Major Mistake about Tapping Points

When first learning how to do Emotional Freedom Techniques, do not make this mistake:

Do not for a second think the EFT tapping points are what get the EFT job done.

EFT is far, far more than a collection of particular EFT tapping points.

The strength and utility of EFT therapy originates with your ability to determine and stay focused on the correct issue that generates your greatest emotional stress. If you are not able to find the best issue on which to tap, to create a beautifully precise and accurate EFT set-up statement about that issue, and remain focused on that issue, then all the EFT tapping points in the world will not offer the relief you seek from your negative emotions.

Did I just say that EFT acupressure points are not important? No, of course not. EFT tapping points are greatly important. It just so happens the act of physically tapping the EFT acupressure points here and there is not nearly as important as what you say in the set-up statement. More important than the tapping points is the time and effort taken to collect, prepare and mentally lock onto the exact memory or feeling that developed when your energy system became corrupted so long ago.

It’s like going out on your first date when you are 16 years old. It is not the act of knocking on a door that gets you inside so you can eventually steal the heart of the girl of your dreams. You can practice knocking on doors all day long; you can study door-knocking technique, and become a door-knocking expert. The fact is this: If you want to eventually steal her heart, you must know who the girl is, my friend. You have to know her address. You must know her area of town, you must find her street and the correct house on that street, and you must be at her front door and not the garage door. When you are actually at the correct address, only then will the simple act of tapping give you access to eventually steal her heart.

EFT tapping is the easy part of doing Emotional Freedom Techniques. Determining what to tap on during a round of EFT can be – but not always – difficult.

Many websites claim to teach how to do EFT. They first and foremost list the EFT tapping points. They spend more space discussing the EFT tapping points than any other part of the EFT treatment protocol. On many of these sites very little is written about creating the set-up statement, thus giving the new EFT tapper the false idea that merely using the EFT tapping points is more important than the other steps in doing EFT. Some of my clients seem to have the impression that EFT is simply the act of tapping! This is the reason, I believe, so many people contact me who are frustrated because they are not getting the results with EFT they expect.

General EFT tapping point information

First, just a few quick points about EFT tapping points in general, for any and all points you will use:

1. Use several fingers to tap on each point, so you do not miss anything. Like using a big hammer, you will not miss the target.
2. Tap gently but firmly, at about this speed, maybe 5-7 times at any one point, in 1-2 seconds.
3. Most of the EFT tapping points are bilateral, meaning they are located on the right and left side of the body. You do not have to tap on both sides, you can tap on whatever side is comfortable to use. You can tap only on the left side, only on the right side, you can switch between right and left, or you can even tap on both sides at the same time. It doesn’t seem to make much difference, so long as you tap on at least one of each of the EFT tapping points.
4. Six acupuncture meridians either begin or end on the fingertips (that is half of the 12 acupuncture meridians). Tapping with the tips of fingers, not the fleshy pads, not only stimulates the point of the face or chest, but also the points of the fingers. That is another reason it is beneficial to tap with many fingers.
5. Tap firmly, but never so much to hurt yourself.
6. Remove your eyeglasses, watch and other jewelry that might interfere with reaching the EFT tapping points.

Either of two EFT tapping points used during the Set-Up Statement

The classic point to “tap on” during the EFT Set-Up statement is called the Karate Chop (KC) point. It is the first EFT tapping point you will use to start a round of EFT. It is located on the outer edge of the hand just below the knuckle of the little finger. Not on the side of the knuckle, but below it.

The karate chop point is the only one you will tap on while repeating the set-up statement three times; it is special because it is tapped longer and more often than the other tapping points. During the entire time you are repeating the setup statement, maybe 15 seconds or more, you will be tapping this one point.

As an alternate point to use while repeating the set-up statement, you could instead work with another EFT tapping point, called the Sore Spot. Actually, the Sore Spot is not at all a small point like the others, but more like an area. While I believe many EFT therapists use the KC point almost exclusively, this might not be the best place to use for some people.

As a point of good EFT therapy technique, I suggest you always test the Sore Spot each time you work, since it can sometimes be more effective than the KC point. While either the KC point and or Sore Spot can be used, here is what I know from four decades of experience with acupuncture that few people realize: When an acupuncture point is sore to the touch, it has a higher potential therapeutic value than a point that is not sore to the touch. Therefore, if you feel around to your two Sore Spots and neither feel sore, you probably can use the KC point. But, if the Sore Spot is more sore than it should be to your light touch, then you will probably get a better response to your EFT therapy work if you use the Sore Spot that day.

You will find some days this same Sore Spot will be more or less sore than other days; it can display different levels of soreness from one day to another day, and even one EFT topic than another. Use it when it is sore, and ignore it when it is not sore.

Additionally, if you note a difference of soreness between the right and left Sore Spot, use the one that is most sore; if they are both tenderer than you feel they should be relative to the touch that you are applying, by all means use both Sore Spots. Again, experiment, and feel free to modify what you use as you go along, always guided by the “zzzzzt” response during and after your rounds of EFT therapy.

When you are not using the Sore Spot you will be tapping on the karate chop point. While repeating the set-up statement, you must be tapping the KC point or rubbing the Sore Spot.

