Panic attacks

I have never suffered from panic attacks, but I've had friends and family that have suffered from this crippling emotional state.

The fearful feelings of dying, of losing it in public, of being embarrassed, just trying to keep it all under control when you are falling apart inside.....it is paralyzing and crippling!

Panic attacks are created in an effort to keep you safe based on internal references from past experiences. You may not know where they come from, you just know how you feel inside and that alone is a good place to start.

The first step in overcoming these attacks are by writing down everything about your attacks. 

What are they about, your biggest fears, how do you feel inside when you have them, where do you feel them in your body, what triggers them and then start releasing what you don't want...the memories, experiences, people and feelings that might be driving theses attacks.

Once you have the list complete, you start tapping on each one, releasing the emotional charges contained within.

For example, if you had a bad experience at the grocery store when you were a child, you may have panic attacks every time you go to the grocery store as an adult.

In order to clear these negative emotions, you have to neutralize the internal references that keep you a prisoner today.

So...you want to recall the event as best as you can and start tapping on each aspect of that grocery store memory  until you no longer feel it in your body.

If you don't have a specific event or memory, just tune into how you feel. Start tapping using my words below and slowly, your subconscious should start revealing memories that you need to clear to heal.

Take responsibility for your body and your mental health by tuning into your emotions, your feelings and keep yourself safe. Don't do anything that doesn't feel right for you. You are always in control!

If you have never tapped before, I suggest you learn the basics first. Familiarize yourself with the tapping points and how to tap here.

There are oodles of videos on You Tube as well.

Tap on the Karate Chop point and say:

Even though I feel like a mess inside, I deeply and completely love and accept myself
Even though my heart feels likes its beating out of my chest, I accept this feeling as a message from my body that I have some emotional work to do
Even though I feel paralyzed sometimes and I'm afraid to move, I accept this feeling and everything it represents in my life.

Now start your first round of tapping starting with the eyebrow point

EB: This fearful feeling
SE: This crippling feeling
UE: I don't want to move right now
UN: I'm afraid of what might happen
CH: My beating heart
CB: My sweaty hands
UA: All these thoughts racing through my head
HD: I hate feeling this way
WR: I feel like a prisoner in my own body

Take a deep breath and continue

EB: I don't think I can ever overcome these feelings
SE: I've had them as long as I can remember
UE: They've become a part of my routine
UN: Of who I am
CH: I don't know how I would act if I was calm
CB: Would I feel safe?
UA: Would I feel better if I changed how I looked at my world?
HD: Is it even possible
WR: I know I am not weak, I want to feel stronger than this

Take a deep breath and continue, but getting a little more detailed (replace my words with your words/fears)

EB: All this fear driving to the grocery store
SE: I have to go, but my heart is beating like crazy
UE: All this anxiety in my chest
UN: All this constricted breathing
CH: All the past memories
CB: Stored in my chest
UA: I have become a prisoner of my thoughts
HD: I know I am doing this to myself
WR: But I don't know how to change it


Take a deep breath and continue

EB: I know I am stuck in the past
SE: In my mind, I know there is nothing to be afraid of
UE: But my heart feels differently
UN:I know I must change these feelings
CH: And I think I am ready for that change
CB: I want to feel free again
UA: I want to live a carefree life
HD: I am willing to do whatever it takes to turn this around
WR:I am ready to let it all go

Take a deep breath and continue

EB:I choose to forgive myself and anyone else that created these panic attacks
SE: All this anxiety, all this fear
UE: All the negative feelings that I have felt all these years
UN: It's time to let it go
CH: It's safe to let it go
CB: I'm safe
UA: All this fear, all this anxiety
HD: Melting away
WR: Letting it all go

Take a deep breath and continue

EB: I am tired of the melt downs
SE: I will get through this
UE: I know these fearful feelings are temporary
UN: So I am choosing to let them go
CH: One thought at a time
CB: I am stronger than I realize
UA: And I will overcome this
HD: One baby step at a time
WR: I am choosing to let this all go
Take a deep breath and continue

EB: Let it go
SE: Let it go
UE: It's safe to let it all go
UN: I'm starting to feel so much better
CH: I am starting to relax
CB: I am feeling calmer
UA: My heart is feeling lighter
HD: I can breathe easier
WR:I love that I am in control now

Take a deep breath and say PEACE

Continue to use this script over and over, replacing my words with words that resonate with you, that feels true for you. You must give yourself permission to feel your emotions and change the words to fit those emotions and mental pictures you hold inside of you.

