TATLifeTM PMB 7000-379 Redondo Beach, CA 90277 (310) 378-7381 www.TATLife.com Copyright 2007 Tapas Fleming All rights reserved Redondo Beach, CA 90277 ISBN# 978-1-893412-12-5 Tapas Acupressure Technique and TAT are registered trademarks and TATLife is a trademark of Tapas Fleming.
This book is dedicated to those wishing for a way to let go of old emotional baggage, finally lose weight, keep it off and live a happier life.
Acknowledgements Many people worked to create this booklet and it is a privilege to enjoy their company and contribution. My thanks to Sara Arey for initiating and overseeing the final push to get the weight loss materials done, for her suggestions of phrases in the Using TAT section, and for her fine editing; to Lori Barklage for her behind-the-scenes website, production and product delivery support: their enthusiastic good cheer has helped bring TAT to many people. Thanks to Midge Murphy for her kind legal advice. Thanks to C. Saurma for the photo. Thank you to Dr. Phil Mollon, PhD for his summary of the study report. My thanks to Bruce Campbell for his gorgeous graphics, editing and personal support. Thank you to all my friends who use TAT and tell me what happened so I can keep learning. My thanks to Charles Elder, MD, MPH, Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente Northwest for conducting the weight loss research study and to Chérri Gallison, LPC, LAc who did the actual TAT training during the study for everyone in the TAT group. Thank you to the All-Knowing, Compassionate Divine Love, who does all the healing and without whom we wouldn’t have this lovely TAT path to a happier life.
DISCLAIMER TAT is a relatively new healing approach and the extent of its effectiveness, as well as its risks and benefits, are not yet fully known. Please be advised of the following: • Emotional and physical sensations or additional unresolved memories may surface. • Previously vivid or traumatic memories may fade. This could adversely impact the ability to provide detailed legal testimony regarding a traumatic incident. Before reading and using the information in this document, I acknowledge and agree to the following: • My choice to utilize TAT is of my own free will. • I assume full responsibility for my self-care in all aspects of my life. • My choice to use TAT is free from any outside pressure. • I will read this document in its entirety before using TAT. • TAT does not provide medical diagnoses nor does it offer cures; it does not replace therapy or health care from medical professionals. I will consult with my health care provider for medical, psychological or other health related problems.
My Personal Goals My name:
WELCOME TO THE HAPPY, FULFILLING JOURNEY OF LOSING WEIGHT! This guide will accompany you on your way and give you exact instructions on how using TAT can help you to lose weight and maintain weight loss.
My goal weight: ___________ My fulfilling journey begins this date: _____________________ How I will feel about myself at my goal weight:
How I will feel about my life at my goal weight:
This program is designed to be done daily over a three to six month period. I recommend you get a journal or notebook to record your weight loss journey. Some people also find it very helpful to have a buddy to check in with periodically to discuss their progress, talk about feelings that surface, or just to make sure they are staying on track and doing TAT every day. A buddy does not need to know TAT – he or she only needs to listen and be supportive. You could also join a TAT weight loss support group at www.TATLife.com. Loving friends make the journey easier and much more fun. With this program, you can get almost immediate results in curbing cravings, controlling overeating and sticking to a good eating plan. TAT can do this by taking all the emotional charge out of past incidents so you’re not driven to over-eat or think negatively about yourself and life. It’s very easy to do, it just takes a few minutes and you can do it yourself.
Let’s get started!
WHAT IS TAT®?
HOW TO DO TAT® The TAT® Pose
TAT® is an easy process that has been shown to reduce the effects of traumatic stress, reduce allergic reactions and help release negative beliefs. TAT is a new, simple and effective technique that has been shown to help create inner peace, relaxation, empowerment and more vibrant health in minutes. It combines lightly holding a few acupressure points on your head (the TAT Pose) as you put your attention on a problem (the Steps of TAT). With this technique, you can profoundly improve any aspect of your life -- it’s been called a “portal of grace”.
