The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will

Excerpted from the Spirituality of Wealth Program, for the Practitioner package of the Affirmation
Enhancer Tool. www.spiritualityofwealth.com

The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will

By Anita Briggs, DCEd, MSc, DAc.

Emotions are an arousal of energy (energy in motion) intended to motivate and support
the will to action—in this regard, they provide us with experiential feedback and power
to move on the results of our perceptions. They are intended to pass through, alerting and
arousing us. When this natural process is arrested, then the emotions get stuck and stuffed
in our bodies. We are not our emotions, though we often end up identifying with them. (I
am angry, rather than I feel angry). When we do this over a lifetime, we can become so
enmeshed in the emotion (e.g. chronic states of anxiety or depression) that we think it’s
who we are. We then lose all ability to ‘let go’.

We often believe that we need to hold on to a feeling or emotional state as proof of being
wronged, as self-punishment, or to make sure we don’t make the same mistake in future.
“How will I improve if I don’t berate myself and feel ashamed?” This only strengthens
the illusion that we are flawed and shameful, and makes us more prone to attracting
situations that ‘prove’ our shame and flawed nature. Sometimes we gravitate to a feeling
as a cover up for something else (e.g. angry when feeling inept or sad when feeling
angry). This creates negative emotional habits.

Most people don't know how to use emotions, as they don’t understand its language—
fundamentally, it is the language of the soul. When we learn to use it as the soul does—
flowing and shifting--we come to experience all emotions with equanimity. Emotions are
messages, providing us the experience of our perceptions—in this regard they give us
valuable feedback on where we are holding distortions about who we are. When we stop
resisting them we can 'get the message', the necessary internal shift can be made and the
emotion dissipates or moves on, leaving way for a deeper emotion. And the process
repeats until we hit our essential nature, which is inner peace.

"If you want to shrink something,

you must first allow it to expand.
If you want to get rid of something,
You must first allow it to flourish….”

Tao Te Ching,
Translated by Stephen Mitchell

To truly resolve issues, come to a freedom to act effectively in our reality and to know
the true self as loving and powerful requires that we develop this skill of letting the
emotions speak and move, in other words, of feeling then letting go of emotions at will.

A good analogy borrowed from the Sedona Method, Your Key to Lasting Happiness,
Success, Peace and Emotional Well-being1, is that of holding a pencil. Imagine gripping a
pencil for so long that you’re no longer aware of doing so. You will limit your
movement (possibly only using one hand) and work around ‘gripping the pencil’ until
you become aware that you are holding the pencil. When you are aware of it, you can

Copyright 2007 Anita L. Briggs All Rights Reserved

 The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will
Excerpted from the Spirituality of Wealth Program, for the Practitioner package of the Affirmation
Enhancer Tool. www.spiritualityofwealth.com

begin to move the pencil in your hand, open your hand and let go—dropping the pencil.
The pencil is not attached to you—you were holding onto to it; it cannot hold on to you.
It is similar with emotions. When you recognize an unwanted emotion, you can isolate it
and let it go at will. This makes room for other (deeper or more real) emotions to surface,
and you can simply let go of those as well. The important thing is to let emotions flow—
their nature is movement as they are an aroused energy.

When you keep the surface emotion stuck, all the deeper emotions (or messages) are kept
repressed and you never allow the internal shifts necessary to feel good. If you resist
letting go, then process that resistance. Letting go at will gets the emotions back into their
natural flow. And when you stay present with the movement, you are able to shift and
understand deeper parts of yourself. The deeper you go and let go, the more deeply you
will experience peace. From a state of inner peace, you are then free to act.

When we have made a habit of ‘holding on’ to negative emotions, our thoughts and
perceptions are colored by them and we can never quite get away from them. The
emotions simply grow in their negative charge and fuel our reactions in life. On the other
hand, with a clean emotional body, our actions are free and the emotional charge we
bring to them can be a positive choice.
With freedom to act, we choose what expresses our nature and life becomes joyful.

This is a very simple exercise that requires mindfulness. It is the basis of the Sedona
Method of attaining freedom. It is a two-step process, with step two consisting of asking
three questions. Sit quietly and answer honestly. Your honest answer will be very
revealing to you.

The Basic Sedona Method

NOTE: For greatly accelerated results, run the Affirmation Enhancer Tool throughout
the exercise. The Tool will activate on all release and positive intention statements.

Step 1: Connect to the uncomfortable feeling/emotional state that you do not want to
experience (either current or something from your past). Allow yourself to welcome the
feeling. Ask yourself: “Could I let myself really feel this? Experience it and identify it if
you can. Don’t worry if you can’t put a good descriptive word to it—just a felt-sense1 of
it is fine too. The more clearly you can isolate the feeling, the easier it is to let go of.

Step 2: Next, ask yourself the following three question, taking time on each to feel
within:

1. Can I let this go?

2. Will I let this go?

1
This term comes for Eugene Gendlin’s work on Focusing. A felt-sense is a combination of sensations and sensing on
many different levels of being, and experienced as a whole.

Copyright 2007 Anita L. Briggs All Rights Reserved

 The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will
Excerpted from the Spirituality of Wealth Program, for the Practitioner package of the Affirmation
Enhancer Tool. www.spiritualityofwealth.com

3. When?

If the answer is ‘no’ to the first two questions, or ‘later’ to the last one, listen to your
inner voice to find the reasons why you cannot or will not let go, or will not let go right
now. This in itself is very revealing. Ask yourself if holding onto that resistance has
made you happy in the past. Chances are it has never led to happiness and so, see if you
are willing to let that resistance go.

