Tapping Q & A with Gene Monterastelli - Get the most out of tapping and EFT

Limiting Beliefs About Money

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I would like to be more financially successful, but for some reason I just keep making really poor choices. It is almost as if a part of me wants me to stay poor. I don't even know where to begin with this issue. Do you have any suggestions?


photo by Andrew Magill

Like lots of issues, when we struggle with financial success it is often because we believe there is some penalty for having more money. On the surface that might seem silly that there is a penalty for having money. Many of these beliefs are not only rooted in our subconscious but are also rooted in our culture.

For example, we might fear being rich because a part of us believes that “All rich people are jerks!” We know this not to be true, but think of every rich person as they are portrayed in movies, tv shows, and books. Other than Daddy Warbucks from Annie I can't think of a single nice rich person in fiction. When we recognize these facts it is becomes very obvious on how we might hold this sort of belief in our subconscious.

The part of us that is preventing us from being financially successful is protecting us. By keeping us from being financially successful it is keeping us becoming a jerk.

I have found that when it comes to this sort of limiting belief the easy way to deal with it is through a kind of conversation Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping where we state both sides of the argument. It might look something like this:

All people who are rich are jerks…I know this isn't true…but when you are rich you only think of yourself…I know lots of rich people who have do good work…but you have to step on people to get rich…but not everyone who is rich has gotten rich by stepping on people…it is possible to get rich and help people at the same time…when you are rich you only hang out with rich people and you will forget where you came from…I can become rich and still keep my friends and connections…

That is only the beginning of the tapping, but you can easily see how all you are doing is stating both sides of the argument and tapping away.

Here is a great list of limiting beliefs about money and financial success published at the web site money-attraction.com

1. Rich people are greedy and dishonest
2. I could become overly dependent on money.
3. It will tarnish my sense of who I am as a person.
4. I’ll become a greedy and uncaring person.
5. I’ll attract the unwanted envy of others.
6. I will do wrong if I become rich
7. I will become a bad man if I have a lot of money
8. It’ll make me stand out and I’ll lose my privacy.
9. If I get rich I’ll abandon my values
10. I can’t be rich and spiritual!
11. If I’m successful, my friends will be jealous and stop liking me
12. I’m no better than my parents, so I shouldn’t make more than they did
13. I might forget what’s truly important and not like the person I’ve become
14. Money is dirty.
15. Money is the root of all evil
16. Money is not spiritual
17. It’s a sin to be rich
18. I am poor but I am a good man
19. I will never have enough money
20. I can’t get ahead
21. I’m not worthy
22. I’ll probably just fail anyway
23. We can’t afford anything we want
24. I’m not smart enough to be wealthy!
25. It is too greedy for me to earn more than ** in a month
26. It is impossible for me to earn so much
27. Friends around me don’t make so much money, so do I
28. Financial success will mean working all the time
29. You have to lie and cheat to get rich
30. It takes too much effort to earn it.
31. Money doesn’t grow on trees!
32. I have to work harder if I want to earn more money!
33. It is greedy/bad/joking to making money easily and effortlessly
34. It is impossible for me to making money effortlessly and easily
35. Getting by is good enough
36. I don’t deserve it.
37. I’m not like those people
38. There is virtue in poverty, and wealthy people are morally bankrupt.
39. Those who have figured out a way to achieve wealth and financial security are just lucky.
40. Only people who have access to large amounts of money from family and friends can be assured financial success
41. There are limits to how one can attain wealth and how much money one can make.
42. Saving money means making money
43. Spending money is far faster than making money
44. I can’t charge too much
45. Never lend money to others
46. I must save money for unexpected things
47. I hate/envy those wealthy people
48. I work to pay for the debt
49. I can’t afford what my wife/someone loves
50. I can’t buy what I like most but the cheapest because I have to save for the unexpected

Podcast 15 is all about tapping for financial success. You should also check out 3 Keys To Having and Keeping Finacial Abundance in the Tapping Q & A online store.

[Note: As I wrote this article I had a very hard time writing the word “rich”. I could easily write “financially successful”. Obviously there is a limiting belief I have about the work “rich”. I guess I should tap on that!]

Pod #26: Weight and Emotion w/ Catherine Poole (part 3 of 10)

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[Note: This is part 3 of a 10 part series on using EFT/Tapping for weight release with a new article or podcast being added every 10 days. The complete series can be found @ weight release series.]

The extra weight that we hold is often times associated with and symptoms of deeper emotional issues. In this interview Catherine Poole talks about what emotions are most often associated with the different problems areas of weight gain. Once we are able to understand the emotional roots of the weight we are carrying it becomes easier for us to release both the emotional wound as well at the physical weight.
[Read more…] about Pod #26: Weight and Emotion w/ Catherine Poole (part 3 of 10)

Not Knowing Where To Start

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I am new to Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping and love it, but I don't know where to start. I set time aside everyday to tap. When I sit down to tap either nothing comes to mind or everything comes to mind all at once. I know there are lots of areas of my life that need transformation. Any suggestion on getting started?


photo by Jon Marshall

One of the misconceptions we have about tapping is the belief that we need to know what we are going to be tapping on before we start tapping. We think, “I need to know exactly the issue at hand and what I am going to use as my set-up phrases before I can begin.”

Here are few suggestions that will help you when you find yourself in this situation.

Tap While You Are Trying To Figure Out What To Tap On
Yes, it is true the more specific we are the faster we are going to find results. This does mean that we are going to be unsuccessful while we are being unspecific. As a starting point I recommend that you tap while you are trying to figure out what the issue is you would like to tap on.

For example, you know that work is causing you stress. There could be lots of reasons for this. It could be your relationship with your co-workers, a demanding supervisor, a pressing dead line, or work that is unfulfilling. It might even be many or all of these things.

It is a good idea to figure out exactly what part of your workday that is causing you stress. Instead of making this two steps, figuring out the issue(s) and tapping, why not do both at the same time. While you are thinking though your workday and all the relationships you have with co-workers you should be tapping. Not only will this help you clarify the issues faster it will also start to bring relief before you do your specific tapping for an issue.

