Whenever we experience trauma our body and mind are affected physically and emotionally. The body physically holds “memory” of the trauma within the meridian that it was originally implanted. When something happens to “trigger” the memory we feel it as if it was happening all over again even if the original event was many years ago. Because the event felt traumatic the mind is on constant alert to keep us safe from the possibility that the event could happen again, without notice, at any moment. This is called hyper-vigilance. We are always on alert for the saber toothed tiger, so to speak.
One person’s trauma is not necessarily a big deal for everyone. I use the example of a young boy who might have been “traumatized” simply by being picked last for the team when he was 10. At first I thought this was just an idea that seemed like a good way to explain how one might be traumatized but, through tapping, I realized this actually happened to me and caused me to feel “triggered” whenever I felt rejected or looked down upon by others. EFT has helped me finally let that go. Am I hugely relieved? Perhaps not but who needs to feel that way and I am grateful for having let it go.
Obviously, some traumas are more profound than others. We often think about war veterans, victims of sexual or physical abuse or accident victims with sympathy. Many people who have experienced terrible traumas are affected their entire lives as a result of what happened.
But why does this last for the rest of our lives? Why doesn’t the trauma fade away? The answer is in the first paragraph. The body memory is “physically” held in the meridians. The mind is on constant alert looking for the next trauma to show up because it (the mind) is threatened and anything that even resembles the original trauma can become a trigger. These triggers send hundred’s of chemicals like adrenaline and cortisol flooding throughout the body preparing us for fight or flight. This is the stuff of panic attack and becomes a vicious cycle. ---Watch for trauma (hyper-vigilance)---see something reminiscent of it---body memory triggered---fight or flight (chemical bath)---reinforce the original trauma---watch for trauma--- and on and on.
What can we do? TAP ALL OVER IT! With EFT tapping we have finally discovered a way to break the cycle of trauma. As we talk about the triggers, the original trauma or the feelings of being triggered, we create language of safety, calm and resolution. We tap on all the meridian systems while we talk and affirm. This assures us that we are tapping on the specific set of meridians where the trauma is physically held in the body. Focusing on the feelings and thoughts, surrounding the traumatic incident, while tapping, sends a different signal to the body and the amygdala where we hold our emotional memories. “I am safe now” tap, tap, tap. “I am safe now” tap, tap, tap. The signal we send redirects the neuronet pathways down a road of feeling safe and the fear triggers are disconnected. For the first time since the trauma was implanted we can rest and relax. No more hyper-vigilance, no more fear or worry, no more chemical baths or panic attacks. In fact, tapping is proven to introduce endorphins which are considered happy chemicals in to our systems.
It doesn’t matter how long you have held trauma or whether it was major or small. As long as you uncover the core issue, EFT has the same profound effect on eliminating trauma deeply, completely and permanently. You can’t get EFT wrong except by not doing it.
This leads me to Tuesday Night Tapping Group. We practice, we clear old traumas, we are accountable for our practices and people heal all the time simply by coming to group. It’s easy to practice focusing on what’s bothering us. Perhaps we all would be happier and healthier if we regularly practiced focusing on being happier and healthier. Tuesday night group is the place to do just that.