EFT - The SetupCorrecting Psychological Reversal

The emotional freedom technique works by tapping at the points that are at either end of the meridians or energy channels in the body, freeing blockages of energy and allowing the energy to flow freely again. You will find that emotional freedom tapping is normally very gentle, and quite often you can achieve substantial relief from a multitude of issues, with little or no pain.

There are a number of these meridians throughout the body, all of them important, but here I want to talk about two points in particular, either of which are used during the Setup Phase of the the Basic Recipe. These points are the "Sore Spot" and the "Karate Chop" point.

The Basic Recipe, a routine which was developed by Gary Craig, founder of EFT, consists of 4 steps (or processes), the first of which is the Setup. The Setup is a vital part of the whole process because it prepares the energy system before attempting to remove any disruptions so that the rest of the Basic Recipe can do what it is intended to do. The other three processes are (2) The Sequence, (3) The 9 Gamut Procedure, and (4) The Sequence (again).

The effectiveness of the last 3 processes of the Basic Recipe can actually be blocked by a form of electrical interference in your system, referred to as psychological reversal, and if this blockage is present it must be removed in order for the basic recipe to work. Applying the Setup first will remove this blockage, allowing the remainder of the process to do its job.

EFT - The Sore Spots

The Sore Spot is one of two points that can be used during the Setup of EFT. The Setup actually clears the way for the rest of the Basic Recipe to work, so this is a very important part of the routine.

The sore spots (we all have two of them) are situated in your upper chest and you can find them by first touching your fingers to your throat, and moving them down until you feel a u-shaped indentation.

Now move down another three inches or so towards your navel, and move three inches to either your left or right side (it doesn't matter which side). Press around in that area until you find a spot that is a little more sensitive to touch than its surrounding area - this is your sore spot.

Unlike the tapping technique used for other meridian points, you vigorously rub the sore spot in a circular motion as you repeat your affirmation sentence connected to whatever it is that you wish to change or relieve. The sore spot actually becomes sore because this is where lymphatic congestion occurs, and when you rub it, you are dispersing the congestion.

After a few episodes of rubbing the spot and dispersing of the congestion, the soreness will go away and the rubbing will not cause any further discomfort.

EFT - Karate Chop Point

The Karate Chop point is not quite as effective as the Sore Spot, but it can be used quite effectively if you have a problem that would prevent you from using it, such as having had surgery around that area of your chest. You will be vigorously tapping this point with the fingertips of your index finger and middle finger of your dominant hand, rather than rubbing like you do with the Sore Spot.

You can locate your Karate Chop point at the center of the fleshy part of the outside of either hand between the top of the wrist and the base of the little finger. If you were going to deliver a karate chop, this is the area of your hand that you would use. Using either hand to do the tapping is equally effective, but it is usually more convenient to use the fingers of the dominant hand to tap on the karate chop point of the nondominant hand.

The EFT Setup

The Setup consists of two parts including an affirmation that you will repeat 3 times while simultaneously either rubbing the Sore Spot, or tapping the Karate Chop point. The affirmation will be a brief description of the problem you want to address, inserted into a sentence similar to this:

Even though I have this__________, I deeply and completely accept myself.

The affirmation serves to acknowledge your problem, and to create self acceptance in spite of it. Whether you have a fear of flying, a headache, anger toward someone, a craving for cigarettes, or any other problem - just insert it in the blank and this will be the affirmation you repeat during the process. And it's interesting to note that you don't have to believe the affirmation, you just have to say it.

That's it for the EFT Setup phase. Create a short affirmation and repeat it 3 times while continuously tapping the Karate Chop point or rubbing the Sore Spot. Now you're ready to go on to the second phase, which is the Sequence, and we'll talk more about this in another article.

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