This process can be used for any and all parts of your life. You know that you want better health, stronger relationships, success in your work, ease at public speaking, or anything else. Just start tapping, moving from point to point, as you think about this part of your life. I have found when I do this I feel calmer and find my way to clarity of the real issues I need to be working on.

Tap On Not Knowing What To Tap On
Another very useful tool you can use when you don't know exactly what to tap on is to tap on not know what to tap on. It could look something like this:

I know I need to do some tapping…I know tapping has worked in the past…and it can work now…I know the more specific I am about the issue the faster tapping can work…and right now I am not sure what to tap on…but just because I don't know what to tap on…doesn't mean that I can't be successful right now…as I tap and try and figure out what to tap on…I know I am making a small bit of progress….I know I don't need to know all the details of what is at hand for progress…by relaxing about needing to know exactly what I need to work on…will make it easy for me to make progress…therefore I choose to let the problems unfold in front of me slowly….knowing the system will give me the information I need for healing when I need it….the system knows the rate I can heal safely…

I have found this sort of tapping bring clarity very quickly to very specific areas that we can tap on.

Stress About The Issus
What I have found in my practice (both in dealing with my own issues and with working with my clients) is often times the stress about an issue/situation is much trouble some than the issue/situation itself.

Often times when we are able to release and relieve the stress we have around an issue we are able to look at what is going on much more objectively and find an outcome that is very satisfactory.

To that end, when we don't know where to start with an issue and great place to start is with the stress you feel about the situation. In many cases I have found just by dealing with the stress of the issue we can find as much as 80% (and often times total) relief before we even deal with the issue at hand.

Here is a list of great ways to start off dealing with an issue.

Reframes for stress:

  • I don't have to deal with this all at once
  • I don't have to deal with all of these issues all at once
  • It might not be the big deal I am making it out to be
  • I have dealt with things tougher than this
  • People really aren't thinking of me as much as I think
  • I don't have to go diving into all the issue to heal this
  • The stress is just a signal telling me something is wrong
  • Things are not going to be this way forever
  • It might think it helping by running, but it is going to get worse by running from it
  • I can release this issue without knowing what the root causes are
  • I can release this issue without having to know what the original event was
  • I can release this issue without having to dive in the a past painful memory

If you follow these three approaches you will find your way to what the specifies are you need to tap on as well as to relief quickly with tapping.

Pod #25: Psychological Reversal w/ Gwenn Bonnell

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One of the most often used terms and at the same time most misunderstood term used by people in the Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping community is “psychological reversal”. In this interview, in easy to understand language, Gwenn Bonnell describes what PR is, what is symptoms are, and many techniques for clearing it.

[Note: Out of all of the interview I have done in the last year this is the one I personally learned the most from.]

Guest: Gwenn Bonnell

Contact Gwenn: web @ TapIntoHeaven.com; email @ gwenn@tapintoheaven.com; phone @ 954 370 1552

About Gwenn: Gwenn is a writer, teacher and lecturer. She offers private sessions and training and workshops at Heaven On Earth in Davie, Florida. A graduate of the College of Health and Human Development, Penn State University, she is a member of the ACEP, Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, and has trained personally with Gary Craig (developer of EFT, Emotional Freedom Techniques), Dr. Larry Nims (BSFF, Be Set Free Fast), Tapas Fleming (TAT, Tapas Acupressure Techniques), Donna Eden and David Feinstein (Energy Medicine), Sandi Radomski (Allergy Antidotes), Alan Handelsman (Muscle Testing), Paul Burdelski (Touch for Health), and Piilani (Huna Kane).

My Goal Isn’t Believable (2 of 10)

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[Note: This is part 2 of a 10 part series on using EFT/Tapping for weight release with a new article or podcast being added every 10 days. The complete series can be found @ weight release series.]


photo by Hans Gerwitz

One of the most difficult things about weight release is believing that we can achieve our goals. Often we are often carry the baggage of failed past attempts at weight release, a family history of carrying too much weight, and the fact that we have held the weight for so long it seem that is stuck and can't possibly be released.

In my own life there are few emotions that I enjoy less than the feeling of failure. Often when we fail we have to face the fact that we are incapable of doing something, we feel we have wasted time and effort, and that others are going to see us as less because of our failing.

Because of these fears it is very easy to see why it is so hard for us act. There is a part of us that sees the consequences of us failing. The way it protects us from feeling all of these emotions associated with failure is it creates situation where we self sabotage ourselves. In the short term it is keeping us safe from feeling bad about failing, but in the long term it is preventing us form achieving our goals.

This is not only true for weight release, but can also be true for any goal that we are trying to achieve. For this reason I think one of the most important steps we can take when we are tapping for a change in behavior or tapping to help us achieve a future goal is to tap for clearing the fear of failure.

Here are some tapping patters for some of the most common reasons and emotions associated with failure.

Fear Of Failing

I don't want to fail…failing is no fun…when I fail at any task…it points out my short coming to myself…and to others…when I try something and fail…it is a giant waste of time…I could be using this time at something I am good at…but I choose to know that failure is not inevitable…it is possible that I might not fail this time…I don't always fail…I also know that there have been times in which I have failed that have been good for me…I have learned valuable lessons in may of my failings…if I only try the things that I know are going to work out…then I am going to try nothing new…I am never going to grow…there are times in my life where I have tried new things…and they didn't work out the way I would have liked…but they did work out in a way that was beneficial for me…there are also many lessons that I can learn in failing…this does not mean I need to seek failure out…but I can takes this moments of failure and use them as a way to grow and develop…I also might surprise myself by what I am able to achieve…there are times in which I have underestimated myself…and what I can achieve…I give myself permission to try…I give myself permission to know it might not work out…but it is still worth trying…because if I succeed there is a chance for growth…and if I fail there is a chance for learning…both are good for me in the long run.

