Kay Christopher- EFT Negative Tapping

Do I Have to Tap on Negative Statements Instead of Positive Ones?
by Kay Christopher, Certified Advanced EFT Practitioner & EFT Master Trainer

One of the most frequent questions asked about EFT is, “Do I have to tap on negative statements? Or can I tap on positive ones?” For example, if someone has a fear of public speaking could they tap for “really enjoying public speaking?” Or do they have to tap for the “fear of public speaking”?

As EFT Founder Gary Craig points out, if you are experiencing negative emotion and yet you tap as if you have a positive feeling a “tail ender” will follow. When the person with a fear of public speaking says, “I really enjoy public speaking” they are likely to get tail enders such as:

• “No, I don’t.”
• “I’m afraid of public speaking.”
• “I’m afraid of being judged negatively by the audience.”
• “I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake.”
• “I’m afraid I’ll make a fool of myself.”

So yes, you can tap on positive statements. However, if you have negative intensity about an issue you’ll still end up getting tail enders and ultimately tapping on the negatives anyway. Once you have sufficiently neutralized the negative emotions by tapping on them it will be easier and more natural for you to tap on positive statements in regard to that same issue.

Because this is the case, I generally prefer to first address the negative thoughts and feelings directly when tapping. One reason is that, by stating the negatives, clarity is often gained about the beliefs and ideas behind the negative feelings. This provides more precise statements to use, so you can actually find better “targets” at which to aim EFT if you go ahead and express the negative thoughts and feelings you are experiencing.

Another method you might try is tapping on positive statements and then writing down the tail enders that follow. The tail enders then become your targets for using EFT.

Some clients have told me that they have been afraid to say negative statements for fear they are tapping them “in” instead of releasing them. While EFT is still an experimental technique and we don’t know everything about it, I have never seen this happen and have never heard of any client or other practitioner experiencing this. It seems that instead, EFT addresses the disruptions (i.e. blocks) in the energy system and releases them. The way this happens is by both focusing your mind on the problem and tapping at the same time. When the disruption is dissipated the result is feeling better.

An analogy I like to use is that of Michelangelo. It is said that when he went to create each of his marvelous marble statues he simply removed what was not the statue, as if it was preexisting in the stone before he started carving. EFT is kind of like that. We already possess magnificence. EFT simply helps remove the impediments to the fuller realization and expression of our true nature.

Whether we tap on the negatives or the positives, EFT may potentially dissipate the disruptions in our energy system and improve our experience in just about any area of life.

© Kay Christopher 2009. All rights reserved.