Inspiration

What Mindfulness Meditation and EFT Tapping Have in Common

Written by: Nick Ortner

Not so long ago, the healing arts of the Eastern world were still pretty new to us here in the West. Yoga, meditation, acupuncture, tai chi – these ancient sciences of the body and mind were met with awe and eagerness by some, and with confusion, dismissal, and even ridicule by many others.

Things have really changed, haven’t they?

These days, you don’t need to go too far to take a yoga class, and maybe one of your family members or a neighbor has a regular meditation practice.

That said, despite how popular these disciplines have become, the Western medical establishment has only recently started to endorse the many benefits that these practices can provide. Similarly, we’re only just beginning to see more than a few studies that delve into just why they are so effective.

One such study recently yielded some fantastic results that really got me excited. Performed by the Shamatha Project at the University of California-Davis, the study revealed that focusing on the present through mindfulness meditation may help reduce your body’s level of cortisol, the stress hormone. Essentially, it suggests a physical effect on our body when we meditate, one that impacts our stress levels.

Of course, you may be wondering just why this information is so exciting to me. After all, my field is EFT Tapping, not meditation, right?

True, but what you may not realize is that there are a few key similarities between EFT Tapping and mindfulness meditation. Once you understand what they are, you’ll likely be just as excited as I am!

Mindfulness Meditation and EFT Tapping, Side by Side

Whether you actually practice it or not, you probably have a basic grasp of what meditation involves. Well, that’s unless you think it’s just sitting down and doing nothing. It’s ok if you do, as it’s a common perception, but the practice is a little more nuanced than that.

Mindfulness meditation specifically requires you to use your breathing, posture, and mind to remain focused on the present. We don’t realize it, but most of the time we’re either thinking about something in the past or what may happen in the future. With gentle discipline, mindfulness meditation steers you away from this.

Those who meditate consistently tend to be calmer, even in the face of troublesome surprises or nagging or traumatic memories. That’s because they’ve cultivated a stillness within that allows them to acknowledge these thoughts and memories without allowing them to affect their feelings too drastically.

EFT Tapping may seem radically different from mindfulness meditation, but the goal is actually quite similar. This technique requires you to tap on a few of your body’s meridian points – some of the same spots on your body used in acupuncture – as you focus on whatever it is that’s bothering you in the present.

In so doing, you gradually work through the layers of feelings and stresses that have become built up in your mind and body. With time, you are able to acknowledge what happened to you in the past or what may happen in the future without becoming too stressed, anxious, or even sick about it.

Sound similar?

Although mindfulness meditation and EFT take very different approaches, they both use the doorway of the present to restore your body and mind to their optimal functioning conditions. One of the most beneficial results of this? Less stress!

Trouble Meditating? Try Tapping!

You may not realize it, but EFT Tapping has its origins in the East as well. Whereas meditation is believed to have originated in ancient India, the principles of Tapping are derived from the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the same principles which are used in acupuncture and acupressure today.

The similarities don’t stop there. This recent study on meditation’s correlation with reduced cortisol levels in the body – and thus a lower stress response – mirrors similar findings in a study done by researchers at Harvard Medical School. That study found that by stimulating the meridian points addressed in acupuncture, acupressure, and EFT Tapping, one can reduce cortisol levels significantly.

The reason why I am excited is this: in the past, and even today, many people have scoffed at the healing attributes of these methods. However, studies such as these shine significant light on just how they produce such incredible healing effects. They lend credence and weight to the claims of millions of people around the world who use these “alternative” methods of healing.

Furthermore, I know many people who have tried to meditate in the past and have struggled with it. It’s a wonderful practice that I fully endorse, but in the event that you don’t take to it, it’s wonderful to know that some of the same effects you could hope to experience through meditation may also be unlocked through EFT Tapping. If you’ve never tried it before, you can learn this revolutionary technique by watching this quick video.

Whatever discipline you choose to take on, it’s important that you find a way to effectively deal with the stresses and pressures of your life. In fact, you might not even have to make a choice: there’s no rule saying that you can’t incorporate both mindfulness meditation and EFT Tapping into your self-care routine. You might very well become the least stressed-out person you know!

How You Can Use EFT to Stay Centered and Grounded

Maybe you’ve tried meditation before and it just didn’t work for you. If that’s the case, try this tapping script below:

Give the tapping routine below a try. It’s tailored to yield many of the same effects you might hope to find with a meditation practice. With time, you’ll be able to adjust it to suit your specific needs. If you want to learn how to tap, click here.

Start by tapping on your karate-chop point:

“Even though I find it hard to maintain my center, I deeply love and accept myself.”

“Even though I get so carried away with my most distracting thoughts, I deeply love and accept myself.”

“Even though I’ve tried so many different things to keep myself grounded and nothing seems to work, I deeply love and accept myself.”

