Tapping Meditation: A Guide To This Healing Practice

Tapping meditation, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a powerful alternative therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions. It involves tapping on specific points on the body, particularly the head and face, in a sequence. The technique combines the principles of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. Tapping on these meridian points or energy hot spots is believed to restore balance to the body's energy, thereby resolving physical and emotional issues.

Tapping is a form of meditation

Tapping on the body's energy meridian points with the fingertips is believed to restore the balance of energy to resolve physical and emotional issues. There are 12 major meridians that mirror each side of the body and correspond to an internal organ. However, EFT focuses on nine of these points: the side of the hand, the top of the head, the eyebrow, the side of the eye, under the eye, under the nose, the chin, the collarbone, and the underarm.

To perform EFT tapping, you must first identify the issue or fear you want to address. Then, you rate the intensity of the issue on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst. You then choose an affirmation or setup statement that acknowledges the issue and accepts yourself despite the problem. For example, "Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself."

During the EFT tapping sequence, you tap on the specified points while repeating your chosen phrase. This process is repeated until the intensity of the issue is reduced to a manageable level. Tapping is believed to send a calming signal to the brain, allowing the body to relax and reducing stress and anxiety.

Research has shown that tapping decreases cortisol, often called the stress hormone. It has also been found to improve sleep, relieve pain, increase productivity, and more. Tapping has been used to effectively treat war veterans with PTSD and has shown benefits in treating anxiety, depression, physical pain, and insomnia.

It involves tapping specific points on the body

Tapping meditation, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), involves tapping on specific points on the body, particularly the head and the face, in a sequence. It is an alternative therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions.

The technique involves tapping on the body's energy meridian points, similar to acupuncture and acupressure. Tapping on these points with the fingertips is believed to restore the balance of energy to resolve physical and emotional issues.

There are 12 major meridian points that mirror each side of the body and correspond to an internal organ. However, EFT tapping primarily focuses on nine points:

• Side of the hand, also known as the "karate chop" point
• Top of the head
• Inside of the eyebrow, where the eyebrow hair starts
• Side of the eye
• Under the eye
• Under the nose
• Area between the bottom lip and chin
• Collarbone, about one inch down from where the collarbones meet in the center
• Under the arm, about four inches below the armpit

During a tapping session, you start by identifying the issue or emotion you want to address. Then, you rate the intensity of the issue or emotion on a scale, usually from 0 to 10, with 10 being the most intense. This rating will be used to assess the effectiveness of the tapping technique.

Next, you choose an affirmation or setup statement that acknowledges the issue and includes a statement of self-acceptance. An example of this is, "Even though I have this [fear or problem], I deeply and completely accept myself."

The tapping sequence then begins, where you tap on the specified points of the body while repeating your chosen phrase. The tapping is done with the fingertips, using a firm but gentle pressure, and typically involves about five to seven taps on each point.

After completing the tapping sequence, you reassess the intensity of the issue or emotion using the same scale as before. The process can be repeated until the intensity reaches a manageable level or zero, if possible.

Tapping meditation is believed to help reduce stress, lower cortisol levels, improve sleep, relieve pain, and provide numerous other benefits. It is a simple and accessible technique that anyone can practice to help calm their nervous system and bring balance to their lives.

It is also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

Tapping meditation, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is an alternative therapy for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions. It involves tapping specific points on the body, particularly the head and face, in a sequence. This form of meditation is based on the body's energy meridian points, similar to acupuncture and acupressure.

Tapping on these meridian points with the fingertips is believed to restore the balance of energy, thereby resolving physical and emotional issues. As one taps, the goal is to mentally "tune in" to the specific issues one wishes to address.

EFT was developed by Gary Craig, who simplified the process and made it available to the public. It was preceded by Thought Field Therapy, patented by Dr. Roger Callahan, which was a more complex process that required a trained practitioner.

EFT tapping can be performed in five steps:

• Identify the issue: Focus on one problem or fear you wish to resolve.
• Test the initial intensity: Rank the issue on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst it has ever been.
• Choose an affirmation: Establish a phrase that explains what you are trying to address, acknowledging the issue and accepting yourself despite the problem.
• EFT Tapping Sequence: Tap on specific points of your body while repeating the chosen phrase.
• Test the final intensity: Rank the intensity of the issue again on a scale of 0-10. Repeat the process until your intensity reaches 0.

EFT has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It has also been shown to decrease stress hormones such as cortisol, improve sleep, relieve pain, and boost self-esteem.

It is a powerful stress relief technique

Tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a powerful stress relief technique. It is a form of meditation that involves tapping specific points on the body, particularly the head and face, in a sequence. This technique is based on the combined principles of ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology.

Tapping is an effective treatment for stress, physical discomfort, self-esteem issues, and addiction. It is perhaps most well-known as a treatment for anxiety disorders, including general anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and phobias.

The basic Tapping technique requires you to focus on a negative emotion, such as a fear, worry, or unresolved problem. While maintaining your mental focus on this issue, you use your fingertips to tap 5-7 times on 9 specific meridian points of the body. Meridian points, or energy hotspots, are areas of the body where energy flows through. Tapping on these points is believed to restore balance to your body's energy, helping to relieve symptoms of negative experiences or emotions.

Studies have shown that Tapping decreases cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone. By reducing cortisol levels, Tapping helps to lower stress and improve immune system function. Additionally, Tapping regulates the nervous system, putting the body into a state of relaxation. This relaxation response allows the immune, digestive, reproductive, and endocrine systems to function optimally.

Tapping is a simple and accessible technique that can be easily learned and practiced as a self-help strategy. It has been shown to produce real, lasting breakthroughs, making it a powerful tool for managing stress and improving overall well-being.

It can be used to treat anxiety and PTSD

Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), commonly known as tapping meditation, can be used to treat anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a form of alternative therapy that involves tapping on specific points of the body, primarily on the head and face, in a particular sequence.

The technique focuses on the body's energy meridian points, which are a concept in traditional Chinese medicine. Meridian points are believed to be areas of the body through which energy flows. Blocks or imbalances in this energy flow are thought to lead to ill health. By tapping on these meridian points, EFT aims to restore balance to the body's energy, thereby reducing physical and emotional pain.

Several studies have found EFT to be effective in treating anxiety. A 2016 review of 14 studies reported that participants who used tapping experienced a significant decrease in anxiety levels. Another study compared the effectiveness of EFT with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety and depression. The results showed that both treatments significantly reduced symptoms of depression and improved anxiety.

EFT has also been found to be beneficial in treating PTSD, particularly among war veterans. A 2013 study found that veterans who received EFT treatment along with standard care had significantly lower psychological distress and PTSD symptoms compared to those on a waiting list. After three and six sessions, 60% and 85.7% of participants, respectively, no longer met the clinical criteria for PTSD. Additionally, a 2017 survey of EFT practitioners revealed that most believed EFT could resolve even complex PTSD within ten sessions or fewer.

While EFT has shown promise in treating anxiety and PTSD, more research is needed to validate these findings and compare its effectiveness with standard treatments.

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