Sometimes, you just can’t be there. We face all kinds of obstacles: time, geography, fatigue, emotional distance (although tapping prayer can clear that up), the inability or unwillingness of the other person to meet with us. Telephones, texting, the internet and Skype can help bridge the distance, but the reality is that there are times when you cannot meet face to face for prayer tapping, or anything else. Jesus knows your troubles.
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.--Matthew 8
“Weeping and gnashing” aside (oh Matthew, you love that phrase...6 out of 7 uses in the Bible!) this is a story about what happens when we can’t be physically present to someone who needs tapping prayer. The early church wanted to make sure that everyone knew they were covered despite distances. They wanted to communicate that Jesus would be with them in their time of need, no matter the circumstances. It is a testament to the nature of God’s healing spirit, who can move through space and time at the speed of thought. Jesus’ intentional thought. Our intentional thought.
Surrogate tapping works similarly to individual or “face to face” tapping prayer...with a couple of necessary modifications:
Surrogate Tapping Prayer Recipe
- You have become aware of an issue that someone away from you is facing. Perhaps you’ve had an opportunity to talk to them. Perhaps it comes as a vague prayer request. Gather as much information as you can from as many sources as possible (this is not gossiping folks, we are fact finding so that we can facilitate the most focused healing) and then decide on an issue to focus your prayer. In Jesus’ case above, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
- Rate the issue on a scale of 1-10 regarding how upsetting the issue is to the person you are praying for. Remember, this is a Subjective Unit of Distress, so guessing is acceptable. Imagine how you might feel if you were living with the issue you are about to pray about. Think about the side issues that might be part of the stated issue. This is important, because later on it will help you assess the shifting of the Spirit, and if/where there are other areas around the issue that need healing. In Jesus’ case, the words “suffering terribly” would indicate a SUD of 9 or 10.
- Offer a prayer of awareness and thanksgiving in anticipation of the healing like you would if the individual was with you.
- Create a set up statement for your prayer,”Even though (name) has this specific problem...”
- Create an affirming statement for your prayer. This statement makes room for God’s hope to enter into the equation: “....(name is deeply loved and completely accepted by God.”
- NOTE: because you are doing the praying, the affirming statement is based on your beliefs. If you do not believe that God deeply loves and completely accepts your friend, then modify the affirming statement as you would for yourself. Try, “ I can consider (name) fully loved and deeply accepted by God/the Holy/Jesus....” or “(Name) deserves to be deeply loved and completely accepted by the Holy.”
Focus your prayer on the target you are aiming at. Begin tapping through points on your body while saying this statement. Tap 5-10 times on each point.
Rinse and repeat, adding details that you know of or presume.
- . End with a deep breath and a word of thanks to the Holy for using you to bring your friend’s soul toward peace.
9. Evaluate on a scale of 0-10 how the issue feels to you. Note any residual issues that might have come up during the tapping prayer. Ask God to guide you in tapping on those issues for your friend. It is amazing how similar we are at our core. I believe that is because we come from a common source of love in God. It is that connection that allows us compassion and hope for one another despite our individual journeys. Trust the Spirit to guide you toward words that will relieve the hurt your friend is experiencing.
If possible, contact your friend and let them know you prayed for them. Ask if they have felt any recent shifts in their spirit? Have they experienced any more peace than before you prayer tapped for them? Is there any other issue that they would like you to pray for?
Surrogate prayer is a bit less precise than local tapping prayer (we may guess wrong on some of our friend’s side issues), but it often yields great results of healing and an awareness of God’s compassionate presence in both the tapper and the beneficiary’s life. I have offered this type of prayer to people in my community. some of them have known ahead of time that I am praying for them. Others have only heard about my prayers, after the event they were dreading has passed. I gauge the efficacy of the prayers by asking questions specific to what I prayed for. “How did you feel right before your procedure?” “What was your sense of God’s presence when the scary thing happened?” “Tell me about your level of anxiety as you went through that experience...” I am in awe of how issues I prayed for specifically, are named by my friends in response to my questions. “I wasn’t alone.” “The doctor heard my concerns.” “I felt a peace I didn’t expect to feel.” The spirit has eased their anxious souls. ““Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment.” I hope you love being God’s partner in healing as much as I do.
