There are 3 aspects of every human being physical, mental and emotional. All three are interconnected and complementary. Practitioners in every field be it modern medicine or alternative healing today focus on overall health diagnosis in order to prevent or cure any health issue. Modern time is quite challenging and stressful adversely affecting the mental and physical health and eventually the emotional health of a person. To encounter such issues a new technique of alternative healing known as EFT is gaining wide prominence and researches are going on to test its potential. Emotional Freedom Technique as the name suggests is aimed at providing emotional freedom to a person with the help of psychological acupressure similar to acupuncture but without the use of needles etc.
Ms. Kanika Gupta, an adept yoga teacher and a multi-talented persona with a strong hand in energy healing, therapy, and acroyoga, founder of TheYogaClass, Delhi, will allow us to gain profound insight into this technique of healing.
hellomyyoga: What is EFT technique?
Kanika Gupta: EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as “Tapping” is an alternative healing therapy which is based on the science of acupuncture and psychology. It is also called as acupuncture without needles. Devised by Gary Craig, it is a fast, simple and effective tool to balance out the emotional disturbance, physical discomfort and mental distress in minutes.
The basic theory on which EFT operates is, “The cause of any physical or emotional or mental distress is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”
hellomyyoga: How EFT technique works and on what principles?
Kanika Gupta: EFT works on our body’s energy system. It is based on the ancient Chinese system of body meridians. Just like blood travels through blood vessels transporting nutrients and waste products through the body, energy known as ‘chi’ or ‘qi’ flows through these meridians or channels that transport life force to different parts of the body. Any blockage or disturbance in this energy flow can appear as illness, physical or psychological disturbances, stress or low energy.
In acupuncture, these blockages are released by stimulating certain points on the body with the help of needles.
In EFT, we mentally “tune in” to specific issues (EFT Set up), while stimulating certain meridian points on the body by tapping on them with our fingertips (EFT Routine). As soon as the block is released /neutralized, energy is balanced and there is immediate relief.
hellomyyoga: What is its scope in healing and prevention of Physical and Psychological disorders?
Kanika Gupta:
EFT is one tool which I believe everyone must have in their life’s first aid box.
Having said that I would like to add that it not only serves as first aid but also works as a tool for improving one’s health and quality of life. In my own journey of self-exploration and understanding myself, I came across many teachers and learnt different modalities of healing and introspection besides yoga (which is definitely beyond asanas for me). The state of yoga is also described as a state of absolute freedom. It is even mentioned in yoga texts that while pain is inevitable, suffering is self-inflicted. This is where EFT comes into the picture. It is direct and head-on dealing with the issue. It can be used for practically anything to everything. It can be used to ease and release physical/mental/emotional distress- joint pain, headache, nausea, sadness, depression, grief, anger , rage , fear, phobias , confusion, relationship issues, eating disorders, addictions, insomnia , trauma, low self-esteem, enhancing creativity, improving memory and concentration etc.
I have even found it as an excellent companion for introspection and self-inquiry. As a self-growth tool, you can use it to break free from limiting beliefs, conditioning and personality traps and move into more empowered state. Once you learn it, you will discover your own breakthroughs through it. The best part is, there are no side effects and no contraindications. EFT still doesn’t cease to surprise me!
hellomyyoga: How tapping and affirmations work in the EFT technique? How to recognize correct tapping points?
Kanika Gupta: Basis of tapping I have explained above.
As mentioned before, another important component of EFT is the element of western psychology. This aspect of EFT makes it more than a meridian therapy and hence increases its efficacy and widens its spectrum.
To prepare for healing there is a “Set-Up” that involves a Set-Up statement. Kindly note, I prefer calling it a set up statement rather than an affirmation. People generally associate affirmation being either negative or positive and the set up statement is neither. It simply states the situation/feeling/experience as it is, and, at the same time, offers full self-acceptance. This is not about denying the issue or discomfort, not even distracting ourselves from what we are experiencing, rather it brings it up even more in our focus, feeling it fully, yet it offers total acceptance of oneself, not the issue ! This non-judgmental ‘tuning-in’ to issues is a very important aspect of EFT and I personally believe the space of non-judgment is a very crucial initial step towards any healing.
