FAQ

The point about acupressure as opposed to acupuncture is that acupressure is non-invasive and therefore modern variants of it, either by pressure or by percussion using the fingers, as in meridian psychotherapy. This is very valuable as the they can be self-applied by the crew member under the direction of a coach or by them selves.

Let say we measure the energy field again. (after body became ill) We will call this matrix [T0] and referring back to the [Q] condition we may define the change as [Q] - [T0] = [D] Therefore [D] is the matrix describing the disruption, and the position of the disruption, in the [Q] field. If we were now to provide our ill person with treatment for the illness, we would see that for the treatment to be completely successful our treatment [t] would have to be equal to [T0], in other words [D] + [t] = [Q]. We may describe this by saying that a disruption in the body’s energy system must be countered by a further disruption that has the effect of restoring the body’s system to its homeostatic condition

“All negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

Energy meridians are the internal energy pathways which run through the physical body and which energetically connect the body’s organs and their subsystems such as, for example, the circulatory, endocrine, digestive, nervous systems. These energy meridians and points on the meridians are used in healing techniques such as acupuncture and acupressure. Although we cannot physically see these meridians we know that they exist and that they are effective in certain types of treatment can be demonstrated. Scientific studies by the physician and researcher Robert O. Becker MD have shown that many acupuncture points on the body have dramatically reduced electrical resistance when compared to other points on the skin adjacent to the acupuncture, or meridian, points.

According to the tenets of Chinese medicine these meridians allow the flow of an invisible energy referred to as “chi” or ”qi”, in effect the life force. Qi is assumed to enter the body through the meridian points (or acupuncture points) and flows to deeper organ structures in the body providing energy (the life force) to these deeper structures. It is considered that illness occurs when the flow of this energy, or life force, is hindered. This hindrance is considered as a “blockage” in the qi which must be removed in order to restore the crew member to health. As an aside it should be noted that these “deep organ structures” indicated in Chinese medicine do not have a counterpart in Western human biology. They may possibly be considered as points of interactions of fields related to organs

Another ancient culture that of the Hindus in India, had also developed energy medicine techniques to good effect. Here the concept of the universal energy referred to as qi by the Chinese is known as prana. In this system a series of points called “chakras”, meaning “spinning wheel”, was discovered whose local energy fields appeared to be in the shape of a vortex. Seven chakras were listed namely the Crown, the Brow, the Throat, the Heart, the Solar Plexus, the Sacral, and the Root.

The basic protocols of Tapping for Gratitude use only 8 of the points points. It can be seen that the points used cover all the meridians except for the liver meridian. Meridian psychotherapy has its roots not only in psychotherapy but in physical energy treatments such as acupuncture, and although the treatment does not require needles to be inserted into the skin at these points it does require that these points are percussed, that is, “tapped”, usually using the first two fingers of each hand These points are percussed by the crew member to the direction of the coach at certain points during the overall treatment protocol.

Point, 1 - If you place your index finger on the point where the top of the nose (to either side) joins the bone on which the eyebrow grows the percussion point is the point just where the eyebrow commences Point, 2, the gall bladder meridian. We refer to this point as EC (eye corner), is the commencing point. This is the side bone which acts as a border for the outer corner of the eye. Point 3 the starting point of the stomach meridian. We label this UE (under eye). This is a point about one centimeter below the lower bone at the center of the eye Point 4 the last point on the governing vessel meridian. This percussion point which we refer to as UN (under nose) is situated centrally under the nose, just above the upper lip Point, 5, which is the last point on the conception vessel meridian. We call this point CH (chin) and it is situated between the bottom of the chin and the lower lip Point 6, referred to by us as CB (collarbone) is the last point on the kidney meridian, at the junction where the sternum, collarbone and first rib meet. Point, 7, which we refer to as UA (under arm) is situated on the spleen/pancreas meridian and The percussion point may be found by moving one’s finger round to a point mid-body approximately on a level with the nipples on a man’s chest Point 8 Directly on the crown of your head. ​

Get ready to begin Tapping! With four fingers on one hand, begin tapping the Karate Chop point on your other hand. The Karate Chop point is on the outer edge of the hand, on the opposite side from the thumb. Repeat the setup statement three times aloud, while simultaneously tapping the Karate Chop point. Now take a deep breath. Now, tap about 5 to 7 times each on the eight points in the sequence described. As you tap on each point, repeat a simple reminder phrase, such as "my stress" or "my department change" or "my financial situation" to help you mentally focus on your issue.

