Tap into Healing

Dear ones,

I wish today’s self-care strategy was related to tap dancing, because it would be super fun to encourage all of you to tap dance… but I don’t have much evidence that that is a helpful practice for reducing stress, especially if you don’t know how to do it! (Though the comic relief probably IS…)  

Nor is today’s tapping practice connected to kegs or the pouring of beer. (Though many folks do find that kind of tapping somewhat helpful with stress…) 

The “Tapping” practice I’m sharing with you today can be an addition to last week’s mantra practice, and a way to physically integrate and reinforce the energetic and therapeutic benefits of a mantra into the body. 

Tapping is utilized in the Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, which is an evidence-based practice for reducing stress, increasing immunity, improving health and resolving trauma. It is related to acupressure and other methods of healing touch that connect with certain pressure points or energy meridians in the body. 

The energetic and neurological mechanisms behind EFT are complex and not entirely understood, and clinical practice of EFT often uses a “mantra” that pairs the naming of a negative thought, emotion or memory with a statement of unconditional self-acceptance and affirmation, which may not translate well as a self-care practice. But the neuro-somatic effects of incorporating a repetitive physical sensation alongside a mantra or a positive affirmation creates a body-brain connection that can actually instill that positive energy into the body, and imprint it in our brain in a more impactful and lasting way. Similarly, tapping on pressure points while feeling stressed or worried can activate the parasympathetic nervous system to relax the body in the presence of difficult thoughts or stories, thus reducing their negative power. 

Tapping with a mantra: 

While reciting the mantra, gently karate-chop your hands together, or use two fingers  

to tap lightly on your temples or your cheekbones, alternating sides.  

You can also use your hands to tap on your lap, back and forth. 

Keep the tapping steady and moderate in speed, in rhythm with your breath and the mantra.  

The act of tapping imprints the mantra in the body’s energy fields  

while mental repetition imprints it in the brain. 

Even if tappy doesn’t guarantee happy, it may still be a practice worth tapping into! 

Peace, 

Glynn