This article is part of the EFT 201: Common questions about EFT after a little experience series.

One of real benefits of using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is the fact that each rounds of tapping are so short that we are giving immediate feedback to how we are doing.  In my experience there are four typical outcomes to a round of tapping which give us information.

1) The pain/emotion reduce in intensity.  This tells us we are doing the right work in the right place.
2) The pain/emotion increases in intensity.  When this happen it simply means that as we were tapping we have tuned more precisely into what ever we are doing work on.  I am reassured; when the intensity increases it is good.  It means we are closer to the root of the problem.
3) The pain/emotion changes in location, texture, or type.  This informs that we are getting closer to the root, but haven’t found our way there yet.   We are getting closer, but need to keep working.
4) There is no change in intensity.  This means we need to change our approach.  Typically this means we don’t have enough water in the system, are psychologically reversed, or we are not being specific enough.

All four of these outcomes are good news.  We are either healing, or have more information about what the next step is to healing.

As you can see when the intensity goes up it is not a bad thing.  For example, you can have a very sore knee.  As you move through the day you notice it knee, but it isn’t until you sit down that you can really feel it.  The moment you sit down and take deep breath all your attention goes to the aching knee.   You knee didn’t start hurting more the instant you sat down, you were just giving it more attention.

Right now, think about your feet and socks.  A moment ago you couldn’t feel your socks on your feet, but the instance you put your attention to your feet, you could feel your socks.

This is no difference, when intensity goes up we are simply putting more attention to a problem then we were before.  Even though it feels a little worse, it is good news, because it lets us know we are on the right path.