Tapping does work if you use it consistently and persistently

Showering you with blessings of calmer days
Cindy

I couldn't help but think of EFT when the lung and colon meridians were mentioned in the following article. Symbolic of breathing in the good and ridding the body of toxic waste, I immediately realized that physically tapping on these meridians could be added to the advice given.

The acupressure points associated with both of these meridians as it relates to tapping are located on the hand, specifically the Karate Chop point, the index finger and the thumb. Participating in a few rounds of tapping and adding in the gamut points on the hand should cover them all!

Randy Heinitz

What Can You Let Go Of?

The Autumn season and Metal element in the body is governed by our Lung and Colon meridians. They have a reciprocal relationship of receiving (or inhaling) the very highest quality of life, of Spirit, and then a release of what is no longer useful for us. And if we are not letting go, then we are not making room for new “inspiration”. This is true on all levels – physiological, mental, emotional, spiritual.

 

So I’d like to focus on the letting go aspect. Much of the world’s suffering exists today because of grasping, clinging, attachment. Holding on to a particular idea, thought, emotion, experience. We say all the time, “I wish this moment could last forever”. And people try and try with all their might to create a reality in which that feeling endures. Our expectations and preconceived notions really get us into trouble – what a friend should be, a partner, a son, a teacher, what a parent SHOULD be. Why trouble?? Well, most of the times our ideas of what people SHOULD be very rarely coincides with how we they actually express themselves in the moment. Then can we watch our reaction… can we observe without judging, criticizing, blaming or labeling? This takes a lot of practice, luckily, we never seem short on opportunities!

 As my Grand Zen Master used to say…”Put it all down!”. Not that its a terrible thing to have desires, opinions, preferences, etc., but we must watch how we cling to them. If we are holding on so tight, then we allow for a sort of mental constipation which is NO FUN! There is no mental constipation that won’t find its way to manifest physically. That may be in our actual Colon, but it can manifest as any sort of stuckness – bloating, pain, insomnia, depression, etc. An important thing to remember is that the Colon meridian is not only charge of disposing of its own trash but all the garbage from the other meridians as well. So if there is a back-up, we can see “symptoms” coming from any of the meridians… which is a reminder that symptoms do not always point you to the root cause.

So what we can do? Well, on a physiological level… keep your Lungs and Colon healthy. Keep your lungs filled with pure, clear air and that they get plenty opportunity to “breathe” – yoga, meditation, aerobic exercise. For the Colon, we certainly want to encourage the physiological releases! Good dietary sources of fiber, omega-3 fish oils, aloe vera juice/gel, and plenty of water to name a few. On the deeper layers, many alternative therapies are wonderful for encouraging our processes of inspiration and letting go – of course, acupuncture and massage… but how about dance, drumming, martial arts, music. Utilizing rhythm and/or the voice… really powerful! On a more quieter note… journaling or a creative art project

What’s most important is that we are checking in with ourselves internally. It would make a wonderful daily practice, ask yourself, “What am I holding on to?” or “What can I let go of today?”. Watch how it can not only ease your suffering, but those around you as well!

Jennifer Dubowsky, LAc, is a licensed acupuncturist with a practice in downtown Chicago, Illinois, since 2002. Dubowsky earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from University of Illinois in Chicago and her Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado. During her studies, she completed an internship at the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital in Beijing, China. Dubowsky has researched and written articles on Chinese medicine and has given talks on the topic. She maintains a popular blog about health and Chinese medicine at Acupuncture Blog Chicago. Adventures in Chinese Medicine is her first book. You can find her at www.tcm007.com.

The original article can be found at: 
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/1093966-what-can-you-let-go-of/

 

How EFT Tapping Works Miracles for the Body

How To Tap and Use EFT To Avoid Being Sick

Did you know there is a tapping routine to avoid getting sick that you can do in just 60 seconds a day? 

It is as simple as tapping to this video.

Easier Said Than Done!

