Open Heart with Lu Leslan

What if chaos isn't the problem? What if breakdown is how the system works? In this episode, Lu explores chaos as a functional process—from her granddaughter April's first grade lesson about good and bad germs, to the second law of thermodynamics, to the emotional chaos of puberty and relationships. She draws a powerful parallel between how our bodies process food beneath our awareness and how life processes growth beneath our conscious understanding. This is about trusting the breakdown, sitting with the overwhelm, and discovering that chaos is the work—not the punishment.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:April's lesson: good germs and bad germs working togetherThe second law of thermodynamics: entropy and why we can't stop disorderThe body as chaos processor: learning to listen to its signalsChaos through life: moving, remodeling, reorganizingChaos through the body: puberty, relationships, growing painsSitting with chaos: allowing energy to work through the systemThe duality of seen and unseen: macro life continues while micro chaos rebuildsThe practice: sit with chaos, trust the breakdownQUOTE: "We are the architects of the intention, but the guests of the process."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Intention – Living by design, not by default.Connect with Open Heart Podcast:Website: leslancreativestudio.comApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9YouTube: https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CMThank you for joining this journey of openness and self-discovery. If this episode resonated, please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who might also benefit from my personal stories and insights.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:What if perfection is the deepest illusion? What if the world is meant to be imperfect? In this episode, Lu explores imperfection at the core of human existence—from conversations across countries revealing no perfect system exists, to the biological parallel of good and bad bacteria we need to function. She shares her personal struggle as a pianist striving for excellence while knowing perfection is impossible, and how her high standards are both a strength and a source of suffering. This is about holding the paradox: striving for excellence AND accepting imperfection at the same time.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:No perfect system: conversations across countries about government and corruptionThe biological parallel: good and bad bacteria in our bodies and in our worldWe live in a perfectly imperfect worldThe pianist's paradox: striving for perfection while knowing it doesn't existPersonal struggle: orderly life, high standards, and the source of sufferingThe practice: laugh at yourself, say thank you, move onHolding the paradox: striving and acceptance togetherQUOTE: "Appreciating imperfection doesn't mean lowering your standards. It means holding high standards with compassion. For the world. For others. For yourself."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Chaos – The functional breakdown that fuels growth.Connect with Open Heart Podcast:Website: leslancreativestudio.comSocial media links:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9YouTube: https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CMThank you for joining this journey of openness and self-discovery. If this episode resonated, please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who might also benefit from my personal stories and insights.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What if memory is just reconstruction? What if the roles you play aren't the sum of who you are? In this episode, Lu explores illusion as the mechanism that keeps us building coherence where there is none. She shares a personal story about looking at a family photo and recognizing the woman but feeling no connection, the biological paradox of six elements creating infinite variety, and why the question "Who am I?" dissolves into silence. This is about noticing when you're creating illusions and learning to exist in the not-knowing.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:Illusion as the friend that keeps us in the loopMemory as reconstruction, not recordingPersonal story: the family photo and the stranger you recognizeThe evolving roles: music teacher, piano teacher, educator, podcaster, filmmakerThe biological paradox: six elements, infinite varietyThe unanswerable question: "Who am I?"The practice: noticing when you're creating coherenceQUOTE: "The self isn't a thing you find. It's a process you're always in the middle of."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Imperfection – Embracing the cracks in a perfectly imperfect world.Connect with Open Heart Podcast:Website: leslancreativestudio.comSocial media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CMThank you for joining this journey of openness and self-discovery. If this episode resonated, please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who might also benefit from my personal stories and insights.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What is the “self”—and who is this “you” trying so hard to become a better version of? In this episode, Lu Leslan explores the curious phenomenon of human bias: how the very self that seeks improvement is the same one tangled in the problems it wants to fix. Through humor, wisdom, and gentle reflection, we dive into five common “self-traps” that keep us stuck in endless loops of self-judgment, self-delusion, and self-care exhaustion. What if the solution isn’t more effort—but laughter and lightness? Join Lu as she unwraps this cosmic joke and shares a fresh perspective on who we really are.Show Notes:Revisiting the idea that we don’t see the world as it is, but as we areWhat does it mean that the “self” is a constructed story?The Five Self-Traps we all fall into: Self-Esteem, Self-Consciousness, Self-Delusion, Self-Talk, and Self-CareWhy the self trying to fix itself is like using a broken compassThe cosmic joke of self-improvement and why we’re the punchlineHow laughter can break the endless loop of bias and self-judgmentThe ancient wisdom of Wu Wei and the art of effortless beingInviting listeners to notice these patterns and respond with humor and kindnessResources:Email Lu your thoughts, stories, or questions: [email protected] episode on Existence and Absurdity (Episode 3) for reference and deeper contextConnect with Open Heart Podcast:Website: leslancreativestudio.comSocial media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CMThank you for joining this journey of openness and self-discovery. If this episode resonated, please consider subscribing and sharing with someone who might also benefit from a little laughter and lightness.