Memory management with EFT

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) uses the common memory techniques for addressing memories, especially with emotion (t.i. energy for action) to do something about the memory. Since the event is just a memory, nothing can be done to change it (no regret and no vengence), but it can still be a relevant experience (reflect and learn).

Emotional Freedom Technique is a memory management system. Realize from all the books on memorization techniques that they always recommend creating a personal experience as an aid for memorizing.

A memory aid for remembering that (t.i. a mnemonic) is P-A-V-E: physical, aural, visual, emotion. As in "pave a path to a memory".

EFT aids in reducing the intensity of flashbacks, post traumatic stress (PTSD), regret, self-abasement, or similarly overwhelming memory recall. Such memories displace the visual, aural, emotional, and sometimes even the physical experience of the present moment. The approach of EFT is by all four of the aforementioned memory anchors.

For example, consider a flashback from a car accident. The recall of the memory might supplant anything received by the eyes, like a photographic memory, so overwhelming that nothing from the current surroundings can be noticed while it is recalled. Same for the other senses when experiencing a flashback, including emotions.

As such memories are managed, the emotions of later moments are supplanted less often. Addressing such distractions as they happen saves time immediately, because they lose their ability to displace awareness of reality again. That also leads to less dramatic expression of memories, and perhaps less "personal baggage".

An emotion is sometimes undescribable by a singular adjective, so a single word is merely suggestive. The phrase "feeling like this" can be enough to get going until something else comes to mind during the tapping. Consider a new cycle with a phrasing for whatever other words came to mind and felt more relevant or seemed interesting to consider.

Note your own words are what matter to you, someone else has words that matter to that person. All words are merely suggestive, and addressing the unnecessary call-to-action (t.i. emotion == energy for action) attached to memories is what matters rather than a precise description.

Memories are inherently associated with each other, so delving into memory management will likely end up addressing many avenues. It is worth the time, because the distractions from such memories wastes much more time than it takes to face up to them. Consider all the time wasted already from their supplantion of prior moments.

There is no need for explanation or justifying of events that are associated with the memories. There is no need for making sense of the memories. That can happen later, if it seems needed. The point is to get it off the priority list of things to do, because memories are only re-imaginings rather than the reality of here and now.

There is no changing a past event, so the EFT tapping asserts the present moment while acknowledging the memory (that is the past) happened. That helps in accepting the event is completed and done, there is no need to generate energy for action (t.i. emotion), as it would be wasted in the present moment.

This is merely memory management for the sake of eliminating the supplanting of the relevant emotions for the current moment by the emotions from a mere memory. However, sometimes some sense might be made anyway, and that is fine.

The memories will likely still come to mind occasionally, but will be referencible without displacing current feelings. Otherwise, consider addressing the memory again to reduce its displacement effect further.

"...I deeply and completely accept myself." might be more effective than an arbitrary and watered-down verb like "love".

Again, EFT is just memory management. Memories that include emotions that readily supplant the emotions for the present moment of the current environment will become only a memory that is merely recalled without supplanting the present moment (and its emotion) as much or without supplanting it at all.


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