With one hand, lightly touch the tip of the thumb to the area 1/8inch above the inner corner of your eye. With the fourth finger (ring finger) of the same hand, lightly touch the tip of the finger to the area 1/8-inch above the inner corner of the other eye. Place the tip of the middle finger at the point midway between, and about 1/2 inch above, eyebrow level.
Now place your other hand on the back of your head, with the palm touching the head so that the thumb is resting at the base of the skull just above the hairline. The palm cradles the base of your skull. Both hands should be resting gently. No pressure is necessary. That is the TAT Pose. For children age 11 and under, an open hand can be used for the front position. The palm is placed over the forehead covering the top half of the eyes. They may hold the pose themselves, or you may hold it on them. For babies, very sick people or anyone who feels uncomfortable with touch, the pose can be done by holding the hands in the same position as for children, only the hands are an inch or two away from the person's head. If you are holding your hands in the TAT Pose on someone else, the same area at the base of the skull is covered in the back position, but your little finger will be just above the hairline instead of your thumb. Before holding the
TAT Pose on someone else, please make sure you have obtained their consent to touch them and to do TAT. You can rest your arms at any time you want, during a step or between steps. Eyes can be open or closed, and either hand can be in front. If you are more comfortable holding the pose while lying down, that is fine, too. Keep your TAT work to a maximum of 20 minutes per day actually in the TAT Pose. Drink 6-8 glasses of water on the days you do TAT.
The Steps of TAT This is the general format for all TAT work. Each Step should last for about a minute or until you feel done. Feeling done can be indicated by a sigh, a sense of not being engaged with the problem anymore, your attention wandering, an energy release, or simply a feeling of being done. For children, this may happen in a few seconds. Steps 1 (The Problem) and 2 (The Opposite of the Problem) will change depending on the specific issue being addressed. In this way, TAT can be tailored to fit any number of different issues.
At the beginning of a session, make the intention that the healing you are about to do will also benefit all of your ancestors, your family, everyone involved, all parts of yourself and all points of view you have ever held.
The Problem (Step 1)
The negative thought.
If you have never done TAT before, do the TAT Pose and put your attention on each of the following preliminary statements for a few seconds up to about a minute. TAT is too easy to work or be of any value. TAT is easy and could work and be of great value. I deserve to live and I accept love, help and healing. For Step 1 of this exercise, choose a negative thought you have about yourself or an incident from the past that is troubling you. For ease, we will refer to the past incident as “this”. (I’ll explain later in this booklet several other approaches for Steps 1 and 2 that you can take to reach your goals, but we’ll start here for now.) On a scale of 0-10, with ‘0’ indicating ‘no stress’ and ‘10’ indicating ‘the worst possible’, rate how you feel at this moment when you think of the negative thought or past incident. Do the TAT Pose and put your attention on each of the Steps of TAT (below) for about a minute or until you feel done.
Use the statement below that works best for your situation:
This happened. Everything that led up to this happened. The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2)
Use the statement below that works best for your situation: It’s not true that ________ (use your Step 1 negative thought here), or whatever words you choose that mean the opposite of Step 1 for you. This happened, it’s over, I’m okay and I am relaxed now. All that happened, it is over, and it is no longer resulting in this.
The Places (Step 3)
And/or
All the places in my mind, body and life where this has been stored are healing now. You do not need to know what all the places are; just make the intention that they’re healing now.
Forgiveness (Step 5) continued
I forgive everyone I blamed for this, including God and myself.
God (whatever name you use), thank you for healing all the places in my mind, body and life where this has been stored.
The Origins (Step 4)
All the origins of this are healing now. You do not need to know what all the origins are; just make the intention that they’re healing now.
And/or
God, thank you for healing all the origins of this.
Forgiveness (Step 5)
I apologize to everyone I hurt related to this and wish them love, happiness and peace.
I forgive everyone who hurt me related to this and wish them love, happiness and peace.
It is not necessary to think of each person involved; just make the intention of forgiveness with your heart. Parts (Step 6)
All the parts of me that got something from this are healing now.
Whatever’s Left (Step 7)
Whatever’s left about this is healing now.