The Sore Spot is special for two reasons among the EFT tapping points. The first is that it is not tapped, but it is rubbed with a gentle but firm circular massaging action, that should feel good when you are doing it. The second is that the Sore Spot is not so much a spot like the others, but it is actually a large area covering maybe a 2-3 inch circle. It is well known as a neurolymphatic reflex drainage area that removes toxins from all the tissues above it. The Sore Spot is located on the upper and outer part of the chest, over the pectoral muscle, below the outer part of the collarbone, before you reach the head of the arm bone at the shoulder joint.

As another valuable tip based on 10-years experience with EFT, when you are not making the kind of progress you think you should with a particular topic, switch from the set-up point you are currently using to the other set-up point you are not using. In other words, if you are using the KC point and you seem stuck, simply switch to the Sore Spot and repeat the same set-up statement to see if you do not have a stronger sense of relief and benefit. Obviously, the opposite is true; if you are using the Sore Spot and you seem stuck, simply switch to the KC point and repeat the same set-up statement to see if you do not have a stronger sense of relief and benefit. Experiment a bit to see what works best in a particular situation. Be ready and able to modify your technique from one set-up statement to another. Do not develop any favorite way of doing EFT – remain open to the many wonderful variations and become comfortable with all of them.

The Karate Chop and Sore Spot EFT tapping points are shown below.

Seven EFT tapping points used with the Reminder Phrase

Next we will describe the location of the seven EFT tapping points used during the reminder phrase portion of an EFT round. This group of EFT tapping points is located on the face and truck – five on the face and two on the trunk, and is tapped while repeating an abbreviation of the Set-Up statement, called the reminder phrase. More about the reminder phrase in a few minutes.

1. EYE BROW (EB) – The highest one, located at the beginning of the eyebrow, near the center of the face and near the nose. Use 2-3 fingers on either one of the two eyebrow points.

Eye Brow Point

Pointing to the Eye Brow Point	Tapping on the Eye Brow Point

2. SIDE of EYE (SE) – Located near the outer end of the eyebrow, on the bone at the side of the eye. It is not close to the eye, and it is not on the temple. It is very near the end of the eyebrow. Use 2-3 fingers to tap here.

Side of Eye Point

Pointing to the Side of Eye Point	Tapping on the Side of Eye Point

3. UNDER the EYE (UE) – Found under the eye in line with the pupil, very near the boney ridge of the eye socket. Again, you can use 2-3 fingers to tap on either of these two points.

Under the Eye Point

Pointing to the Under the Eye Point	Tapping on the Under the Eye Point

4. UNDER the NOSE (UN) – Locate above the mouth, about half way between the nose and the upper lip. As you can see, there is only one. Once again, use 2-3 fingers to tap here.

Under the Nose Point

Pointing to the Under the Nose	Tapping on the Under the Nose

5. CHIN (CH) – Right below and in line with the Under the Nose point, located below the mouth, mid-way between the lower lip and the chin, in a little indentation. Again, only one chin point. Use 2-3 fingers to tap on it.

Chin Point

Pointing to the Chin Point	Tapping on the Chin Point

6. COLLARBONE (CB) – Located just a little bit to the side of where a man’s tie would be knotted, or about an inch down from the collarbone and a little away from the breastbone, in a meaty little pocket of tissue. You can use 3-4 fingers to tap on this point.

Collarbone Point

Pointing to the Collarbone Point	Tapping on the Collarbone Point

7. UNDER the ARM (UA) – The last point is found about half way between the top of the arm pit and the lower ribs, in the midline of the lateral chest. It is also about at the level of a woman’s bra strap, at the most lateral part of the chest. You can use 3-4 fingers to tap on this point.

Under the Arm Point

Pointing to the Under the Arm Point	Tapping on the Under the Arm Point

With the exception of the top of the collarbone and under the arm points, I suggest using 2-3 fingers at each tapping point. When tapping on the collarbone and under the arm points, you can simply tap with your open hand over the area. At the collarbone point, you can cover both right and left sides at the same time by patting the entire area with your open hand. At the under the arm point, you can also pat the entire area with your open palm.

Additional tip: for some people, especially when tapping on very old challenges, adding another one or two EFT tapping points to the group can me most helpful. I sometimes add a few EFT tapping points when progress with a particular situation or set-up statement is slow. One of these additional EFT tapping points is simply called top of the head. It is located in the mid-line of the very top of the head, in line with the ears. You can use 3-4 fingers to tap on this point at the top of the head.

Additional tip: when tapping on physical complaints like pain, or any type of physical malady (high blood pressure, asthma, low energy, tinnitus, digestive complaints, etc.) adding this additional point to the list of standard EFT tapping points can me most helpful. Another tapping point is simply called wrist. It is located on the soft tissue on the inner part or palm-side of both wrists, where the skin folds when the wrist are bent. Two ways to stimulate this EFT tapping point: Tap either the right or left wrist with 3-4 fingers of the opposite hand, or simply tap the inner part of your two wrists together.

Additional tip: If you have come to a very large issue, and you note a sense of great stress release, continue stimulating the EFT tapping points in any pattern you choose. You can simply just tap everything a second time around; you can end repeated rounds at any point, without having continue to the customary stopping point. You can leave out points, or perhaps go back and forth between your favorite 2-3 EFT tapping points. Since all the meridians are interconnected, any point you tap on delivers and resonates energy throughout your body. Do not be concerned you are using the EFT tapping points incorrectly. Feel comfortable to experiment use the EFT tapping points where your intuition takes you.