Maria Duval - EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique - A Most Effective Self Help Treatment

EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique - A Most Effective Self Help Treatment
Gary Craig attended a course on TFT - Thought Field Therapy (Dr. Roger Callaghan) but considered it to be too complex. Through experimentation he developed EFT - Emotional Freedom Techniques to make this self-development technique as easy as possible to use but without detracting from its power. So what exactly is EFT? EFT is a technique which involves the stimulation of various acupuncture points whilst connecting to (thinking or talking about) the issue that the person wants to resolve. In order to understand the principals beyond EFT it is useful to start off with an understanding of acupuncture. For many thousands of years, acupuncture has been used by the Chinese as a technique to help people overcome physical, psychological and emotional problems and blocks. In its simplest form our understanding of how acupuncture works is this: - 1) There are a number meridian lines or channels contained within the body. 2) Along the meridian lines flows energy which is called 'Chi' (pronounced chee) 3) The ends and beginnings and parts in between of each of the meridian lines (acupuncture points) are close enough to the surface of the body for them to be affected by physical manipulation. 4) If a person has an particular issue, an experienced acupuncturist will know which meridian lines will have a blockage in them relevant to the issue, will know the acupuncture points appropriate to use for the resolution of that issue. 5) Acupuncture needles, which are very thin and hollow, can be inserted in appropriate acupuncture points to help the flow of energy through a particular meridian line. 6) With the blockage in the flow of Chi gone the issue goes or improves as well. Now acupressure is the manipulation of those same acupuncture points on the body but instead of using acupuncture needles, the fingers and thumbs are used instead. Forms of acupressure that you might have experienced before are reflexology or shiatsu. EFT is similar to acupressure from the point of view that needles are not used but acupuncture points are manipulated. A series of light tapping with the fingers is used. The tapping can be done by the person with the issue for themselves or a practitioner can do the tapping for them. Now at the same time the person is asked to repeat a sentence which describes the issue. The idea behind this is that the person stays connected to the issue (by repeating the description of the problem). At the end of one round of tapping on various acupuncture points, the strength of the issue is checked with the person. Of the issue is still present more rounds of EFT (tapping) will be used. To complete one round of EFT takes about 60-90 seconds. The majority of people who have experienced EFT report a decrease in the strength of the issue. With EFT being a process that anyone can use on themselves, it can be a very useful tool to help anyone deal with any issue whether physical, psychological or emotional. The amazing aspect about EFT is that you do not have to have to believe in it in any way for it to be effective. The only thing you require is may be a sense of curiosity and willingness to do it. The rewards are high as the loss of that old issue often results even for the sceptic. Today, thousands of people have become regular EFT users and there are many EFT practitioners in the UK and worldwide now available to help people rapidly.

Steven Harold
EFT London Practitioner
www.energytherapy-direct.co.uk
EFT London UK

My first experiencse with Vipassana Meditation
I started Vipassana in 2001. A friend mentioned it to me and that same evening I had booked myself onto a course on the internet. I was really looking forward to it because I had been looking for something for a very long time and somewhere deep inside I knew: this is it.

The course was very different from what I had expected. I thought it should be about relaxation, blanking the mind, etc. The first three days was like a concentration exercise, concentrating on the breath, calming the mind. It was hard. Not only was I not accustomed to sitting for up to 12 hours a day on a mat on the ground, I also was unable to keep thoughts from getting into my mind so I was getting upset about not being able to concentrate properly. I had pain everywhere, was unable to find any comfortable position whatsoever. There were loads of other people, whom I did not know but was unable to speak to.

On the 4th day, Vipassana Meditation was taught. Although it was quite an experience, it created something I had not expected. Lots of things came up from my past, lots of thoughts and mental pain. It was hard to face. But finally, after about 10 days of this, Metta Meditation was taught and after that we could speak. It was a bit strange and by that time I did not really feel like speaking any more. I did feel very relaxed that day.

The real interesting part came afterwards. All the stuff that had come up during the meditation seemed like something of the past, something I had lost. As if a burden had fallen from my shoulders. It felt incredibly liberating. I kept on meditating daily and became better and better at the technique and more stuff started falling of. Not always was this easy. Usually it started with periods of anguish, the pain of letting go. But when I finally let go it was just great. It made me into a much calmer and more relaxed person. Although anxiety and stress still come occasionally, it does not really matter any more that much - I can let go and relax much quicker and easier.

It has been the greatest gift anybody could have given me. I am so much more aware, relaxed and happy then I every was. I can face the world, while before I just made due. I have no stress, only the occasional storm but you always know that they will pass and they do not happen very often any more. Even the difficulties that sometimes come up are something that pass and when you come out the other side, your are a happier person. So much weight will fall off your shoulders. Just try it ... what does it matter if you try. You will not change that much if you do just one course so try and see if you like it. If you continue, you know now what can happen and what you might have to face. Then again, you might not. Not everybody is the same. Be Happy.

