by Amy B. Scher
You may find that you yawn, sigh, burp, or make some other involuntarily sign of an energy shift. If you don’t, that’s okay too. After each clearing, you will want to stop and allow your body a few seconds of time, taking a couple of deep breaths.
A single emotional energy that is cleared can free up a huge amount of energy in your system and help boost your thymus gland in a big way, so don’t underestimate the power of each release. You may have three feelings to clear for each experience you are working on, or you may have fifty. It doesn’t matter. It may take you five minutes, or you may need to work on it over a few weeks. There is no rush.
If you are using muscle testing, you will be asking this each time: “Is there an energy [you can use the word feeling or emotion instead) on this list stuck in my body from _______ (name or title of the experience)?” As we discussed earlier, remember to revise the wording to something that feels natural to you.
Continue releasing emotional energies related to this experience. After every five to ten energies that you release, take a little break and check in with yourself while visualizing the experience you are working on. Are you feeling better about it? Is the picture less vibrant? Does the emotional charge in your body feel muted? These are all good signs the energy is moving out.
If you are using muscle testing, when your body is done releasing, you will eventually get a “no” response when you go back to test for more. This means that your body has cleared all the feeling that it can for now and needs some processing time. It may also mean that all the feelings are completely cleared. You can continue with step 4 now.
If you don’t use muscle testing, you will be using your intuition to know when to stop. Does it feel like it’s time to take a break? When you recall the experience, is the feeling or charge associated with it lessening? This means that you’re clearing the block or the imbalance related to it. Use your intuition to determine when it’s time to move on to the next step.
Remember, when you complete Thymus Test and Tap, you’ll be using Emotional Freedom Technique, so you will still have the opportunity to clear more energy from the experience if it’s there.
Step 4: Identify Positive Energy to Install— Just as we released old feelings using Thymus Test and Tap, we will use it to install positive feelings, too. Installing positive feelings will enhance the work you are doing by giving your body positive emotions to put in the place of what you’ve released. I like to think of identifying and installing positive feelings as a way to “complete the process” in the body. While it’s obviously important to release negative energy, sometimes we can feel empty or like something is missing when we let go of something we’ve had for a long time, even if it wasn’t something we wanted! Remember, thoughts and words are just energy. Using the list of positive feelings on the following page, you will be identifying and installing them one by one. You can do this either by choosing them consciously or, for more accuracy, by using muscle testing to let your subconscious choose exactly what you need at this moment.
Tip: Positive feelings should be installed as part of Thymus Test and Tap, but additionally, you can use this technique on its own as a tool to raise your overall vibration. I always end sessions with clients by installing a few positive emotions with them.
If you are muscle-testing, ask your body this:
• “Is there a positive feeling on this list that would be beneficial for me to install now?” If you get a “yes,” go to the next question.
• “Is it in section 1?” If you get a “no,” then you’ll know it’s in one of the other sections and you can ask about each of them.
• Then read off each emotion, one by one, asking your body, “Is it _______?” Do this until you’ve identified your first emotion by getting a “yes.” Note: If any of the emotions on the chart pop out for you, you can ask your body about them first to save time.
Thymus Test and Tap Positive Emotions
Section 1
Section 2
Able
Comforted
Abundant
Connected
Accepting
Content
Accepted
Decisive
Adaptable
Empowered
Appreciated
Encouraged
Assertive
Energetic
Reassured
Flowing
At ease
Forgiven
Brave
Free
Inspired
Grounded
Joyful
Happy
Light
Deserving
Protected
Loved
Section 3
Section 4
Secure
Trusting
Soothed
Valued
Strong
Willing
Supported
Calm
Grateful
Centered
Important
Confident
Included
Healed
Independent
Hopeful
Acknowledged
Open
Relaxed
Optimistic
Empowered
Peaceful
Understood
Positive
Step 5: Install the Positive— Once you’ve identified the emotion, simply tap seven times firmly over your thymus gland, in the upper area of your chest. As you do this, focus on the feeling. Breathe deeply as you do this. This will “tap” that vibration into your thymus gland and send a force of the positive energy throughout your system.
Just like when you clear old feelings from the past and may yawn, get the chills, or more, you may feel similar sensations when you install positive feelings. I usually install three positive feelings because that feels intuitively good for me. However, you are free to install however many feel right to you.
Tip: Thymus Test and Tap can be used for more general clearings, too. For example, you can ask your body through muscle testing if you can release old emotions linked to a specific person, a time period in your life, a specific job, a relationship, a fear you have, or anything else.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)
This technique came into my life when I needed it most, and I’m hopeful it’s going to be the same for you. I now use it all the time, in many different ways, which I’ll share later. But for now, we are going to learn how to use it as another way of clearing unprocessed experiences.
