As I helped a few people with EFT last week, a couple of people made the immediate link between EFT, tapping, and energy-based stuff with “belief” or “being open to it.” I refute that perception for the most part. I say that, having just viewed the next set of EFT DVDs that talk about belief and intention, but that’s in a little different space.
The Metaphor
Instead, here’s my metaphor. EFT is like an aspirin for a headache. One doesn’t have to believe
that the aspirin will help the headache for it to work. The aspirin has a particular, predictable effect on the body. One does have to be open to taking the aspirin, but that’s the extent of “open” that’s needed for it to work.
EFT and related approaches are similar, I think. We all accept that the body is made up of mind and body. We accept that there are organs, glands, blood, vessels, systems, bone, fluid, nerves, etc. All parts of the body. It should be equally as evident that the body has energy and therefore energy systems. EFT affects that energy system. I don’t have to believe that it’s going to help for it to help; it just does. I do have to be open to trying it (taking the aspirin), but that’s the extent of “open” that’s needed for it to work.
Now, sometimes, one aspirin is insufficient to relieve the target pain. My daughter takes ibuprofen (Advil) for menstrual cramps. Sometimes, 1 Advil isn’t enough. Sometimes it takes 2. Sometimes, it takes 3. But then it works, at least well enough to take the edge off. EFT is similar. Sometimes 1 round isn’t enough. Maybe 2-3 rounds. Maybe more. Or maybe instead of more rounds, a slightly different EFT approach is needed. The 2nd pill may be treating “reversal.” A third pill may be Collar Bone breathing treatment. EFT-types talk in terms of “persistence,” which is valid, but for my prochains, the idea of 1-3 Advil is a more apt metaphor.
Exploration
But there is more to consider on the idea of belief. In my community, I see many people of faith who are open to new knowledge — revelation — and all that this implies. Until it comes to “alternative” medicine. A neighborhood may automatically hold a “doctor” in high esteem, and automatically hold a “chiropractor” in suspicion. Even people who knew Karl his entire life were sometimes heard to comment on “that weird stuff” he practiced. It seems too difficult to accept it.
As I consider why otherwise rational people react in such a way — including myself until I was forced to other healing paths by chronic disease — I think that part of it certainly has to do with how we perceive our physical body. If we do not include the energy system as part of the body, then energy-related treatments seem foreign. They seem to step into the domain of the religious, the spiritual, and that’s trespassing and we don’t like it.
You need to understand that I am a faithful Mormon. I measure all my knowledge against my understanding of the scriptures, of the words of prophets, and of the spiritual feelings that I get. God is the author and source of all good. He created this universe, this world, and me. He is the designer and architect of this body. And I’ve come to understand that the energy system of my body is part of his divine design.
And with that understanding, if I am comfortable taking an aspirin or antibiotic or other chemical treatment to help my body, then I should be equally as comfortable using EFT to help my body. Doesn’t that become so obvious that it feels foolish to verbalize it?
Now, there is a great discomfort with may energy therapy practitioners. They speak in terms of energy, intention, connecting with the universe, or higher power, or source. And it begins to feel again like trespassing.
And yet, as I listen carefully, many sincere practitioners get a lot of things right, at least it seems right as I compare to my understanding of scriptures and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which I take unapologetically as a sure measuring rod. These practitioners often use different words and terms, different metaphors and models, but they stumble across many correct ideas — and they mold and use them to help develop their and our understanding of this world in which we live, of the bodies we now inhabit, and how to make it all a little better. Noble, that is.
And they get some of it wrong. They observe and sense and try to frame an understanding around things, and sometimes they get it wrong. Oh, well. Why is that more troublesome to us than taking medical advice from a doctor who may be atheist, who may believe firmly in the randomness of creation, big bang theory, evolution, etc. This doctor has observed, studied, thought, and made conclusions. And some of it he gets right, and some of it he gets wrong. And yet I am comfortable letting him cut into my body to remove an infected appendix or gall bladder, or to fix a faulty heart valve. How can I rationalize being comfortable with that and not being comfortable with a “kook” who works on the body’s energy systems. He has observed, studied, thought, and made conclusions. And some it he gets right, and some it he gets wrong. Is the one more noble than the other? Is the one more of a threat than the other? Is either a threat? Can they help me? Can I glean helpful understanding?
No to the threat, yes to the understanding, I believe. I can filter out the scientist’s rampage about his view of the universe, then tune back in when he’s making sense again about a particular treatment. I find that I can also filter out the energy therapist’s odd verbiage and models that may collide with my understanding of scripture and tune back in when he is making sense about a particular method of treatment.
Duh.
Brigham Young (Mormon prophet) taught that all truth, from wherever it may come, belongs to the kingdom of God, belongs to the Saints (members of the church). All truth is part of one whole. Some of that truth pertains particularly to eternal salvation, and that truth is taught most authoritatively — and most correctly — by true prophets of the Almighty God. But there is other truth of which God is also author and source. That may be truth about creation, truth about how light bulbs work, truth about mechanical engines, truth about medicine and healing. And I believe that God has often inspired men and women of all walks of life with such truths. Many of our greatest Western scientists comment on the sense of inspiration they felt during the scientific (creative) process of inventing the first light bulb or television, for example. These are not truths of salvation, but they are truths, and God knows them. And I am convinced that He shares them for the benefit of all. And I believe that Brigham was right, that all truth belongs to us, or to personalize it further, it belongs to me, it is my right as a son of God (as it is yours) to explore an know that truth, whether that truth is aspirin, advil, or EFT.
And it would be a terrible, terrible in gratitude for me to shut the door on that truth.
As a baptized and confirmed member of the Church of Jesus Christ, I enjoy the covenant right to the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, as long as I live worthy of that companionship. So I can explore with confidence that I will not be led astray by strange ideas, winds of doctrine, and can filter error from truth and glean truth from all walks of life and add it to my whole.
So, I choose to leave that door of understanding open, walking in faith, learning by both study and faith. Not just faith in myself. Not just faith in the proces. Not just faith in study. Not just faith in faith. But faith in the Almighty Himself. A sure faith. And in that walk, I find that all sorts of truths land in my path regularly. They enrich my life and that of my family.
Weird stuff, indeed. 
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