If you’re not willing to let go of the resistance, change the focus from the unwanted
feeling to your resistance to letting go. And repeat the two-step exercise on ‘not wanting
to let this go’. Do this repeatedly on what gets in the way until you can let go of the
original feelings. Be methodical and you will end up letting go.

If you answer yes and NOW to the above three questions, sit quietly and allow yourself
to sense the shift within you. Take a deep cleansing breath. Then tune in to whatever
feeling/emotional state surfaces next. Repeat the process on that new emotional state.

Handling Being Stuck

Additional Processing Step

If at any time you feel stuck, ask yourself if the situation expresses a need or want for
security, approval, control, or separation. When you identify what it involves (and it may
several), focus on the “need or want for [one of the four]”. Then do the Sedona Method
on that, and go back to the original situation again. Note that you’re not being asked to let
go of control, approval, security, or separation, but merely to let go of your feeling of
lacking them, or wanting.

If you’re not sure what the underlying want is, then ask, “Could I allow myself to want
[security, approval, control, or separation].” Go through each and feel if it’s there. If you
find a want, then release on it.

Another way to move through resistance or being stuck is to ask yourself if you want to
change the situation or emotional state. Generally the answer is “yes”. Then let yourself
feel ‘wanting to change the situation’, and do the basic Sedona Method release steps on
that. Note that letting go of wanting to change a situation does not imply you want to
keep the situation as is—you are merely letting go of a feeling of lack.

When you let go of these underlying wants, you free yourself to accept the situation as is
and are far more able to come to peace and resolution with it.

These and other additional steps are suggested in the Sedona Method book1, which is an
excellent resource to learn about using the Sedona Method for all manner of dysfunction
and to increase your competence with it.

If you’re having difficulty isolating the wants, then (with the AET running) make general
affirmations such as “I am detached from the situation completely”, “I have no hidden

Copyright 2007 Anita L. Briggs All Rights Reserved

 The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will
Excerpted from the Spirituality of Wealth Program, for the Practitioner package of the Affirmation
Enhancer Tool. www.spiritualityofwealth.com

agendas with this situation”, “I am no longer seeking security, approval, control or

separation with this situation”, “I release all my motives, conscious and unconscious,
keeping me in this situation”.

Clearing the Meridians

If you are having difficulties releasing still or feel in a muddle, do one or several of the
following steps, and then go back to the original exercise. The AET will activate on all
statements made, so make liberal use of reprogramming statements.

1- Tap vigorously on the psychological reversal point (karate chop on the

pinky side of either hand), and state the following three times:
“Even though [I am choosing to be miserable, or I would rather be right
than happy, or I refuse to let go of [emotional state], I love and accept
myself completely and deeply.” (Be as specific as possible in stating
[emotional state].)

“Even though I needed [to see things [this way], or to hold onto [this
feeling], I now choose to see this situation differently.” (Be as specific as
possible, and you may also replace ‘see this situation differently’ with
something more specific.) – 3 times

2- Rub the Tender Spot, which is on the left side of the upper body, below
the collarbone and between the 2nd and 3rd rib and state “I’m okay even
though I can’t or won’t let go of this [state emotion]”, “Everyone else is
okay even though I can’t or won’t let go of this [state emotion]”.

Follow with “I’m okay no matter what happens. Everyone else is okay no
matter what happens”. Repeat the last statement.

3- Rub a fist over the heart chakra and say: “Even though I feel [state
emotions], I love and accept myself completely and deeply” – 3 times

4- Tap over and around the ears (Triple Warmer (fight/flight) meridian and
the Gall Bladder Meridian (major role in mental activity) and say “It is
safe to let go of this [emotions]”, “I can easily let of this [emotion]”, “I no
longer need to hold onto my [emotion]” (tapping the full length around the
ears about 5 times – emphasis on ‘need’)

* * * * *

Keep doing the Sedona Method of release until you reach a state of inner peace. Let the
peace of mind you are now feeling enter into every cell of your body. Welcome a feeling
of joy and gratitude for having shifted your emotional state. If you feel this clearly, then

Copyright 2007 Anita L. Briggs All Rights Reserved

 The Basic Sedona Method ~ Letting go of Emotions at Will
Excerpted from the Spirituality of Wealth Program, for the Practitioner package of the Affirmation
Enhancer Tool. www.spiritualityofwealth.com

tap on the your third eye, firmly but gently, for about 20 seconds while breathing deeply
through your nose and exhaling out the mouth. Tapping at your third eye will direct this
energy to leave an imprint on your entire nervous system, thereby making it easier for
your body to support this vibration as a new habit.2

It is recommended that you practice this release method often so that you reach
proficiency with it and are able to use it ‘on the spot’. It is possible to get to the point
that just thinking ‘can I let this go?’ triggers the release. I consider this method not so
much as a release technique, as a new life skill resulting in a much more resourceful way
of approaching external events of life.

For practitioners of energy psychology and psychotherapy/psychology, mastering the

Sedona Method will help you in facilitating inner processing of issues for clients. No
matter what modalities you use, the method will help you gain skill in pinpointing
underlying beliefs that are keeping your clients stuck in dysfunction. The more tools you
have, the more flexible and effective you can be.

Combining inner processing with the Affirmation Enhancer Tool, you will find that
clients become quite insightful about their situations. I used to always be at least a few
steps ahead of my clients while facilitating inner processing. But since using the AET and
other Inner Mastery Tools, I’ve noticed that clients will often come up with brilliant
insights and resolutions on their own, before I’ve had a have a chance to get there.

1
The Sedona Method®, By Hale Dwoskin (Sedona Press), or see www.sedona.com
2
Donna Eden, Energy Medicine Tarcher-Putnam 1998. ISBN 1-58542-021-2. p. 331

Copyright 2007 Anita L. Briggs All Rights Reserved