Choosing (Step 8)
I choose (whatever positive outcome you want related to this).
Integration (Step 9)
This healing is completely integrated now.
And/or
God (or whatever name you use for God), thank You for completely integrating this healing now. Move whichever hand was in the front position to the back and vice versa and put your attention on: This healing is completely integrated now.
Lastly, I recommend that you give thanks to whomever or whatever you feel did the healing for you – God, Mother Nature, Holy Spirit, Divine Love, etc. That’s it. The Pose and Steps are the foundation of TAT. People often describe it as being elegantly simple yet amazingly effective. Now that you have finished doing TAT, rate the negative thought or incident on a scale of 0-10, with ‘0’ indicating ‘no stress’ and ‘10’ indicating ‘the worst possible’. Compare your before and after ratings. Please note that when you are working on something from your past, you can put your attention on an event or series of events without reliving them. With TAT, it is not necessary nor is it recommended to relive or re-experience past incidents in order for them to be healed.
Encircle your right ear with your right fingertips and your left ear with your left fingertips, placing your thumbs behind your earlobes and your little fingers just in front of where your ear attaches on top. Touch the skin around your ears. In this position, put your attention on: This healing is completely integrated now.
Very rarely, your feelings may get stronger and temporarily become the central focus of your attention as you do TAT. If this happens, stay in the TAT Pose and put your attention back on following the intent of the step. Don't put your attention on getting more and more into those feelings. Following these instructions, your feelings will usually become peaceful in about a minute. If you don't feel peace beginning to come after about a minute, pause the healing process on this particular problem and ask for
help from a Certified TAT Professional (listed at www.TATLife.com) or a licensed mental health practitioner.
USING TAT® TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN WEIGHT LOSS Now that you know how to do TAT, let’s look at some of the many factors that can play a part in someone’s gaining and maintaining extra weight and exactly how to use TAT so that these factors have no more influence. The influences, which can result in creating a life that isn’t really what you want, fall into three categories: limiting beliefs past incidents triggers As these influences are cleared, stress levels decrease and the drive to eat in order to fend off the stress dissolves. Just imagine: your beliefs about your power to lose weight are in place, you love yourself, and you feel at peace with your past; what used to be a trigger for overeating is now just a faded memory and you are full of positive feelings and thoughts about your life. That is what TAT can easily help you attain. In the following four sections, you’ll find many phrases which address influential factors in gaining and maintaining extra weight. These phrases are set
up in pairs for you to use as The Problem (Step 1) and The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2). Read through the phrases. When something resonates with you or stirs an emotional response in you, it is letting you know that this is an area that needs healing. Write down or mark all the phrases below that you feel need healing for you. For each pair of phrases, hold the Pose and put your attention on The Problem (Step 1) and The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2), then proceed through the rest of the Steps.
Releasing Limiting Beliefs
As you do the Steps, say them aloud or just mentally put your attention on them. You may find that for some of the phrases given, different wording for The Problem (Step 1) or The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2) occurs to you that holds more meaning for you. That’s fine; use your words instead. Please keep in mind that when you put your attention on The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2), you are not being asked to believe the statement, just simply to be with that thought.
This problem can easily change.
In your journal, write down the date, the statements you used for The Problem (Step 1) and The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2), and your experience – any thoughts, observations, new feelings, and new insights. Do this daily for three to six months. Keep going through this list until there is nothing that brings a ripple of disturbance to your peaceful heart. This is the way TAT can help you attain your weight loss goals.
General Beliefs I can’t do this. I can do this. This problem can never change.
I feel hopeless about this ever changing. I see and feel myself the way I want to be. TAT can’t really make a difference or help me with my problems -- it’s too easy and I can’t be helped. TAT is really making a difference and is helping me with my problems – it’s easy and I can be helped. or, It is possible for TAT to make a difference. I can be helped.
