Emotional Freedom Techniques and Menstrual Issues
You can tap them away.
by Karen Lewis
As a follow up of “How to Get That Extra Mile From Your Herbal Medicines” with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), I would like to share with you how the additional use of EFT has been of help in the last couple of years or so.
Starting on my menopausal journey about six years ago, pre-EFT, I was generally keeping the occasional symptoms under control using my herbal medicine knowledge. I had a Motherwort plant growing in the garden and was frequently overwhelmed by the desire to hug her. She is very useful for heart palpitations, along with Hawthorn.
Trouble is, even though you expect clients to take their remedies regularly, I’m personally not very good at remembering to take medicines on a regular basis, which means that they don’t work so well for me. You have to take them for them to work! And occasionally, I would be away from home, with nothing to hand.
More recently I started to become bothered by stronger symptoms, and as I am now as an EFT practitioner, it made sense to use this “psychological acupuncture without the needles” on my menopausal symptoms. Strike while the iron is hot, or perhaps that should be the flush / flash is hot, and get immediate results!
One particular experience was very interesting because of the effect it had on my beliefs and attitudes about how my body works. It’s my thought that it might be interesting, and perhaps illuminating, to share this with you.
Some months ago my menstrual cycle lengthened from its usual shorter cycle of 26 days. It may be coincidental that this happened after I suffered a rather nasty puncture wound in my foot (treated solely with Marigold and Myrrh rinses every time I changed the Manuka honey-smeared lint free dressings – healed very nicely). Or it might be that the stress of the injury had a knock-on effect on the rest of the endocrine system. The net result was a longer duration of bleeding than usual after the period began, and then a wait of up to forty days before the next period.
Now for me, in the ordinary run of events, a delay of even a couple of days means a far heavier bleed and much more painful cramping than usual. Being so many days over the time, I was anticipating the worst.
Rather surprisingly, because I didn’t know when it would start, the evening before my period arrived found me strongly drawn to using these three Setups. (If you are unfamiliar with EFT and how to apply it you can go to the Self Help page on my website for instructions.)
“Even though there has been a long delay since my last period, and my expectation is that it will be much heavier and more painful than usual, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
“Even though there has been a long delay since my last period, and my expectation is that it will be much heavier and more painful than usual, I allow myself to feel relaxed about this and let myself ‘go with the flow.’”
“Even though there has been such a long delay since my last period, I accept that it is the result of the hormonal changes in my body and all part of a natural process.”
I did one complete round on each Setup, including the 9 Gamut.
My reminder phrases were "Long delay," "Expectation of pain," "Belief - heavy bleeding."
Now who can say that it would have been any different if I hadn’t used EFT as there is no way of knowing and I’d need a clone to act as a control, but, totally contrary to my expectations, I sailed through a short, light, barely uncomfortable, period. I was relaxed and going with the flow. No resistance, no pain. It is my belief that the use of EFT did something that caused a change in my beliefs and attitudes, which resulted in a positive, rather than negative, physiological effect.
It’s hard to say exactly how it worked but one thing is for sure—I shall be trying that again if ever my cycle goes out of sync once more!
As a post script to the above, recently my period began, pretty much on time, but extremely uncomfortably. As time went by, I was beginning to curl up with the pain of the cramps. Even reading a good book did nothing to take my mind off it. "Enough of this," I told myself. I could have taken some pain-killer (usually use White Willow bark) but I was out of stock, so decided instead, “it’s time for some EFT!”
“Even though these period pains really hurt, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
“Even though this cramping is making me curl up with pain, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
“Even though my lower abdomen feels like knives are cutting through it, I choose to believe that I am able to relax and let the pain go.”
My reminder phrases were:
Really hurts
Curled up with pain
Knifing pain
After doing the full Basic Recipe I checked the SUDS. Previously a 10/10 I now rated it at about 4/10. Still enough to be a nuisance.
“Even though the abdominal pain is still a 4/10, I deeply and completely love and accept myself.”
“Even though the cramps are still here, I choose to let them go totally.”
My reminder phrase:
Remaining 4 pain...