It starts with a man called Dr. George Goodheart, a Detroit chiropractor. In 1964 Dr. Goodheart was interested in the relationship between apparent muscle strength, organs, glands, and the meridians. Over a period of years he drew on the work of Kendall and Kendall, two American rehabilitation therapists, on muscle testing, on Chapman’s and Owen’s work on neuro-lymphatic reflexes, Albert’s work on cranial sutures, Bennet’s on neuro-vascular reflexes, and Mann’s research into acupuncture meridians. From this he developed a diagnostic therapy locating problems by muscle testing. He named this approach Applied Kinesiology. A second generation Chiropractor graduating from National Chiropractic College in 1939. Dr. Goodheart is the author, founder and developer of Applied Kinesiology. He has taught all over the US, Canada, Japan, Australia as well as most European countries. Dr Goodheart is a prolific writer and publishes the AK Research Manuals, innumerable papers and articles in peer review literature. He is the author of the very popular book "You'll Be Better, The Story of Applied Kinesiology". He was the first Doctor of Chiropractic to be appointed to the United States Olympic Sports Medicine Team for the 1980 Lake Placid Games. Dr Goodheart is the Research Director of The International College of Applied Kinesiology. In the mid - 1970s psychiatrist, Dr. John Diamond studied Applied Kinesiology and commenced using muscle testing in psychotherapy. From this he developed the field of Behavioral Kinesiology which was the first attempt to integrate Applied Kinesiology with psychotherapy. Dr. John Diamond is a pioneering figure in alternative and holistic medicine. His development of Behavioral Kinesiology (which he later named Life Energy Analysis) in the 1970’s (originally called behavioral kinesiology) and his discovery of the link between the meridians and the emotions, are just two examples of a remarkable body of work embracing a wide range of disciplines, the result of over 40 years of research and clinical practice. Dr. Roger Callahan, a Beverly Hills psychologist studied Applied Kinesiology. He also spent time studying with Dr. John Diamond from whom he learned the application of affirmations and tapping. What emerged from Dr. Callahan’s work was “Thought Field Therapy”, or TFT. TFT was discovered in 1981. At this time Dr. Callahan had tried everything in his repertoire to help a patient of his, a woman with a lifelong, severe and apparently intractable water phobia. He decided to try a variation on a holistic, mind-body healing method he had been studying, based on the theory in Chinese medicine that energy flows along meridian lines in the body. As we have already learned, if the energy points are blocked or unbalanced, the person will experience emotional disturbance. Such disturbances are what Dr. Roger Callahan calls "perturbations." In essence, Dr. Callahan discovered that if he directly treated the blockage in the energy flow (by percussing the relevant meridian points) which had been created by a disturbing thought pattern, then the disturbance or “perturbation” would disappear. The fundamental fact of his work is the demonstration that interaction directly with the energy meridians will virtually eliminate any negative feeling previously associated with a thought. Dr. Callahan continued to expand on his discovery and has come up with a number of brief treatments or "algorithms." Algorithms are step-by-step procedures or sequences of body taps geared to particular conditions which patients can perform on themselves by themselves. The 1980s and 1990s saw a great rise in interest in these approaches, with some important books being published

Gary Craig’s scientific background is in electrical engineering having graduated from Stanford University in the USA. He has practiced as a life performance coach for some thirty years. He was a student of Dr. Callahan's TFT and moving on from this devised EFT as a "one stop protocol" that would cover a multitude of problems by virtue of the concept of total redundancy - tapping every point for every problem, rather than to match an order and sequence of some of the points to specific problems. The points and the sequence in which we are percussed is the sequence developed by Gary Craig and is his classic EFT sequence. This sequence came about because it was realized that it was far simpler to percuss all of the meridians except the liver (LV) meridian rather than develop an algorithm for each problem. That is not to say that specific problem algorithms should not be used. Using Gary Craig’s full EFT sequence protocol removes the need to develop specific protocols because the protocol itself contains such redundancy that no matter in which meridian the problem arises, the EFT protocol ensures that this meridian becomes unblocked. Gary Craig describes this as “replacing all the components in the TV set rather than just the failed components”. Running the EFT protocol is fast and efficient and when used to treat problems with a psychological basis it rarely fails. Even when a failure to cure the problem occurs it is usually because there are other things at work behind the scenes in the subconscious, which, once identified permit the successful fulfilment of the treatment. Gary Craig has carried the flag of EFT to the world and his workshops and training videos are justifiably world famous. In 1998 he brought together numerous innovators in the field of energy psychology, holding a series of workshops in San Francisco entitled “Steps to becoming the Ultimate Therapist”.

