Language or Country
This evening my husband and I went to see The Hunger Games. Being one of the few people on Earth who hadn’t read the books, I was unprepared for the dark tone of the story, only enhanced by the incredibly detailed and realistic special effects. After finding my fingernails buried deep in my husband’s arm (just kidding … they weren’t buried that deeply) I found a way to make it easier for me to be in the theater.
First, I rubbed my fingertips into the karate chop point on the side of my hand. As I was kneading the karate chop point I said to myself,
Even though this seems like real life, I know that it is a movie, and I love and accept myself. Even though this movie seems almost as real as life, it is only a movie, and I accept myself. Even though my adrenaline is pumping really hard, this is only a movie, and I accept myself.
Anytime during the movie I started to feel so anxious that I thought I might explode, I remembered to rub the karate chop point and remind myself that it was only a movie, and it was ok that I was feeling scared.
So, you can use this for any movie (or anything else, from sitting in the dentist’s chair to taking an exam) in which you are feeling scared. Tap or rub the karate chop point on the side of your hand, and say:
Even though I'm feeling ____ (scared, anxious, terrified - or whatever you are feeling), I'm OK.
Repeat the rubbing and owning your feelings three times or so or for around 30 seconds.
You can repeat it anytime you need to.
After the movie, if you are still feeling agitated, you can do more tapping.
Start off by assessing the intensity of your emotions, with 10 being the highest, and 0 the lowest. You would start with the same (or similar) set-up phrase:
Even though I'm feeling ____ (scared, anxious, terrified — or whatever you are feeling) I'm OK.
Repeat the rubbing and owning your feelings three times or so or for around 30 seconds.
Next, narrate what is bothering you while tapping on your body points.
I usually start inside the eyebrow and say what I'm feeling. It could be something like:
I get really excited at a suspenseful movie like this.
The tension was so thick, it was hard to breathe.
It felt so real.
I didn't feel comfortable with _____________.
Part of me felt like getting up and leaving…
But I was caught up in the drama.
It is a movie.
It is not real.
I enjoyed certain parts of the movie more than others.
I release the parts that I don't want to carry around in my mind and body
I easily let it go…
No I don't.
I choose to let go of any parts of the movie that were really scary.
I choose to remember the parts I liked and let the other images go.
I am free.
I feel relaxed.
I am safe.
This a script you can adjust to suit your situation.
JoAnn Skywatcher
Ukiah, California, US
From the EFTfree Archives, which are now a part of EFT International .
Originally published on March 31, 2012.
Klaus says
Dear JoAnn,
thank you for your article!
I have used imaginary tapping in the movie theater with very good results. I remember watching Terminator 4 (not the genre I prefer, I do love comedies actually) I became so overwhelmed with the dark tone of the film, in your face action and special effects that I decided to imagine using EFT on this matter.
While I ran through the short cut sequence in my head a few minutes, I started to calm down at first and then even began to enjoy the film! It was quite surprising to say the least.
I’d like to add that I do “Borrowing Benefits” while watching movies. While tapping along I got rid of so much stuff! There are infinite possible issues presented on screen and they can easily assist to help clear one’s own while tapping along.
Best regards,
Klaus