I Have Failed Before At Weight Release

I have tried to release weight in the past and have failed…I failed before and I am going to fail again…there is no reason to try…because it is going to be a giant waste of time…I might as well just be resigned to the fact this is the way it is…but I choose to know there are times in the past in which I did not succeed the first time I tried…there are times where I learned many lessons before I got it right…there were also times where I made the same mistake over and over again before I got it right…but I did get it right…there are many times I have tried in the past to release this weight that did not work…and there are lots of reasons for this…but this is a new time…and a new way…if I try and release this weight and fail I am still in the same spot…but if I try and release weight and succeed that is progress I want…so by trying I am not going to make it worse…but I do have a chance to make it better….I choose to learn the lessons from all the attempts in the past that did not work…and use this knowledge to move forward in a new way…I know that the frustration of not being successful and choose to take the frustration of failure in the past…and transform that energy into a motivating energy to make better choices…I it no longer beating me up for the past…but now becomes my greatest cheer leader and encourager…moving me forward in a way that will help to breed success

Everyone In My Family Is Over Weight So I Will Be As Well

Everyone in my family is over weight…it is just how we are…you can't fight your gene pool…some people are just over weight because that is how there body is made…I have seen many family members try and release weight in the past and failed…therefore there is no hope for me…but I choose to know there is more to weight than genetics…there are whole groups of people in my family who have choose the buy into the same world view…and are creating a situation which makes it ease for all of them to continue to hold the extra weight…this does not have to be my way…there are other parts of my life in which I have choose an different path than the rest of the family…we are not all exactly alike…by choose to release weight I am not dismissing or abandoning my family…I am still part of the family…I am just choosing my own way…maybe my choices will model for the rest of the family that this sort of transformation is possible…just because it has been this way for my family doesn't mean it has to be this way for me…I know weight is more than just genetics

My Goal Is Too Big

There is no way I am going to achieve my goal…because it is just too big…it would be one thing if I was trying to release much less weight…but I am so far behind there is no way I am going to catch up…it is too late because the goal is so big…but I choose to know that weight release it not for the short term…to create a change for my entire lifetime…I am not only effecting today…but am effecting my whole life…this is process that is going to happen little by little…as much as I would like to release all this weight all at once…it is much healthy for me to release it a little at a time…it is safer for my body to release weight in a natural way…because I can't release it all at once I don't need to worry about releasing it all…I have satisfied in the fact that my goal in the short term can be much smaller…as I achieve each of these smaller short term goals…I will be working to my long term goal…by working to my long term goal in small ways…it becomes much more achievable…therefore my long term goal is not too big…because it is something that will take time…but will impact the rest of my life.

In part 3 of this series I interview Catherine Poole about the association of specific emotions and our problem areas.

Would you like to work with Gene one-on-one with your weight release? Here is the current weight release special.

Pod #24: Fear, Anxiety, Safety, and Freedom w/ Rick Wilkes

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Writing a description of an interview with Rick Wilkes is always a difficult task. On the surface there is the topic at hand for the interview, but when we are chatting things move more much far afield into deep issues of healing and well-being than just the topic at hand. In this interview we talk about the spectrum from feeling completely and irrationally unsafe to complete and total inanition. Anytime there is resistance to change it is really important to ask “Do we feel safe making this change?” In the interview we talk about a number of ways of framing this question to make is more accessible for every issue. In addition to talk about extreme fears and uncomfortable situation we talk about finding space that is safe to heal and what true healing means. This is not just about eliminating fear, but being in a space of feeling alive in every way.


Rick Wilkes

Guest: Rick Wilkes, LMT

Contact Info: thrivingnow.com, Rick@Thrivingnow.com, 1-304-284-0711 or 1-888-222-3856

Bio: Rick Wilkes is an EFT practitioner based in Morgantown, WV. Over the last six years Rick has worked with over 1500 clients. He works regularly with individuals and with his Thriving Now Groups.

Here's what one of Rick's loyal clients says: “Working with Rick Wilkes both privately and on team calls has helped me greatly to release the past, move more confidently into the future, and mostly to be more joyfully present in the now. Rick’s open-hearted broader perspective, amazing intuition, and great sense of humor always help me to get right to the core and effectively reframe whatever issue I have. Listening to him work with others has helped me to get in touch with stuff I didn’t even know was there and inspired me in my own work with others. It is a blessing and honor to work with such a master.”
Links & Resrouces From Episode:

Making It Safe To Heal With EFT/Giving Ourselves Permission To Heal (part 1 of 10)

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[Note: This is part 1 of a 10 part series on using EFT/Tapping for weight release with a new article or podcast being added every 10 days. The complete series can be found @ weight release series.]


photo by Dan Dickinson

Our body/system does not have an agenda. There is nothing that our body/system does unless it believes it is the best thing for us. There are times in which the body/system is making a choice from misinformation, but it is only providing the information that it thinks is going to keep us safe.

For example, lets look at a fear of public speaking. When we have a fear of public speaking it is because the system thinks there is great danger in public speaking. If we are in a situation where job promotion is based on our ability to speak in public this does not look like the system is protecting us. Instead the fear is hurting us.

In this case the system might fear, “If we speak in public everyone is going to see how stupid we really are. Every time we open our mouth in public we do something stupid. They are all going to laugh.”

Because the system is holding this belief it believes keeping us from speaking it is keeping us safe. The problem is in this case (like most limiting beliefs we have) it is keeping us safe from something that is not a real danger.

Because the system believes there is a danger in speaking is public there is going to be resistance to letting go of that fear of public system. The system sees that if we let go of the fear of public speaking (which is a defense mechanism) we are then going to end up in unsafe places. The system believes it is unsafe to heal this belief because we will then put ourselves in an unsafe situation (speaking in public in this case).

It becomes much easier to heal this fear of public speaking when we are able to recognize (on a system/subconscious level) that it is safe to heal. This is an easy task that can be achieved easily (as we will see) by tapping.