This will take forever. This is changing now. I need drama and struggle in order to feel alive. I can feel peaceful, vibrant, calm and alive, all at the same time. I need friends (and/or God) to come save me when I am having difficulty in order for me to feel that they are connected with me and love me. I feel connected with and loved by friends (and/or God) even when I am peaceful and taking care of myself. I need to feel that I have overcome struggle and arisen victorious in order to feel that I have value. I have value for who I am, just as I am right now, without having to have overcome struggle.
I am starved for something in my life (love, happiness, beauty, creativity, physical touch) and I eat to fill that need. I find healthy, appropriate, loving ways to fulfill my needs. When I am stressed, I need to eat to feel relief. When I am stressed, it’s not true that I need to eat to feel relief. I have healthy ways to reduce my stress. I have so far to go that it’s not even worth starting. I’ll never get there. It’s possible for me to achieve my goal and I’m starting now. It will be quicker and easier than I ever imagined. When I feel judgment from someone, I feel stressed and I eat. When I feel judgment from someone, I feel relaxed and I address it in a healthy way.
It is difficult for me to keep weight off.
I need this weight in order to protect myself.
It is easy for me to keep weight off.
I protect myself in healthy ways and it is safe for me to release this weight.
Eating what I want when I want is the only thing I have control over in my life. I am in charge of my life. I make my own decisions.
Beliefs about Weight I’m stuck with being overweight forever. I’m not stuck with being overweight forever. or, I am free to change how much I weigh.
If I lose weight, people will expect things of me that I’m not happy about. It’s not true that if I lose weight, people will expect things of me that I’m not happy about.
Life Style Beliefs It takes a lot of effort to eat healthily. It is easy and enjoyable to eat healthily.
If I am not overweight and don’t have a problem with weight, I won’t know who I am or how to be. I know who I am and how to be.
I can’t leave food on my plate. When I am full, I easily stop eating, even if there is still food on my plate.
I hate myself for not being the way I want to be (my goal weight/skinny, etc.).
I have no control over my eating
I love and accept myself just as I am.
I do have control over my eating.
If someone else is eating dessert or second helpings, I will feel left out and deprived if I don’t have some, too.
Food has been the one thing that I have been able to rely on in my life. I can’t imagine limiting it.
It is okay if someone eats something that I don’t. I don’t feel left out or deprived if I don’t have some, too.
More and more I rely on myself. I lovingly care for my needs.
If I take responsibility for my weight and do something about that, I may have to deal with other things that I’m not ready to handle. My healing is progressing at the pace that is right for me. I can take one step at a time. I can do this. I need to keep sweets around in case I crave them. It is okay for me not to keep sweets around. I have or can get whatever I need.
If I give up eating for comfort, I am afraid that I won’t be comforted. I comfort myself in healthy ways. It feels so good to have my belly full. I can’t imagine being satisfied without that feeling of fullness. I value how light and healthy I feel when I eat smaller portions. I approach food with fear of what it will do to my body. I approach food with love and joy.
I can’t just eat a small portion. I either eat none of it or all of it. It is possible for me to eat small portions and feel satisfied.
Beliefs about Exercise Each of these is The Problem (Step 1). Use whatever is the opposite for you for The Opposite of the Problem (Step 2) or add “It’s not true that ____”.
I don’t feel well enough and I won’t like it. I’m too busy. I don’t want to exercise. I’m too old. I’m too tired. No pain, no gain. Even if I exercise, I’ll never reach my goal of being physically strong. I always exercise for a while and then lose interest. I keep unfit in order to connect with people through being sick and weak. I keep unfit in order to have something to complain about.
Healing the Past Sometimes weight related issues are linked to past incidents and triggers, and we need to address them as they come up. TAT is an excellent way to work with these issues as well. The most influential incident that resulted in my trouble with food/overeating/being overweight happened.
It happened, it’s over, and it is no longer resulting in a trouble with food/overeating/being overweight. I am OK and I can relax. You do not need to know what the incident was. Just make the intention that the healing is about that incident. Once you clear the most influential incident, the next most influential one will move into first place as you peel away the layers. It is recommended that you do this at least once a week. Everything that led up to my __________ happened. Craving for fats Craving for sugar Craving for carbohydrates Craving for (your favorite food) Inability to digest fats Inability to digest sugars Inability to digest proteins Allergic reaction to (whatever it is) Feeling that life is not safe All that happened, it’s over, and it is no longer resulting in my (craving for fats, etc.).
