intentions from the heart - dr. kathleen riley · the photos are used with permission by ©oﬃ ce...

INTENTIONS FROM THE HEART

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Brought to You by Dr. Kathleen Riley

How to Ignite Your Heart for Intentional Living

[email protected] intention-thepoweroftheheart.com

Intentions From the Heart

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TA BLE OF CONTENTSIntentions From the Heart

Living with Intention 3 & 4

The Wisdom of the Heart 5 & 6

The Science of the Heart 7 & 8

Effects of Emotions 9

Conscious Change 10 & 11

Setting Intentions 12

One Last Note 13


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LI VING WITH INTENTIONGreetings From My Heart!

Dear friends, let us pause and take a few deep breaths, becoming more aware of our hearts.

A Year of the HeartToo often, we go about our days on

"auto-pilot," letting our minds lead

us, not realizing we are missing out

on so much of the depth of life we

could access at any moment. Let us

consider how different our goals and

intentions, sometimes hastily made,

can be if they are activated through

our hearts. Resolutions initiated

by the core of who we are can yield

far-reaching results as opposed to

typically short-term achievements

brainstormed in our minds. Our

individual accomplishments, when

guided by the heart, align with the

next step in our broader purpose,

and those paths continually evolve

before us as we simply listen and let

ourselves be led from the stillness of

our hearts.

Along my journey I have learned

that connecting with my heart allows

me to take a moment of pause. This

simple intentional action feels so

delicious in the middle of a hectic

day! Without pausing to connect

to our hearts, our egos can keep us

stuck in our heads, overthinking and

overanalyzing. We end up replaying

a loop of false reality in our brains,

thinking “I coulda, woulda, shoulda,”

or entertaining the nagging question,

“What if…?”


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We can get lost in this whirlwind world of worry and regret if we neglect our hearts.

Thankfully, living from the heart is as easy as setting an intention, and the effects of

harnessing positive emotions are monumental on our physical bodies, interactions with

others, and the world around us. Living with intention from the heart allows us to be

more connected, within ourselves and with the world around us. When we live from

the heart, we have the ability to not just improve our own perspectives, but to literally

change physical realities. How is this possible?

Read on to discover the power of the heart and how to live heartfully in every moment.


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In my latest research study, four members

of a string quartet performed, eight

audience members listened intently, and

both groups were tracked with Heartmath®

Institute technology. First, we heard the

musicians perform a piece of music with no

introduction or previous conversation, and

we measured the emotional frequencies of

musicians and audience members alike.

We tracked the same factors again aft er

I encouraged the musicians to share a

common heart “intention” as they played,

becoming more emotionally focused in

order to create more connection with

each other and the audience. Quantitative

data results taken from each participant’s

body heart monitor showed a signifi cant

eff ect on the group’s coherence scores. The

frequencies of each participant's heartbeat

data showed measurable change between

the two performances: when the musicians

played with intention, the heartbeat

rhythms of those playing and listening

were more "in tune" with each other, so

to speak. This time, the musicians were

aligned, the audience members reported

being more engaged and moved by the

performance, and the sound produced was

much more resonant.

This study is one of many conducted

on the eff ects of emotions, attitudes and

intentions on the heart’s signals. The mind

and body are truly connected through

the heart center, as seen in our emotions’

impact on our psychophysiological state

and of others we interact with. Let’s explore

this a bit more.

The Wisdom of the Heart

I’ve been blessed to explore the intelligence and power of the heart through

the eyes of science and research. In my most recent study, I collaborated with the

Heartmath® Institute, an organization dedicated to the science of the heart. We

collected data measuring the heart frequencies of musicians and their audience

to see connections between emotions and our physical bodies.

Heartmath® technology tracks the heartbeat and other body systems to

identify changes in rhythm corresponding with changes in emotion, attitude,

and intention. These correlations point to the eff ects of the core of our beings

(our hearts) on the core of our bodies (our physical hearts) and minds.

Just like the physical heart, our heart of

hearts communicates in frequencies.

Emotions can be measured through the

frequencies of the heart.

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Our hearts allow us to hear what is happening in the moment. The heart gives us access to better responses in the midst of a variety of experiences we face every day.

