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Deepak Chopra, MD
"EFT offers great healing benefits."
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques®) Where emotional relief brings physical health
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Should we say the positive during EFT?
Note: This article assumes you have a working knowledge of EFT. Newcomers can still learn from it but are advised to get our Free EFT Get Started Package or our Affordable DVDs for a more complete understanding. For more, read our EFT Info and Disclaimer Document.
Hi Everyone,
Outside of EFT, there are many reasons to use positive language. I even teach these concepts in my Palace of Possibilities write-up. In her article, AnaMaria Herrera discusses her view of this idea. Please note that many people have success with using positive EFT Setup statements such as, "Even though I have peace and calm regarding _________...." However, this does not violate the EFT condition for focusing on the negative problem. Why? Because behind that pleasant sounding phrase come the "tail enders" that say, quite negatively, why that statement isn't true. In this manner, the positive actually becomes the negative. We need to meet the negative head on with EFT so we can collapse it and thus allow positive to naturally emerge.
Hugs, Gary
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is “When can I add positive statements during an EFT session?” Whether the person asking is an EFT Practitioner or someone using Emotional Freedom Techniques for their own use, it is clear that people enjoy and want to state and use positive statements when using EFT.
Why? We all know EFT works on the negative. Specifically during EFT we must:
- Acknowledge the issue, habit, challenge, condition.
- Verbally and mentally recall it while tapping and therefore ‘tune into’ the emotional disturbance or charge.
- Do EFT until the issue, habit, challenge, condition is neutralized.
Then if EFT works on the negative and, when properly done, addresses and eliminates the condition or challenge … why even introduce the positive? Is there even a benefit to do so if ‘the traditional way’ is so effective? I believe, more than ever, people still naturally want to say and state the positive while doing EFT. And there is tremendous benefit in doing so.
Here are three main reasons why people have the desire to say the positive (I call them Empowerment Statements) and why it is so beneficial.
1. People Are Fed Up With Being Negative
Have you ever listened in on people’s conversations? In most dialogues, people are talking about what they don’t want, what they don’t like and what they deem as unsatisfying or wrong in their life and in the world. It’s a learned habit to talk about the negative and undesirable.
But it isn’t just the talk between girlfriends enjoying their lattes at a street café. Many of my past patients, current clients and friends that have gone to traditional talk therapy have told me over the years, “I’m sick of talking about my problems, the past, my mother, etc. I feel wiped out after hearing or talking about the problems I still have. I am so tired of beating pillows!” (Whether they are talking about actual or proverbial pillows!)
Those wanting to evolve into a new awareness and a higher level of consciousness are ready to think, speak and be more positive and self-empowered. More and more people want to move into an empowered state rather than live from a victimized, helpless state. And we all know for this to happen, our very language must change to facilitate this shift from the negative and disempowered to positive, empowered speech.
2. The Secret is Out: Positive is In
Over the last few decades teachers such as Abraham-Hicks, Joseph Murphy, Louise Hay and Deepak Chopra teach how crucial it is to change the way we think if we want to attract and create what we want in our lives. As Wayne Dyer said, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
Of course, this is not ground breaking news! Luminaries, saints and sages from all cultures and spiritualities have beckoned us to pay attention to our thoughts and words. These seers have known that thoughts create a feeling, a feeling creates a vibration and that vibration (whether negative or positive) is being responded to by the world around us and return to us in like kind.
In the recent movie The Secret, speakers were gathered from around the globe to attest to this phenomenon. Mike Dooley, author of Infinite Possibilities, was one who was interviewed in the movie. I think Dooley best summed up the essence of this powerful message by his statement, “Thoughts create things. Choose the good ones.”
So, it’s cool to be positive. Truth be told, it always has been. Not only that, it’s incredibly powerful. And more people are catching on to the realization they are co-creators in their world. And to be a deliberate co-creator of what we desire in our lives implies that who we are, what we do and what we say are all in alignment.
3. Feeling Good is Powerful!
Many practitioners will report that clients will tell them during EFT sessions:
Can you repeat what you said?
Wow! That was powerful to hear you say ____
That felt REALLY good to say _______
They are often commenting specifically on the impact of positive statements. I have noticed that specific words and grouping of words are specifically powerful, and call them Empowerment Statements. Phrases such as:
I have decided.
I give myself permission.
I am ready to let this go.
I am choosing to.
I’m allowing myself to.
These feel incredibly good to the speaker. It’s as if a heavy fog is lifting and we are saying with our clients, “Look, the clouds are breaking in the sky! Here comes the sun!” The person feels hope, optimism and a sense of possibility. And feelings drive our behavior, and positive feelings can a great motivator for great change in any area that we are seeking to improve.
So if you aren’t doing it already, begin to incorporate positive statements during EFT I know you will be glad you did.
AnaMaria Herrera