Someone close to me is going through a rough patch right now, a very rough patch. She lost her job to circumstances beyond her control and and her marriage is falling apart. Divorce is inevitable and surviving on her own is very scary for her. As much as it kills me to see her hurting, I know I am not in control of the outcome.

One thing I have learned in the last decade is that I have to let go of situations I cannot control. Accompanying that, I discovered a new found freedom of peace that I didn't think was possible. I have also learned that everything and I mean everything happens for a reason. Even though what's happening to my friend literally sucks, it's in the best interest of all involved to step back, take a deep breath and trust the process.

I'm hearing all of you right now saying "yeah, easier said than done Cindy!" 

I understand that feeling because I too have been in that same situation thinking the exact same thing. Looking back, everything happened and played out exactly as it was meant to. I didn't realize it at the time, but now I understand. The challenges and the scary times all pushed me in a direction I wouldn't have consciously chosen for myself but they made I me who I am today. I am very proud of who I've become and what I've accomplished.

I had a conversation with this same friend a few days ago and after filling me in on disturbing events that had recently transpired, I expected her to break down. But she didn't. Instead she told me how excited she was for the future! I was shocked, I didn't see that coming. She said she didn't  know at this point how she's going to make it, but she knew she would. She explained that she had so many possibilities and choices opening up to her that she hadn't expected.

A few months ago, none of these potential choices were available to her. In fact, she couldn't have imagined them on her own. But now they were opening up slowly and beautifully, like a tender rosebud, blossoming the way nature intended.

Months ago, she had found herself slowly sinking to the bottom of the barrel. The suffocating darkness that had once surrounded her, had started to slowly dissipate. Refusing to wallow in self pity, she looked up and saw a glimmer of light streaming down upon her. She reached up, grabbed the tail end of that light. As the sun got brighter her attitude changed and then her world changed!

It never ceases to amaze me what can happen in our lives when we are given a ray of hope. It is the catalyst for our dreams, it's what keeps us going when we don't want to get out of bed.

I am so very proud of my friend and I feel honored to have her in my life! Even though she is 20 years younger than me, she is decades ahead of me in regards to learning the very same lessons. Life lessons that took me until I was in my 40's to learn. She has warmed my heart and touched my soul on a level I could have never expected!

If you or someone you love are going through a rough patch, keep your eyes open for that little ray of light, for it is that glimmer of hope that makes life's challenges easier than we could have imagined! 

I have provided a tapping script to help you!

 If you are new to this blog and unfamiliar with the tapping process, please see the "introduction to tapping" link at the top of this page.
It will provide you with everything you need to know!

Remember to change the words to fit your personal situation so it resonates with you!

Start with the Karate chop point.

Karate chop point:

*Even though I am hurting right now, I love myself anyway 

*Even though I feel like I am sinking fast, I honor this feeling and everything it means to me 

*Even though I have no idea how I'm going to get through this, I love who I am and choose to trust the process

Start the first round of tapping:

EB: I have no idea how I'm going to get through this

SE: I feel like I'm sinking fast

UE: This really sucks right now

UN: The darkness is suffocating

CH: Some days I feel like I can't breathe

CB: I don't want to get out of bed

UA: I don't want to face another day

HD: I am scared

WR: I am losing hope

Take a deep breath or two and proceed to the next round

EB: I know I can't live like this forever

SE: It's lonely in this deep dark hole of uncertainty

UE: If my world is going to change

UN: I know I have to look deep inside

CH: No matter what's happened

CB: I have to take control of my life

UA: I still don't know how

HD: But no one else can do that for me

WR: I refuse to wallow in self pity

Take a deep breath or two and proceed to the next round

EB: Life is full of opportunities

SE: Some I don't even know exist right now

UE: But I'm going to step back and trust the process

UN: I'm going to trust that there is a power higher than myself

CH: Who knows what's best for me

CB: I don't have to have all the answers right now

UA: I don't have to know the "how"

HD: I just need to have faith

WR: And trust the process

 Take a deep breath or two and proceed to the next round

EB: I forgive myself and anyone else that contributed to my current situation

SE: I choose to let it all go

UE: All the hurt, hopelessness, helplessness and despair

UN: It's time to let it go

CH: It's safe to let it go

CB: I'm safe

UA: Everything is going to be okay

HD: That ray of hope is shining brightly

WR: I am excited about all the unknown possibilities coming my way! 