There are many schools of thought, and results can be achieved over a wide range of psychological conditions. However, treatment sessions can be extensive in number and continue over many months. Up to now the talking therapies have existed largely as a generally loose-linked field of different approaches, schools, and interpretations. Meridian Psychotherapy/ Tapping takes the view that integration of the psychotherapeutic approach with energy therapies will provide the most efficient service in the relief of emotionally generated problem. Techniques such as EFT were tools for psychotherapy and I likened the relationship between psychotherapy and meridian energy therapies as that between the spanner which turns the nut (EFT) and the engineer who decides which nut to turn (psychotherapy). Meridian energy therapies are not the only tools in the psychotherapies toolbox. The original tools of psychotherapy are the disciplines (schools) of psychotherapy itself, hypnotherapy, and counselling. These three subjects are all “talking subjects” inasmuch as there is verbal interaction between the therapist and the client.

Emotional Freedom Techniques Gary Craig was one of several people who trained with Dr. Callahan and then went on to adapt the techniques. EFT is to a certain extent a reductionist ratification of TFT, a move which makes the overall approach to this type of therapeutic tool more accessible and easier to learn and put into practice. The thirteen meridian points are in fact the reduced set of points. We only use 8 in Tapping for Seafarers this was reduced by Craig from the possible 361 meridian points to form the mechanical basis of EFT. The eight points are always percussed no matter what the emotional problem encountered. These eight points are percussed in sequence after a set-up routine aimed at assisting the Crew Member to tune in to the emotional problem and at removing psychological reversal. A simple set-up routine Percussing points 1 to 8 Percussing points 1 to 8 Percussing points 1 to 8 The essence of tapping is that it is a redundant process which ensures that all meridians except the liver meridian, LV, are engaged. Whereas TFT uses specific algorithms to target a specific emotional problem, tapping for Seafarers uses a fully redundant approach completely standardized for general usage

Tapping for Seafarers is encapsulated in the “Discovery Statement”. This statement is: “All negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system.” This statement is of fundamental importance and it should be used as is written without any equivocation or mental reservation of any kind. The discovery statement may be taken as the first law of Tapping for Seafarers. "To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". If you provide a causal input to a physical system (the Crew Member's body) then there will be reaction to this cause. The implication of this law is quite amazing in that our emotional state is caused entirely by some form of disruption in the energy system of our bodies. Furthermore, the cause of the disruption is thought itself. When our conscious mind reacts to external stimuli, as provided by any or all of the senses, something happens that disrupts our energy system, something happens which has an adverse effect upon the flow of energy through some, or all of the body’s fourteen meridians. It is this disruption to the flow that causes our emotional state. If the stimuli cause thought that is enjoyable, that does not detract from, or adds to, our well-being then the disruption still occurs but the feedback we get from the disruption causes positive emotions. We do not wish to be cured of our positive emotions. We only wish to be freed from our negative ones.

Standard Units of Discomfort were first used in order to evaluate a therapeutic technique called systematic desensitisation developed by Joseph Wolpe (1958). SUDs are nowadays a standard evaluative measure of the success of energy psychology treatments. We will use a SUD rating of +10 to indicate the highest level of experiential distress, and a SUD rating of 0 to indicate that the emotional state is clear and that thinking of the subject matter has no impact or emotional value. Experienced energy psychology researchers indicate that a SUD rating of +8 to +10 will have a very powerful impact upon a person’s life, whereas a SUD rating of +1 to +2 can usually be managed by the individual without psychotherapeutic intervention. Because all negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system, in order to reduce a person’s SUD to the zero level, we need them to focus on the problem and thus experience the negative emotion associated with that problem. In other words we need them to consciously disrupt their energy system in order that it can be cleared and the cleared energy system re-associated with the problem.

