Tapping Away Your STRESS

Don’t worry, you can put away your old tap shoes because there’s a new type of tapping in town.

Tapping, also known as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is a holistic therapy that has promises to lead you to a greater more peaceful life. It involves simply tapping on specific points on the body while focusing on a negative emotion or physical sensation in order to release it. If that sounds too good to be true, don’t worry you’re not alone. We’re going to explore all the pros and cons of tapping to help you decide whether it’s right for you and we’ll even teach you a few tips and tricks to help you get started.

Pros

1) Relieves Stress and Anxiety

One of the most commonly reported benefits of tapping is a reduction in stress and anxiety. Tapping helps to calm the nervous system and release tension, allowing you to feel more relaxed and centred.

2) Helps with Pain Management

Studies have shown that tapping can be effective in reducing pain, especially chronic pain. It works by interrupting the pain signal and releasing tension in the body, leading to a decrease in pain levels.

3) Can Improve Sleep

If you have tried every supplement, mattress type and meditation under the sun and still can’t find sweet dreams, tapping might be the answer to your sleepy prayers. Tapping before bed can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. By reducing stress and anxiety, tapping can help to calm the mind and prepare the body for rest.

4) Easy to Learn and Do

Tapping is a super simple technique that anyone can learn and practice. Plus it’s a cost effective way to reduce stress and anxiety that doesn’t involve any extra medications or tools.

Cons

1) May Not Work for Everyone

Like any therapy, tapping may not work for everyone. It is important to approach tapping with an open mind and be willing to try different techniques to find what works best for you.

2) Can be Time-Consuming

Tapping can take time to master. It requires patience and consistency and may require daily practice to see results. But keep at it and you’ll see a world of difference.

3) Should Not be Used as a Substitute for Medical Treatment

While tapping can be a helpful tool for managing stress, anxiety, and pain, it should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment. If you are experiencing severe or chronic symptoms, it is important to seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

If you are interested in trying tapping, here are a few steps to get started:

1) Identify the Issue you Want to Work On

Before you start on your tapping journey, it is important to identify the issue or emotion that you want to work on. This could be anything from stress or anxiety to physical pain or negative self-talk.

2) Learn the Tapping Points

There are several tapping points on the body that are used in EFT to focus on letting go of certain stresses. Here are a few tapping points to know:

• Side of your hand: Releases feeling stuck
• Eyebrow: Releases trauma and sadness
• Side of eye: Releases resentment and anger
• Under the eye: Releases fear and anxiety
• Under the nose: Releases shame
• Under the mouth: Releases confusion and uncertainty
• Collarbone: Releases the feeling of being stuck
• Under the arm: Releases guilt and worry
• Top of the head: Promotes spiritual connection

3) Create a Setup Statement

A setup statement is a phrase that you repeat while tapping that acknowledges the issue you want to work on and affirms self-acceptance. For example, while you tap under your eye you can say, “Even though I feel anxious, I deeply and completely accept myself.”

4) Tap on Each Point

Starting at the top of the head, tap on each point while repeating your setup statement. You can tap each point multiple times, or move through them quickly. Take deep breaths and stay focused on the issue you want to work on.

5) Evaluate the Intensity

After a few rounds of tapping, evaluate the intensity of the issue or emotion you are working on. Rate it on a scale of 0-10, with 10 being the most intense. If it has decreased, continue tapping and repeating your setup statement. If it has not decreased, try changing your setup statement or focusing on a different aspect of the issue. It’s all about trial and error here, so that you can get the best outcome for you.

Remember, tapping can take time to master and may not work for everyone. It is important to approach it with an open mind and be patient with yourself. Tapping is supposed to take away your stress not add more to it. If you find yourself struggling on what to do, there are also trained practitioners who can guide you through the process and help you tailor tapping to your specific needs. Or you can always search for guided tapping meditations on Youtube.

Simran Pasricha
Beauty & Wellness Editor

O50s
Australian Over 50s Living & Lifestyle Guide

For in depth information about tapping, we recommend reading The Science of Tapping by Peta Stapleton. EFT Tapping researcher and author Peta Stapleton Phd, brings together the history and cutting-edge research of tapping. She also shows how tapping can be used for a whole host of ailments, including anxiety, weight issues, depression, trauma and more. www.petastapleton.com

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