Tuesday, June 12, 2012

TAPPING ON PSALM 138: GRATITUDE

TAPPING ON PSALM 138

Psalm 138 is a prayer written toward God. It expresses the author's gratitude for the Holy's presence in his/her life.
As I read this psalm I was moved to incorporate energy work into my experience of the prayer. I invite you to follow along and experience how the Holy Spirit can bring us closer to understanding the feelings the psalmist presents in Psalm 138.


Read Psalm 138.

Psalm 138

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    before the “gods” I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple 
    and will praise your name 
    for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, 
for you have so exalted your solemn decree
    that it surpasses your fame. 
When I called, you answered me; 
    you greatly emboldened me.
May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord,
    when they hear what you have decreed.
May they sing of the ways of the Lord,
    for the glory of the Lord is great.
Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; 
    though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
    you preserve my life. 
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; 
    with your right hand you save me. 
The Lord will vindicate me;
    your love, Lord, endures forever 
    do not abandon the works of your hands.


How connected do you feel to it? 1-10.
Write that number down.
Let’s take a deep breath and begin tapping into psalm 138 together...

Psalm 138
Begin with Thyroid Thump(tap on area over top of sternum)  (place of energy/Spirit)  while reading: I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
Tap sides of hands together (place of joy):  before the gods I sing your praise;

Sweep hands up front of legs  from bottom of your feet up to heart(touches spirit paths on front of body);:  I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;

sweep to outer fingertips on both sides:  for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.

Sweep hands from finger tips, up back of arm,  to behind neck on both sides,: On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.

hands over heart and then sweep up, over the head and back down to feet on backside of body (contacts spirit paths on back of body) : All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth.

Thyroid Thump:  They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.

Tap eyebrow (place of inner peace and emotional healing) :  For though the LORD is high,
Tap outer eye (place of compassion and understanding) :  he regards the lowly;
Tap under eye (place of contentment/safety) : but the haughty he perceives from far away.

Tap under nose (place of empowerment/shift) :  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;

Tap under lip (place of clarity/self acceptance) : you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.

Tap collarbone (place of moving forward):  The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;

Tap underarm (place of compassion for self and others) :  your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Wrists (place of connecting with present moment): Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Top of Head (place of spiritual connection/discernment) : Amen and Amen.

Now, place your hands over your heart, or your fingertips together, and take a deep breath. 



Think about Psalm 138, and how connected do you feel to it? to its author?
Did you have any insights into the psalm as you were tapping into it as a prayer?


Did any parts of the Psalm cause you to experience strong feelings of joy or discomfort? If so, go back to those verses, and tap on them in particular, (You can do that by saying: “Even though I have this verse, or this word, or this feeling...I am deeply and completely loved by God” while tapping on all of the points we tapped on today.  Listen for what God is trying to teach you through those verses. Test out your findings by sharing them with me or a friend who you trust. 

I do believe that God desires us to experience healing and wholeness. Like the Psalmist, I am grateful for the Holy’s presence and support in my life. I am grateful for new ways of interacting with the Holy. I am grateful for the deepening of connections I experience with God’s Spirit.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Tapping The Lord's Prayer

Many people are familiar with the Lord's Prayer. It is a staple of the Christian faith community. I recently prayer tapped the Lord's Prayer (as I know it, you may want to substitute the words you use for this particular prayer) and found that as I went through it the second and third time, I was connecting with the words in a new and powerful way. I invite you to try this simple tapping prayer and let me know how it effects you. Before you begin, imagine yourself connecting to the Lord's Prayer. On a scale of 1-10, (1 IS A LITTLE, 10 IS A LOT) how connected are you?