In the current version of EFT there are 8 points on the body. They are very convenient to reach on hand, head, face, and chest. Your EFT facilitator will introduce the points or you can check my EFT tutorial.
hellomyyoga: There might be a struggle between affirmative statements and the deep-rooted thinking of our subconscious mind. How EFT resolves this issue?
Kanika Gupta:
EFT set-up statement is non-judgemental stating the situation the way it is, and most people don’t have any issue in stating what they are experiencing.
In my understanding I answered this question above, EFT set-up statement is a non-judgemental stating of the situation the way it is, and most people don’t have any issue in stating what they are experiencing. However, if there is still any struggle and a person is reluctant to say the statement, then instead of intellectualizing or trying to explain just start tapping without any statement for few rounds, the struggle will ease out.
hellomyyoga: What is the most crucial element in EFT to make it work?
Kanika Gupta:
Doing it!
That’s the most crucial element. People mostly want to spend time in understanding EFT, and all I say is, try it first, you don’t need to understand it or even believe in it to feel its benefits. Often people are amazed by the results within a few rounds.
hellomyyoga: What is the prominence of the breathing cycle in EFT?
Kanika Gupta: Unlike yoga there is no specific focus on breathing in EFT. However, whenever we tap for any issue, breath relaxes simultaneously and the receiver will be breathing more deeply in just a few rounds.
If breathing is very laboured or there is acute distress in breathing, we can start with tapping for laboured breathing first.
hellomyyoga : How it helps a yoga teacher to implement this practice in its yoga classes
Kanika Gupta: I suggest the best way is to teach EFT separately to students. It’s important to spend some time practicing EFT separately and feel its benefits. EFT and yoga both are amazing modalities for healing and health, both focus on the energy system but the way they operate is different. EFT focuses directly on the issue – tuning into the concern, whereas, in yoga, we focus on breath, the connection of mind-body-breath and asanas which have an overall healing effect on our body and mind.
Yoga teachers can self-tap before teaching a class for depleted energy, anxiety or simply tuning in fast for the class. With students, one can try general EFT before starting asana practice to feel more focused and to prepare the body-mind for the asana practice. But for focused healing, work on physical and emotional issues, separate EFT sessions are recommended.
I combine EFT with my counseling, therapy and self-empowerment sessions and at times in long yoga workshops to prepare/ground body-mind.
hellomyyoga: Message to the new age yoga trainers.
Kanika Gupta:
Take time to integrate the yoga practice and teachings within yourself first.
With integration comes authenticity!
References and inspiration :
1) “ Miracles with EFT” book by Rohini Singh ;
2) www.emofree.org
About Kanika Gupta
KANIKA GUPTA is a yoga teacher, energy healer, and an acro yoga practitioner. She is the founder of Theyogaclass (www.theyogaclass.in) and offers sessions at her studio in South Delhi.
Kanika has been teaching since 2005. She has received teacher’s training from two prestigious schools (traditions) of yoga: Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Ashram and Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (Chennai).
After Kanika completed her formal education as a Health and Behaviour Modification Psychologist, she got in touch with Rohini Chopra who is an author, a healer and a life coach. With Rohini, she learnt many life-changing modalities like EFT, Reiki, and Enneagram and was also introduced to various other energy healing modalities like Theta healing, bach flower therapy, Rebirthing to name a few. Kanika is also well versed in Acro Yoga that provided a balancing element to her yoga practice. She has also acquired training in Acroyoga stalwarts like Marc Bauchet, Haein Cho, Pascal Weis, and Jaqui Wan to name a few.
Currently, Kanika is under Rohini’s guidance to explore Advaita-Vedanta teachings. Kanika is also a certified trainer from ACE, Pilates, and Reebok.
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