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What does it mean to exist in a world of wars, poverty, and endless suffering? In this episode, Lu explores existential questions through the lens of Wu Wei—keeping perspective without force. She shares the duality of human existence (blessed with imagination, cursed with conflict), the wonder of looking at the night sky across time, and a powerful poem from a national park. This is about holding existence and absurdity in our minds because we can.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:The blessed and the cursed: duality of human existenceWu Wei: following the natural path like water flowing downstreamThe starlight phenomenon: connection across millenniaA national park poem about grace and courageThree questions: What can I control? What should I let go of? What can I learn today?QUOTE: "Philosophers have debated human existence for centuries. The final analysis in the face of absurdity is to live our life fully with the cards we have. Nothing more, nothing less. Just to BE."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Human Bias – How our experiences shape everything we perceive.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

How many times have you felt two opposing truths at once? Wanting to stay AND wanting to go. Loving someone AND needing space. In this episode, Lu introduces the WAIT technique for holding duality without breaking. Learn how to Watch both truths arise, Allow them to coexist, Investigate what each reveals, and Take a breath to hold both. Features a personal story about the Peace Corps and finding The Middle Way.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:The WAIT technique: Watch, Allow, Investigate, Take a BreathThe Middle Way: holding opposing truths in one continuous flowWhy we don't need to resolve every contradictionPersonal story: Peace Corps denial and holding disappointment AND reliefQUOTE: "The more you practice WAIT, the more you discover: you're vast enough to hold complexity. Strong enough to hold the tension. Grounded enough to hold both."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Existence – Exploring what it means to exist in the face of absurdity.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What if you could embrace your thoughts with an open heart, without judgment? In this episode, Lu introduces a 5-step process for observing thoughts with curiosity. Learn how to sort thoughts into what serves you, challenges you, and nourishes you—then choose consciously. Features a personal story about editing her first documentary through eleven rough cuts and a simple practice you can try today.SHOW NOTES:IN THIS EPISODE:The 5-step thought capturing processHow to observe with curiosity instead of criticismWhy comfort is the enemy of growthA 10-minute practice for sorting your thoughtsQUOTE: "Curiosity feeds imagination. Imagination is our most powerful resource."SHARE YOUR STORY: [email protected] EPISODE: Duality in Practice – Learn the WAIT technique for holding opposing truths.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this Season 1 finale, we explore the thread that's woven through every episode: The Power of Storytelling. Why do our stories matter? What happens when we name what's been invisible? And how does sharing our experiences connect us across continents and cultures?I reflect on naming the "Imposter Protector" — recognizing that the exhausting mask we wear is often also our strength. We explore how a story told in Kent, Washington can resonate in Seoul, Nairobi, or São Paulo, because while the details differ, the pattern is the same.From the intimacy of healing through testimony to the cosmic perspective of Voyager's pale blue dot, we discover that our stories aren't millions of separate narratives. We're one story, regenerating itself across the body of the Earth — cells in a planetary organism, constantly dying and being born, self-organizing like the sands of the Sahara.We also confront a paradox: meaning may be illusion, but gratitude is the choice we make inside that illusion. To say, "I didn't ask to be here, but I'm glad I am."As we close Season 1, I invite you to ask: What story have you been holding back? What would happen if you let it breathe? Your story might be the gift someone else has been waiting for.Season 2 begins March 19th with "Thought Capturing" — a deeper dive into human consciousness and the hidden potentials beneath our everyday awareness.Thank you for walking through Season 1 with me. This is just the beginning.Show Notes:In This Episode:The transformative power of naming our experiences — both shadow and lightHow storytelling builds bridges across distance and breaks down isolationWhy vulnerability and courage mean telling our stories imperfectlyThe language of the heart: music, imagination, and narrativeThe paradox of meaning: holding gratitude inside the illusionThe pale blue dot: seeing ourselves from 3.7 billion miles awayWhat's coming in Season 2Key Themes:Storytelling as healingThe architecture of empathyVulnerability as freedomMeaning, gratitude, and the human conditionCosmic perspective and interconnectednessLooking Ahead:Season 2 of Open Heart begins March 19th with "Thought Capturing" — a deeper exploration of human consciousness.Connect With Me:Share your story: [email protected]: leslancreativestudio.comQuote From This Episode:"Our stories aren't just ours to keep. They're gifts we give to a world that needs to know it's not alone."