Begin at the
  • Karate Chop point--OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN
  • Top of head-- HALLOWED BE THY NAME...
  • Eyebrow-- THY KINGDOM COME...
  • Outer Eye-- THY WILL BE DONE...
  • Under Eye-- ON EARTH.
  • Under nose--.. AS IT IS IN HEAVEN--
  • Under Lip-- GIVE US THIS DAY, OUR DAILY BREAD
  • Collarbone--AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES
  • Underarm--AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO TRESPASS AGAINST US
  • Wrists--AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION
  • Karate Chop--BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
  • Top of Head--FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM
  • Eyebrow--AND THE POWER
  • Outer Eye--AND THE GLORY FOREVER
  • Under Eye--AMEN
  • Under Nose--AMEN
  • Under Lip-- AMEN
  • Collarbone-- AMEN
  • Underarm-- AMEN
  • Wrists-- AMEN
  • Karate Chop-- AMEN.
  • Fold hands over heart and take a deep breath.
Take a moment to think about how connected you are to the Lord's Prayer. How has the Holy Spirit been moved in you? What words did you find yourself tapping on a little bit longer? Take some time to revisit those words and listen for how the Holy is calling you into a deeper relationship.

Peace,
Todd



Role of Tapping Prayer Coach

Rev. Todd Farnsworth
I am not a licensed health care professional and I do not dabble in medical diagnosis or care.
I am an ordained minister (1987-present) in the United Church of Christ
I am pastor of an Open and Affirming church (www.belchertownucc.org)
I am Level 1 ACEP certified for energy psychology (5/12).
I am Level 2 Trained for Emotioinal Freedom Technique (Greg Carpenter, 11/11)
I am bound by the Code of Ethics put forth by the United Church of Christ  (UCC) as well as the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP).

I've been trying to figure out how to describe my role in Tapping Into Prayer Now. I just tapped and prayed and I realize that there probably are no perfect words to describe a unique experience. There is only the experience itself and the after effects of that moment.

I have been sharing tapping prayer with people in my community for 6 months now. I am impressed by the way it has connected folks who have felt detached from God, detached from the Holy, detached from any higher power, reconnect. I have been amazed at the ways people have been emboldened by the prayers. I have been mystified by how easy it is to do and how fast it all works. I guess that is why I'm in this. It is fun, fast, and it seems to be helping people.


Above are my qualifications to be a tapping prayer coach. Below is how I see my role in the journey.


My role as a tapping prayer coach is to help folks focus the healing presence of God’s Spirit (the Holy, Jesus' love, Source Energy, Higher Power, etc) on to issues that are concerning them and keeping them from experiencing peace. Some of these issues may have early childhood roots. Some of them may stem from more recent incidents. By using techniques from the disciplines of Energy Psychology (see ACEP ) and my experience of 24 years ministry in the United Church of Christ, I offer an opportunity for healing that is both rapid and long lasting. I cannot guarantee "success" in every case, but I can guarantee that if we do not experience "success" in a given session, there is no charge for my ministry. Really.

My practice takes place in one on one sessions or in educational settings such as a retreat, seminar, or Bible study. My hope is to help you experience the closeness of the Holy now



--Rev. Todd Farnsworth.

Friday, June 1, 2012

What is TAPPING INTO PRAYER NOW?


WHAT IS 
TAPPING INTO PRAYER NOW?

This past year I attended a workshop for people who wanted to help veterans find peace. At the workshop I was exposed to a protocol called Emotional Freedom Technique (which was developed by Gary Craig). It was the weirdest thing I had ever seen. We were told to think of a problem and then tap on various parts of our body, to relieve the stress associated with the problem.

Sure.


A few months later, clergy who had attended the first workshop were invited back for a Level 1 EFT training experience. It was still as weird as ever, but somehow the holy was stirred in me to pay closer attention to what was going on. I noticed that there were real changes happening for the people who volunteered to be "test subjects" in the training. This was very strange stuff!
After passing the training, I decided I would introduce it to some of my parishioners who were dealing with difficult situations. In most cases their anxiety level was dramatically reduced, and they began to experience peace around issues that had plagued them for a long time. They were emboldened to try new strategies. They experienced a union with the holy that had not been a part of their journey in the past.


