EFT: Some New Ways of Understanding How and Why it Works

by Marilyn Gordon, BCH, CI

From the book Extraordinary Healing: Transforming Your Consciousness, Your Energy System, and Your Life by Marilyn Gordon

There is a miraculous way of tapping the healing power by working with the meridian system. When I was introduced me to the "tapping techniques," I became aware that I was being given one of the great secrets of the universe. The technique involves tapping on various points on the body while using specific verbalizations to eliminate or reduce all kinds of pain and suffering. It's amazingly simple and easy to learn, and yet its results are phenomenal. As I became more and more involved with using the techniques with clients and with myself, I found variations that embellished their power. In our work, we normally combine these techniques with deep inner healing. They can, nevertheless, be used on their own or in combination with many other modalities.

An eleven-year-old boy named Jonah had been bitten by a pit bull the year before when he was ten. He had developed enormous phobias, and he'd been in therapy and on medication. He was a sweet boy; yet I could feel the fear in his closed body language and shallow breathing. The medication wasn't working; nor were other techniques his mother had him try. His mother brought him to see me, and I told him I'd like to do some tapping on special points while saying specific words about his problem. In the first round of tapping, his fear of rain left him completely. He had developed many fears after his traumatic experience with the pit bull. Now the fear of thunder and lightning was gone. His mother said to him, "Are you sure you don't feel that fear anymore? You don't have to say you're fine just to please us." The boy said, "Oh yes, I feel happy. I just don't feel that fear anymore." Then he eliminated his morbid fear of dogs – not just pit bulls but any kind of dogs. After that he released his awful fear of all bugs. He felt uplifted and joyful. His mother was amazed. One week later, he went on a trip to Disneyland without his previous medications, and he did splendidly – free from his fears and very relaxed.

Not long after that, I went to a fair, and I was walking down a road when a woman came right up to me and with anguish on her face, she said, "Do you have any aspirin or ibuprofen? My daughter has such bad cramps that she can't walk. They just came on suddenly." I smiled to myself that she was guided in my direction, and I told her that I didn't have any aspirin or ibuprofen, but I had something else that we could use: I could tap her with my fingers. She was ready to try anything, so I went to her thirteen-year-old daughter and began to tap. Within one round of tapping (less than 30 seconds,) the cramps had more than half disappeared. Within the next 30 seconds, the cramps went away completely. Her parents' faces showed total astonishment. I was thrilled to have a first-aid kit in my fingertips

The technique works with the human energy system, which circulates through our bodymind in channels or meridians. It taps on specific points to stimulate the free flow of energy through the meridians. As you tap on a point, neuro-receptors under the skin convert the pressure to an electrical impulse that's transmitted to the brain. This is combined with the power of mind or intention. As you focus on a specific problem, you send out your intention for healing it, at the same time as you create a physiological response by tapping on the points. This process has its roots in ancient Chinese medical understanding of meridians and energy systems, in acupressure, in acupuncture, in meditation, in prayer, in the great healing modalities of the world.

In the same way that a computer or VCR responds by having a human being tapping on its keys, so too can this signal be given to the energy system of the human organism.

Energy is the substrata of all existence, and we can help it to flow more freely. The entire universe is made of energy. It is the basis of all that is. This energy exists as the substrata of all existence. It is electromagnetic and intelligent, and we can experience how it is organized into systems by looking at all the forms around us - especially human systems. Tapping on gateways to the channels in which energy flows is a key to allowing energy to flow more freely, to create healing and open the gateways of human consciousness.

Everything can benefit from an increased flow of healing energy and from the intention of the mind to heal. Here are some of the human issues that have been positively influenced by working with energy: addictive cravings (food, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs), allergies, anxiety and panic attacks, anger, compulsions, depression and sadness, dyslexia, self image and self esteem, fears and phobias, grief and loss, guilt, insomnia, negative memories, nightmares, pain, physical symptoms (fibromyalgia, arthritis, back & neck pain), other physical healing, peak performance (golf, public speaking, performing in public), post traumatic stress disorder, sexual abuse issues, all kinds of fears and phobias (bridges, being alone, claustrophobia, computers, dentists, flying, driving, elevators, heights, needles, public speaking, fear of snakes or spiders) and many more.