Conversation While in the TAT Pose, you can have a conversation, either silently or aloud, with anyone with whom you feel there are thoughts or feelings that you want to express, including someone who has died. This type of conversation can bring immediate peace to a relationship. If you feel that you are not able to forgive someone or several people who hurt you, then do the TAT Pose and have a silent conversation with them. Tell them whatever you want and also be open to hearing and feeling anything from them. If you find that it’s still not possible for you to forgive them, then I recommend that you do the TAT Pose and tell them that you intend to forgive them some day. Forgiving does not make their actions okay – it lets you stop holding a negative relationship with that person or people. Forgiving lets you feel at peace. Sometimes, you might not feel forgiveness at first when you do the pose with this step. That’s OK. Just do the pose with the intent of forgiveness and watch what happens as a result of doing that. You can also have a conversation with the part of you that has trouble with food. It is often helpful to ask that part to tell you what
it thinks and feels. You can have a similar conversation with a fat cell and/or the extra weight and see what happens. These conversations can bring you new insight about yourself and give you ideas on what you might heal with TAT.
Desensitizing Triggers In the two sets of statements below, fill in the blank with a trigger you choose of your own or something from the following list: Being criticized Criticizing myself Feeling powerless Feeling lonely Feeling sad Feeling anxious Feeling scared Feeling angry Feeling fearful Feeling tired Feeling overwhelmed Feeling that it’s not OK to express my feelings Feeling worried Not being in a happy, intimate relationship Being in an abusive intimate relationship
Every time I am __________, I over-eat. Everything that led up to this happened. Everything that led up to this happened, it’s over and I’m OK. Every time I am __________, I feel relaxed and peaceful within. __________ triggers me to over-eat. __________ does not trigger me to over-eat. I handle it in a healthy way. Emotions Related to Food and Weight Problems Fill in the blank below with an emotion that gives you trouble related to food and weight or choose one from the following list: Sadness Grief Worry and anxiety Fear Anger I feel __________ about food and being overweight.
Everything that led up to my feeling this way happened. Everything that led up to my feeling this way happened, it’s over and I’m OK. I feel relaxed and peaceful about food and my body. I am ready to make some changes. Sometimes, food is used as an attempted solution to deal with a problem. Select a way you use food to try to solve a problem or choose from the following list to fill in the blank below: Hide my feelings Suppress my feelings Make myself numb Make myself sick Obtain power Avoid sexual abuse Demonstrate my powerlessness Stuff my anger Stuff my frustration Try and fulfill a different need Try and feel emotional nourishment Try and feel spiritual fulfillment Be happy I use food to__________.
Everything that led up to this happened. Everything that led up to this happened, it’s over and I’m OK. I find healthy, loving ways to meet my needs.
Creating the Life You Want TAT can help you create what you want in your life. For the following statements, hold the TAT Pose with your attention on the statement until you feel done. As your attention is on each statement, see yourself in the condition you are imagining, feel how you feel in that condition and say the statement aloud. As usual, change the statement to accurately reflect your thoughts whenever you wish. You do not need to do all the Steps for these. I see myself at my ideal weight and feel at ease. (It is recommended that you do this at least twice a week although daily is best.) My relationship with food/weight is just as I want it to be.
