EFT Meets Emile Coue

With classic EFT, at the end of our setup statement we say, “I deeply and completely accept myself.” This reassuring phrase removes any conflicts. It’s integrative, uniting all parts of ourselves consciously and unconsciously. One of the things I hear from people who are new to EFT is that it doesn’t seem to work for them. Although they try and try EFT, they don’t get any results. Are they using Willpower?
Perhaps we can learn a lot from the works of Émile Coué, a French psychologist and pharmacist who developed “optimistic autosuggestion.” Basically he said that the greater effort you make to resolve an issue, the more it returns. The more you exert your willpower and try, the more your imagination replies that you can’t.
He says that contrary to what we might believe, when the Imagination and the Will are in conflict, the Imagination invariably wins.
- Every idea which exclusively occupies the mind is transformed into an actual physical or mental state.
- The efforts we make to conquer an idea by exerting the Will only serve to make that idea more powerful.
- You must put your trust in the Imagination, not in the Will. Think you are better and you will become so.
He said to create a positive change in our mental or physical being, we must consciously suggest to our unconscious mind. He used repetitions of verbal messages as a means of changing behavior and called them “Autosuggestions.” Perhaps his most famous autosuggestion is:
“Every day, in every respect, I am getting better and better.” Coué emphasized saying the words, “in every respect” because it played to every need whether mental or physical. [Note: It’s often translated as, “Every day in every way, I’m getting better and better.”]
Émile Coué said that in order to understand properly the part played by suggestion, or rather by autosuggestion, we need to know that that the unconscious self is the grand director of all our functions. The unconscious is that powerhouse that provides energy for conscious thought and action and for the performance of the vital processes of the body. The unconscious is the supervisor over our physical processes. Digestion, assimilation, the circulation of the blood, the action of the loans, the kidneys and all the vital organs are controlled by it, not the conscious mind.
What’s important in autosuggestion is — no idea presented to the mind can realize itself unless the mind accepts it. The basic law of autosuggestion is:
Every idea from the conscious mind, if it is accepted by the unconscious, is transformed by it into a reality.
When we gently and in a relaxed manner, instead of forcefully, fill our conscious minds with ideas of health, joy, goodness, efficiency, and can ensure their acceptance by the unconscious, these ideas become new realities. That’s why it’s important not to exert effort when making an autosuggestion because it takes us out of a relaxed state and suppresses the tide of the unconscious. Also it creates a conflict. Autosuggestion succeeds by avoiding conflict.
Coué said that we possess within us a force of an incalculable power when directed in a conscious and wise manner gives us a mastery of ourselves, releasing physical and mental ills so we can live in relative happiness.
- Autosuggestion is an instrument which you learn how to use just like any other instrument.
- Never lose sight of the great principle of autosuggestion: optimism always and in spite of everything, even when it doesn’t seem to be justified.
- Suggestion sustained by faith is a formidable force.
- Do not spend your time and thinking of illnesses you might have, for if you have no real ones you will create artificial ones.
- When you make a conscious autosuggestion, do it naturally, simply, with conviction, and above all without any effort.
- The Imagination, not the Will, is our most important faculty. It’s a serious mistake to advise people to train their Wills. Training their Imaginations is paramount.
- By believing oneself to be the master of one’s thoughts, one becomes so. Each of our thoughts, good or bad, become concrete, materialize, and become a reality.
- We are what we make ourselves, not what circumstances make us.
- Always think what you have to do is easy and possible.
- Contrary to popular opinion, physical diseases are generally far more easily cured than mental ones.
Émile Coué recommended formulating autosuggestions that included these three elements: (1) Immediate relief. (2) Rapid progress. (3) Complete and permanent cure.
As an experiment, let’s take the autosuggestion teachings of Émile Coué and combine them with EFT and tapping. Do this. Take some time to be by yourself.
- Close your eyes. Be calm and relaxed. Get in a drowsy state.
- In a monotonous tone of voice, tap on the various EFT points while saying any of the autosuggestions that follow. Feel free to modify theme to suit your needs:
General
From today onward, I shall become more and more conscious of all that is happy, positive and cheerful.
All the troubles which used to perplex me will have vanished and never return.
The thoughts that enter my mind are strong and healthful ones.
My life is growing smoother, easier, and brighter.
Trouble Sleeping
Every night I will fall asleep when I want and continue to sleep until the time I choose to wake up on the morning. My sleep shall be calm, deep and peaceful. On waking I’ll feel well, right, alert, eager for the day’s tasks.
Depression, Feeling Down
Instead of being moody, anxious and depressed, I choose to feel cheerful and happy. I prefer to be happy even if I have no particular reason for being so, just as in the past I was feeling unhappy for whatever reasons. From today onward, I shall become more and more conscious of all that is happy, positive and cheerful.
Physical Pain
[Note: Touch that part of your body in pain with one hand. Tap on the EFT points with the other and say — ] I know my pain is going away. It’s going, going, going, gone. [Note: Repeat the words “going, going, going” as fast as you can, producing a continuous stream of sound. Keep it up for about a minute, pausing only to take a deep breath when necessary. Say the word, “Gone,” at the conclusion.]
Feeling Impatient or Angry
I no longer feel anything of the kind. On the contrary, I feel more patient and in control. The things that used to irritate me leave me entirely.
Fears or Phobias
Any fears or anxieties I had cease to occupy my mind. They melt away like a cloud. As a dream vanishes when we awake, so do any fears or anxieties I had.
Lacking Confidence
Any lack of confidence or self distrust I had is gradually disappearing. I have confidence in myself. I enjoy feeling confident. I have immense power within me. The thoughts which enter my mind are strong and positive ones. My confidence manifests in greater strength each and every day.
Getting Things Done
I erase such words as “difficult,” ” impossible,” or “I cannot” from my vocabulary. I replace them with this phrase: “It’s easy and I can.” Even though it may be difficult for others, it comes easy to me. I do things easily, without effort and without fatigue.
If you’d like to learn more about “autosuggestion,” you can download an ebook for Kindle, Nook or iBook editions for free. Go to Project Gutenberg and search in authors for Émile Coué, or the title Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion. Also, check out the C. Harry Brooks book, Practice of Autosuggestion.
Great article. Im big supporter of Emile Coue. ‘Self Mastery’ explaining many.
You can tap on the root issue. The emotions of ltntieg go is OK. But the metaphor really is the result of a tree without roots will do what. Not you pulling the roots out but rather they are already gone. Oh, by the way no real trees were harmed in the exercise. Peace Robert