By now I was yawning and feeling quite warm, personal signs of an energy shift. There was still a tiny residual amount of pain, but nothing like before. I returned to my book. As I finished chapter five minutes later I realized the pain had gone totally. A result! And much swifter than any pain-killer, herbal or conventional, that I have ever used.
I am so impressed with how using EFT, often in conjunction with some well-chosen herbs, is helping me to control the various symptoms of menopause. I’d like to help other women realize that there is a great drug-free, non-HRT way to deal with menopause, which is literally at one’s fingertips so can be used any time, any place, any where.
2009 © Karen Lewis
www.EFT-Reiki.com
Karen Lewis is an EFT Practitioner and Reiki Master/Teacher/Practitioner, who also has a background in herbal medicine. She is based in the United Kingdom. She uses these disciplines in her own day-to-day life as well as helping others to enable and empower themselves. She is the author of “Menopause – Hormonal Balance With EFT” having found EFT very useful in dealing with the issues, both physical and emotional, that this time of change can bring up. More information can be found at http://www.EFT-not-HRT.com To access EFT Self-Help and free resources, and to learn more generally about Emotional Freedom Techniques and Reiki, please visit her website http://www.EFT-Reiki.com.
New Menopausal Years "Audio version"
New Menopausal Years
the Wise Woman Way-Audio
read aloud by Susun S. Weed
ISBN 1888123117
14 CD Collection
Price: $89.50
Order this amazing CD Collection in our Bookshop
New Menopausal Years
"CD Collection" |
CD 1 The Beginning
Welcome to the Web
Juliette's Introduction
Using Herbs Safely
Is This Menopause?
Menstrual Irregularities
Flooding
CD 2 Flooding and Fibroids
Flooding
Fibroids
Spotting
Menstrual Cramps
CD 3 This Is Menopause
Building Better Bones
Calcium, Nourishing Herbal Infusions
Weight Gain, Weight Loss
PMS
CD 4 Menopause, Fertility
Emotional Uproar
Fibromyalgia
Thyroid Health
Fertility After 40
Birth Control, Sex
CD 5 Phytoestrogenic Herbs, Hot Flash!
Phytoestrogenic Herbs (part 1)
Phytoestrogenic Herbs (part 2)
Phytoestrogenic Herbs (part 3)
Meditation: Journey Into Change
Hot flashes (part 1)
CD 6 Hot Flashes, Night Sweats, Overheating
Hot flashes (part 2)
Hot flashes (part 3)
Menopause Is Enlightenment
Night Sweats and Other Overheated Conditions
Hairy Problems (Too little, too much)
CD 7 Emotional Uproar
Depression
Thoughts of Suicide, Rage, Grief
Anxiety, Fear, Nerves
Preventing Breast Cancer
Male Menopause
CD 8 In the Midst of Menopause
Sleep Disturbances and Fatigue
Headaches, Heart Palpitations
For Women Taking Hormones
Progesterone Cream Problems |
CD 9 Herbal Allies for Menopausal Women
Black Cohosh
Chasteberry
Liferoot
Kava Kava
Garden Sage
Red clover
Soy Uh-oh
Motherwort
Wild Yam
CD 10 Menopause & Beyond
Herbal Allies: Ginseng and Dong Quai
Herbal Ally: Wild Yam
Meditation: Crone's Crowning
Postmenopausal Bladder and Vaginal Changes
Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels)
Itching, Burning Vulva
CD 11 Postmenopause: Down There
Vaginal Yeast Overgrowth
Incontinence
Bladder Infections
Interstitial Cystitis
Post Menopausal Bleeding
Dry Mouth
CD 12 Postmenopause: Healthy Hearts
Healthy Heart (part 1), Hypertension
Healthy Heart (part 2)
Memory Loss, Dementia
Restless Legs, Leg Cramps
My Aching Joints
CD 13 Postmenopause: Strong Bones
Osteoporosis ( part 1)
Osteoporosis ( part 2)
Osteoporosis ( part 3)
Kelp: Herbal Ally for Postmenopausal Women
Nettle: Herbal Ally for Postmenopausal Women
Bioflavonoids
Meditation: Crone's Ceremony of Commitment
CD 14 And The End
Herbal & Food Sources of Vitamins & Minerals
Herbal Pharmacy
Weaving the Web of Women
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