Dr. Kathleen RileyOptimal Performance Coach and

Certified Heartmath® Trainer


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THE SCIENCE OF THE HEA RT

A Healthier HeartStudies done with the HeartMath Institute

found greater coherence in heart rhythm

patterns with positive emotions such as love.

This correlation was also seen in oscillatory

systems (heart and respiratory rhythms, blood

pressure), and rhythms in the brain, skin, and

digestive system.

The Three Sections of the BrainThere are three sections in the brain itself

which process information from the mind,

gut and heart, respectively. The cephalic brain

is our “head” brain. This is where we think

cognitively and can strategize and make sense

of information. The enteric brain is our “gut”

brain. From here we receive signals from the

neurotransmitters in the gut. These signals are

what we sometimes refer to as gut responses

or immediate responses stemming from our

identity such as the need for self-protection.

This system sends messages throughout the

body to activate the appropriate physical

response to a variety of situations.

Imagine how interconnected all our systems are, mind,

body, and spirit. Each one impacts the others, but the

compelling master to balance is the heart.

Graph provided by the HeartMath Institute


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Graph provided by the HeartMath Institute

Pausing to connect to our hearts by our breath empowers us to choose our emotional diet. Research shows when fear, anxiety, overwhelm, impatience, frustration, or anger are present, they impair our mental function and prevent us from operating optimally.

In each moment, we can decide how we will respond.On the graph from the Heartmath® Institute shown on the

left , the upper graph shows a more variable heart rate pattern,

one that is most oft en an indicator of stress and anxiety.

Signals that are transmitted from anxiety or fear trigger

the autonomic stress response, generating cortisol and oft en

triggering the fi ght or fl ight, faint or freeze response. Notice

that the heart rate is consistently speeding and slowing

in the lower graph. This coherent pattern of the heart rate

signal is consistent with the research fi ndings of patterns

associated with gratitude, appreciation, kindness. Scientists

have known since the late 1800’s that the heart sends more

information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart.

These signals from our emotional responses aff ect centers of

the brain involved in optimal bodily function.

Are our hearts as smart as our brains? All my life, I have followed the sage wisdom of following my heart and trusting my gut. Science shows us that there is more to this than “feel good” words!”

The Cardiac BrainThe cardiac brain is our “heart” brain. This area of the brain

receives signals from the heart and the autonomic nervous

system. These messages stem from our emotions, values and

relationships. When we are in a balanced, coherent state, the

cephalic (head) brain receives messages from the enteric

(gut) and cardiac (heart) brains and sends messages through

the body for optimal response, releasing neurochemicals to

off set energy drain. Emotions are very powerful and have a

tremendous eff ect on our physiology. Let’s examine one more

piece of scientifi c evidence from Heartmath® pertaining to

the changes in heart rhythms noticed in varying emotional

states.


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The photos are used with permission by ©Offi ce Masaru Emoto, LLC.

EFFECTS OF EMOTIONSPowerful Enough to Change Nature

Our emotions are so powerful that they aff ect physical realities around us.

Experiments on the eff ects of thoughts and emotions on water molecules were

conducted by Dr. Masaru Emoto. His photographs of the changes in water

molecule structures by a positive intention such as love or compassion, or a

negative intention such as disdain or judgement are striking examples of the

eff ects of our thoughts and emotions as shown in the fi rst two photos. The

last two photos show the eff ects on water molecules of a shared heart focused

prayer. Dr. Emoto’s research on water is compelling evidence of the impact of

thoughts and emotions on the physical realm and begs us to consider the far-

reaching eff ects of intentionality.

YOU FOOL LOV E A ND GR ATIT UDE

BEFOR E PR AY ER AT F UJI WA R A DA M

A F TER PR AY ER AT F UJI WA R A DA M


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CONSCIOUS CHA NGEIntention: In Depth

How do our subconscious emotions affect our daily lives?

