Is it necessary to have the intention of releasing or letting go of the negative thought, feeling, or physical pain while tapping?  I am trying to understand why fretting, stewing, or worrying about an issue consciously doesn't dissolve the emotions, but tapping while expressing it does.

There are three distinct concepts in the questions you are asking.  When you understand all three and how they fit together it is easier to understand how Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) works.  The three connects are tuning in, tapping, and intention.

By getting a handle on these, it is easy to understand how the thoughts and emotions related to our past experience affect the present and how EFT affects them.

In our mind we create models of the world to help us predict how the world works.  By having these models we don't have to analyze how everything in out experience works.  For example, when a server places a glass of ice water in front of me at a café I assume the water is going to be cold.  I have experienced lots of glasses of water.  When I see ice cubes present I assume the water is cold.  As I bring the glass to my mouth I don't worry about burning my tongue. Because of the models I hold about water, ice, and cafés I don't give the water much thought.  
Is it possible that the water is going to be lukewarm? Sure, but that is only disappointing, not dangerous.  Is it possible that the water is scalding hot?  It is possible, but very unlikely.  For me to be served boiling hot water with ice in it at a restaurant would require the hot water to be served the moment the ice was placed in the cup.  It would also require the server to be trying to trick me.  Even though it is possible, it is so unlikely that I don't have to worry about it.

The models I hold of the world save me time.  By knowing what not to spent time and energy thinking, I can concentrate on what needs my attention.  

But there is a flaw in this system.  

It is possible for me to have inaccurate or incomplete models of a situation.  

Lets pretend that as I am writing this, a mouse runs by where I am sitting.  Without even thinking about it I jump up on the table and start screaming like a five year old.  In this scenario I haven't given what has happened much thought.  I just apply the model I have.  In this case my model says mice are deadly creatures, you are unsafe, and you need to run for your life.

The model has done its job.  My model of mice was applied to the current experience and I acted without having to think.  The issue is mice aren't deadly creatures.  In this case the model has not served me.

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Now that we understand how models of information work, lets take a look at how we use EFT to effect these models.

If I were to use EFT to work with my fear of mice the first step is to tune into my fear of mice. I could just image a mouse is running under my chair and my heart would start to race. When I am tuning into an issue, I am accessing a model of information.  I think, "mouse under my chair," and the model is applied.  This is what we do when we are worrying about some issue.  We are just accessing the models we hold.  But, we aren't making any changes to the model itself.  When we access the model in the future we will have the same feelings.

The next step in EFT is to start tapping on the issue.  We know from the theory of EFT when we are thinking a thought that is not inline with health and well being the energy system of the body is in some way out of balance or disrupted.  Every time we apply an inaccurate model to a scenario we are creating this state of energetic imbalance.  By tapping we are bring the system back to balance.  This is the reason we feel better about after tapping.

The amazing part of EFT is we are not only bringing the system back into balance in the moment, but we are also making a change to the model.  We are taking the inaccurate information in the model and we are replacing it with information of health and well-being.

By changing the model, the next time the model is applied I respond more appropriately.  In our example:

• I think about my fear of mice.
• I tap on the system with EFT to bring it back to balance, our natural state.
• As the system comes back to balance the model is corrected.
• The next time I see a mouse I apply the updated model and am not scared.

EFT is a mechanical process.  If you tune into a model and then tap while tuned into the model you will correct some or all of the inaccurate parts of the model.  Since EFT is a mechanical process, if you do the steps correctly improvement will happen.

This brings us to the third part of the question.  How is intention involved in the healing process with EFT? As we have just shown, if the protocol is applied correctly, it doesn't matter if you have the intention for release.  I have done EFT with a number of skeptical people.  They didn't believe EFT was going to work and it did.  But it did because they fully engaged in the process. This is not a small point.

If you do not have the intention for release and health it is more likely to not do the protocol correctly.  Remember the words we use are not magic.  The words help us to tune into an issue, but it is possible to say words, "this fear of mice, this fear of mice, this fear of mice" and to be thinking about what is on TV tonight and not mice.  Even though it looks like I am doing EFT correctly, I am not going to make any progress.

Therefore intention is not a prerequisite for EFT to work, but I encourage all my clients to have the intention of health because it will help the to stay focused and on task.

A few thoughts to keep in mind

• We hold models of how the world works to make the world easier to navigate.
• It is possible to have inaccurate or incomplete models of the world.
• Simply activating these models will not change them.
• If we are tuning into our inaccurate or incomplete models of the world while tapping we can correct the models.
• Intention is not a requirement for EFT to, work but it helps us to do the protocol correctly.
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