When the body is carrying extra weight the system almost always believes that there is a reason for holding the weight. On the level of looking at physical symptoms as metaphor, extra weight is a prefect metaphor for not feeling safe in the world. The extra weight is a shield or a mechanism to keep others away. (I have heard this from countless clients when we do deep parts work.)

Our natural state is to be fit and healthy, therefore the system has to be working overtime to be holding the weight. In this case it is clear the system sees the weight as being needed and therefore believes that it is unsafe to release the weight.

The first step in any weight release program is let the system it is safe to heal. Here is how I would tap to start this process:

My body is holding extra weight…it is doing this because if feels I need the weight…it also feel that I will be unsafe…or the world will be unsafe…if I release the weight…my system thinks I am going to be unsafe…the body is working really hard to keep this weight…because it wants me to be safe…I recognize how hard the system has to work to keep this weight…I am happy my body is willing to work so hard…but I know the tact it is choosing isn't the best for me in the short or long term…by recognizing how hard the body is working to keep me safe…I don't need to keep doing the same thing…right now I am speaking to the part of me that is keeping the weight…I let it know and my whole system know that is it safe for me to heal…I am worthy of this healing…the world can be a safe place for me…I can thrive in the world in a safe way…and release this weight…the shield of weight can be changed in to a more effective way of protecting myself…the weight isn't keeping me safe…I know the body is trying to shield me…but extra weight is not the best way to keep me safe…it is safe for me to heal and release this weight…because in this process I am going to find the true issues that need healing…they extra weight is a symptom…it is part of my system calling out to the need for deeper healing…because I am aware of this face…the weight has done its job by letting me know there is deeper healing needed…by walking down this path I am going to move forward in many areas of my life…which is what I want…and am worthy of healing the weight…it is safe for me to move forward…part of the reason it is safe is because I am not doing to do it all at once…this will be bit by bit…I know my system wants what is best for me…I want the system to know I appreciate all the work it is doing for me…and I want the system to be more effective in its work…one of the ways this is going to happen is by letting this transformation to happen…in a safe and healthy way…it is safe for me to heal the issues of this extra weight

In part 2 of this series we will look at when we don't believe our goal is achievable.

Would you like to work with Gene one-on-one with your weight release? Here is the current weight release special.

Pod #23: Getting To The Root Of A Current Issue w/ Tania A Prince

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One of the most difficult parts of using Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping effectively is in trying to figure out the root cause of the emotions we are currently feeling. Although we can often guess that a past event might be relevant it is difficult to be certain. In this podcast Tania Prince explains part of the process she calls Deep State RePatterning which can safely give us access to information about a past event held in the subconscious mind, allowing us the opportunity to do transformational work with that information.


Tania A. Prince

Guest: Tania A. Prince EFT Master

Contact: web @ eft-courses.co.uk, e-mail @ contact page

Biography: Tania is an EFT Master (one of fewer than thirty worldwide). She has extensive experience of using EFT with clients and has worked on a vast range of issues, including fear of public speaking, blushing, panic attacks, success coaching, phobias, depression, addictions, anxiety, weight management, agoraphobia and serious illnesses, etc. She works from two clinics in Cheshire, England as well as working with clients throughout the UK and internationally via the phone. Her work has been featured on television and radio shows both in the UK and abroad. She presents regularly at major international conferences and is a TAT Professional Trainer.

Pod #22: Tapping Insiders Club – Ask The Expert

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Each month the Tapping Insiders Club does an “Ask The Expert” interview where they pose questions from their members to a tapping practitioner. For the month of December I was asked to field these questions. In this interview Jessica Ortner asks me questions from total tapping beginners to questions from practitioners.

Music used in this podcast from stefsax and panu moon

Asking For Proof

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photo by euthman

In my work with clients I do a great deal of parts work. Parts work is nothing more than a very easy way of isolating a part of our system to find information about the issue we are working on.

One of the very easy ways of doing parts work is to have a little conversation with a part of the body. Often time this conversation is with a physical sensation. It could be a physical pain (like an aching muscle) or the physical feeling (like tightness in the stomach accompanying nervousness). Once we have tuned into this part of the body we are working on we can ask it question. To do this we simply pretend that we are able to have a conversation with part of the body.

Once I am “talking” to this part of my body/system one of the first questions I often ask is, “Why do you exist?” or “What are you worried about?” or “What are you trying to keep me safe from?” These questions can give us the underlying belief that is keeping the issues in the system. We can get answers like, “You are going to get hurt.” “People will laugh if you fail.” “You are not good enough.” “It is too hard.”

You will notice that in almost every case these types of answers are about keeping us safe. The problem is many times it is trying to keep us safe from things that are not really dangerous. This is an example of the system trying to take care of us by protection us from things that we don't need protection from. Even though these worries are not founded, once we have uncovered them it becomes very ease for us to use this information to do Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping work.

Once we have uncovered the reason for the feeling there is a very useful question we can ask. Ask the part “What proof do you have that this is the case?” When we ask this question one of two things are going to happen. We could get a very clear answer of the proof the system has to hold this belief or we could see that the belief has no proof on why this is true. Both of these are very helpful outcomes.

When the answer to the question about proof comes back with examples it comes in two forms: examples from our life and examples from others experience. When we are reminded of similar situations in the past all we need to do is do some tapping on the past experience(s). As we clean up the past experience we will be cleaning up the issue that is at hand. When we are reminded of other experiences we can tap on how there situation is different than our own. As we clean up the beliefs of others experiences we are again cleaning up our own issues.

[Note: It is possible that when we ask this question we are going to get proof from our own life as well as proof from others experience. When this happens take each form of proof one at a time.]

