The analogy I use is that it is kind of like a radio wave. There is the carrier wave and the information it carries. Our emotions seem to act like a carrier wave while our intentions over top of that emotion is the information that it carries.
Of course there is nothing happening "out there" and these are just powerful metaphors for the code circuits that are part of consciousness.
Conversely, dark magicians use the reverse strategy. They conjure hate etc and then carry the co-responding info on that kind of carrier wave.
So then it seems to be a matter of coherency with the emotion and its message.
What you focus on grows and emotional states play a key role.