Research Spotlight: The Incredible Benefits of a Tapping-Based Meditation Technique

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of really cool research done on a specific type of meditation called EcoMeditation. The research shows it has very powerful effects on everything from pain and anxiety to brain wave patterns and cortisol levels. 

You might be wondering what this has to do with Tapping… Well, this form of meditation was developed by Dawson Church (an expert in EFT Tapping who has done a lot of research in the field). The technique draws on the elements of four evidence-based practices – one of which is Tapping!

Today, I wanted to highlight some amazing research findings on this Tapping-based meditation strategy. These findings are yet another reason to be excited about Tapping and the many ways in which it can help us to improve our lives!

Tapping + other evidence-based strategies = a winning combination!

So, what is this EcoMeditation thing?

During EcoMeditation, you use the Tapping technique (tapping your fingertips on specific Tapping points along the body’s meridians), along with other best practices from mindfulness meditation, neurofeedback, and something called the Quick Coherence Technique (which helps to regulate heart rate variability).[1]

The idea behind EcoMeditation is to help you get into a meditative state and to experience the benefits of meditation without the common barriers that hold many people back. This specific meditation practice produces incredible benefits in a short time, even for complete beginners with no previous experience with meditation.[1]

And how cool is it that Tapping is one of the core elements of this successful meditation technique?

I love seeing Tapping used in different ways, and it is really exciting to hear about all of the incredible results it can contribute to!

Studies show this Tapping-based meditation technique influences everything from brain wave patterns to anxiety levels

So far, there have been three major studies published on the EcoMeditation technique. The data has shown that this type of meditation can have positive impacts on:

• Physiological markers
• Psychological symptoms
• Brain wave patterns/states of consciousness [2,3,4]

Here are some key highlights from the existing studies so far:

1. The first study, published in 2018, assessed factors like cortisol, resting heart rate, pain, and more in 34 participants before and after a weekend EcoMeditation workshop. The researchers found that on average, cortisol levels decreased by 29%, pain decreased by 43%, and resting heart rate decreased by 5%.[2]

1. The second study from 2019 looked at how EcoMeditation and EFT techniques affected brain wave patterns and states of consciousness in 8 novice meditators. They found that after EFT Tapping and EcoMeditation were practiced, participants moved into an altered brain state usually only found in individuals with many years of meditation practice. The researchers saw increased brain wave coherence, increased alpha brain wave activity, and other brain wave patterns known to be associated with emotional integration and meditative states. And what’s more is that these positive effects appeared to last well after the meditation was over.[3]

1. The third study, published in 2020, found that after a one-day workshop where 208 participants learned EcoMeditation, anxiety scores went down by 23%, depression scores went down by 16%, PTSD scores went down by 12%, and pain scores went down by 19%. And on the flip side, general happiness levels went up significantly – by about 9%.[4]

Overall, these findings show that a meditation technique that involves EFT Tapping as a core element can have amazing results! It can positively benefit our brain wave patterns, our biology, our mental health, and more… Pretty incredible, right? 

The bottom line

EFT Tapping is a powerful tool on its own. And I find it really fascinating to learn what happens when Tapping is combined with other stress-relief techniques like neurofeedback and mindfulness meditation. The results are amazing to see, with everything from our state of consciousness to our pain levels being influenced in a positive way!

This research gives us even more reason to make space in our daily lives for these powerful practices, and to experiment with various combinations of self-care techniques to see what works the best for each of us. 

If you want to incorporate more Tapping into your own self-care routine, get started on our Tapping 101 page. And be sure to head to The Tapping Solution App for a large library of guided meditations that come in all shapes and sizes – so that you can find what’s right for you and start to see the benefits for yourself!  

References

1. EcoMeditation. Eft Universe. Ecomeditation.com
2. Groesbeck G, Bach D, Stapleton P, Blickheuser K, Church D, Sims R. The Interrelated Physiological and Psychological Effects of EcoMeditation. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018;23:2515690X18759626. doi:10.1177/2515690X18759626
3. Pennington J, Sabot D, Church D. EcoMeditation and Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) Produce Elevated Brain-wave Patterns and States of Consciousness. Energy Psychology Journal. 2019;11(1). doi 10.9769/EPJ.2019.11.1.JP
4. Church D, Stapleton P, Sabot D. Brief EcoMeditation Associated With Psychological Improvements: A Preliminary Study. Glob Adv Health Med. 2020;9:2164956120984142. Published 2020 Dec 23. doi:10.1177/2164956120984142

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