I love myself exactly as I am right now. I see and feel myself at my goal weight and physically fit – full of vitality and beaming with happiness. People love, accept and support me as I am. I accept and love my body and I take pleasure in nourishing it healthily. If you feel uncomfortable with any of these positive visualizations, do TAT with: Everything that led up to this uncomfortable feeling happened. Everything that led up to this uncomfortable feeling happened, it’s over, I’m OK and I’m relaxed now. Then do the rest of the TAT Steps.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
LEARN MORE ABOUT TAT®
The TAT weight loss program can be effective in resolving many emotionally-based aspects of weight loss and weight loss maintenance. Some people are happier having a trained support person on their journey. Bringing a happy life into being may happen more easily with the assistance of your professional health care provider. Certified TAT Professionals have been trained to assist you in using TAT to support you in your journey to a happier, more fulfilling life. A listing of the Certified TAT Professionals can be found at our website, www.TATLife.com
To learn how to use TAT to lessen the effects of allergic reactions, the emotional roots of physical illness, and limiting beliefs, and for creating a happy life, visit www.TATLife.com for inspiring stories and information on audio recordings, DVDs and books. You can learn how to use this tool with children, groups of people and even for your pets. To fully learn TAT, we offer workshops as well as programs leading to certification as a TAT Professional and to become a Certified TAT Trainer. To learn more, come to our website. New products are constantly being developed to help further your understanding and practical expertise. Many of our workshops and online courses are approved for professional continuing education credits. Sign up at www.TATLife.com to receive the free TATLife eNewsletter – it’s full of inspirational stories, news about how TAT is being used around the world, and fresh ideas on how to use TAT to enhance your happy, healthy life. At our website you can also sign up for the CelebrateTAT email discussion group where you can discuss specific situations and share support with others who use TAT. We also have an email discussion group just for people who are using TAT for Weight Loss and who want to share their experiences, goals, and successes. You can sign up for this group on our website.
SURPRISE People find that doing TAT often gives them many happy surprise benefits. It’s not only weight loss and weight loss maintenance that can easily happen for you: you may find that chronic aches, pains and illness clear up, that people are smiling at you more often and that a whole world of possibility is opening up at your feet. As old incidents are healed, you are full of more energy, you glow with vitality, and engaging in the fullness of life becomes lots more fun. This is my heart-felt wish for you: that you do TAT and enjoy life to the fullest!
APPENDIX NIH STUDY ON TAT® Short summary: In 2005, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded a pilot study with scientists from the Kaiser Center for Health Research and the University of Arizona comparing TAT for weight loss maintenance with two other approaches (Qi Gong and behavioral advice). Each group was given 10 hours of instruction in the method they used. The TAT group gained little weight whereas the other two groups gained at least six times as much. The authors were impressed with TAT and recommended further study. Below is a summary of the preliminary report by the research team. A full write-up including interviews with participants is planned for publication in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 2007. Mist, S., Elder, M., Aickin, M., & Ritenbaugh. 2005. A randomized trial of Tapas Acupressure ® Technique for weight loss maintenance. Published in: Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies.10.38-39 [a quarterly review journal presenting evidence-based approaches to health care]. Abstracts of 12th Annual Symposium on Complementary Health Care. 19-21st September. 2005. Exeter, UK.
Location of research: Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente, 2800 N. Interstate Ave., Portland, U.S.A. & University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, OR 97227, U.S.A. Description: This scientifically rigorous, randomized and controlled study provides support for TAT as a helpful approach for people with weight problems. The aim of the study was to compare TAT with two other interventions for helping people maintain weight loss after they had successfully lost excess weight (at least 3.5 kg) on a behavioral program. TAT was compared with Qigong and Self-directed support (a simple cognitive-behavioral approach with advice and encouragement). All three approaches involved 10 hours of instruction over a 12 week period. The outcome measure was weight gain. 92 adults were involved in the study. After three months, the group using TAT had not gained any weight, but the Self-Directed Support group gained an average of 0.35 kg. At 6 months the Self-Directed Support group had gained 1.5 kg., but the TAT group had gained only 0.25 kg. Qigong was found too difficult for the participants to practice, and this group gained the most weight of all. There were no adverse effects of TAT. The authors conclude: "TAT was a feasible intervention, warranting further study as a potential weight maintenance intervention."
Tapas Fleming is a Licensed Acupuncturist in California. She developed Tapas Acupressure Technique® (TAT®) in 1993. She lives with her family in Redondo Beach and travels worldwide teaching TAT.
