Rapid Stress Relief with EFT Tapping
One of my favorite ways to use EFT is as a relaxation technique. It's a very fast and effective way to melt away a lot of stress in a very short amount of time.
Here's how to do it:
1) Set a timer for 10 minutes.
2) Put your phone in airplane mode (as you have no doubt noticed, a ringing phone is generally not conducive to relaxation).
3) Sit or lie down someplace where you will have some modicum of privacy.
4) Start your timer.
5) Tap through the EFT points in silence until the timer goes off. If you're not quite sure how to tap or need a reminder of where the tapping points are, you can watch this 5-minute video, and/or refer to this tapping chart.
That's it! Though you may have heard that it's necessary to be specific when doing EFT, you can also simply tap as your stressful thoughts are running through your mind, and it will release a lot of the tension that these thoughts are creating in your body.
It will also likely catalyze some of the spontaneous cognitive shifts that EFT is known for, which will reduce your overall stress level.
For example, if you're stressing about something your boss said to you, if you tap through the points as your mind is obsessing over this, you may effortlessly begin to see what your boss said in a whole new way, and one that isn't stressful at all.
Then that cause of stress will be gone, and the tension it's been creating in your body will be gone too. Presto!
I'm not saying that ten minutes of tapping will solve all of your problems, but if you're feeling stressed-out, it can reduce your stress level enough that you'll experience significant relief.
Here are some of the immediate benefits you can expect to receive from this simple practice:
Deeper breathing
Stopping the fight or flight/freeze response
Slower heart rate (and possibly lower blood pressure)
Reduced muscular tension, especially in the face, neck, shoulders, and back
A quieter mind
A calmer demeanor
A more positive outlook
So the next time you're feeling stressed-out, just take ten minutes and give this a try. It's similar to mindfulness meditation (which I'm a big proponent of), but in this case, rather than just being with your stressful thoughts and feelings, you'll be releasing them.
Probably not enough to create a permanent shift (for that I recommend a 30 to 60-minute EFT session--on your own if you have the skills, or with a practitioner if you're a beginner or simply prefer working with a practitioner), but enough to give you some relief and get through the day with greater equanimity and peace. If you make it a daily habit to simply tap in silence for ten minutes, you will also benefit from the cumulative effects of this powerful practice, like greater productivity (stress takes up a lot of bandwidth!), improved sleep, more harmonious relationships, and better overall health.
PLEASE NOTE
When When doing EFT tapping on your own, if you aren't able to completely heal the issue you're working on, so that when you think about it, it no longer causes any stress, emotional pain, anger, or fear, I recommend working with a professional EFT practitioner. If you decide that this is the best course of action for you, and you'd like to work with me, click here to schedule a session or free consultation.
Heather Ambler is a San Francisco Bay Area EFT practitioner and mindset coach. Through her private practice and online programs, she’s helped over 14,000 people in 81 countries recover from loss, heal trauma, release fears, increase confidence, and achieve goals. To schedule a session or free consultation, click here.