Now it can arise that a person may, to all outward appearances, be desirous of losing an addictive craving, or removing some debilitating phobia. He or she may be quite convinced that they wish to be cured. The reality is that sometimes people have a different internal motivation, provided by purely subconscious considerations. When this happens no treatment, no therapy, will be effective. This condition is known as “psychological reversal” or PR. The subconscious mind does not always perform as the conscious mind requires. The condition we refer to as PR was discovered by Dr. Roger Callahan in his development of TFT. Dr. Callahan discovered that when psychological reversal was present it appeared as an actual reversal of the subjects polarity state. This is a situation analogous to the North Pole being at the South Pole and the South Pole being at the North Pole. Polarity affects the direction of current flow in a DC circuit. Clearly when this condition applies the treatment is blocked and just not going to work. In fact the treatment is likely to worsen the condition.

Psychological reversal is best described as a self-destructive drive. This self-destructive drive does not wish you to give up cigarettes or chocolate. It wants you to overeat and be fat. The subconscious knows where it is best suited because it is quite capable of thriving on secondary gain or loss, a probable major contributor to PR. In order to make progress with any therapy the problem of PR has to be solved. This can be done either by a blanket approach as in the EFT Set-Up protocol or by specific working with the reversal. There is some credence in the thought that PR occurs because the subconscious mind actually believes that it is “not worthy of treatment”, that it is a “sinner” or “bad person” and that the problem they want cured is no more than their due and that they deserve their miserable condition. It is perfectly possible that such internal attitudes will vary from cultural region to cultural region. Members of extreme religious persuasions may suffer from PR more than ordinary people.

In tapping we can get over this point by use of the Set-Up protocol. Advance process: It is important to remember that EFT is an abbreviated protocol based upon Dr. Callahan’s original work in Thought Field Therapy which is the original meridian energy therapy. The Set-Up consists of finding one’s “sore spot”. This is the spot on either the right or left side of the chest. This spot is a pressure point or reflex on the lymphatic system. The reflex employed in EFT is located between the second and third ribs on the left or right side, approximately some eight centimeters away from the sternum. The lymphatic system consists of lymph nodes (or lymph glands) and lymphatics (the small vessels that link the lymph nodes). It returns excess fluid to the circulation and helps fight infection. Furthermore rubbing these lymphatic drainage areas helps to drain toxins from the body. The sorer these spots feel then the more one has been exposed to substances. Since toxic substances, energy toxins, cause psychological reversal we can easily understand that by rubbing these spots we are actually assisting these substances to drain away from the body. The “sore spot” can be found by probing in the general areas described, either right or left, until one feels a slight soreness. A point where one is aware that it feels a little more tender than the surrounding areas. Identifying the sore spot is one thing, but it is not enough in itself. We also need to “tune in” to the problem. We need to resonate with our problem to the extent that we do cause the disruption in the body’s energy system.

We need to make an opening statement of the general form: “Even though <State Problem> I deeply and profoundly accept myself” or for an example in a specific form: “Even though I am terrified of heights I deeply and profoundly accept myself.” Let us look in some detail at what we are doing here. This sentence contains two things, namely, the statement of the problem, and an affirmation. We state the problem and affirm that you accept yourself, warts and all despite the presence of the problem. This statement, called affirmation, is repeated three times while rubbing the sore spot. As already mentioned the purpose of this is to remove any psychological reversal, that is, to get one’s polarity right, to put the batteries in the right way round. If no polarity reversal is present then fine. The point is the Set-Up Protocol has taken the possibility of psychological reversal into account. Following on from this we now percuss the 8 points in the sequence 1 to 8. While we do this we need to say out loud a reminder phrase. In the specific example of fear of heights we would repeat while tapping each meridian point in the sequence “Fear of heights.” Tapping (or percussing) is best done by using the first and second finger of whichever hand is more convenient. The tapping need not be heavy, just a light tap is sufficient and each point should be tapped about seven times. Thus at the start one would tap the first point EB (eyebrow) while saying “fear of heights”. This would be repeated at each of the eight points. As a rough guide, percussing should be approximately two beats per second but each practitioner will find their own frequency level