In the cases that did not go as well, I realized in reflecting on them that I had not properly administered the tapping. I am a rookie, and there were some situations I needed to grow in before I could facilitate the kind of spiritual calm I hoped for all my community.


I attended a 2 day training in Energy Psychology presented by the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology, and I learned new methods to go deeper with the tapping I had become intrigued with. During the ACEP training, I began to wonder, "What does this have to do with the ministry I am a part of?" "Is this so outside the mainstream that I would be considered a heretic for practicing these methods as part of my work?" "How do I translate 'meridians' and 'chakras' into a language that my parishioners and many mainline people of faith could understand and feel comfortable around?"


Below is my first attempt to translate this material. It is the basis of my answer to "What is Tapping Into Prayer Now"?


TAPPING INTO PRAYER NOW (AKA:MERIDIAN HEALING) is a spiritual practice wherein the ancient art of following the flow of the Holy Spirit through the body is used to bring balance and peace to individuals who are experiencing spiritual distress. Various protocols and techniques that have been tested and accepted by the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology are employed to: identify disturbances in the movement of the Spirit; adjust and correct various disturbances of the Spirit; allow the individual to experience a deeper peace and connection with the Holy.

A few assumptions I make about Tapping Into Prayer Now:




  • Tapping Into Prayer Now is not a manipulation of God's will. It is a focusing of God's healing intention on a particular problem or issue that we are facing. God will do what God will do.
  • It is my belief that God desires us to be whole and peaceful.
  • It is my belief that God works to create wholeness and peacefulness in us.
  • It is my belief that the Holy Spirit exists beyond us, within us, between us, physically, emotionally, cognitively and spiritually. When our relationships are healthy, the Spirit flows easily in all of these states. If there is a disruption of flow (caused by a number of catalysts: drugs, gossip, violence, overeating, disrespecting others, traumatic experiences...) our relationship with the Spirit can be severed or tangled up in unhealthy ways.
  • It is my belief that the Holy Spirit heals us. It connects us. It emboldens us. It forgives us. It transforms us.  It centers us in God’s loving presence. For Christians, it awakens us to Jesus’ grace and teaches us how we can share that grace more effectively.

  • It is my belief that the Holy Spirit moves within us through channels that the ancient people described as “meridians.” Meridians carry energy (qi) throughout the body and connect us to the energy of the universe. Likewise, in the Christian tradition, meridians serve to focus our attention on the energy of Jesus’ Holy Spirit that dwells among all people.

  • Healing in the Bible (and throughout faith history) often comes in the form of “laying on of hands.” In energy psychology, the same can be said about how healing is established. By utilizing the wisdom of ancient cultures who traced the vital energies as they flowed through our bodies (through what they described as “meridians”), we can track the vital energy of the Holy Spirit as it moves through our bodies and back into the world.
  • Tapping Into Prayer Now uses a "follow the leader" approach to tapping. You will learn where to tap by watching me and we will tap together. I will not generally lay hands on you, but will show you where you can access the meridian points that may address your particular issue. You may repeat the words I say as a common prayer for your healing.

  • At times, we may feel disconnected from the Holy's life giving flow. Our ability to experience the Spirit’s energy may be blocked by a trauma or dis-ease in our life...perhaps in the form of illness or a relationship that is out of balance. There are a number of life events internal and external to us that can leave us feeling drained instead of feeling “full of life!”

  • It is my belief that a wondrous mystery unfolds in the midst of tapping on various meridian endpoints while focusing on a particular issue. Healing happens and God's peace comes into focus.

  • It is my belief that Tapping Into Prayer Now is another way to pray, and, quickly connect with the Holy.
  • It is my belief that Tapping Into Prayer Now will change the way you think about and engage prayer.

I hope that you will try Tapping Into Prayer Now.

If you would like to see a video of some tapping, you can click the picture above. Please note that in the video I describe "tapping while you drive." My intention is that if you are in a car and feel the need to tap, you will pull over and safely tap while parked.

Aloha,

todd