Stress Management Exercises
One of the strongest stress management techniques is a special tapping exercise commonly called EFT or 'Emotional Freedom Technique'. It is a system of tapping on precise points located around the eyes, lips, chest, hands and fingers in order to disperse the energetic stagnation that stress and emotions cause. By dispersing and conducting this energy through a specific pattern of tapping specific points, these emotions and stressors will flow out of your body and out of your mind, bringing you back to peace and confidence in yourself. Below is a diagram of a tapping protocol that I have used successfully in my practice in treating many stress related conditions, including chronic anger, depression, headaches, Post-traumatic stress disorder and many more. I have assembled my own version of this exercise. Please observe the diagram below.
Setting the Stage Start by massaging the point on the pinky side of the hand, just below or proximal to the knuckle where the pinky finger starts. As you massage this point, focus on one specific thing that is stressing you out and creating anger, sadness, anxiety, fear, or anguish. Express these feelings out loud as you massage this 'Karate Chop' point for about 10 to 15 seconds. Next, massage the two tender points on your chest, about 2 inches below your collar bone and 2 inches lateral to the midline of your chest. Keep repeating the feelings that this one specific person, event, or situation are causing you. Now massage the tender point on your left hand located on the large space between the thumb and the index finger, about one inch from the knuckle. This point should be fairly tender. This is normal. This point is very good for headaches, abdominal pain, and relieving stress. Massage this same point on your right hand, still focusing on your problem and the stressful emotions that it is causing you.
Tapping the Stress out Begin by tapping the tips of your middle fingers on the point just lateral or to the side of the lower lateral aspect of your eyes, just above the top edge of your cheekbone. As tap on this point with medium to light pressure, repeat: "Even though,(state your problem), I still love and completely accept myself" Now tap on the point in the depression just below eye socket, directly below the pupil. Repeat: "Even though,(state your problem), I still love and completely accept myself" Repeat this same procedure with the point directly between the eyebrows. Your "Third Eye". Repeat this mantra again with the two points on your forehead, directly above the midpoint of your eyebrows. Repeat "Even though,(state your problem), I still love and completely accept myself" as you tap the point between your upper lip and the base of your nose, on the philtrum. Again, repeat with the point directly half way between the lower lip and the chin. Continue by tapping on the two points just below where the collar bone meets the sternum of your chest, just below and to the side of the base of your throat Repeat the same mantra as before, tapping the point in between the 6th and 7th rib, directly below the nipple. It is about 1 to 2 inches below the lower edge of the breast muscle. Repeat saying the mantra as you tap on the point in between 6th and 7th ribs, directly below the armpits, on the side of the ribcage. Tap now on the highest point on top of your head. Your "Crown Chakra". Repeat again: "Even though,(state your problem), I still love and completely accept myself" Now tap the highest points on the shoulders. The tight and tender points where we tend to carry much of our worry and stress. Repeat the mantra. Tap on the points on the side of the shoulder, just below where the collar bone attaches to the humerus of the arm. Right below the shoulder joint. Repeating the mantra. Repeat again, this time tapping on the points about one third of the way between the shoulder and elbow, below the shoulder. About the same level as the nipple. This point is right where the biceps muscle meets the humerus bone of the upper arm. Repeat the sam mantra as you tap the point directly between the nipples, on the center of the sternum. This is your "Heart Chakra". Now tap on the point about two thirds of the way down, between the belly button and the pubic bone. This is your "Lower Dan Tian" and is related to your "Root Chakra". Repeat this tapping sequence while repeating the mantra at least three times to get the full therapeutic effect. When you have finished tapping all of the points three times, ending with the point on your lower abdomen, Press and Hold the point on your forearm, about 2 inches below the wrist, in between the two tendons that run down the middle of the white skin or palmar side of your forearm. This point stimulates the Median nerve and Calms the Spirit and Mind, releasing emotion, anxiety and fear. As you hold this point, breathe deeply and slowly. Repeat the following words: "I am open to the Universe releasing me from these emotions. (state your problem) is no longer affecting me. I am completely free and unrestrained by (state your problem). I am completely at peace, and I completely love and accept my self, unconditionally, without question." Smile both outwardly and inward into your Heart area. Feel the light of the Sun emanating from your chest, dissolving all of the dark negative emotions that have been lodged inside your chest. Feel the energy flowing from the point that you are pressing, on your forearm, into your chest, carrying away all of the emotional debris that has clogged your mind and body. Allow your Smiling Spirit to fill your entire body, from your fingers to your toes, front and back, head and genitals. Allow this bright light to cover, warm and nourish every cell in your body. You may relax the pressure and release your forearm. Try to maintain this feeling of love and acceptance of any circumstance that you may be dealing with at this moment. Things change and nothing lasts forever. We must always go with the flow.
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