EFT tapping works differently than Thymus Test and Tap because we will be working with the unprocessed experience as a whole instead of individual emotional energies. EFT helps us address many different aspects of that glass capsule we talked about. With this technique, we’ll be focusing less on individual feelings and more on the whole enchilada—images, sounds, details of the experience, and other triggering specifics.
While Thymus Test and Tap doesn’t involve much mental focus on the experience, Emotional Freedom Technique allows us more opportunity to think about the experience and focus on it in greater depth. This is done very safely and without being retraumatized by the experience. With Emotional Freedom Technique, we are more likely to have conscious realizations, cognitive shifts, and perspective changes about the experience during the process. This technique often resonates with people who desire to understand or feel closure about an experience in order to make peace with it and put it behind them.
This can most certainly happen with Thymus Test and Tap, but as you’ll see soon, Emotional Freedom Technique gives us the opportunity to walk ourselves through this process in a slower, more conscious way. This can feel more satisfying for some people.
Because these two approaches are so different, it’s really beneficial to use them together. Then you get the best of both worlds!
What Exactly Is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) is a technique that combines the principles
of acupuncture (without the needles) and talking about unresolved emotional issues—in order to release them. It’s a simple and effective tool based on the meridian system, a system of energy pathways in the body, originating in Chinese medicine thousands of years ago. EFT was founded in the early 1990s by Stanford graduate and engineer Gary Craig. Along the meridians, there are special points commonly used in acupuncture that can be utilized to move energy and remove blockages. Where there is an imbalance, there is a corresponding blockage in the meridian system, which contributes to emotional and physical symptoms. Gently tapping with the fingertips works to release the blockages and restore balance.
Gary Craig states that “the cause of all negative emotion is the disruption in the energy system.” 11 This may be difficult to comprehend at first because we’ve learned so much about memories and traumas causing these emotions. However, what he is essentially saying is that it’s not the memory or trauma itself, but what happens to the energy system in relationship to that causes the emotions that end up stuck. That is why two people can have the same experience—for example, seeing a bear on a camping trip—and one may feel perfectly fine after it but the other won’t. Some of us have more of a propensity for our energy flow to get disrupted or imbalanced during such experiences. By restoring balance to the body’s energy system in relationship to memories and experiences, we are essentially reprogramming our relationship with stress.
In simple terms, this is how I see it working. Imagine your dog, Rufus, totally freaks out every time the mailman comes to the door. Each day, you tell Rufus in your most calming voice that he’s okay and safe around Mr. Mailman. Chances are Rufus will look at you like you don’t know what you’re talking about and continue to bark in fear. But, if you kneel down next to him and pat him, calming him at the same time he is looking at this scary, mean mailman, you’ll be sending a strong signal to his body that he is safe and okay even while facing this trauma (Mr. Mailman and his mean mailbag). You’ll change how Rufus feels in relationship to or in the presence of this thing that is usually stressful. You’ll ultimately change the pattern of what happens to Rufus in his body when he sees the mailman. His system will reprogram itself to be okay and balanced in the presence of Mr. Mailman. We’re basically going to do the same thing for you. We’re going to change what happens to you in your energy body when you are triggered by something that causes stress.
I’ll take a moment here to ask that you tune in to your intuition each time you work with unprocessed experiences. In the case of very sensitive or triggering memories, I encourage you to work with a professional who is trained in this technique. In my own journey, I was able to clear all but one experience by myself. Our bodies often feel safer in the presence of another person who can ground us, and a professional will have extensive techniques to make sure this is a positive experience for you. I do not want you to be afraid to clear things yourself, of course, but please do use careful judgment. Don’t work on any severe trauma alone if your gut is telling you to have professional support.
EFT is one of the most diverse techniques I know. If you fall in love with it, you can find a way to use it in almost every clearing you do for yourself. You can take it anywhere, change it to fit your needs, and never have to be without it.
The Tapping Points
Even if you’re already familiar with Emotional Freedom Technique, follow along with me. I do it a bit differently than many practitioners, so you might just learn something new or fun. This technique has endless possibilities, and while I will cover the building blocks and some extra tips and tricks in this chapter, there is much more you can continue to learn.
The first thing you need to know to use EFT is where you will actually be tapping on your face and body. You don’t need to do anything with this yet; I just want you to understand where to tap when we’re ready.
Just know that, as much as you want to aim for the points I describe, it’s okay if you’re slightly off. The tapping creates a percussion effect that vibrates through the associated energy pathway, and does the job of clearing. Even kids learn this technique, so I promise it’s very easy! Just take it one step at a time.