Next, tap through the points:

Eyebrow: These thoughts…
Side of Eye: I get so carried away with my thoughts
Under Eye: I have so much on my mind
Under Nose: Why can’t I stop thinking?
Chin Point: My thoughts stress me out so much
Collarbone: They are so distracting
Under Arm: My thoughts are getting in the way
Top of Head: My thoughts are holding me back

Eyebrow: No matter what I do, I can’t stay focused on the present
Side of Eye: I try to maintain my awareness of the current moment, but I can’t
Under Eye: My mind is always drifting
Under Nose: I’m always thinking about the past
Chin Point: I’m always worried about the future
Collar Bone: This is too much for me
Under Arm: I don’t know what to do
Top of Head: I just want to find peace in myself

Repeat this routine until you find yourself calm, centered, and with a heightened awareness of yourself. Then, return to your eyebrow:

Eyebrow: I just need to breathe
Side of Eye: The past is the past, the future is the future
Under Eye: I am here now
Under Nose: I don’t have to worry so much
Chin Point: I just need to breathe
Collarbone: I can stay present
Under Arm: I am just fine
Top of Head: All I have to do focus on my breath

Eyebrow: All I have to do is focus on the present
Side of Eye: Excessive thinking doesn’t help me
Under Eye: Worrying about the future doesn’t make it any better
Under Nose: All I have to do is breathe
Chin Point: If I operate from my center, I can handle whatever may come
Under Arm: All I have to do is breathe
Top of Head: All I have to do is breathe

Now take a deep breath in… and let it go.

How does that feel? If you’d like some more practice with tapping before meditation, we have a number of those in our Tapping Solution App that I highly recommend you can try out.

Download The Tapping Solution App today!

Until next time…

Keep Tapping!

Nick Ortner


Do you meditate? If so, how often do you do it
and what results have you gotten from it?
Share your results below.



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27 Comments on this post

  1. Ed Tyrie says:

    Hi Nick
    Great post.
    I teach meditation and have used tapping at the start of every session I lead. Tapping is a great way to centre and ground yourself and to bring one into a mindful presence, that releases the busyness of the day. The groups I lead wouldn’t let me start each session without our tapping entry to the session. A valuable post. If you haven’t tried it, then give it a go, you might find it makes the difference you want.
    Cheers ed

  2. Roseanna says:

    I practice meditations sometimes but not everyday. I also like yoga but I do not practice sitting in the yoga position all the time. I think this article by Nick on the similarities of meditation and tapping is right on. I can share an example of a circumstance I was tapping about….I had lost an object that I had needed to find immediately so when I got done tapping I layed down to rest and while I was resting I decided to listen to a meditations You Tube video hypnosis meditations called “Find it”. When I was tapping I had received a vision~about the answer to what I had asked where I could find my object that I had lost but when I looked at the spot it wasn’t there, it had me concerned so I began to meditate about my tapping and what I had seen in the vision. After I finished the meditations I instinctively got up with some energy that is undiscribeable and walked right to the spot where the vision had shown me it was and I continued to ask myself a question~then a few feet away from where I had seen the vision there was a small box my object had fallen from a high spot into a box on the floor. It was a great lesson for me about being mindful of tapping and giving thought continually by keeping my focus on what I am tapping about. I also liked the point Nick made in this article of the similarity of mindful meditation and tapping help to reduce stress and it keeps your focus on the present moment rather than in the past or in the future. It is the most important thing to do is focusing on the present moment will give you understanding for the past or the future and needed but we have to live for Yoda not in the past or in the future but for today, NOW. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Dawn Samuel says:

    I have been meditating regularly for about 5 years. Over time, spontaneous motion and yoga-like poses have become commonplace. Tapping spontaneously has happened a handful of times over the course of about 3 years. I had never even heard of it before it “happened to me”. In the past 2 weeks though, it’s happened whenever I meditate for more than a few minutes. The sessions last several minutes and cover my entire body. Is this something you’ve heard of happening to others?

  4. Kathleen Suneja says:

    Hi there! Great article you have, I would also want to share my thoughts that Meditation indeed has positive effects not only in the body but also in the mind, a total holistic wellness that brings us to know our inner-self better. It gives us a peace of mind that helps us have a much better perception about our lives.
    Our advocacy is to promote the positive effects of meditation, yoga and inner wellness.
    Help us, visit our website at http://www.iamthechangeiseek.org and also http://www.goodreads.com/kathleensuneja
    Thank you and have a great day!

  5. Precious says:

    It’s always a relief when someone with obvious exsretipe answers. Thanks!

  6. Anubhav Kohli says:

    Yes.I practice vipassana meditation since 2009.The most evident benefit is that Ienjoy good health without eating any pharmaceutical drugs.

  7. henrietta says:

    Nick, I’m amazed and touched at how much you and your team, continue to do to awaken us all to living better lives, through Tapping and now with Combining Tapping and Meditation. Yes there are similarities in Meditation and tapping, as also with other techniques as NLP etc, where there is emphasis on Acceptance and focus on the present.
    In tapping we use our finger tips which are such sensitive acupressure points themselves, and just their touch on the meridian points further helps to keep us focussed.
    I have been finding it difficult to meditate for more than a couple of minutes of late on realising how unaware I really was, for long periods of time, lost in thoughts when I sat for longer times to meditate. In it’s simple approach, Tapping has brought me to some level of acceptance in realising how much my mind has outlived it’s role in my life in skillfully steering me away from my Present Moment. I will try begining my meditation with a tapping session now.
    Thank you.
    I am indebted and grateful.