Showering you with blessing of hope, clarity and confidence!

Migraine Gone in Less than 10 Minutes

I don't know of anything worse than a headache when you are trying to be productive, unless it's a migraine headache!

Although I have been lucky enough to never have experienced one, I am surrounded by co-workers that do and they are miserable! The aura, the nausea and vomiting, the blurred vision and lightheadedness are crippling to those that suffer.

If you suffer from headaches, or worse yet, migraines, you might want to consider incorporating EFT or tapping to help conquer those nasty beasts.

Lindsay Kenny, an EFT master wrote about her positive experience with EFT and migraines.
You can find the following article at: http://bit.ly/19EosvY
"I have so many positive stories about headache and pain relief from EFT that I’m not sure which one to share with you. So I must at least tell you about two. The first is about a friend of mine, “Sherry” who was stressed out with 2 rambunctious children under the age of four … and … 3 demanding jobs (catering, hospitality, and a wedding planning service).

She also had frequent migraines, but at the time I was so new in my practice that I didn’t realize EFT would work for migraines. I taught Sherry EFT to help deal with the stress of her children and careers and she was so excited to know there was something to ease her emotional burden.

Sherry had been using EFT for a couple of weeks for her stress with great success when she got hit one night with a horrific migraine. She called the next day to tell me how she was at her wit’s end with screaming kids, a must-meet deadline and this killer migraine.

Sherry was out of medication and out of her mind in pain, so she tried lying on the floor and tapping for relief, not knowing whether or not EFT would help. She said that relief came within minutes of tapping and that the migraine was completely gone in less than 10 minutes. She was delighted and astounded. And so was I. That was the first time I knew EFT could work on such serious ailments.

Then, just a few weeks later, I had my own personal migraine trauma. It had been over two years since I’d had a migraine and I thought I was over them for good. But while going through a particularly stressful period in my life I was in a department store when I felt a migraine quickly coming on. The clerk waiting on me said “My goodness girl, what’s happening to you? You suddenly look like someone put a vice on your head.”

And that’s how it felt. I rushed to my car and started tapping while on the way there. The relief began within seconds and within minutes the migraine was completely gone. It was so quickly dissipated that I drove away from the mall thinking of all the things I still had to do that day and forgot about the migraine entirely. It wasn’t until an hour or so later that I realized how quickly and completely the migraine had vanished and how significant the pain relief had been.

Now I tell all my clients and friends about the added benefit of pain relief with EFT as well as the remarkable emotional freedom it offers.

Naturally I use and teach EFT to my clients and friends for the emotional problems they face. But both myself and my clients have experienced complete success with pain such as carpel tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff, burn and cut wounds, cramps, headaches, gas and bloating, and many other bodily injuries or pain.
Furthermore, based on a testimonial I read in one of your newsletters about lactose intolerance, I used EFT for it and am I now lactose intolerant-free. Now that one really amazes me!

Sincerely,
Lindsay Kenny

*************************

If you have never tried tapping to reduce pain, I highly encourage you to try it.
Here is a tapping script for headache pain


http://calmingyourinnerstorm.blogspot.com/2011/05/pain-pain-go-away.html 

I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair….

I was pulled into a conversation recently by a woman talking about a man that used to be in her life. She had been struggling with the fact that she couldn’t let go of “what was” or what could have been. 

As I engaged her in conversation, she informed me that this unfortunate parting happened 20 years ago! She had been emotionally carrying this man around for two decades. Her life had literally been hijacked and she had become a prisoner of her own mind.

Not surprisingly, she had not allowed anyone to get close to her over the years. She even dressed the part, all covered up like she was hiding from the world, protecting her heart from being broken again.  She wore a turtleneck and a scarf covered by a coat that was buttoned from the top to bottom. She looked stiff and imprisoned.

I expressed my sympathies and asked her if she would be open to letting go of her heavy burden. She nodded yes, but I could see the skepticism in her eyes. After all, she had been lugging around this heavy heart for twenty years, what could I offer that would help her?

I asked her if she knew about meridian tapping or EFT as it is commonly called and she shook her head no. I briefly explained the concept and said that I was willing to work with her right at that moment if she was willing. She definitely was!

