As some of you guys may know, it has been a rough month for the good ship Yes and Yes. Two months ago, my three-year/shared home/joint checking account relationship went the way of My So-Called Life and Winona Ryder's career. And it has been hard. Exponentially harder than I ever expected it to be. In the past, I've successfully dealt with break ups by leaving the country or eating a lot of cheese. But oddly enough, neither of those medicines were healing what ails me these days.
So I decided to give EFT a try, largely because everyone's favorite blogger Gala Darling recommends it so highly. If you're not familiar with EFT, it's essentially emotional acupuncture, in which you use your fingers to tap on your meridian points while verbally addressing an issue you'd like work through and the fact that you love yourself despite this issue.
The whole thing struck me, not surprisingly, as painfully hippie dippy and embarrassing. Good lord! Tapping bits of my face while saying things like "Even though I cry all the time and I'm totally crushed, I deeply love, totally cherish and completely forgive myself"?! I was more comfortable weeping in the bathroom stall and telling my students that I had allergies than engaging in any of that tomfoolery.
But after week three of the weeping, I decided to give it a try. I did the tapping and the water drinking and crying and reciting and had a nap.
And I woke up feeling as though the sadness had been sucked out of my body. It was completely bizarre, and honestly, a bit disconcerting. I didn't want to feel as though that relationship had never happened. I didn't want to think about the time we went to the Sevens dressed as Aladdin and Jasmine and feel a huge gaping blank. I was glad not to be a wobbly, weepy mess any more, but I didn't want particularly want to be the emotional equivilent of a robot either.
The emotional blank? It didn't take. Within a few days, I was feeling a bit down again and sniffling over facebook updates. I tried another round of EFT and it helped a bit - again - but didn't hold long term. But each time I started to come down, I felt that I wasn't heading down into the dumps quite so low as before. And at this point, I'm happy with a general upward trajectory.
I'm not sure that EFT is the miracle worker that a lot of its deciples perport it to be. Or rather, it hasn't been for me at this point. That said, it has certainly helped me and I think I'll definitely add it to my list of other proven mood lifters: dancing to New Wave pop songs, eating popsicles, goal/list making and kitty snuggling.
Have you ever tried EFT? Would you?
16 comments:
Like you, I just find the whole EFT thing a bit hippy-ish & embarrassing! I'd rather take the old-fashioned route & talk my problems over with someone. No tapping here!
Sorry for the dumps love. Glad EFT helped you out some. I also have been meaning to try it, but as of yet haven't had the courage.
I tried EFT awhile back. I think it can be really good as a kind of meditation--it definitely brings you into the present moment--but I didn't experience any longterm effects.
In other news, I love you and I hope someday we can eat popsicles and rock out to new age pop together!
I've been curious about it, but yet to delve. Glad to hear it's helped you out, even just a little bit, beautiful Sarah.
i have tried eft on some things, like self-esteem (it helped a lot) & an allergy that makes my skin break out(it is a little better) & i really believe it works if you really devote yourself to it.
Dear Sarah,
I really love this post and your amazing honesty. I have not tried EFT, and honestly cannot see myself trying it- yoga is the most touchy-feely i can get. But, on that note, hot yoga is definitely what does it for me in these circumstances. I miss you and am glad things are getting better!
Oh Cara, you sweetie you. Let's meet up sometime soon. Maybe I could swing through beantown for my b-day!
Huh... this is sounding less and less like the invention of a guy who smokes too many substances of dubious origin... may have to to some deeper investigating.
And yes!! Kitty snuggling! Doctors should write prescriptions for kitten time..
sorry to hear of your loss! haven't tried EFT but would certainly be up for it.
Though it went against every fiber of my scientific being, I did try EFT once. Scientists experiment, right? The more I repeated the whole "even though X, I love and respect myself" line, the more I became aware of what exactly it does and does not do. It takes you to the bottom of your emotions, but when you get there, there's still a problem to overcome and it doesn't offer solutions to that. When you've really dug down deep, there is still an issue that needs addressing. It might help you figure out the issue, or figure out what holds you back from addressing it, but ultimately, it's like tracing a leaky pipe all the way through your house, hacking up floor boards and everything and just going "Hey, would you look at that!". Someone still has to get in there with an emotional wrench, you know?
Hiya... never even heard of EFT before your post here. Can't say I would try it basically for the same reasons you were skeptical of it for. I am a firm believer that we have to just ride the emotional roller coaster of life and that there will be good times WHHEEEEEEEE!!!! and bad time SHHHHRRIIIEEEEEKKK! It's natural. You just have to learn to not cling to either set of emotions. It's gotta have the natural ebb and flow of tidal waters.... know what I mean? I know people that have been depressed for YEARS. THAT is not natural. I think they are self sabotaging their mental well being and they have learned to accept and cling to their depression as their identity as a person. So weird. Anyway... you my friend do not strike me as one of those sort of people. You are the sort that will rise up to awesomeness and fun times and only be a better more emotionally stable gal in the long run for having weathered your sad time. Here's to embracing your sadness and seeing it for what it is... and then letting it drift away on the breeze when it's time to let her fly. :)
Always remember that time heals all wounds. This post was a bit of a 'blast to the past' for me. Back in my highschool days I used to get really bad anxiety, and my school counsellor would go through a process similar to EFT with me. It worked for me too.
I don't know. But I'm pretty sure I eff(t)en heart you.
Awww, Miss Wolfe. The feeling is mutual! <3
I tried EFT after reading about it on Gala Darling (and then external sources). I tried it and the next day woke up with a horrendous eye infection. I haven't tried it since and doubt I ever will again. :(
Not sure if this pic link will work but...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/ezzmae/jasminealaddinandalien.jpg
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