You are working with bioelectricity and language for healing.

You could speculate at length as to how and why this works. You can rest assured it's about "energy." Energy, of course, is the life force of the universe. It's the electromagnetic field that underlies all that is. It is the vitality in all creation. We are working with this energy field when we use these techniques. Some have said that by tapping on these points, we are activating the flow of energy or chi. There are various nerve endings under the skin, which send messages to the brain to alleviate many of our long-held challenges.

The human energy field is similar to other kinds of electrical systems. When there is a disruption in a mechanism, you notice static or noise. In the case of humans, you notice various kinds of impediments or problems. When you are able to dissolve the static or noise, you can help the mechanism to run smoothly, with fewer disruptions. Your TV or computer, for example, can run more smoothly by making some adjustments. So too with the human energy system. Almost as if you had a remote control or a keyboard, you can "tap in" the appropriate code, which will create more peace in the system, help the energy to smooth out and work more optimally.

There may also be a biological component to the success with tapping techniques. By tapping on acupressure points, you are stimulating and releasing endorphins, the pleasure chemicals that send well-being signals to your brain.

There is the additional component of language in the tapping process. You don't simply tap; you talk, as well. You talk about the original dilemmas, and your phrasing focuses the healing process. You talk about the problems using primarily negative phrases. There must be some reason for adding talking to the tapping process.

Now this is very interesting, as you would think that tapping alone could put the bioelectrical system back into alignment. But there is another component. When we verbally state the problems, we may very well be speaking to the consciousness in the specific areas or issues of our bodymind. Combined with tapping, there a powerful healing response created by the synergy of both the words and the tapping.

Many metaphysicians and yogis have spoken about consciousness in the organ systems and in the entire human system. They have talked about the consciousness in all organ systems that respond to a mind-body approach to healing.

Yogi Ramacharacka, in his book, The Science of Psychic Healing, has said: "...the organs, parts, and even cells of the body have 'mind' in them.... This 'mind' in the cells, cell-groups, nerve centres, ganglia, etc., responds to a strong thought impression from outside...." What the yogi is saying is that there are communities of cells in each organ system that have their own collective consciousness. So the liver may have its own consciousness, as may the heart and lungs. One may feel sluggish and need to "awaken." Another may feel congested or may be carrying stresses and hurts from onslaughts of the past.

This is very significant, as there is a potent mind-body connection at work in the human organism. Still even more significant is that these systems respond powerfully to "thought impressions" and promptings from "outside."

Many healers have seen over and over the power of verbal suggestions on the cells of the physical body and on the emotions. In addition, the practice of mindfulness, in which we pay attention to whatever is at hand, brings a powerful awareness to the issue and creates significant change through that attention.

We combine this verbal attention with a natural physiological response, which comes from tapping on energy points. What we get is a combination of electricity, biology and consciousness. The smoothing out of the electrical pathways, combined with the biochemical production of endorphins and other biochemical elements, combined with our connection with consciousness ¬– all create a powerful healing response. We're working here with specific acupuncture points and the ancient healing pathways called meridians, but there is much more to it. We are contacting the consciousness of the bodymind with our words and with our intention.

Now, if you really want to go out on a limb, you can say that each time we state the issue, it is like a tiny "prayer" intended in the direction of the distress. And the tap is like a knock on the door of the bodymind. This is all very mysterious and fascinating, to be sure. And the main point here is that, whatever may be the explanation for how it works, it works.

Marilyn Gordon, PhD, DCH, BCH. is a board certified hypnotherapist, teacher, speaker, healer, school director and author with thirty years of experience and a diverse and expansive background in teaching and healing. She is the award-winning founder and director of the Center for Hypnotherapy Certification in Oakland, California, has been recognized in 14 Who's Whos, appears on radio and television, and gives numerous workshops. She is the author of her newest book, Extraordinary Healing: Transforming Your Consciousness, Your Energy System and Your Life. She works in the area of profound mental-emotional-spiritual transformation. She does her best to bring compassion, inspiration and love to all she does. Her purpose is to work with love to amplify the good and talents in others and to help them heal mind and body, and to uplift people in all ways.

For more information visit: TheWiseMind.com