For many years, I suffered from anxiety depression. I tried everything, from psychoanalysis to medications but nothing really worked. Some things helped for a little while to relief my anxiety, but eventually it would always come back.

One day I was feeling particularly down, I saw a friend coming towards me on the road. We said hello and he told me about somebody he met in the pub the night before. He said she was a very happy, radiant and relaxed person. I felt a little pang of jealousy because with my anxiety depression this was exactly the opposite of myself. He said that her secret was Vipassana meditation. I had never heard of this type of meditation, but my friend gave me the website address. He said it was a great way for treating anxiety so the same evening I was on the internet and had booked for a course.

The course was great and I felt better than I had felt for many years. But coming home into the stress of everyday life was a different matter. Soon my anxiety attacks were back again. I tried meditation but as soon as I closed my eyes all the problems of the day came flooding back to me so it was impossible to meditate. After many years of meditation and many courses and moving away from my old life, my anxiety depression has disappeared, but it has taken a long time and a lot of effort. I am certain however that my anxiety will never come back. Vipassana really is an excellent anxiety depression treatment method. But it comes with a cost of time and effort, not something that many people can afford.

Luckily, if it is just anxiety depression you wish to cure, then there are other methods. I wish I had known about them back then but I did not. Vipassana is a very involved spiritual path and although it helped me well, you need to be certain that this is the path you wish to travel. It has many more benefits than just curing anxiety and stress.

There are other methods which will help cure anxiety depression effectively. One especially I found very good and it is especially designed for people with a lot of stress in their lives, which is usually the cause of anxiety depression. So rest assured, there are effective methods to control stress and get rid of anxiety depression without going the path that I have gone. But if you wish to know more about Vipassana meditation, I will be happy to share my experiences with you.

Margret owns blogs on anxiety depression.

Americas Newest Inspirational Speaker Don Bolena Jr Has a Story to Tell!
The last few years have been really great. However that was not always the case. During my middle 20's thru my middle 30's, I must say that is nothing short of a miracle that I am still breathing. I figured out very early in life that I had a great gift to gab; Unfortunately I was using my gift for all of the wrong reasons.Little did I know that I was becomming a Master Manipulator. I was able to talk my way not only into what ever I was trying to accomplish, however I could talk my way out of the worst of situations and walk away with out a scratch. Only to leave a number of casualties in which I was involved with at that particular time. After living on the edge for better than ten years I was finding my self to sink a little at a time. It all started with writing bad checks and ended with Grand Theft. I had become a professional con-artist a true Master Manipulator. After spending some time in a few different jail cells and one prison that stretched from Florida to California. I came to the conclusion that it was time to change. The problem was that everyone that I had loved had changed before me and I was finding that my past was catching up with me and my life was getting worse each and every day. As things grew worse I once again started to regress back into my old ways, however being very careful and just barley staying on the right side of the law. Although I was still living life on the edge, And then it happened. Over a three month period I found my self broke, homeless, desperate, drunk, and pathetic with no hope in site. Life got so bad that I was living on the streets and had all that I owned in garbage bags. Whats worse is I was pushing a grocery store shopping cart down a side walk in the rain looking for somewhare to get dry and to find someone who would give me a couple of dollars so I could go into a minute market and buy a hot dog and a coke. On top of all of that it was Christmas time and my wife was divorcing me. She had already threw me out and I did not even get to spend Christmas with my three beautiful children. I had finally reached rock bottom, it was even worse than jail. However the one thing I wasn't was a quitter, by the very grace of God. I picked my self up, brushed my self off and found a job. Slowly I started to get my life back together. Even though there were still yet a few bumps in the road ahead, Somehow I knew that I would come though this and turn it into something to grow apon. As for now I will stop here . The rest you can read in my book MASTER MANIPULATOR, I have also created a new business and become an inspirational speaker. I am easy to find and you can even email me at my email address on my web site www.donbolenajr.com or I also have a yahoo address and you can email me there at dpbolena@yahoo.com. I hope to share my story with all of you very soon, however in the mean time I wish you all the best. God Bless Don Bolena Jr

To give you the latest I am now living in Atlanta, Ga. I am with the love of my life, and I am soon to re-marry. I have a great realitionship with my three children and we are all very close. I attend a wonderful church, and it seems that my book Master Manipulator is really starting to get national attention and sales are up. I have wonderful friend as two of my best friend that I grew up with now live here in Atlanta, my brother and his family also live here in Atlanta, and my sister lives right up the street in Chattanooga, TN. My mom and Dad along with my youngest sister and her family all live in Florida, were I grew up. My future wife and I also have a beautiful Golden Retriever and her name is Maggie, She is a real beauty. So that is a little up date on me Don Bolena Jr.