There are times when we ask this question where the emotion/belief is not going to be able to provide any proof. This is still good news, but we need to take a little different approach. Anytime we have a part of ourselves that is hesitate or worried it is because there is a fear that we are going to get hurt, but in this case we are holding it without proof that this is the outcome we are going get. When this happens we need to recognize the fear is trying to keep us safe, let it know that we are safe, and let it know it can come back if there is a real danger. The tapping for this could look sound like this:

I thank this worry for being…the only reason it exists is because it is trying to keep me safe…it believes that there is possible danger out there for me…I am glad my system is trying to keep me safe by looking out for possible worries…but sometimes the system worries about dangers that aren't really there…or dangers that aren't as big as the system believes…that is what is happening right now…this emotion of fear and worry is just trying to keep me safe…it is just working too hard…I am glad that it is work so hard for me…but I give it permission to relax…it has done it job of warning me of a possible trouble…because I am aware of it I can deal with it if it comes up…so the system doesn't have to warn me of it any more…the worry has done its job…I am now safe…I can move forward knowing what to look out for…if for some reason this worry feels like it need to come back to warn me again…I welcome this…because I want to know about what possible issues are at hand…but for now I have my eyes open and am safe…I am thankful that my system is worried about my safety…I continue to empower my system to look out for me…know that just like right now I am going to hear the warning of they system to make the best choices for me.

Asking the question “What proof do you have to feel this way or to belief this?” isn't just limited to doing parts work. This is a question that can be incorporated into many tapping situations. Whenever we are facing a task or activity that we dread we can ask ourselves two question. First, ask “What is the penalty/consequence for me doing this?” You might come up with one or many penalties. For each penalty ask the questions, “What is the proof I have that this penalty/consequence is going to happing?” Based on the answers to these questions we follow the same steps as above to clear the resistance to change and to clear the issue.

Lesson Learned From Gary Craig & His Announced Retirement

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As many of you are aware Gary Craig has announced his retirement from the EFT community that he helped to craft and create. Gary's full announcement can be found on the EFT blog. For those of you who don't know Gary, he is the one who crafted EFT out of his experience with Thought Field Therapy and other modalities.

In one of the advanced Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping classes I teach one full class is devoted to lessons we can learn from great change work professionals. Gary is one of the people I feature in the class. In that vain here are two lessons that can be learned from Gary's work and two lessons that can be learned for Gary's announced retirement.

1) Often The Best Solution Is The Simplest Solution
Evolving Thought Field Therapy/Thought Field Therapy(TFT) is an amazing tool set. It is very powerful in clearing both physical and emotional issues. For each issue it constructs a very specific tapping pattern to clear the issue. As powerful as this is, it takes a very skilled professional to be able to come up with that tapping pattern. Gary was trained in TFT, he recognized how powerful the tool was, and wonder if there was a way to make it simpler so it could be placed in the hands of the public at large. The outcome was EFT. EFT is elegant in its simplicity. I have taught the basics of EFT on the back of a napkin in a busy bar in less than five minutes.

We as people, at least I do, love complexity. We feel the more complicated the solution better the solution must be. The creation of EFT shows us that sometimes a simpler solution will accomplish as much as a more complicated one. Because of this model I ask myself, “Is there a simpler way to do the exact same thing?” before I take the first step.

2) Power of Generosity
As you read the many comments on the EFT web site under Gary's announcement the word that appears over and over again is generous. Gary is a very generous man with his time and his talents. He provided his ideas and training very cheaply. Many of the resources were offered for free so that many could have access to the amazing tool that EFT is. Because of his generosity the community that built up around him responded in the same way.

His newsletter that was published every three or four days contained 3 new articles from practitioners from around the world sharing their insight while using EFT. It would be very easy for practitioners to keep their knowledge to themselves or to only share the information with their own readership. Instead they choose to share their knowledge with the community at larger hoping others could learn and grow from their insight.

The cynic might argue the reason people shared their knowledge on Gary's site was because the traffic was so great hoping to use the exposure to build their own practice. This might be true for some, but it was not for all. When I would read an article I really like I would track the author down to see if they had other articles they had written or if they had their own newsletter I could subscribe to. Many times these articles were not written by practitioners, but by people who used EFT in their own lives and they wanted to share in hopes it would help others.

Gary's generosity to the tapping community created a tapping community that was very generous in turn, not just with Gary, but with each other. I am blessed to have many new friends because of the community that wouldn't have existed without Gary's generosity.

3) You Must Take Care Of Yourself
Gary writes:

Finally, my physicians tell me that I have had a heart attack. I am unaware of when this happened and have no symptoms. Nonetheless, the tests show clearly that part of my heart has died. Accordingly, it is sheer idiocy for me to continue with the pressures of running EFT. To do so, is to risk another heart attack, stroke, etc. No thanks.

I can only image the struggle Gary went through as he made this choice. The number of profound healings that Gary has witnessed first hand and the countless notes he has received is mind-boggling. Walking away from something that he has cared some much about and given so much energy and time to in the last 15 years must be heart wrenching.

I don't know if I could do this.

This is something I preach to my clients all the time and something Gary is living out in this choice: We must take care of ourselves before we can take care of others. If we are not safe and/or healthy then we are in no position to care for others. Often we feel selfish in making this choice, but we do others little good if we are sick. Our health is paramount to us being able to help others. Gary should be applauded for his courage in making this choice.

4) Physical Being A Metaphor For The Emotional
I experience everything in two ways. First, just on a normal level as human seeing how my surrounding and current stimulus affects me. Second, I experience things as a practitioner. I am asking myself questions about why are thing happening the way they are. As a practitioner I was struck by the following:

Also, as should be apparent to most of our seasoned readers, some EFT'ers have been hyping their products in ways that tend to erode the spiritual essence of the EFT movement. This has resulted in some behind-the-scenes disagreements, deceit and other negative experiences. At the core, I prefer peace to pugilism and wish to distance myself from these unnecessary “fame and fortune” energies. As you will see below, I'm leaving for higher ground.

…

Nonetheless, the tests show clearly that part of my heart has died.