#OpenHeartPodcast #Storytelling #Vulnerability #HumanConnection #SeasonFinale #PodcastCommunityRESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this deeply personal episode of Open Heart, Lu Leslan reflects on the transformative and paradoxical journey of motherhood. Moving beyond societal expectations and biological definitions, motherhood is examined as a profound initiation that reshapes identity, invites vulnerability, and fosters empowerment. Through intimate stories—ranging from the fragile days with a premature infant to the lessons learned while teaching a grandson to ride a bike—Lu encourages listeners to silence the “Imposter Protector” voice of fear and control. This episode offers a heartfelt invitation to trust intuition, embrace growth on its own timeline, and recognize motherhood as a universal experience of love, release, and renewal. In This Episode:- Opening reflections on the intertwined emotions of fear, love, and trust in motherhood.- Lu’s personal journey, beginning with the delicate early days of her premature daughter.- Understanding the “Imposter Protector”—the internal and societal pressures to achieve perfection in motherhood.- Lessons learned from nurturing children across cultures and languages, emphasizing the importance of embracing individual growth.- The empowering transition from protective instinct to guiding presence, illustrated through teaching moments in cycling and piano.- The embrace of life’s seasons—survival, emergence, fullness, and release—as metaphors that illuminate the paradoxes of motherhood.A loving invitation to shed fear-based control and nurture with trust and empathy.Reflection Questions:- How has motherhood or nurturing reshaped your sense of self?- In what ways do you recognize the “Imposter Protector” voice in your life?- How can you cultivate trust—in yourself and those you care for—over the need to control?Connect with Lu:Your stories and reflections are welcomed and valued. Please reach out anytime at [email protected] Open Heart:If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to share it with your community, subscribe to stay connected, and consider leaving a review. Your support helps us grow this safe, compassionate space for all seekers.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this thoughtful episode of Open Heart, Lu Leslan invites us to explore the transformative power of surrendering — not as passivity, but as a conscious alignment with the natural rhythms of life and our deeper selves. Journey into the subconscious mind, a vast reservoir of intuition, ancestral wisdom, and universal energy. Discover how embracing the full spectrum of light and shadow within us—the grand design of duality—leads to true peace and wholeness. Learn gentle practices like meditation, intuition, mindful listening, and reflective contemplation to access this inner wisdom. This episode offers a heartfelt invitation to “Let It Be,” and find freedom in trust and flow.Episode 8 Show Notes:What You’ll Explore in This Episode:Connecting with the subconscious as a source of ancestral and universal wisdomThe misunderstood meaning of surrender and harmonious livingEmbracing human duality: accepting both light and shadow within ourselvesPractical ways to access inner wisdom: meditation, intuition, and mindful listeningCultivating trust and freedom through self-knowledge and letting goReflection Questions:Where in your life can you practice surrender without resistance?How do you experience the interplay of light and shadow within yourself?What small step can you take today to quiet your mind and listen more deeply?Stay Connected:I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with surrender and inner wisdom. Reach out anytime at [email protected] MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why love remains one of the most misunderstood words in our languageHow biological processes influence our experience of connection and attachmentThe illusions of love: understanding why the highs and lows are fleeting statesThe core essence of love as Self-Knowledge and TruthPractical wisdom on cultivating love from within—nurturing your inner “tree of self-knowledge”Rethinking romantic love as a partnership between two whole individualsMoving beyond transactional relationships toward authentic harmonyReflective Questions:How do you experience love within yourself, independent of others?In what ways do your relationships reflect your inner love and self-knowledge?What small step can you take to nurture the love that already lives inside you?Connect with Lu:Have thoughts or stories about generous love? Email Lu at [email protected] — she loves hearing from listeners.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this thoughtful episode of Open Heart, Lu Leslan reflects on the lifelong journey of learning and teaching. Drawing from insights in her previous episode Music Mapping, Lu explores the architecture of learning—from imitation to mastery—and the essential role of curiosity and kindness in embracing new challenges as we age.She shares personal reflections on cultivating a Beginner’s Mind, the power of creating habits through meaningful action, and the joy found in laughter and connection through stories inspired by her mentor Ingrid Clarfield.Whether you’re facing a new skill, a new chapter, or simply want to nurture your openness to growth, this episode offers inspiration to keep asking, “Teach me.”Show Notes:Exploring how learning unfolds from imitation to mastery, shaping our unique Life Force.The importance of cultivating a Beginner’s Mind to stay curious, humble, and vibrant over time.Practical insights on building new habits by linking meaningful sequences of actions.How kindness to ourselves fuels courage to take leaps into the unknown.A warm and humorous story from mentor Ingrid Clarfield illustrating joy and connection in learning.Encouragement to embrace mistakes as steps towards wholehearted creative expression.Invitation for listeners to share their own “Beginner’s Mind” stories at [email protected] that teaching and learning go hand in hand on the path of transformation.