All of us are familiar with the EFT Discovery statement: "The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body's energy system"

Lately, I've been feeling limited by this statement because it doesn't give me a useful definition for positive emotions. 

It is one thing to reduce the emotional intensity of an event or issue down to zero but what about taking it up to a +10? I'm focusing on this more and more as I work with myself and clients. This TED Talk shows a discussion on Positive Psychology which could be described as the science of happiness rather than the pathology of "what's wrong with someone" versus "how I can I be happier?"

Someone recently explained to me the difference between western psychology and eastern psychology was that western psychology was about getting everyone normalised whereas eastern psychology is about helping everyone experience their maximum potential. Quite a different focus.

So I'm looking for a definition that I can use so that we start exploring more how to use EFT to enhance positive emotions and not just eliminate negative ones.

Regards,
Rod

Hi rod,

good question!

I like to exxplain that EFT balances our energy system in relation to (negative or positive) emotions or statements. So by tapping on the positive, we align ourselves with that outcome and start vibrating on the higher level.

Does this help?

Ingrid

My feeling is that it is natural for us to experience the positive emotions, and it's only when our energy is disrupted that we don't.  With EFT we see time and time again that once we have cleared whatever was causing the disruption in energy, we or the person we are supporting automatically seems to start coming from the positive emotions.  EFT is about emotional freedom, and without any negative disruptions that's what we naturally have.  So I'm not personally sure that there is a need to "enhance" positive emotions, as I feel that that is what happens naturally, once any disruptions have been removed.

I had a good example of this yesterday.  We are in the process of packing up the house ready to move to the other side of the world.  For some time yesterday I was dragging myself through the day and I eventually realised that I was feeling quite depressed.  My partner tends to just want to point out all the positive things about moving to try to shake me out of things, but that didn't help.  I went for a walk and did some tapping (and crying), and felt a lot of sadness at all the loss that is coming up with leaving my haven here.  I just tapped on the "negative" and removed all the disruptions.  Then all of a sudden the cloud I had been under lifted and I started feeling great, and the rest of my walk was taken up with dreams of what we are going to be doing once we are there. There is obviously nothing particularly noteworthy about this, it's just a typical example of how EFT works.  Emotional freedom is our natural birthright.  When we don't have it, we tap to clear the disruptions and voila - it's back again!

Just my thoughts on this, there are obviously lots of different angles we could look at this from.

Best wishes,

Jo

Jo,

You experience might indicate that my assumption that we have to do something extra to experience happiness may be wrong. Maybe, as Buddhism teaches, happiness is our natural state and only our suffering is something we cover it up with. If we remove that suffering we will naturally experience happiness.

Regards,
Rod

Rod

I read in a Buddhist book once that our true nature is like the sky.  It's always there whether we can see it or not.  The clouds just obscure what is real.  Thank goodness for EFT to clear away the clouds!  That's not to say there isn't real benefit from focusing on the positive emotions, it's just that I personally feel that the more we focus on clearing away the clouds, the more then sun can naturally shine through. <jo smiles>  Others may well have differing experiences, I write only from the perspective that I'm looking from.

Best wishes,

Jo

 Talk about Law of Attraction!  I was just deeply contemplating something related to this, and decided to come to the forum, and here it is!  The questions I have been contemplating are:  Can EFT be used to actually "program in" positives? For example, I am currently in charge of what is called Positive Behavior Support for my school. For students with chronic behavior problems, there are the usual strategies: identify causes and payoffs, alterntative behaviors with positive payoff, etc.  However, what I see lacking is an elegant tool like EFT to both eliminate the negative behaviors and payoffs and "install" new ones. Can EFT fit this bill?  Is there a specific method of EFT best suited to it, such as Choices? 

What I have been experimenting with both for myself and my clients is to simply tap in the positive. Doing visualisation and fully associating with what you want and tapping while in this state seems to install the vibration of that feeling into our energy systems. 

While we may not have the kind of breakthrough's that happen when we clear something 'negative' away, it seems to me that regularly focusing on what we want to experience, full associating with that state, then tapping it in while raise your vibration very quickly to that state.

Regards,

Rod

Hello,

I find that EFT is powerful for both clearing the negative emotions and tapping in the positive. However, it is about timing. What I have found is that if the intensity on the issue that is being dealt with is relatively high (above 3) then the positive statments aren't effective. So, I wait until the intensity is lower before using phrases like:

• I want...
• I choose...
• I can...

Then when the intensity is lower than 3, you can totally affirm the positive. Lindsay Kinney teaches a method called Golden Gate that explains this method in great detail.

If there isn't any resistance, then there is no need to do set-up phrases with the negative phrasing. Just tap into the Universal Power that is available to us all.

Gratefully yours,

JoAnn

Hi Rod:

     Seems to me that Pat Carrington's choices method would be a good part of your answer.  I've been using the first two rounds (a negative round then a positive round) with great success.  There are times that I don't see a positive to go for and then I use standard EFT.  My most general process goes like this:

"Even though I have (this problem), I send myself insights and miracles." 

It's quite amazing how well this works.  Done before or at the beginning of a session, seems to set up the session for the flowing of insights. 

Notice that the standard EFT is also negative then positive, but we seldom do a round on "I deeply and completely love and accept myself."  Maybe we should do that more often.

Hi Rod,

Fascinating discussion you have started here.

I find Garys Discovery Statement to be Perfect...this is me as Miss Constantly Positive doesn't let a negative thought in her head ! ( Grin !)

When I firsted started using EFT many years ago, I struggled with working on the negative constantly..but pain, depression, anxiety, trauma isn't positive !

I constantly refer to Garys Discovery Statement for myself, for clients, for course attendees and they all get it.

" the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the bodys' energy system "

The theory behind it is simple:

 A thought or a memory ...

         Triggers ...

A disruption in the Bodys energy system...

      This is experienced as ...

Physical or Psychological pain ... ( Or Both )

Yes Choices Technique  is fantastic , I use it a lot but Garys Palace of Possibilities Affirmations are the ' key ' to  offering just that.

Eliminate the Writing on the Walls stuff with EFT on the negatives and replace it with POP affirmations on the positive.

I love to explore alternatives and will be interested to see what develops but using the combination of EFT, Choices & POP affirmation is so powerful.

Warmest wishes,

Marie

Seems to me that intent has a lot to do with it.  We all disrupt others energy flow*, we all do it everyday, intentionally or not, it is unavoidable. 

I intentionally disrupt existing energy flows* with clients by removing the things that they do not want or need anymore.  I also intentionally activate existing energies* to increase range of motion, speed, concentration, strength etc....all of which we all have, it is just that we are all performing at different levels.

So, we all have what we need in this mind and body to survive and evolve, it is just a matter of finding it, and building on it...

Closely examining the discovery statement: all emotions are natural energy*,  positive or negative.  Maybe the negative energies are intended to help us learn how to overcome them and appreciate the positive energies and evolve.

 chao,

 Don

*frequencies