in a particular sequence depending on the
issue. These sequences are known as "algorithms".
The case which set the TFT wheels in motion came in 1980 when Dr. Callahan was working with a client
named Mary who had a severe fear of water. She couldn't even look at water without getting extremely
tense. Dr. Callahan had worked with Mary for about 18 months with traditional therapy methods and
non-traditional such as hypnosis, all to little avail. One day, Mary complained of stomach discomfort. Dr.
Callahan, having been studying properties of the body's energy system, had Mary tap with her
fingertips, on a point under the eye. Not only the stomach ache faded, but miraculously, so did her
phobia. As the story goes, Mary ran to the side of a pool and began splashing water in her face. What was
even more amazing -- it never came back! The phobia appeared to be gone!
In the early to mid 1990s, a Stanford Engineer, Gary Craig, took a course from Dr. Callahan. He later
theorized that instead of tapping on specific points for specific issues, why not tap on all the points for
any issue. Thus, EFT was born! EFT became a simple, easy to learn and easy to use method of meridian
therapy.
The Basic Principle of EFT
The basic principle of EFT is also called the Discovery Statement. This is:
Traditional therapies presume that distressed memories cause emotional issues. The basic
principle of EFT adds a factor:
Emotional issue --------- ZZZZZTTTTT ---- emotional issue
So, what EFT does is target the middle ZZZZTTT, which is the energy disruption point.
So, how is this done?
The Basic Recipe
There are many ways to execute and perform EFT. The basic method is called the Basic
Recipe. Gary Craig's manual, available at emofree.com, takes the beginning EFTer
through this method. It covers all the tapping points and fundamental steps in the
process. An outline will be presented here. For more information and details, please go to
emofree.com.
Tapping chart from www.emofree.com
*Note: Users of EFT must take complete responsibility for their use of it. If you are injured and/or under
a doctor's care, please consult the professional prior to beginning work with EFT. If you have a condition
that prevents you from tapping, there are other methods including: place your open hand over the spot
and imagine yourself tapping, have someone else tap for you on their body, with both of you focusing on
the issue, etc.
The steps include:
♦ The Setup
♦ The Sequence
♦ The 9 Gamut Procedure
♦ The Sequence (again)
♦ Adjustments for Subsequent Rounds
THE SETUP
The setup puts your attention/focus on the issue to be tapped. It involves two parts:
a. Making a statement of the issue and b. Rubbing the sore spot. This is indicated by "S"
on the diagram and is located from the notch in the throat, down about three inches and
over about three inches. Poke around until you find a spot that seems a bit tender or
"sore". (Another spot that can be used during this step is the "Karate Chop" point, #12 on
the picture).
The statement covers the issue you want to deal with. For example:
Even though I have this State Problem, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself
Even though I have this knee pain, I deeply and completely accept myself
The statement can be reworded in a variety of ways. It's endless! Again, this is just a
basic introduction to the process.
The setup is done, then, by stating the problem statement three times while tapping on the
sore spot.
THE SEQUENCE
The sequence is performed by tapping on the 13 points. Either hand can be used for
tapping as the points are located in the same spot on either side of the body.Using the tips
of your index and middle finger, gently tap (not too hard but enough to feel the tap) on
the following sequence:
1. Eyebrow located at beginning of eyebrow above nose
2. Side of Eye located at the side of the eye
3. Under Eye located about middle of eye atop bone just under the eye
4. Under Nose located in notch between nose and upper lip
5. Chin Point located on chin under lower lip
6. Collar Bone located about one inch down from throat notch and one inch over
7. Under Arm located about four inches under the armpit
8. Thumb located on side of thumb by nail
9. Index Finger located on side of index finger by nail
10. Middle Finger located on side of middle finger by nail
11. Pinky Finger located on side of pinky finger by nail
12. Karate Chop located on side of hand (where one might hit a board in Karate)
While tapping on these points, a "reminder phrase" is spoken. This would be:
"Fear of spiders" or "knee pain". Each spot is tapped about 7 to 10 times; about as long as
it takes to say the phrase.
THE 9 GAMUT
Where The Sequence is used to stimulate the meridian points, much like what
acupuncture does, the 9 Gamut is intended to get both sides of the brain involved in the
process. The rather odd looking series of motions combine to stimulate certain parts of
the brain.
While tapping on the gamut spot, located on the back of the hand between the ring and
pinky fingers, about an inch or so down between the knuckles, do the following steps:
1. Close eyes
2. Open eyes
3. With head held forward, move eyes down to the right
4. With head held forward, move eyes down to the left
5. Roll eyes in a circle as if looking at a clock - do clockwise
6. Roll eyes in a circle - counterclockwise
7. Hum a couple bars of a song like America the Beautiful or Happy Birthday
8. Count 1,2,3,4,5 quickly
9. Hum a couple bars of a song
THE SEQUENCE (again)
Re-do The Sequence using the reminder phrase again.
Subsequent Tapping Rounds:
If there is still a bit of stress about the issue being tapped on, subsequent rounds can be
completed using slightly varying statements. While doing the setup section, some
examples of subsequent phrases may be:
Even though I still have This Problem, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I still have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself.
When tapping on the sequence, reminder phrases may be more like:
"This remaining problem" or "this remaining fear".
Again, these are very general examples.
Present day EFT is an offshoot of a process called Thought Field Therapy (TFT) which was developed
by Dr. Roger Callahan. TFT used the series of tapping points in a particular sequence depending on the
issue. These sequences are known as "algorithms".
