Reprinted from EFT founder, Gary Craig s Newsletter. (Modified for length)

Researchers at the University of Missouri - Columbia found in their study of emergency room patients, published in last week's Annals of Family Medicine, that anger doubles the risk of injury.

What surprised researchers was the high level of irritability, anger, and hostility in their control group. "We live in a very angry society," observes Professor Dan Vinson, the study's primary author. Anger does more than increase the risk of injury. It can literally make you sick.

"Most physicians and psychiatrists use drugs to calm the anger and hostility that can lead to injury," says Gary Craig, founder of a self-help procedure called Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT. "But it's possible, without drugs, to defuse most destructive emotions quickly and efficiently by tapping on key acupuncture points while focusing on whatever you're upset about. In most cases, the anger simply disappears."

Eric Robins, MD, a Los Angeles urologist, teaches EFT to his patients. "Stress and negative emotions aren't just in our heads," he says. "They are stored in the body. If you think about the last time you were angry or anxious or depressed, you'll notice where you physically felt those emotions. Emotional issues block the body's flow of healing energy wherever they're stored. In the office, whenever I see someone with a chronic condition, pain, or problem that doesn't respond to conventional therapies, I ask about past traumas or things that the patient feels angry about."

Eckhart Tolle in the book, "The New Earth", says, "The remnants of pain left behind by every strong negative emotion that is not fully faced, accepted, and then let go of join together to form an energy field that lives in the very cells of your body." Similarly, Gary Craig the creator of EFT states that, "Most of our emotional and physical problems are caused by unresolved specific events."

It does not seem possible that events that occurred years ago can affect us, yet that is exactly what happens.  I have seen in my practice that without even being aware of an anniversary of an event, a person suddenly finds themselves feeling sad or angry - or an old injury will return for no apparent reason.  This occurs because the event is still rooted in our bodies.
       
We try everything we know to maintain a positive attitude, to have peace in our lives and to have health and prosperity; but too often we feel unsuccessful in our attempts. We blame ourselves for not reaching our goals and begin to believe we are guilty of self-sabotage and are our own worst enemy. 
   
By using the reversal, which is the first step in the EFT technique, we are addressing the negative event, emotion or pain - in essence we are 'letting go'. However, the reversal by itself generally does not relieve the problem.  It is necessary to also tap on meridians identified by ancient Chinese in acupuncture, while saying a reminder phrase.  The phrase keeps us focused and essentially tells our body what to heal. 

Yet, there are still times when EFT does not seem to provide the desired results. When EFT does not work, it is necessary to reassess our concept of the reversal. Is there something more to the event; a new aspect that wasn't originally identified - or is the stated emotion correct; for example, is the emotion 'nervous' or is it 'anxious' or is it 'fear' - or is there something deeper involved?  In all cases more work and perseverance is needed to uncover the correct event or emotion or pain until the results are positive.

Now that you know EFT, use it for the most mundane issues and pains. You can stop having colds and flu. Use EFT the moment you feel sniffles or sore throats. Work just on the pain. Use the reversal, sequence and gamut point. Be very specific in addressing the pain. For example, is the pain throughout your throat or just in one spot. Do you have a mild headache or stomach. If the pain moves, then create a new reversal and reminder phrase; this is called 'chasing the pain'.

Sneezing and runny nose: To stop sneezing attacks inhale essential oil of lavender. Use your ring finger and thumb to alternately close one nostril at a time while inhaling in one nostril, holding your breath, then exhale from the other nostril. Repeat about 3 times.

For a runny nose use an atomizer with about 10 drops of lavender in distilled water. Run the atomizer for an hour or so several times a day.

Watery itching eyes: Prepare a solution of baking soda and distilled water - maybe about 1 teaspoon per 2 ounces - fairly strong. Dab the solution around your eyes being sure not to get it in your eyes. Itching may stop with 5 minutes or so. You may have to repeat during the day as the allergens are still in the air.

If you are planning to speak to a small group at your work or church or a large audience - or if you are involved in theater, EFT can support you and improve your performance. There are protocols for removing anxiety around public speaking that can leave you quite at ease and even looking forward to being the center of attention. Please contact me to learn more about this great way to have fun being in front of a crowd.

The following is condensed from Gary Craig's  Newsletter. Who wouldn't 'let go' of illness. Actually, there are people who receive some relief from EFT, but then stop using the technique before they are fully well. There are some very good reasons for this:

So how can we use EFT to handle our reasons for not being ready to let go ?

There are various EFT protocols to help you when you are stuck. You can remove the feelings of non-deserving, the feelings of fear of the unknown. There is the movie technique, where you start to tell your story, but stop to use EFT before you feel anxiety. There is more complex technique where you do not verbalize an emotion or event, thus avoiding the anxious feelings. A steadfastness of practice will eventually uncover a buried memory.

There are many EFT techniques that can help. I can work with you on these techniques. You can let go of anger and sadness and, hopefully release pain    

I have some great success using EFT.. But then again I've had the least positive result, in some cases no result, with people who do not have an emotion regarding their issue.

I've worked with a few people who simply did not have any intensity when they talk about their issue or their desire for improvement. And, in a few cases I've worked with people who were able to determine a measure of intensity, but were unable to define what the intensity meant. They had no anger, sadness, frustration or any other emotion, yet they came up with a number between 1 and 10 for the intensity. It is very strange.