Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT is a natural and needle-free version of acupuncture that's helping people tackle weight-loss issues, anger management, physical pain, even upping talent among creative professionals
Emotional Freedom Techniques or EFT is a natural and needle-free version of acupuncture that's helping people tackle weight-loss issues, anger management, physical pain, even upping talent among creative professionals
Umesh Patwal, head coach at Global Cricket School, Marine Drive, says he always had a positive outlook towards life. Constantly thinking of ways to improve his game, he considered Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to improve his game and focus. "Of course, my performance peaked. But my life took a dramatic turn too.
|
|
Australian model Megan Gale is a die-hard Emotional Freedom Technique practitioner |
It relieved me of stress and helped me manage my time," he says.
IT consultant Manoj Shriyan pursued EFT for more therapeutic reasons. An accident had left him paralysed hip down for one-and-a-half years. He was able to walk after homeopathic treatment, but suffered agonising pain for six years. Even sitting in a chair or getting into a car was unbearable. "Three EFT sessions, and I was pain-free. I even ran 6 kms at a marathon without any discomfort," he says. To date, his X-ray shows no further damage.
What is EFT
EFT is a natural, needle-free version of acupuncture based on new discoveries regarding the connection between your body's subtle energies, emotions and health. "The principle behind EFT is that the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system. This principle dates back to more than 5,000 years to the meridian system that lies behind the working of acupuncture," says Jasmine Bharathan, founder of Heal Empower Foundation, an organisation dedicated to spiritual healing.
One process of EFT involves rubbing and tapping certain acupuncture points on the face, body and fingers with your fingertips, while you are focused on a specific disturbing feeling, pain, or whatever is obstructing you from health, happiness or achievement.
"This stimulation is said to balance the energy system which then restores the body to its natural state of well-being and health," she says. Jasmine was exposed to EFT 12 years ago. Having experienced benefits for a serious health challenge herself, she learnt with EFT Founder, Gary Craig in the US.
Where it helps
Jasmine uses EFT not just to heal wounds, anxiety, pain, fear, tackle anger issues, weight-loss, addictions and allergies, but also for performance enhancement in sports, clearing blocks and aligning talents among creative professionals. Six months ago, a young cinematographer approached her because he wanted to kick the butt.
He did it within 10 minutes of an EFT session, and has stayed tobacco-free ever since.
It could be used on:>>A negative emotion from a past or present event (like when you are afraid, angry or hurt).
>>A physical phenomena (like pain in the neck, shoulder, eyes, pain that does not have a clinical diagnosis).
>>Desire for a substance (like alcohol, cigarettes, food).
>>A physical state based on sensitivity to a substance (like allergic reactions).
Learning EFTLearning basic EFT is free. EFT founder Gary Craig has offered the world the basics as a free download on his official website
https://www.emofree.com/. The site also has thousands of free case studies and contacts of practitioners. Jasmine's foundation holds free or subsidised three-hour monthly group sessions called Borrowing Benefits in Mumbai every month.u00a0
Upcoming EFT sessions in Mumbai
May 1: Interplay
May 9: Borrowing Benefits
May 10: The Choices Method
May 16 and 17: The Intention Workshop New Beginnings
Limited seats available. Fees vary. You need to register separately for every workshop. For more details and registration, email
jasmine@heal-empower.com or SMS 9820183479 or log on to
https://www.heal-empower.com/EFT practitioners
Shilpa Kanungo: In addition to being an EFT trainer and practitioner, she is also certified in Reiki and Past Life Regression (PLR).
Call: 9823666008
Sharmila Malekar: After pursuing advertising for 16 years, she has been working closely with Soul Speak.
Call: 9820146079Techniques
There are various approaches to using EFT. You could:
1. Focus on a physical symptom and address the underlying emotional cause or...
2. Address the discomforting emotion and experience relief of a physical symptom or...
3. Address an experience or the emotional charge of a past event that may be limiting your present.
The more specific you are about the emotion and stimulus, the better the results. While the technique used is the same for any challenge, the approaches to applying EFT are what make its effects long lasting. Here are three of them:
a} Tearless Trauma: The stress of a single traumatic experience that you may have carried for decades; an abusive incident or an accident, is relieved tearlessly within minutes.
b} Story Telling: Participants tell the story of an upsetting incident as if narrating the incident to a friend. The memory remains, but the emotional charge attached to it isn't there, making it easier for the person to move on.
c} Movie Method: One unpleasant moment could get locked in memory and leave an impact for years. For instance, an interview goes really badly. You take up a job later, and although you are unhappy with it and find better opportunities elsewhere, the aftertaste of the bad interview makes you realise that you were unable to make a healthy choice. In this situation, the Movie Method will have you recalling the entire interview, stopping wherever you feel physical or emotional discomfort and applying EFT at each pause until you are able to play the mental movie without any emotional charge.
It has its limitations "Sometimes, people don't want to get better; they have a subconscious need to stay with the problem. Although this is addressed as Psychological Reversal in EFT, it will require working with an experienced practitioner," says Jasmine.