Let’s look a little deeper at what lies

beyond the surface of intention. Is it

enough to simply hold intention in

our hearts? Is there a special element

that intensifies and maximizes the

power of that intention? Professor

Gary Schwartz’s research on healing

showed that the attitude of the Reiki

healers as well as their patients

impacts the healing process. His

studies uncovered an important

fundamental element about healing:

it was both the energy AND the

intention of healing, as well as the

patient’s belief in having received

the healing, that brought about a

manifestation of physical healing!

An important variable is the nature of

the thoughts (and therefore, emotions)

experienced by the recipient during

the healing. Research has shown that

negative thoughts have a powerful

effect on the body. Thoughts are

energetic frequencies. Strong positive

and negative thoughts vibrate at a

high frequency and take on physical

form, as seen in Dr. Emoto’s studies.

There are two levels of thoughts and

emotions that we experience daily:

the conscious and the subconscious.

Our conscious thoughts control

roughly 20% of our brain. The other

80% is controlled by our subconscious

thoughts, and this runs every hour

of the day and night! Consider what

part of your brain is driving your car

while you are consciously thinking

about the wonderful person you just

met. Your conscious thoughts are

100% focused on that person, and

therefore the subconscious has taken

over the wheel. The subconscious is

a powerful force. (And it’s probably

a better driver than your conscious

self!)


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What will manifest?I will give an example of a performing artist. Ultimately, all of us are artists performing every day through everything

we do. Imagine you are an artist preparing for an audition, practicing with a conscious thought that you will be able to

perform what you are rehearsing.

Meanwhile, your subconscious “running tape” inside your head repeats: “I’m not sure” or “I’m not good enough.” When

you perform, the outcome and reception of your music will be affected. When we walk out “on stage,” the subconscious

begins running the show!

So, how do we begin to change this?How do we reprogram our subconscious? How can we affect the physical reality of our subconscious brains? And it takes

changing your perceptions and beliefs. As biologist Bruce Lipton states: 'The moment you change your perception is

the moment you rewrite the chemistry of your body.' We must begin with intention--with the heart. In a short exercise

of taking three deep, mindful breaths, we can access the power of our hearts throughout the day. By becoming more

aware of our hearts, we can set meaningful intentions about what and how we want to communicate. Do this exercise

while sitting in a comfortable position, breathing a bit more slowly and deeply.

Stop the mind chatter and focus on what is at hand, whether it be practicing for your next performance, eating dinner,

or driving to work. Maintain your mental/emotional alignment in the same way as your physical alignment.

Be present, alert, and calmStart by setting your intentions from your heart. Feel your breath flowing in and out of the area around your heart.

With each inhale, draw in a feeling of ease and gratitude, and begin to read out loud the list of intentions on the

following page.

If subconscious thoughts and beliefs do not align with conscious ones, which will win and affect your actions? The subconscious beliefs will, as they control 80% of the brain.


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» I choose to live from my heart. I live from a place of gratitude.

» My heart is the gatekeeper of my energy and the energy I take in from others.

» I make space throughout the day for healthy self-care. I eat foods that support

my wellbeing, get plenty of sleep, stay hydrated, and am physically active.

» I incorporate mind-body practices to release body tension and negative

thoughts.

» I accept what I cannot change and am grateful for the lessons that have been

brought to me.

» I use heart-centered breathing to shift into the present in every moment.

SETTING INTENTIONS

Commit to these intentions to

live from the heart.


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ONE L AST NOTE…Gratitude Answers Our Hearts’ Prayers

My research and work with people over the past many years has shown over and over again that when we embrace

gratitude, accept whatever has come into our lives as lessons, and release what is no longer serving us, we are able to

continue on our paths with courage. Gratitude for each moment keeps us connected to our hearts, allowing us to move

past our fears, take a risk, and be brave.

Be gentle and compassionate with yourself through embracing gratitude no matter what situation you may be in. Do not

compare yourself to anyone! An original is worth more than an imitation! Check in with your heart often throughout

your days. Live in gratitude, always follow your heart, trust your gut, and make this year your best year ever!

Heartfully,

IN TEN TIONS FROM THE HE A RT

drkathleenriley.com

Intentional Living From the Heart

Dr. Kathleen Riley

intentions from the heart - dr. kathleen riley · the photos are used with permission by ©oﬃ ce...

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