EFT Tapping Points
(1) Karate chop point— The outside of your hand, about halfway between the bottom of your pinky and your wrist. This is where you would break a board if you were a martial artist.
(2) Top of the head— This is smack dab in the middle of the top of your head.
(3) Eyebrow— The inside corner of your eye, right where your eyebrow starts.
(4) Side of the eye— Outer corner of the eye, right on the bone. It’s right inside your temple, closer to your eye.
(5) Under the eye— Top of the cheekbone, right under your eye.
(6) Under the nose— This is where a moustache would be if you had one.
(7) Chin— In the indentation on your chin, halfway between your bottom lip and the tip of your chin.
(8) Collarbone— Find where a man would tie a tie, then go out to each side an inch and drop directly under the collarbone.
(9) Under the arm/side of the body— This is where a bra band is, about four inches under your armpit on the side of your body.
(10) Fingertips— On each finger, tap in the lower right-hand corner of the fingernail, where the nail meets the cuticle. It’s not necessary to be precise as long as you aim for the lower right-hand corner.
Top of the Hand (Gamut Point) and Fingertips
Top of the hand— This is often referred to as the gamut point in EFT. It’s about halfway down the top of the hand in between the pinky and ring finger. Because it’s located right along the triple warmer meridian line, it’s often used outside of EFT as a tool for neutralizing panic and fear. When you get to this point in your tapping routine, I will be giving you specific instructions on how to use it. For now, you just need to know its location.
For the tapping points that are located on both sides of the body, you can tap on just one side of the body or on both sides. I am a lazy tapper and use only one side of the body. It works just the same, so feel free to do whatever is comfortable for you.
You want to tap about 5–7 times in each spot (just guess; please don’t count), and with medium pressure. Feel it out. You can’t mess up, so just relax and use this as a practice of undoing your perfectionism. Just make sure you use your fingertips and not your nails. If the points are sore, it generally means the associated meridian is congested and needs to be cleared, so tap gently.
There are various shortcut forms of Emotional Freedom Technique out there, and some skip tapping points to save time. I always use all the points, as each one corresponds with a different energy pathway and different organs, glands, muscles, and more. We want to make sure we cover all the bases and clear all the energy imbalances or blockages related to these feelings. It’s not necessary to save ten seconds for a shortcut.
Tap to Clear Unprocessed Experiences
Now that you have the tapping points down, we’re going to go to the next step. Just keep in mind that the ultimate goal of this technique is to (a) bring up the yucky stuff in that glass capsule—sights, sounds, feelings, colors, people, and other details—and then (b) tap to neutralize or clear it in your energy system. That’s it. Talk as if you were telling a friend about your experience, and tap. I usually talk out loud, but if you are unable to do this or are uncomfortable with it, you can talk in your head. I think we are all good at that already!
While using Emotional Freedom Technique to clear experiences, being as specific as you can in recalling details will help you get that deep-down-it’s-outta-here clearing that we’re looking for. If you weren’t able to identify the specific experience earlier, hang tight. I’m going to show you how to get a great clearing anyway.
We’re going to do this by using a few easy steps:
1. Rate the intensity of your experience.
2. Create a set-up statement.
3. Use your set-up statement while tapping the kara
te chop point.
4. Tap through the rest of the points.
5. Check in and repeat.
6. Check your work.
7. Wrap up.
Step 1: Rate the Intensity of Your Experience
Let’s start by creating a simple title for your memory or experience as an easy way to reference it. This might be something like “The day I got fired” or “When Johnny told me I was impossible to love.” Close your eyes and focus on that memory. Let the feelings come up to the surface (don’t worry, we’ll clear the uncomfortable feelings along with the unprocessed experience shortly). On a scale of 0–10, give it a rating as far as how intense it feels to you now , 10 being the strongest. If you can locate where you “feel” it in your body, also take note of that. Not everyone feels emotion in their body, so if you feel nothing but can just get a sense of or guess your rating, that’s all good too. If you are working with a past-life experience or generational experience, you may feel disconnected or unemotional.
It doesn’t matter where you are at this moment; it’s just good to have an idea of your starting point so you can gauge your progress as you clear.
Step 2: Create a Set-Up Statement
We always start with what we call a set-up statement . There are two parts to this statement, and you will simply fill in the blanks to modify it for your own experience.
Even though _______ (state the experience), I _______ (insert a positive idea).
Using this statement, we are acknowledging the issue we’re dealing with but are sending the message that we can let it go, move on, and heal anyway.