This article was previously published January 17, 2021, and has been updated with new information. Dawson Church,1 Ph.D., is a leader in the energy psychology movement, one of the most common forms being the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), which I have promoted for years. Church investigated and built on the EFT techniques developed by Gary Craig2 in the 1990s (which in turn was a derivative of the founder of energy tapping, Roger Callahan's, work3). While Craig was not a clinical investigator, Dawson's work has led to over 100 clinical trials on EFT. In this interview, Church shares insights from his experience, which he has also documented in the books "Mind to Matter: The Astonishing Science of How Your Brain Creates Material Reality" and "Bliss Brain: The Neuroscience of Remodeling Your Brain for Resilience, Creativity and Joy." This information is particularly timely in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While the infection itself has been shown to be far less lethal than initially suspected, government responses to it have undoubtedly led to an epidemic of fear and stress, which can have serious health consequences. As explained by Church:
The Importance of Positive ThinkingAs noted by Church, our brains are hard-wired and evolutionarily adapted to pay attention to potential threats. Failing to notice a threat can get you killed, whereas there's no evolutionary reward for failing to notice the good stuff. As a result, most of us need to train our brain to notice the positive, and to feel gratitude.
The Benefits of EcoMeditationIn 2008, Church attended a conference where he presented with Roland McCraty,4 head researcher in how the heart and mind interconnect from HeartMath Institute, and Joe Dispenza,5 whose fields include mind-body medicine and brain/heart coherence. Curious about what would happen if he combined the best evidence-based methods, he came up with what eventually became known as "EcoMeditation" — a conglomerate of techniques proven to rapidly increase positivity and well-being. They include:
According to Church, when you do them together, they reinforce each other. "The whole is more than the sum of its parts," he says. EcoMeditation has now been empirically tested and refined, showing that it can lower baseline cortisol levels by one-third in as little as a week. And, when stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline decline, the neurochemicals of repair and rejuvenation such as DHEA, serotonin and dopamine increase. In one trial, Church looked at the effects of EcoMeditation on immunoglobulins, antibodies that bind to and neutralize corona viruses. In just two days, participants who did EcoMeditation had a 27% rise in these antibodies in their mucous membranes.
Emotions Are ContagiousThe year 2020 has been challenging for most people. The drumbeat of negative news can overwhelm even the most resilient among us. In Chapter 2 of "Mind to Matter," Church talks about a phenomenon called "emotional contagion." In a nutshell, researchers have shown that emotions have an impact similar to that of infectious disease. They're contagious, and affect those around us. He cites one study in which they found that the next-door neighbor of a happy person is 35% more likely to be happy as well, and the neighbor twice removed is 15% more likely to be happy. That person's neighbor, in turn, who is 3 degrees removed from the happy person is 6% more likely to be happy. The same contagion rule applies when the emotions are negative.
The Chemical Effects of MeditationOne of the reasons Dawson recommends meditation is because of the distinct biochemical effects it produces. He explains:
To show you how effective meditation can be in daily life, Dawson cites a 10-year-long study of high performing people by the McKinsey Consulting Group. It found that those who are able to enter this flow state are five times as productive as ordinary people. Another study by DARPA described in his book "Bliss Brain" found people who meditate improved their ability to solve complex problems by 490%. "That's why meditation is a powerful antidote to dealing with all the chaos of the world around us," Dawson says. These and many other studies can be found on www.eftuniverse.com/research-studies/eft-research. EcoMeditation SummarizedAs mentioned, EcoMeditation incorporates several different techniques, including EFT tapping, breath control and meditation. To download a free EcoMeditation audio track that guides you through each of the steps, see EcoMeditation.com. Step 1 involves tapping a series of acupuncture meridian end points. Dawson explains their relevance:
When you're doing EFT, you first focus on a target problem by formulating a statement. The target problem might be 'I'm afraid of catching the virus.' It might be, 'I'm afraid of dying.' It might be 'I've lost my job, I don't know how I will cope.' However, in EcoMeditation, you tap the points without defining a specific target problem. "We know that general tapping produces an effect," Dawson says. It basically regulates your energy system in a general way and helps you enter a space of calm. Next, you add in heart coherent breathing, muscular relaxation, neurofeedback techniques and meditation on compassion.
Emotional intensity is also important for optimal results, and the emotion of gratitude typically generates this. As such, compassion and gratitude go hand in hand and work very well together. Lastly, you need to recenter in your body. So, at the end of the meditation, open your eyes and take in your surroundings. You feel the weight of your body in the chair or on the cushion as you re-anchor yourself in the here and now.
Sheltering in LoveWhen California issued its first round of lockdown orders, Dawson and his wife agreed to use that time of increased togetherness to be extra nice to each other — to literally shelter in love. He explains:
More Information and Free ResourcesAgain, to learn more about the scientific underpinnings of tapping, visit www.eftuniverse.com/research-studies/eft-research, and for a free EcoMeditation audio track, see EcoMeditation.com. If you want professional EFT help, you can tap with a practitioner, live via the internet, on tappingplace.com. Free tapping resources and meditations are also available on DawsonGift.org Also consider picking up a copy of "Mind to Matter: The Astonishing Science of How Your Brain Creates Material Reality," in which you'll find 30 different practices that will help reprogram your mind and energetic system, including yoga, Chi Gung, Tai Chi, spending time in nature, grounding and much more. The book is available on Amazon, but you can also get it free — just cover the cost of shipping — if you order it on mindtomatter.com.
from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2021/10/28/dawson-church-eco-meditation.aspx
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Nia Pure NatureThe Provider of premium Quality Health Products To Live Better Lives Archives
March 2022
Categories |