I have some insight into what Gary is eluding to in this part of his note. I don't know Gary personally (other than a few professional email back and forth), but do have a sense at how hard some of these situations were for him. It was a moment in which something he had created had grown well beyond himself and people were making choice that Gary himself would not make. In Gary's mind these weren't just practical choice of implementation of a protocol, but they were choices of ethics and virtue. It was very obvious in one of Gary's blog posts that this was a heart-breaking situation for him.

It is amazing the way our emotions and physical body can mirror and match one-another.

He Will Be Missed
Gary's presents in the tapping and change work communities are going to be missed. Even if you have never met or heard of Gary Craig but have learned something on this web site then your life (in ways unknown) has been touched by his work and generosity. I would not be doing this work today if it was not for Gary Craig.

Pod #21: Zapping Cravings w/ Pat Carrington

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One of the most common uses of tapping is weight release and craving control. In this interview Pat talks about the basic steps we need to take to be success in weight release. After giving this overview Pat talks emotional eating and then talks in very specific term about the mindless eating we do and how we can use tapping to deal with the craving eating and the habitual eat (e.g. eating every time we watch tv).


Pat Carrington

Guest: Dr. Pat Carrington

About Pat: Pat is as Associate Clinical Professor at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey. She is also the innovator of the commonly used tapping protocol most commonly know as “The Choices Method”

Pod #20: Taking Your Tapping To The Next Level with Pamela Bruner

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Pamela Bruner

Guest: Pamela Bruner

Contact: web @ MakeYourSuccessReal.com, twitter @ PamelaBruner, facebook @ MakeYourSuccessEasy;
phone @ 888-403-4057

About Pamela: Pamela Bruner is a Business Success Coach, author, speaker, and EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) expert. After removing her own marketing fears to grow her business from $375/month to a $1,000,000 in less than 3 years, Pamela specializes in working with conscious entrepreneurs to build six-and seven-figure businesses by removing their fears and blocks around marketing and sales. She is co-author of ‘EFT and Beyond – Cutting Edge Techniques for Personal Transformation', and is the co-author of the book and DVD ‘Tapping into Ultimate Success’ with Jack Canfield, author of ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul'.

Resources from this episode:

Pod #19: Color, Emotions, and the Holidays with Catherine Poole

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Holidays are very busy emotional times. The last 10 weeks of the year are jam packed with holidays, each with their own special meaning and traditions. Each holiday also has its own color palette. From the oranges of Halloween to the reds and greens of Christmas, these color haven't happened by accident, but also carry the meaning of the holiday. In this podcast I talk to “The Queen of Color”™ Catherine Poole about what each color means emotionally and how by being aware of this we can keep our over eating and over spending in check while being open to the love and connection of the holiday.

This is not one of our more traditional podcasts where we talk strictly tapping, but instead we are sharing tools that will help you to be more keenly aware of how the holidays affect you emotionally. By being aware of what is going on in your emotions you will be well equipped to tap your way through the holiday season.


Catherine Poole

Guest: Catherine Poole

Contact: web @ CatherinePoole.com, web @ QueenOfColor.com, phone @ 276-206-0627

About Catherine: Known internationally as “The Queen of Color”™, Catherine Poole is an expert in color and human response to color. She earned a Master of Fine Art (MFA) from Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Catherine was a professor of color theory and graphic design for more than fifteen years, including nine years at The University of Notre Dame. Her research while at Notre Dame, led to her current work with emotions, energy and color in regard to the human body. Her color theory course included her in-depth study into the affect color has on the human body and how to apply that knowledge to environments, interiors, and products as well as marketing and advertising.

Catherine has been interviewed by Redbook Magazine, Woman's Day, Women’s World Magazine, contributing author to Amoena Life Magazine, appeared on “In Style” WBIR-TV Knoxville, Tennessee. Today she is a welcomed guest on radio shows throughout the United States. Internationally, Catherine has lived and worked in Den Haag, Netherlands and periodically conducts presentations and talks in Den Haag and Amsterdam. She also lived in Warsaw, Poland and taught The Philosophy of Color at Warsaw University for both graduate and doctorate students in Philosophy.

Resources from this episode:

Pod #18: Work Related Stress Effects On Performance, Health, & Emotional Well Being w/ Lynne Shaner

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We spend as much as half of our waking life at work, thinking about work, or commuting. In this podcast I talk to Lynne Shaner about why it is so important to deal with work related stress. We talk about a range of topics concerning work related stress and the easy ways in which we can use Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT)/tapping to deal with it both at our workplace and at home after our working day.

Guest: Lynne Shaner

Contact: web @ eftpraxis.com, phone @ 202-746-2245

About: Lynne is a full-time EFT practitioner based in Washington DC. A former publishing executive, she now works with corporations, hospitals, executives, and other individuals in a variety of areas ranging from stress management and peak performance to pain relief, childhood trauma, and PTSD relief. She is Director of Praxis: Wellness in Life + Work. Lynne has a private practice in Georgetown and also works with clients over the phone.

Resources From This Pod:

Music used in this podcast from stefsax and panu moon

Pod #17: Bridging From Physical Feelings To The Emotion and Memories That Are Underneath

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photo by Thomas Hawk

In this podcast I share part of a client session around the issue of quitting smoking. Even if you are not a smoker you will find this helpful and informative. This session provides a number of clear examples of how we can make the connection from a physiological feeling, in this case the desire to smoke a cigarette, to thoughts and memories from the past.

There are three main takeaways from this audio that are applicable to any tapping situation:

  • how to move from physical to emotional issues
  • how cleaning up one emotion related to a symptom can uncover more emotions tied to the same symptom
  • how the symptoms can return as we tune into new emotions, showing us that there is still more work to be done

Links & Related resources:

  • “Stop Smoking Now And Forever” one-on-one program
  • How To Kill Cravings (Part 1)
  • How To Kill Cravings (Part 2)
  • “Weight Release” one-on-one program

Music used in this podcast from stefsax and panu moon

Using Process Instructions [UPDATE]

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photo by alice (alicepopkorn)

One of the major misconceptions clients have when they come to work with me is they believe that I am going to do something or give them something that is going to make them change or heal. There are certainly times when I teach clients new resources they can use to address the issue they are facing, but in most cases I am simply helping clients to identify the resources they already possess (but for one reason or another are not accessing).

