My secondary school headmaster, “Chessman you’re lazy & useless, you will never amount to anything, you’ll end up in the gutter just like your father. I want you out of my school now – for good!”
Mr Holroyd the art teacher, “Chessman, you may as well go and join the woodwork class - You’ll never make an artist as long as you live.” Thanks to this man; I didn’t take up art until 1995 when I met Shirley Ann my partner. My first painting hangs over the fireplace in our room, I’ve since taken a foundation course to go on and do a degree in art.
These two voices take me back over 30 years, you may think them trivial, indeed - in relation to some of your sufferings they are. However along with many other negative experiences, they shaped my life. For years I’d had flashbacks & nightmares about these two men, as well as one teacher who threw a cricket ball in my face. My sin was watching two very pretty girls walk by - instead of paying attention.
I relate these issues to emphasise the profound effect our words and actions have on other people. How do you talk to those around you?
In 1997 my life changed immeasurably; Shirley and I went on ‘The cruise of a lifetime,’ with daily workshops available onboard ship. On our third day, we attended a workshop entitled ‘An Introduction to EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques.’ We arrived to the sight of around sixty people tapping with their fingertips on various points around their head & upper body. I froze at the door, “I’m not going in there, their all barmy!” I whispered. “Oh! Come on – you may just enjoy it?” said Shirley. So! In we went. We were late (My fault) so all the seats were taken apart from some at the front. “Come in - don’t be shy – were all friends here,” said Christine Hardesty from the UK - the workshop presenter. (To whom I owe a debt of enormous gratitude)
I hated meeting strangers or walking into rooms full of people – let alone sitting at the front. My heart was pounding - my hands were clammy, I very nearly walked out. I was sceptical to say the least. Christine must have noticed because she said, “I realise some of you may be feeling apprehensive and sceptical and that’s ok – may I start by asking you all to pick up the sheet of paper in front of you. Please write on it a word or phrase that describes exactly how you are feeling at this moment. Please be specific and also record how intense this feeling is on a scale of 0-10.”
(Ten being the most intense)
I wrote down ‘PANIC – Level 20.’
Christine then asked us to fold up the paper and put it to one side.
She asked for a volunteer to stand out front with her, explaining the EFT procedure as she went along. Meanwhile the rest of us tapped along, saying exactly what they said. After a couple of rounds of tapping she asked us to take out our piece of paper and assess our intensity level now, with whatever we’d written on the paper. I wrote down 4, I felt a little uneasy but nothing like I had earlier. The panic had gone from an intensity level of 20 down to a 4. ‘How the hell did that work?’
Christine explained what EFT is and how it works – also that we had just experienced ‘EFT - Borrowing Benefits.’ ‘Borrowing Benefits,’ is an EFT procedure allowing the whole audience to tap along with one person but gain the benefit for there own issues. I thought, ‘this is mind blowing.’ It means, anyone can sit in an EFT workshop and eradicate their own issues without anyone ever knowing why they’re there. The potential was enormous.
The real ‘Bombshell’ was to come – We did lots of tapping for various issues, using the same method. We were then asked if we had any strange feelings, tension, or headaches? I had this dull ache in the middle of my chest, something that had always been there but I didn’t know why. Once again we wrote on a piece of paper, I wrote ‘Dull – Ache in my chest.’ I recall tapping along with all these strangers when tears started rolling down my face. Avril a helper took me to one side asking, “If she could work on a one to one basis with me.” “Yes please! – I feel so stupid – a grown man crying like a baby – I feel so embarrassed.” You can guess what we tapped on next – feeling stupid – men don’t cry – being embarrassed. We then went back to the ‘Dull ache in my chest,
We tapped on ‘Even though I have this dull ache in my chest and it may be linked to some other trauma – I deeply and completely accept myself and any part I may have played in causing it.’ I gave a deep sigh and felt as if the dull ache had changed somehow – It seemed lighter. We did another round of EFT – ‘Even though I still have some of this lighter feeling in my chest – I deeply and completely accept myself and any part I may have played in causing it.’
Suddenly I said, “It wasn’t my fault – It wasn’t my fault, there was nothing I could have done.” “What wasn’t your fault - What do you mean there was nothing you could have done?”
“Maurice,” I said. “My twin brother - he died when we were six weeks old. We both had pneumonia.” We tapped on – guilt – grief – loss – surviving - not being able to do what other twins do, and a host of other issues. I suddenly felt as if a ton weight had been lifted from my shoulders – the feeling was euphoric! I couldn’t believe I’d been carrying this around for nearly 40 years. I knew at that moment I had to learn this wonderful technique. Since that day the feeling in my chest has gone, I’m a much calmer person and I’ve learned to like myself.
I didn’t realise at the time but I’d been suffering from PTSD (Post traumatic Stress Disorder) since the death of my brother.
PTSD is complex, each case being unique. It can occur immediately after a traumatic event or some time later, sometimes years. Sometimes we’re not be aware of it - at other times it’s debilitating. In the first ‘World War’ hundreds of innocent soldiers were shot for coward-ace, we now know most of them had ‘Shell-shock’ or as it is now known PTSD.
However! PTSD is the end result – NOT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM! The true cause is a ‘disruption in the body’s energy meridians’ these disruptions happen after a traumatic experience. These disruptions result in physical or emotional issues sometime in your life. EFT restores the balance in your meridians – (Akin to replacing a fuse in an electrical circuit.) This in turn results in the relief of your illness whether physical or emotional.*
The real secret to successful EFT is an intuitive practitioner who empathises with the client. I’ve spent the last 13 years perfecting my use of EFT so I can take it to the world – I’ve changed career & helped hundreds of clients, family & friends to eradicate physical & emotional trauma.
My passion is to have EFT available to all on the frontline
*(Please note: A traumatic event to one person may not be to another – therefore more than one person can experience the same traumatic event – but only one may develop a problem.)
P.S. This quote by Eric Robins, MD captures the essence of EFT:
"Some day the medical profession will wake up and realize that unresolved emotional issues are the main cause of 85% of all illnesses. When they do, EFT will be one of their primary healing tools .... as it is for me."- Eric Robins, MD -
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