The case which set the TFT wheels in motion came in 1980 when Dr. Callahan was working with a client
named Mary who had a severe fear of water. She couldn't even look at water without getting extremely
tense. Dr. Callahan had worked with Mary for about 18 months with traditional therapy methods and
non-traditional such as hypnosis, all to little avail. One day, Mary complained of stomach discomfort. Dr.
Callahan, having been studying properties of the body's energy system, had Mary tap with her
fingertips, on a point under the eye. Not only the stomach ache faded, but miraculously, so did her
phobia. As the story goes, Mary ran to the side of a pool and began splashing water in her face. What was
even more amazing -- it never came back! The phobia appeared to be gone!
In the early to mid 1990s, a Stanford Engineer, Gary Craig, took a course from Dr. Callahan. He later
theorized that instead of tapping on specific points for specific issues, why not tap on all the points for
any issue. Thus, EFT was born! EFT became a simple, easy to learn and easy to use method of meridian
therapy.
The Basic Principle of EFT
The basic principle of EFT is also called the Discovery Statement. This is:
Traditional therapies presume that distressed memories cause emotional issues. The basic
principle of EFT adds a factor:
Emotional issue --------- ZZZZZTTTTT ---- emotional issue
So, what EFT does is target the middle ZZZZTTT, which is the energy disruption point.
So, how is this done?
The Basic Recipe
There are many ways to execute and perform EFT. The basic method is called the Basic
Recipe. Gary Craig's manual, available at emofree.com, takes the beginning EFTer
through this method. It covers all the tapping points and fundamental steps in the
process. An outline will be presented here. For more information and details, please go to
emofree.com.
Tapping chart from www.emofree.com
*Note: Users of EFT must take complete responsibility for their use of it. If you are injured and/or under
a doctor's care, please consult the professional prior to beginning work with EFT. If you have a condition
that prevents you from tapping, there are other methods including: place your open hand over the spot
and imagine yourself tapping, have someone else tap for you on their body, with both of you focusing on
the issue, etc.
The steps include:
♦ The Setup
♦ The Sequence
♦ The 9 Gamut Procedure
♦ The Sequence (again)
♦ Adjustments for Subsequent Rounds
THE SETUP
The setup puts your attention/focus on the issue to be tapped. It involves two parts:
a. Making a statement of the issue and b. Rubbing the sore spot. This is indicated by "S"
on the diagram and is located from the notch in the throat, down about three inches and
over about three inches. Poke around until you find a spot that seems a bit tender or
"sore". (Another spot that can be used during this step is the "Karate Chop" point, #12 on
the picture).
The statement covers the issue you want to deal with. For example:
Even though I have this State Problem, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself
Even though I have this knee pain, I deeply and completely accept myself
The statement can be reworded in a variety of ways. It's endless! Again, this is just a
basic introduction to the process.
The setup is done, then, by stating the problem statement three times while tapping on the
sore spot.
THE SEQUENCE
The sequence is performed by tapping on the 13 points. Either hand can be used for
tapping as the points are located in the same spot on either side of the body.Using the tips
of your index and middle finger, gently tap (not too hard but enough to feel the tap) on
the following sequence:
1. Eyebrow located at beginning of eyebrow above nose
2. Side of Eye located at the side of the eye
3. Under Eye located about middle of eye atop bone just under the eye
4. Under Nose located in notch between nose and upper lip
5. Chin Point located on chin under lower lip
6. Collar Bone located about one inch down from throat notch and one inch over
7. Under Arm located about four inches under the armpit
8. Thumb located on side of thumb by nail
9. Index Finger located on side of index finger by nail
10. Middle Finger located on side of middle finger by nail
11. Pinky Finger located on side of pinky finger by nail
12. Karate Chop located on side of hand (where one might hit a board in Karate)
While tapping on these points, a "reminder phrase" is spoken. This would be:
"Fear of spiders" or "knee pain". Each spot is tapped about 7 to 10 times; about as long as
it takes to say the phrase.
THE 9 GAMUT
Where The Sequence is used to stimulate the meridian points, much like what
acupuncture does, the 9 Gamut is intended to get both sides of the brain involved in the
process. The rather odd looking series of motions combine to stimulate certain parts of
the brain.
While tapping on the gamut spot, located on the back of the hand between the ring and
pinky fingers, about an inch or so down between the knuckles, do the following steps:
1. Close eyes
2. Open eyes
3. With head held forward, move eyes down to the right
4. With head held forward, move eyes down to the left
5. Roll eyes in a circle as if looking at a clock - do clockwise
6. Roll eyes in a circle - counterclockwise
7. Hum a couple bars of a song like America the Beautiful or Happy Birthday
8. Count 1,2,3,4,5 quickly
9. Hum a couple bars of a song
THE SEQUENCE (again)
Re-do The Sequence using the reminder phrase again.
Subsequent Tapping Rounds:
If there is still a bit of stress about the issue being tapped on, subsequent rounds can be
completed using slightly varying statements. While doing the setup section, some
examples of subsequent phrases may be:
Even though I still have This Problem, I deeply and completely accept myself.
Even though I still have this fear of spiders, I deeply and completely accept myself.
When tapping on the sequence, reminder phrases may be more like:
"This remaining problem" or "this remaining fear".
Again, these are very general examples.
| The Discovery Statement: The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system. |
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