Advance Process: The next step is to perform the “9 Gamut” routine. The purpose of this is to engage and balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Generally speaking modern human beings are products of a technological society. Living in such a society causes us to utilise our analytical and computational faculties. These faculties are functions of the left hemisphere so we describe ourselves as “left brain dominant”. The right hemi-sphere is responsible for our aesthetic appreciation and our creativity, our appreciation of music and art. The purpose of the 9 Gamut routine is to engage both hemispheres and to create activity and balance between the hemispheres. The eye movements required engage both hemispheres, equally whereas the humming engages the right hemisphere, and the counting engages the left hemisphere. The end result of the 9 Gamut is to increase the number of neurons firing in each hemisphere, and to bring each hemisphere into communication and balance. Once the 9 Gamut routine is complete we can be sure that we really do have the complete and undivided attention of our subconscious mind. The thought field is strengthened. Once we have performed the 9 Gamut we then proceed to repeat the initial sequence of percussing the eight points while repeating the reminder phrase. The 9 Gamut routine: While keeping the head absolutely still, continuously tap the gamut spot (the triple heater meridian point TH03) the gamut point, which is situated on the back of the hand, about one centimeter back from the knuckle line, and between the fourth and fifth finger joint. while continuously reciting the reminder phrase, then 1. Close both eyes. 2. Open both eyes. 3. Move the eyes hard down right. 4. Move eyes down hard left. 5. Rotate eyes clockwise in the vertical plane 360 degrees. 6. Rotate eyes anti-clockwise in the vertical plane 360 degrees. 7. Hum a few bars of a tune aloud. 8. Count to five aloud. 9. Hum a few bars of a tune aloud. As may be seen, the routine is called 9 Gamut because it is made up of 9 activities. The sequence of the 9 Gamut is not set in stone except for the (7), (8), (9) activities. These enable the switching of attention between the left and right hemispheres.

When certain people are exposed to particular substances they too go into psychological reversal and their original symptoms reappear. Dr. Callahan called these substances energy toxins because their effect upon the individual is to weaken the energy system of the body. He found these substances to include scented laundry detergent, wheat, corn, dairy products, cigarette smoke, used pillows and mattresses, mould, dry cleaning fluids, house plants, and being in a room without circulating air. When energy toxins are present it is much more difficult to get it the desired response from the meridian energy system by percussing the meridian points and thus unblocking the flow of qi. The interference caused by the energy toxin, or the allergic reaction of the energy system to the energy toxin, prevents the effectiveness of the treatment. In essence an energy toxin causes an allergic reaction within the body’s energy system. Energy toxins do not produce allergies in the strict medical definition of the word inasmuch as they do not provoke a histamine reaction. This weakening of the body's energy system by a substance has been referred to by many authorities as an allergy, however, allergic antibodies are not present, and skin tests are negative. Energy toxins are not an uncommon problem. The symptoms of reaction to an energy toxin are characteristic of the person. The symptoms may comprise both physical and psychological aspects and cover a very wide range. Typical symptoms of reactions to an energy toxin can include headaches, sore throats, respiratory problems, frequent colds, chronic coughs, eye irritation, fatigue, dizziness, memory lapse, depression, anxiety, and digestive problems. This list ought not to be considered to be exhaustive.

The “Discovery Statement”. The discovery statement cannot be repeated enough times. It is of crucial importance to get to the complete understanding of this statement in order to use it effectively. All negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the body’s energy systems. in order for us get rid of those negative emotions caused by a disruption in the body’s energy system. We need to draw from what it is in my past that was the initial traumatizing experience. This is not necessarily an easy task. You might not know that you have a fear of cats but may not know just why or from when you had this fear. If tapping is to be effective then it is important to identify the traumatic cause and also any side issues or aspects of the problem. In order for tapping to be effective it is necessary to generate the correct opening statement which takes the form: “Even though <state problem> I deeply and profoundly accept myself.” If we do not state the problem correctly then the impact of the statement will be limited. For instance it is important to recognize that: “Even though I am frightened of cats I deeply and profoundly accept myself.” Is not the same as: “Even though I am frightened of being scratched by a cat I deeply and profoundly accept myself.”