The Boomerang Tapping Technique

A New Twist on Surrogate Tapping

By Dr. Rossanna Massey, D.C., EFTCert-II

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In loving memory of Hypatia Kelly-Butt.

Although we never had the chance to meet in person, energetically there was a deep trust connection between us that allowed you to take me with you through your past and present realities. For me, it will always be a place of honor and respect. I send you love and gratitude for you having lived as long as you needed to leave your mark on our collective conscousness. May you bask in the glow of eternal love and light, and may your heart recognize unbridled joy throughout eternity.

A unique thing about working with energy systems is that, with phone sessions, we practitioners have the opportunity to meet and work with a variety of people without benefit of seeing them in person. These non-visual connections (unless using a web-cam) are very powerfully based on trust and energetic synergy. Hypatia initially called me about working with her for a serious health issue. She was a highly accomplished women who possessed exceptional sensitivity and intelligence. Among her many accomplishments, Hypatia had degrees in Anthropology and Architecture and was also a Vedic astrologer. In later years, through what she called a “spiritual epiphany”, she eventually  became an EFT practitioner. Although our focus  was on her health challenges, one outcome of our work together was that it opened the channels for the creativity she felt she’d lost, and she started writing again after a long hiatus.

Hypatia was also, during this time, an active member of Rue Hass’s  mentoring program, and was chosen by Rue to be a presenter  introducing her new tapping technique, “Boomerang Tapping”, at the  upcoming Tapper's Gathering. Hypatia was honored and thrilled, but  unfortunately she couldn’t stay here long enough to experience her contribution to the EFT world.

In honor of Hypatia, I am proud to pay forward her gift to the EFT  community and present her creative twist on surrogate tapping.

In her words; “The Boomerang Tapping Technique expands on the  power of surrogate tapping. I believe that by tapping as another  person and giving them the true words of feeling held, a field of  compassion opens up. The potential for deep understanding broadens  and true sharing of the release of misunderstanding can be realized by all”.

I see this technique as an energetic form of role playing that has the potential to be a very powerful interpersonal relationship tool. I also see it effectively being used by marriage and family councilors who incorporate EFT in their client sessions, but certainly the applications of boomeranging are limitless. To the best of my ability, and with all due respect to Hypatia, I will describe my knowledge and understanding of how to use it.

Hypatia further described her technique as “reverse surrogate tapping technique”, meaning tapping as if you were someone else surrogate  tapping on you. In other words, speaking on your own behalf once removed, speaking to yourself from inside the “looking glass”--which is useful for emotional blockages, and perhaps another way of getting past psychological reversals.

The applications are myriad, of course, and while I am in awe of just how complex our subconscious mind is, I think boomerang tapping will be useful by addressing certain “parts” of ourselves that can't speak our own truth, parts who feel more comfortable helping other people rather than our self--the list and need goes on and on. If these subconscious protective tools are put into place from traumatic experiences of the past, in the natural progression of energetic healing, they no longer serve you. In fact, these developed parts of ourselves serve to stifle emotional growth and development by perpetuating a fear-based reality. Also, this technique could have a profound effect on field professionals with deep and subtle shame for not being able to help themselves, yet can probably quiet easily reflect about their own behaviors from another person's perspective. (see my article on “Professional Resistance”).

Meeting our full potential could actually be accomplished even faster with this added extension of self help. It’s a new way for us to work around our own blockages and discover our own blind spots. The essence of the technique is to imagine you are another person and that that person is tapping on you and your issues or problems. It's surrogate tapping once-removed, allowing your inner imagination free reign to project back to you those insights hidden by your blind spots.

Hypatia’s initial discovery set-up phrase using the Boomerang Technique came out of an exasperating moment when she felt stuck while trying to clear a negative memory. After several rounds of tapping, Hypatia threw the energetic boomerang at her dog, Ruga, who was serving as her benign and loving bystander, and who had just given her the “you are my most beloved person in the world” look with her expressive eyes. As with surrogate tapping, she mentally stepped behind Ruga’s eyes, “becoming” her, seeing herself as she thought Ruga saw her. Using this type of energetic distancing, she quickly cleared her issue much to her surprise.

