I’ve never been busier – which is good for an author – and yet life has done what it usually does and thrown into the mix yet another kidney stone (the last of three since October) and a family illness that’s hard to accept. It has been a tough few months and Christmas was a time of very mixed feelings. Like any major worry, things drag on and somehow you have to get through it with your sanity intact.
My kidney stone is a pain, literally and hopefully will soon be gone. But I have been working with a kinesiologist on my diet to make sure they don’t come back for the third time. I’ll be writing more about this in a future post, as it’s been quite an experience.
What I wanted to talk about today, is something called: Emotional freedom technique (EFT). It’s an alternative treatment for physical pain and emotional distress. It’s also referred to as tapping, or psychological acupressure. This technique, which involves tapping various points around the body, is supposed to balance the energy system and treat pain.
A way to alleviate pain and it worked for me
PAIN. Yes. I can connect with that. I’ve used it extensively to help me cope with the pain of passing kidney stones and it has allowed me NOT to take painkillers, which usually upset my system and make me feel even worse. As far as I’m concerned, anything that helps which doesn’t involve ingesting chemicals, is worth trying and it works for me. But what I’ve discovered, is that it can help in many other ways, too.
It helped me with my fear of taking-off and landing when flying
I love flying – once I’m up in the air – but getting up there and getting back down has always turned me into a quivering wreck. It’s embarrassing as I really do panic, my heart rate shoots up and I grab onto my husband’s hand as if I’m going to die. However, on a recent research trip to Seville, I used EFT. Not wanting to draw attention to myself (you can tap various points, including the top of your head), I gently tapped along the side of each thumb and finger in turn (on both hands), with two fingers.
And it worked. Not only does it distract you, for the first time EVER my stomach was not tied up in knots, my heartbeat remained normal and I felt relaxed. For me, that was little short of a miracle.
It helps me cope with worry (as with serious illness in the family) when it threatens to overwhelm me
I’m a nurturer and I really struggle to accept that sometimes we are powerless to help those we love. Experiencing pain is one thing, seeing someone you love in pain is another. It makes you feel useless and it’s heart-breaking. And worries like that tend to weigh on your mind when you lay down to sleep, don’t they? It’s easy to tap when you’re lying in bed and what I find is that it’s instantly calming. My mind is distracted, because my body acknowledges the tapping and instead my focus is on the feeling that it generates.
Now this is simply how I experience it, but the effects are very real. And beneficial. Of course, there are many YouTube videos and posts online which explains in depth the various tapping points around the body. For those interested in the science behind it, it’s a different use of the energy pathways/meridian points. Acupuncturists use over 300 meridian points and, of course, some people are familiar with the age old Chinese median system.
But if you are looking for a quick introduction about why, where and how to… this is a post I stumbled across online to which I often refer:
https://www.emofree.com/nl/eft-tutorial/tapping-basics/how-to-do-eft.html
Relaxing, candlelit baths with magnesium flakes, and meditation sessions have also helped me through this difficult time. I’m very fortunate, too, in that even when I’m in pain or worrying about someone else, I can at least escape into my writing. I’ve written while in the A&E department of a local hospital, waiting for a CT scan to see what one of my stones was doing. And I once wrote the final chapters of a Christmas book, from a hospital bed during the early hours of the morning, after having had an operation to remove a stone.
I’ve learnt that when I’m distracted it stops me dwelling on things I can’t change. Pain lessens, my mind slows down and it stops me panicking. I wish I’d discovered EFT sooner, but now I have I feel I’ve been given a gift. A gift that involves using my fingers… a bit like writing.
With my latest book, A Springtime to Remember, released on the 26 December 2019 and my next book, Summer in Provence, due out on the 7 April 2020, AND two more titles due out later this year – yes, I’m crazily busy. But I’m not stressed, I’m coping and trying to focus on the good things – because even when life is tough, there is so much for which to be grateful.
The kids are all well and smiling.
Spring is coming.
And miracles do, sometimes, happen.
Wishing everyone a healthy, happy and peaceful 2020 – one filled with love…
Please note – all opinions are my own. Any products/links I share are because I have purchased, or used the product, and I have no affiliation, do not accept free gifts or money with regard to any product/person/organisation. Until next time…