She began to explain the events surrounding the break up, her eyes filled with tears. She was definitely a “10+” on the emotional scale. She had been this emotionally charged for twenty years.

She sobbed as she told me the story and I physically tapped on her acupressure points, allowing her to talk and cry. After a few rounds, I stopped her and asked her to take a deep breath.  She seemed a little calmer as she wiped her tears away. 

She continued her story as I tapped. She explained that he had moved on, married, started a family and still she couldn’t let go of what could have been. The tears started flowing harder as she imagined him happy with his new life, his new family. She couldn’t understand how he could be so happy without her. 

After a few more rounds, she breathed deeply and yawned and started to settle down once again. 

Her sadness then turned to anger as she realized all the lost years she had spent thinking about “what could have been”.

All the lost relationships, all the happy memories she could have created had she not tortured herself by living in the past. She had put her life on hold for twenty years as she gazed into the rear view mirror of her life.

We tapped her anger from a 10 to a 1 when she realized that she was angry at herself, not the man that left her 20 years ago. She had made the choice not to forgive and move on. She soon realized she had been playing the victim card all along, feeling sorry for herself. It was easier to play victim than it was to take responsibility for her own happiness and move on.

Too often we get caught up in the “poor me, look what happened to me” mantra, and we don’t pick ourselves up and forge ahead.  We search for happiness outside ourselves, instead of looking inside ourselves to find peace and happiness.

Once we realize we are not victims, we can then find the lesson in the experience. It is often the darkest moments of our lives that cause us to grow the most, if we allow it.

I saw “Carol” recently and she looked years younger!  She carried herself differently and even dressed differently. Her clothes were lighter in color, were flowing and had a carefree feel to them. She was so excited to tell me that she had been out on several dates and, in fact, she had found someone she loved spending time with. Nothing serious had materialized yet, but she had not ruled it out. She was finally experiencing the happiness she had been seeking for so many years!

If you are at a place in your life where you can’t move forward because you are looking in the rear view mirror of life, try tapping. Tap away the anger, the betrayal and the hurt and start a new chapter.   

 

You can start today and the following script might be a great starting point.

For those who are familiar with tapping, I have written a tapping script that you may find useful.
Remember to change the words to fit your personal situation so it resonates with you!

 If you are new to this blog and unfamiliar with the tapping process, please see the "introduction to tapping" link at the top of this page or listen to both audios at the top and right of this post. They will provide you with everything you need to know! Remember to change the words to fit your personal situation so it resonates with you!

Start with the Karate chop point.

Karate chop point:

"Even though I can’t stop thinking about what could have been, I love and accept myself anyway”
"Even though I feel abandoned, I honor this feeling and everything it means to me”
"Even though I know I should move on, it’s easier said than done”

Round One:

EB: All this abandonment
SE: I feel left behind
UE: Standing all alone
UN: With no one to love me
CH: I keep thinking about what could have been
CB: How great our life could have been together
UA: I guess he didn’t feel the same
HD: Now here I am
WR: Left to deal with the loneliness

** Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the second round of tapping**

Round Two:

EB: I know I need to move on
SE: I needed to do it a long time ago
UE: I was easier said than done
UN: The pity parties were kind of fun in their own way
CH: But now I look back and realize I’ve missed out on so much
CB:  It’s time to move on
UA: I am ready
HD: I want to let go
WR: I am ready to wash that man right outta my hair!

** Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the third round of tapping**

Round Three:

EB: I’m getting excited thinking about the possibilities
SE: Of being happy again
UE: Of sharing my life with someone who WANTS to be with me
UN: Of making new memories
CH: This might be easier than I ever imagined
CB: Why did I wait so long to forgive and move on
UA: So much time was wasted
HD: But no more!
WR: I am taking charge of my happiness starting today!

**Now take a deep breath or two and proceed to the fourth round of tapping**

Round Four:

EB: It’s time to let it go
SE: Let it go
UE: Let it go
UN: It’s safe to let it go
CH: I’m safe
CB: All this hurt, all this sadness, all this betrayal, all this grief
UA: It’s safe to let it all go
HD: I’m ready to let it go
WR: I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life!

**Take a deep breath and say “PEACE”**

Showering you with blessings of a new chapter and many happy memories!
Cindy (Selvaggio) Shumaker

Here is a diagram and explanation of the tapping points.