One of my favorite pieces of hypnotic patter I use in tapping sessions with clients is to say, “As you pay attention to [issue at hand] notice the resources you possess that you did not realize would be helpful or have forgotten about that would aid you in healing and transformation. Notice these resources as they spring to mind…”

I love the sense of surprise clients have, as resources come to light that we are then able to use tapping to use to address the issue at hand. [Remember: When working with a practitioner their job is to help you to access the healing tools you already possess.]

Sometimes, without the aid of a skilled practitioner it is hard to tap into these resources we possess because we are so close to the problem. We can have a great deal of resistance that prevents us from finding those resources by simply meditating on the patter offered above. [Note: For more information on resistance see these articles.]

When I have problems (and yes I do have problems) finding my way to the tools that I have to help in my own healing I turned to an Ericksonian hypnosis technique called “process instruction”. In there most over simplified form they are the combination of an unspecified verb, an adjective, and a nominalization (abstract noun) that guides the mind to accessing new perspective and unrealized resources.

The best part of process instructions is you don't need to understand a single word of the previous paragraph to make them work for you. You can just use the table below to come up with phrases.

The way I use process instructions with tapping is

  1. Tune into an issue I would like to see transformation in my life
  2. Choose a word from each column below
  3. Start tapping while thinking of the phrase and issue at hand

As I do this I simply pay attention to the new thoughts that I have. Often I am given new insight in to the problem. Other times I feel the charge release. While other times I see new paths that I can take to my healing.

I do this process with a pen and paper close by so I can write down my new insights.

After doing this for one phase I will move on to another combination. Obviously, some phrases are going to be more powerful than others, but if you take 2 minutes with 5 phrases you will generate a great deal of insight in just 10 minutes.

Here are a few examples of possible phrase that you focus on:

  • develop useful experiences
  • enjoy helpful understanding
  • clarify relevant purpose
  • discover positive support
  • identify curious process

Now on the surface some of these phrases might seem very nonsensical, but if you give your subconscious a chance to sit with these phrase as you tap you will be very surprised at what you come up with.

Unspecified Verbs Adjectives Nominalizations
Review Appropriate Experiences
Develop Valuable Understanding
Continue Useful Attitude
Enjoy Interesting Purpose
Discover Possible Knowledge
Achieve Curious Conclusion
Create Helpful Security
Generate Comfortable Arrangement
Encounter Effective Beliefs
Appreciate Satisfying Values
Change Worthwhile Learning
Control Relevant Expectation
Identify Helpful Support
Practice Original Process
Clarify Impressive Resources
Consider Positive Meaning

[UPDATE: After posting this article there were a number of questions about this process. I have added a bonus podcast where I talk about Process Instructions. Listen to process instruction podcast.]

A Formula To Come Up With Phrases…AKA I don’t know what to say

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One of the biggest struggles newcomers have with tapping/Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT) is coming up with tapping phrases. I learned to find the ‘right' thing to say by reading lots of scripts and patter written by other practitioners. I found phrases, ideas, and formulas that will make it easier for you to come up with your own.

Recently, I found anther great formula on the late Karen Nauman's wonderful web site which sadly no longer exists.

Her approach is very simple and can be done in four easy steps:

Step 1 – Truth statement [Read more…] about A Formula To Come Up With Phrases…AKA I don't know what to say

Medical Implants Effect On Tapping Success

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Can people with neurostimulator implants or pacemakers receive benefits from tapping? I understand the presence of the body's natural energy (electricity) system, but don't both of these medical devices also produce electrical charges within the body?

[Note: I am not a medical doctor. I am not qualified to provide medical advice or diagnosis. This article is provided for informational purposes only. Please consult with your primary care physician before making any changes to your health regimen.]


photo by John (jlcwalker)

I believe there are two ways we can approach this question, and improve the effectiveness of tapping, by working with the implant and the energy created by the implant.

The Implant
Our bodies are designed so that they are very effective in fighting off substances that might be harmful to our system. We have processes and protocols that deal with environmental allergens, diseases, fungus, and viruses. As effective as these systems are, they are relatively primitive.

These systems simply detect what is foreign and proceed to eliminate it. There are times when they over respond (e.g. a major allergy attack), or when they attack something that is actually helpful for the body. A good example is an organ transplant. It's obvious to us that something foreign has been replaced for health reasons, but the body doesn't recognize this and attacks the new organ as if it were harmful. This is equally true for any sort of medical implant.

A number of years ago I was working with a client who had surgery where her rib cage was opened up. The ribs were then reattached to each other with wire to keep them in place as they healed back together. She was having a very hard time post operatively.

Her body was trying to expel the unfamiliar substance, which had been added in a very traumatic way. This wire had been chosen specifically to last and stay in place, so her body was simply going to keep fighting and fighting and the wire wasn't going to go anywhere.

As strange as it sounds, the way we worked on the problem was to reconcile the body to the wire. The tapping went something like this:

“There is a wire that is in my body…I did not choose to have it placed there…the doctors put it in without my consent…the surgery was an emergency and I didn't have a choice in the matter…I am still angry and frustrated about the surgery…but I am not angry at the wire…the wire didn't force its way into my body…the wire doesn't choose to stay in my body…it is just there…the wire was placed to help my body to heal…the wire was used to help the bones to grow back together…I am happy the wire is trying to help my body heal…even if my body thinks the wire is something that needs to be expelled…I give my body permission to know that in its current form the wire is not a danger to my health…I want my body to continue to work to remove anything that is a danger to me…but this wire is not a danger…it is there to assist the healing…the wire is not something that needs to be fought…I am happy my body is working so hard to keep me safe and healthy…but it doesn't have to work on the wire…I choose to make the wire a member of my body until it is no longer needed…I release any hurt, anger, and frustration I have towards the wire…it is not the wire's choice to be inside me…it does me no good to hold hard feelings against the wire.”

