EFT stands for Emotional Freedom Technique. It was developed by American engineer Gary Craig in 1995 and is a version of acupuncture, but instead of needles it uses finger-tapping on key points of the body to untie the knots in our emotional channels. As Craig himself recounts in his Handbook of EFT, this technique has been tested at the Veterans Association in Los Angeles to help Vietnam veterans overcome the terrible memories of war. The former soldiers were suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), one of the most severe forms of emotional disorder. They were affected by various phobias and insomnia due to their memories of battle, which triggered an emotional pain that prevented them from sleeping. After using EFT, every trace of these problems disappeared. Later, Craig goes on to say, “we used EFT with some of their most intense war memories and neutralized them all within an hour. They still remember them, of course, but they no longer have any emotional charge. (...) As a result the insomnia disappeared, as did the sleeping pills (under the doctor’s supervision)".
According to Craig, the role played by the emotions in physical disorders is much greater than has been highlighted up until now. Emotions such as anger, remorse, guilt and trauma can cause physical changes to the body. If someone is very angry, for example, their stomach closes up and their blood pressure rises, swellling the veins in their neck. Emotions can cause physical symptoms and, in the long run, these symptoms can cause permanent disorders to manifest themselves. The LA veterans’ sleeping pills, for example, only treated their symptoms and not the underlying problem. EFT, however, works directly on the cause of the problem.
But what does exactly is EFT and how does it work?
Acupuncture is a very ancient science, first developed about five thousand years ago. It uses maps of the body which show the "meridians" and "parallels". If vital energy fails to flow correctly through the body, our health can be affected.
EFT is related to acupuncture and both disciplines are spreading rapidly, coming to play a key role in emotional and physical healing.
By tapping on the meridians with your fingertips, you can restore balance and resolve emotional states such as anxiety, stress, phobias, depression, panic attacks, feelings of guilt and abandonment, lack of self-confidence and emotional issues affecting performance in sport, business and entertainment. Sometimes, EFT treatment requires only a few minutes to yield results.
Craig’s breakthrough discovery was that "the cause of all negative emotions is an imbalance of the body's energy system (...) in other words, all negative emotions have the same cause, electric interference in the body". However, “this also means that they can be resolved in the same way".
It is increasingly clear that quality of life is closely linked to emotional health. In fact, this is the cornerstone of self-confidence and is critical for all areas of life, both professional and private. By means of precise tapping we can achieve emotional freedom and overcome obstacles in our relationship with the world and with others.
The benefits that flow from this into all areas of life are virtually boundless.
EFT is part of the FOOD FOR THE SOUL programme taking place in Menfi from 27 April to 1 may. For more details, write us at: info@human2nature.it