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this deeply personal episode of Open Heart, Lu Leslan reflects on her mother’s quiet strength, the complex emotions of loss, and the enduring impact of a love both tender and transformative.Lu shares intimate memories—from the pride of a shared moment shopping for a gown to the profound grief of losing her mother at a young age—and explores the questions left unanswered.Through this reflection, she honors her mother’s legacy and carries forward lessons of resilience, compassion, and hope.If you’ve experienced loss or longed to connect more deeply with those you love, this episode offers a compassionate space of remembrance and healing.A heartfelt tribute to Lu’s mother, a woman of strength and grace.Exploring cultural and generational influences shaping her mother’s life and choices.The sudden loss to pancreatic cancer and the impact on Lu’s life.Reflections on grief, remembrance, and unanswered questions.Honoring legacy through Lu’s documentary work, Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story.Thoughtful meditation on carrying forward love and resilience as a mother and grandmother.Closing with Elizabeth’s Lullaby by Dennis Alexander, a musical tribute to Lu’s mother.Invitation for listeners to share their own stories and reflections at [email protected] MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this deeply personal episode of Open Heart, Lu Leslan explores Music Mapping—the invisible pathways music carves in our consciousness from childhood innocence to adult mastery, and sometimes, transcendence.Lu shares her own journey navigating two musical traditions—the effortless joy of playing the Sheng as a child and the challenging pursuit of piano mastery as an adult. She reveals how expectations, self-criticism, and fear can block the very freedom we’re seeking, and how teaching helped her rediscover the joy and flow she once knew.If you’ve ever felt stuck or pressured in your creative or learning journey, this episode offers compassionate insight and inspiration to help you reconnect with play, presence, and your own unique rhythm.Show Notes:Introduction to the four stages of learning: unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence.Lu’s contrasting experiences with the Sheng and piano instruments, highlighting childhood ease vs. adult effort.The struggle to recapture early joy under the weight of expectation and self-doubt.Teaching piano as a pathway to rediscovering presence and letting go of performance pressure.How expectations can both guide and block our growth — and the courage it takes to shift mindset.Reflective questions to consider: What childhood activities did you do with ease? What expectations hold you back now? How might play transform your craft?Invitation to listeners to share their stories with Lu via email at [email protected] 5: Thinking of You, Mom. I want to start at the very beginning of that journey—not with my own experience as a mother, but with the woman who first defined the word for me: my mother.RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

In this episode of **Open Heart**, Lu Leslan shares her personal journey of building cultural bridges—connecting Taiwan and the United States, integrating Eastern and Western musical traditions, and navigating generational divides. She reflects on the immigrant experience, the challenges of straddling two worlds, and the intricate beauty of embracing multiple cultural identities. Lu also examines how music has served as both a link and a barrier between her and her children, who experience biculturalism in their own distinct ways. This heartfelt conversation uncovers the bittersweet nature of generational understanding and the realization that some bridges are meant to be crossed only by their builders.**Topics covered:**- The immigrant experience and bilingual, bicultural upbringing- Contrasting musical traditions: Sheng and piano- The evolving relationship between parents and American-born children- The nature of generational bridges and unshared journeys- Embracing cultural heritage while moving forward**Connect with Lu:**What bridges have you built that others may not fully recognize? I’d love to hear your stories and reflections. Share with me at: [email protected] MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

How do you know if the path you’re on is the right one? Lu reflects on her early musical training, the trade-offs she faced, and how her journey unfolded beyond the traditional path.Show notes:Immersion in music from childhood with piano and the traditional ShengThe pride and pressure of being “the musical child”Boarding school discipline and mother’s advice about having a skill for independenceThe educational trade-offs and pursuit of higher learningExpanding beyond specialization through teaching, entrepreneurship, and curiosityQuestions for listeners: When did you choose your path? What might you have missed?Connect with Lu:What’s your personal path? Share your reflections by emailing Lu at [email protected] MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

What’s in a name—and how does it shape who we are? In this episode, Lu shares her journey through four different names and the freedom in choosing her true identity.Show notes:The story behind Lu’s birth name, Kai-Li Teng, inspired by Grace KellyChallenges of adapting and mispronouncing names as an immigrantName changes through marriage and personal transformationBecoming Lu Leslan: the choice of a name that feels authentic and wholeReflection on what names mean to us and their power to define or free usConnect with Lu:Have a story about your name? Want to share your journey? Email Lu at [email protected] MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

Welcome to Open Heart, a podcast about kindness, honesty, and real connection. I’m Lu Leslan, inviting you to join me on a journey of sharing stories with an open heart—no judgment, just reflection. Each episode explores vulnerability, connection, and what it truly means to live fully. Whether you’re seeking meaningful change or a moment of genuine understanding, you belong here.Open Heart launches January 1st, 2026, with two episodes ready to inspire. Subscribe now and come grow with us!RESOURCES MENTIONED:Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)