You will notice in this tapping pattern we dealt with both the physical response to the wire as well as the emotions about how the wire got there and the fact that it was still there.

The client reported a great deal of relief after this tapping. I have found it very helpful to do this sort of tapping for any type of implant.

First, get emotionally clear about the need to have the implant. Second, work with the body to help it to understand that even though this is a foreign substance, that doesn't mean it's a danger.

Energetic Charge In The Body
There are specific types of implants that also have an energetic charge to them because of the function they perform, like the ones mentioned in the question. The approach I would use for this is very similar to any other implant, but I would add the following.

“The implant that I have is creating an energetic charge…the energy it is creating is there to help my body find healing and relief…this is a foreign source of energy that my body does not know…I am happy my body is trying to keep me safe…I ask my body to reconcile with this new form of energy…I am not asking my body to accept all energy as good and healthy…I am asking my body to tune into this particular new form of energy…I ask the body to understand with the wisdom from my higher self why this new energy has been added…I ask my body to utilize this new energy for my health and well being…only accepting in ways that are helpful and healing…knowing full well that my body is designed to and needs to keep me safe…I trust my body can find balance to use this energy for my health and well-being…I trust my body to reject any energy that is not useful and unhealthy…I let my body know I do not think it has failed and that is why I have added this implant…I let my body know the reason I have added the implant is to help it in its job…I let my body know I will continue to check in with it around this issue…I will continue to listen to the feedback from my body around this issue…I want the body's feedback around this issue…I will continue to work with my body around this issue.”

Tapping in this fashion will assist the body in discerning what is helpful and what is not, open it to being more accepting of what is helpful, clear the emotional charge around the new energy, and give it encouragement to continue communicating its needs with us.

In the long term all of these outcomes will be helpful.

Tapping For Physical Issues AND Can I Tap Too Much?

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In the past week I discovered that I have high blood pressure. I am fit, a vegetarian, and in my forties. Because of a medical condition from my thirties the high blood pressure is a serious issue. I am under the care of a medical doctor in regards to this, but am wondering the best way to use tapping to assist the healing process. Also, should I go overboard and tap every hour, or is there such a thing as too much tapping?


photo by Reavel

Before I answer the question I want to point out a very important idea. Tapping (Emotional Freedom Techniques/EvEFT) should not be your only form of self-care. Our health is going to be maintained through diet, exercise, meditation, western medicine, and a whole host of tools and techniques used in concert. I love tapping as much as anyone, but make sure you are making good choices and taking total responsibility for your health and well being.

When it comes to tapping there are three things to keep in mind and work on: the response, the symptoms, and balance.

1) The Response
This might seem slightly counter intuitive, but the place I always start when tapping for anything is my emotional response to what is going on.

If we are feeling fear, anxiety, overwhelm, anger, or resentment towards a situation, it is going to be very difficult to heal the issue at hand. These emotions will prevent us from focusing and tuning in to the issue at hand. Also, any emotion that is not in harmony with health and well being is going to slow or stop the natural healing processes.

I have found that spending some time with the emotions surrounding the issue not only speeds the healing process, but it also helps us to gain clarity on what the real issue is.

When we have an issue, e.g. high blood pressure, jumbled in with the emotions of fear for our health and feeling overwhelmed by our possible future, it's very hard to know where to start. Often it is easier to tune in to how we feel about the situation than the situation itself.

This does't mean that you need to get completely emotionally clear before working on the issue, but the clearer you get the easier and more effective the tapping is going to be. Simply ask yourself how you feel about what is going on. Spend a little time with each of these emotions.

If you are looking for some guidance on how to do this check out “Not Knowing Where To Start/A Good Way To Start”

2) The Symptoms
Now that you have spent some time clearing the emotions it's now time to move on to the issue itself. There are many different ways you can approach this.

The example given above is about a physical symptom. I have written a number of articles on how to deal with physical symptoms. For more information check out:

3) Finding Balance
Tapping/EvEFT is something that can be done anytime, anywhere. This is both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it only cost us our time and makes healing so accessible, literally putting control in our own hands. It can be a curse, because we can become very frustrated with ourselves for not using this tool as often as we could.

If I had a nickel for every client who was feeling bad about not doing all the tapping they could between sessions I would be a very rich man.

With this in mind, when considering how much tapping we need to do around a particular issue, there are two things to keep in mind:

First, we need to make sure we are taking it easy with ourselves and the healing process. It does us little to no good if we get stressed out about how much tapping we need to do or the fact that we are not tapping when we ‘should'. This questions is the prefect example of how worrying about tapping can compound a problem. The last thing a person with high blood pressure needs is more stress in their life around how little they are tapping.

If you are feeling overwhelmed by the optimum tapping schedule, just tap on that issue:

“I know tapping is a powerful tool…I know it can help and speed my body's healing process…but I don't want to get too worked up about the process…as much as I would like to be healed right now…I know the body knows the right rate for me to heal…I know if I spend the time I need in caring for myself…the healing process will happen in due time…I give myself permission to be easy with myself…especially when I don't do all the tapping I can…My body can heal…My body will heal…I am going to let that healing unfold.”

The second thing to consider is knowing how much tapping is enough and how much is too much. I have found in most cases that there is a physical limit to how much tapping is beneficial at any one time. It's a lot like running. Just because running one mile is good for you doesn't mean running fifty miles is better.

Unfortunately, there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to knowing how much is too much. This threshold is going to vary from person to person and from issue to issue.

The key is to trust your system.

Be easy with yourself. Don't feel like you need to do everything right now. After you have tapped for a while to calm your mind, take a few deep breaths, and ask your system if you can do more work now or if you have done as much as you can for the moment, knowing full well that you can come back and do more work later.