Emotional Freedom Technique & The Importance Of Perspective

While on a recent European trip, a brief conversation with my travel partner had me feeling out of sorts. Recognizing that my emotional responses to our conversation were just that. My responses, my feelings, I began applying for myself the Emotional Freedom and Intention Energy Process Techniques I use with my clients every day.  The feelings were important. Releasing the emotional charges attached to them would allow me continue enjoying our expedition unencumbered. But why I was feeling that way was the far more fundamental question. As I continued the process, my perspectives underwent major shifts.

Suddenly I could see how in this situation, my own childhood Adverse Events had left me with blind spots.  “All or nothing thinking”.  My subconscious mind had attached far too much meaning to the event because it connected it to seemingly related childhood experiences which my young self had understandably interpreted as rejection and abandonment. It took a little while to work through all the aspects, but once finished, the conversation was only history without emotional charge. I was now free to recognize that my partner had her own perspectives which were just as valid to her.

An interesting side effect of my own experience with this process was visiting an art gallery in Colmar France  (seriously, check out this beautiful gallery) shortly thereafter. I had been to a number of galleries during this trip, but this time was different. It was like the scales had fallen from my eyes and I viewed the paintings with a totally new vision. For the first time in my life, I took the time to really look at the paintings. It was astonishing to realize how much detail I had missed. I had always enjoyed viewing paintings, thought I’d seen everything and moved on.

Suddenly there was a whole world of depth and complexity to these painting which had been hidden from me until then. Because I “assumed” I had seen everything important in previous viewings.

It’s easy to react automatically to life situations according to our childhood assumptions about what they mean to us, but asking “why do I feel this way and why so strongly?” can open our eyes to entirely new and rewarding perspectives. Examining our own feelings, emotions and assumptions with curiosity and inquiry, can be equally fascinating, and freeing.