The beginning of a new year presents wonderful opportunities to improve our selves and our environments, to create goals, and make resolutions. We also tend to look for things to add to our physical and mental lives: new vacation plans, new gadgets, and other distractions.

But what about our emotional health?

Emotions are a normal part of life. Being stressed, depressed, or shocked is nothing to be ashamed of. Every one of us reels from emotional stress from time to time. It’s when emotions go unchecked that mental, and even physical, problems can arise. Many will readily admit that typical stressors can get that old knot in the neck or back to act up. That’s your mind literally creating physical disease.

You can take proactive steps with that same mind to undo those physical issues, by way of working with your emotions. Your mind (and muscles) will thank you, and you’ll help fend off, or improve the condition of, many other diseases—from the common cold and headaches, to cancer, infertility, arthritis, chronic fatigue, depression, anxiety, and fibromyalgia.

Chinese medicine recognizes comprehensive organ systems in the body. No one system is isolated from the rest of the body. We associate the physical organ to certain bodily tissues, sense organs, and even emotions. Each organ system is responsible for the balanced expression of an emotion. When those feelings pile up, that system can become sick. The five emotions associated with these organ systems are anger, shock, worry, grief, and fear.

I want to share with you a simple visualization, based on these five emotions, that you can do on your own or in the company of a supportive friend, spouse, or counselor. This five-step process will help you purge emotional buildup, allowing you to move into the future clearer and lighter. See below for the meditation script.

Preferably, you would record yourself reading this slowly and play it back. One’s own voice establishes instant trust on a subconscious level. However, you may have your friend read it to you slowly. Or, see below for a recorded version.

This therapy also works well when combined with any nutritional or spacial cleanses. Using this tool for regular detoxification will keep your mind, your body, and your emotional health Positively Positive.

Here is a recording of the meditation (headphones recommended):

Click here to download the meditation script to read/record your own version.

Jason Moskovitz, L.Ac., Dipl.O.M. is a board-licensed acupuncturist, national diplomat of oriental medicine, herbal physician, nutritional counselor, and Tai Chi instructor at Tao Of Wellness. Jason has administered thousands of successful treatments in areas of women’s health, infertility, elder care, and joint pain. At his practice Jason offers his patients friendship, teaching them acceptance of their ever-changing condition, allowing the body to heal itself and the outlook to widen. Connect with Tao Of Wellness on Facebook and Twitter.