Set up Phrase: “I’m Ruga, and even though my mom is sad, she is the most loved person in the world right now by me”.

Reminder Phrase; “I love mom more than anything else in this world”.

According to Hypatia, the SUDs plummeted to complete diffusion which she called “magic”. In essence, she sent herself the love and acceptance she needed through her dog, the love that she couldn’t connect with personally and emotionally. At least I think that’s part of what happened.

Although this may seem as simply surrogate tapping, it appears to be the double entendre of energetic manipulation that comes back as your own “borrowed benefits” – and that seems to be the differentiating factor. It is worthy of further experimentation, and I look forward to hearing from those of you who try this new twist on self help.

Boomerang...be ready to catch it when it returns to you.

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4 Comments

Jody Galardo
Posted January 14, 2011 12:49 PM

I find this very interesting and the theory behind it reminds me a little of Lisa Firestone's VOICE THERAPY theory even though the technique is totally different and in no way relates to tapping. however to give further clarity I will share some quoted information to elaborate on the ideas presented above. " Voice therapy was originally developed as a laboratory procedure to investigate how people defend themselves and to understand the structure and function of the negative thought process that underlies defensive, maladaptive behaviour".The purpose is" to bring internalized negative thought processes to the surface with accompanying affect in a dialog format such that a client can confront alien components of the personality." This is is currently being used as a psychotherapeutic methodology that combines cognitive, affective and behavioural components into an integrated treatment strategy."
"the primary technique consists of asking clients to verbalize their negative thoughts towards themselves in 2nd person "you" vs "I". for example ..".you always make mistakes or you are incompetent". This 2nd person position reminds me of what you have described above " As with surrogate tapping, she mentally stepped behind Ruga’s eyes, “becoming” her, seeing herself as she thought Ruga saw her. In this case the YOU is a voice outside the I self. The voice is thought of as the language of the defensive process and relates to negative attacks vs positive thought process as in EFT when we accept the negative statement or feelings in the set up phrase." Putting self attacking statements in this form often releases strong feeling followed by spontaneous insights and.... can bring unconscious thoughts into conscious awareness". I guess what is similar is this idea of moving the self out of the way of our own stuckness, if that makes any sense? there is also something here that I think dove tails with Carl Dawson's work with matrix reimprinting, as a method to work with parts of ourself, our child self that is frozen in the field.
Anyways, thank you for your sharing. It has served to twist my brain a bit and think in different ways.Thank you Hypatia wherever you are and please continue to inspire us from the other side!

Rossanna Massey
Posted January 14, 2011 02:02 PM

Hi Jody,
Thanks for sharing with your thoughtful and intelligent reply. Firestone's approach does have some amazing parallels. Glad to help with the brain twist--fun isn't it? I'm so grateful for the many influences out there that have helped to contribute in bringing our world closer to a clearer consciousness.
I'd be pleased to hear from you when you try this.
Warm Regards,
Dr. Rossanna

Nidhu
Posted January 26, 2011 04:17 AM

Dear Dr Rossanna,
This was absolutely wonderful! In fact I recently read an article by Dr Patricia Carrington where she describes a very very similar process on the tappy bear i.e. the tappy bear is us and we surrogate tap on it. Like Jody said, it gets us out of our own way. How amazing is that! In fact, Jody, Dr Carrington's writing also mentions it as a great tool for Matrix Reimprinting and working on our inner child. The fact that all this has come to me in such a short time only tells me this is a technique I should be trying - anybody selling tappy bears in India?? :))
love and sunshine,
Nidhu

Rossanna Massey
Posted January 27, 2011 05:35 PM

Hi Nidhu,

I appreciate your comments about the article. I see this technique as addressing the different parts of our subconscious in a safer, more benign fashion. All this discussion and research about energy, and how to address it is certainly being pieced together bit by bit for those of us on the path. I find connecting the dots of this information terribly exciting and I can tell you do too!

As for the Tappy Bear, I think someone with your type of sensitivity could come up with your own version--one that resonates with your culture in India. It's all open to expression!

Sending you love and inspiration,
Dr. Rossanna

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