“The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”

-Marianne Williamson

This post is a response to a question I received on another post (Simple Secrets of Covert EFT).

Maik asked:

“Can you explain WHY eft works ? Many people say that eft works but nobody can explain it.”

Thanks again for the question,  Maik.

This post is critically important for all my readers, all students of EFT, sincere scientists, and all aspiring Mystics.

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is a simple yet powerful tool that you can start using today to begin healing yourself and the planet.

But how exactly does EFT work?

Can we really explain it?

The simple answer is “Yes!”

Probably the easiest way to see a simple description of the theory is to download the free manual from EmoFree.com (the website of EFT founder, Gary Craig).

But if you would like to hear my ‘off the cuff’ version… here it is:

There are rivers of energy flowing in and around your body.  Your own rivers are submersed and intertwined with the ocean of energy that constitutes all that is (when viewed in its totality that is holographic in all things… this may be called Energy Oneness, God, or The Now).

There are a variety of ways we can influence these rivers for better health (mental and physical), longer life, martial prowess, and possibly even spiritual enlightenment.

Some of the methods are tapping points, using magnets, massage, or even acupuncture.

This is at least partially based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM).

Some modified version of EFT (and Energy Medicine and many other healing methods) also make use of a variety of other energy fields including:

• use of the Radiant Circuits (or strange flows)
• understanding the Aura
• 5 Seasons/5 Elements
• stimulation of the Chakras which are typically associated with Kundalini Yoga.

When you have emotional challenges, ‘failures’, or anything else that you might call “bad”… there is a ’short’ or ‘blockage’ or an imbalance in one of your energy systems that corresponds with it (some say that the feelings arising in the body while experiencing the challenge are the ‘blockages’ or imbalances in the energy fields).

These challenges can arise for a variety of reasons:

• poor attitude
• poor thought processes
• other negative habits
• genetics
• karma
• etc.

But wherever there is a challenge, there is a corresponding energy imbalance.

And the basic claim of any ‘energy healing’ method is

When you fix the challenge at the level of energy, the problem disappears!

EFT influences these energies primarily by tapping on points along the meridians identified by TCM.

When you tap on the points while thinking about the problem, the energies balance in the area of the problem.

If you do this enough… your energy fields (or the deeper aspects of your mind) begin to generalize this process in and around other imbalances… so you begin to get what is sometimes called “Generative Change”…

When you experience “Generative Change”, you can notice far reaching effects of the change throughout your life.

Hypnosis can fit into this model as well.

(In this image, you could think of the face as the conscious mind and the darkness as the unconscious mind)

When the conscious and unconscious minds are brought back into rapport, the energy is balanced, and the problem disappears.

As I’m sure you know, there are many healing methods out there.

Many of them come complete with their own explanation and model of the mind, the problem, the world, etc.

Some of these methods are useful.

Some of them aren’t.

Some of the explanations help people to replicate results.

Some of them fail to.

Which leads us to the real answer to the question… the more challenging answer.

This one is for serious Mystics.

No!

No one can ever really explain ‘why’ or ‘how’.

We can come up with a working theory… a map… a model.

To the degree that the model allows us the replicate the results… we say “it’s a good model”.

I think the model of energy falls into this category.

It allows us to predict results from a wide variety of methods… integrate techniques from different methodologies… and work out a general understanding of how things arise and subside.

As an example… I feel the theories in and around TCM, Kundalini Yoga, EFT, Energy Medicine, etc. can also be used to explain the results of many other therapeutic tools… including hypnosis and NLP.  The traditional theories around hypnosis (NLP is a bit too young and is changing too fast to be included in this) can’t be used to explain all the effects created with energy-based techniques.  That doesn’t mean that hypnosis is ‘wrong’ (clearly it get results when properly applied)… but the theory behind it can be broadened for deeper understanding and more powerful application.

And though currently the ‘Energy Model’ is my favorite… it’s important to remember that it  isn’t ‘Truth’.  It’s just a model.  Many people confuse good models with ‘The Truth’.

But all models (including the ‘best’ models… and our favorite models) are subject to improvement or complete replacement if something more effective comes along.

No matter what PhD calls it true… no matter what celebrity endorses it… no matter how incredible the track record is… no matter how many people use it… it’s still just a model.

A better one can always come along!

This doesn’t mean all things (explanations, models) work equally well.  It means that no explanation or model is ‘True’ in an absolute sense.  They are only ‘true’ in the relative sense of ‘working theory’.

Or as Stanley Tucci’s character (the brilliant scientist) described it in the movie, The Core:

That’s all science is… best guess!

Hopefully you feel this answers the question adequately.

Hopefully you only notice yourself tumbling down the rabbit hole at a pace that is comfortable and appropriate for you…

Ultimately, this ‘rabbit hole’ might be better described as a wormhole into new dimensions of Peace, Power, and Happiness…

See you there!

keep smiling,

Ben

If you enjoyed this article, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed... and keep up with all the latest updates. Thanks for visiting!

Tagged as: EFT, Energy, healing, NLP, truth