  8. Rahim says:

    Embarking on my tapping journey today..already feel a shift. Thank you

  9. Peggy says:

    Recently,I was a subject in a research study (Harvard/Mass General Hospital)using the Mindfulness Meditation of Jon Kabat-Zinn.I have been practicing EFT for a few months. I am struck by a few more similarities between the two:first,both stress nonjudgmental acceptance of “what is”,such as bodily sensations.including pain, thoughts and feelings.Also,both involve “letting go”or releasing.BREATHE….a key component!For many years I have practised guided meditation and creative visualization which are really quite different but related disciplines.I always struggled with quieting the mind…I will say that both mindfulness and tapping,with practice comes greater skill and ever increasing results.Here is something I have not seen mentioned:tapping visualization!I was recently in a stressful situation,in public,where I wanted to tap but couldn’t…so i imagined that I was.It was very helpful!I think there might be something to this…

  10. Del says:

    Hello and thanks for this.. I do meditate, but even with out having read this article, I at times found myself tapping as I spoke/prayed to God. The chatter in my mind is very difficult to turn off, and it is chatter that NEEDS to be gone.
    I will use taping. I have the movie and your book and again I thank you. Del

  11. Charlotte Pedersen says:

    Yes I like the article. I will practice this very tapping session presently as I feel I am diverting from the main road so to say and any time now a family member will leave this planet into another realm. Thank you.

  12. Lois Hofmann says:

    I tap when I need it and meditate at least 3 times a week. I wil use your Holosync. I’m sure it will enhance my meditations. Thank you.

  13. ahmed says:

    i like eft ,can i become a master..

    thanks

  14. Celenia Delsol says:

    I have been practicing EFT since 2010 and mindful meditation since 2012, although I had “attempted” meditation many times in the past and kept feeling like I was “doing it wrong” because my monkey mind would kick in so quickly and so often and I’d be off and running in my thoughts. In this last attempt I finally let go of the judgment about my thoughts. I would just notice: “thinking” and return to my breath. It took a while to not get annoyed with myself, but as they say…practice, practice, practice. The EFT routine you offer is so wonderful because it NAMES exactly what many people who are beginning meditation often struggle with. You’re not doing it wrong. You are just doing it. It is what it is. Notice it; let it go; return to the breath. Namaste.

  15. Monica says:

    I meditate every day for 20 minutes. I have done this for over 2 years. I love it! I love tapping too! Anything to be centered and at peace.

  16. Sharon says:

    Yes, I have been meditating twice a day since I joined Self Realization Fellowship originated by Paramahansa Yogananda.
    Even though I started 16 years ago ,I still struggle with distracting thoughts!– but I keep on going.One of our monks said”just don’t let them become a nest!” which I thought was priceless!!
    Meditation results can involve very subtle changes in one’s conciousness but can be measured over time in one’s behavoiral choices in life.

  17. Rose Taylor says:

    I meditate every day. It never ceases to amaze me the insights I get after my sessions.

  18. penny says:

    i have been meditating and tapping for a long time however i use Hemi Sync instead. Found it more effective and has more variety and levels. Wonderful practice for anyone.

  19. Lourdes says:

    Amazing ! Thank you for sharing This.

  20. Green O. says:

    Thank you so so much, just when I needed it the most. I have been searching for this detail for sometime now….

    I am grateful Nick.

  21. Helen says:

    Great script and comparison–many thanks. I meditate and tap daily–don’t know where I would be without these gifts!!

  22. Rick says:

    Thanks! Ordered the free CD on Holosync and started tapping on the sample tapping routine.

  23. Carol Spicer says:

    Hi Nick,
    Thank you for the EFT information and work that you and Jessica do!
    I practise and teach T’ai Chi Chih, 2o gentle movements – – moving meditation, (taichichih.org for more information).
    I’ll be glad to give you a T’ai Chi Chih demonstration,
    when you are in the NYC area. My town has two train stops from NYC.
    There is a beautiful park nearby, or come to my home.
    Light and Love,
    Carol Spicer, Accredited T’ai Chi Chih Instructor, NE NJ, Fair Lawn, NJ
    201-475-6545

  24. Jeane says:

    I did holosink many years ago and after using the cd,s and giving it a very good space in my life I realy can not tell you I found any difference in my before meditations or in my energy,, How ever I can tell you Nic, am in full force again with EFT and studing EMOfree, with Gary after reading YOUR book and tapping away the programs in my brain to smoke !! Nothing I have ever tried had completely and instantly freed me from Cigs .. till I did you augestion and tapped DETETING the programs in my brain .. and reprogramed being free from cigs !!
    Thank YOU
    Jeanne

  25. Lloyd says:

    I find both he information and the exercise to be very good. Thanks.

  26. Nancy J. says:

    You must have been reading my mind! This is exactly what I need to quiet the chatter in my mind and get grounded and centered to start my day. Thanks Nick!

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