Open Heart with Lu Leslan Thu, 09 Jul 2026 03:00:02 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555520 en-us © 2026 Open Heart with Lu Leslan yes 6795fa3f-7c07-54ff-b3c8-d9bc2ecd71f3 Lu Leslan episodic false Join musician and filmmaker Lu as she shares intimate stories about finding unexpected connections in life. From exploring identity through names to navigating between cultures, from creative breakthroughs to encounters with nature - each episode digs into moments of genuine human experience. Through vulnerable storytelling and reflection, Lu invites listeners to discover their own surprising connections in everyday life. Send your questions and stories - let's explore these connections together.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Lu Leslan https://storage.buzzsprout.com/kudwmi6ufu80an6b4jfxt0bq1pk8?.jpg Open Heart with Lu Leslan https://www.buzzsprout.com/2555520 The Border The Border Every border we live inside — we inherited. Episode 5 of Open Heart Season 3 asks what it cost in human lives — and tells the story of one woman alone in a motel room with yellowish curtains in Tijuana in 1979 — who crossed a border she wasn't supposed to cross. And a woodcarver on the Victoria Falls Bridge who crosses one every day just to feed his family.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 5 — THE BORDER

The border between nations is the history of human suffering. It will take curiosity and humility to understand the ground we are standing on.

This episode asks:

  • Do we know we inherited the border between nations without knowing the human suffering?
  • Do we have a choice to pick a side to stand on?
  • Do we abandon rules when our livelihood is at stake?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The inherited border — drawn before we arrived
  • Tijuana 1979 — alone in a motel room with yellowish curtains
  • The vase — the small plane — the pounding heart
  • The naturalization question I didn't understand but answered anyway
  • The friend who drove me — who later became my husband
  • Honor and pride go out the window when survival is the only thing that matters
  • The woodcarver on the Victoria Falls Bridge crossing the Zambezi River
  • The randomness of the cards handed down to us — the absurdity of life itself

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"The randomness of the cards handed down to us makes who we become who we are — it is the absurdity of life itself."

NEXT EPISODE:
Forgiveness. What it costs. What it frees. And whether we can forgive what we never fully understood.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Every border we live inside — we inherited. Episode 5 of Open Heart Season 3 asks what it cost in human lives — and tells the story of one woman alone in a motel room with yellowish curtains in Tijuana in 1979 — who crossed a border she wasn't supposed to cross. And a woodcarver on the Victoria Falls Bridge who crosses one every day just to feed his family.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 5 — THE BORDER

The border between nations is the history of human suffering. It will take curiosity and humility to understand the ground we are standing on.

This episode asks:

  • Do we know we inherited the border between nations without knowing the human suffering?
  • Do we have a choice to pick a side to stand on?
  • Do we abandon rules when our livelihood is at stake?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The inherited border — drawn before we arrived
  • Tijuana 1979 — alone in a motel room with yellowish curtains
  • The vase — the small plane — the pounding heart
  • The naturalization question I didn't understand but answered anyway
  • The friend who drove me — who later became my husband
  • Honor and pride go out the window when survival is the only thing that matters
  • The woodcarver on the Victoria Falls Bridge crossing the Zambezi River
  • The randomness of the cards handed down to us — the absurdity of life itself

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"The randomness of the cards handed down to us makes who we become who we are — it is the absurdity of life itself."

NEXT EPISODE:
Forgiveness. What it costs. What it frees. And whether we can forgive what we never fully understood.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19380040 Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700 455 full false Superiority vs. Dignity Superiority vs. Dignity Where does superiority come from — and what does it cost us? Episode 4 of Open Heart Season 3 traces the origins of superiority from a ten year old girl winning a woodwind competition to the labels we use to divide ourselves. And then shows what dignity looks like in the faces of people who never needed a stage to prove their worth.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 4 — SUPERIORITY VS. DIGNITY

Superiority needs a stage to show off. Dignity is a quiet recognition of mutual respect.

This episode asks:

  • Do we know where our superiority originates?
  • Do we question our own superiority?
  • Do we need superiority to survive?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The woodwind competition at age ten — where pride became the seed of arrogance
  • The Golden Rule — superiority disguised as empathy
  • Progressive language — superiority disguised as sensitivity
  • The onion — is it necessary to name every layer?
  • At the core of our existence — just a human being
  • Rene — eleven years old — whose favorite subjects are math and science
  • Beauty — camp director at the Okavango — fifteen years of quiet leadership
  • MC — whose patience and kindness never wavered
  • Respect is the soil for dignity to flourish

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"At the core of our existence — there is no label, no color, no category. Just a human being."

NEXT EPISODE:
The Border. We inherited it. We live inside it. And sometimes — survival demands we cross it without permission.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Where does superiority come from — and what does it cost us? Episode 4 of Open Heart Season 3 traces the origins of superiority from a ten year old girl winning a woodwind competition to the labels we use to divide ourselves. And then shows what dignity looks like in the faces of people who never needed a stage to prove their worth.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 4 — SUPERIORITY VS. DIGNITY

Superiority needs a stage to show off. Dignity is a quiet recognition of mutual respect.

This episode asks:

  • Do we know where our superiority originates?
  • Do we question our own superiority?
  • Do we need superiority to survive?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The woodwind competition at age ten — where pride became the seed of arrogance
  • The Golden Rule — superiority disguised as empathy
  • Progressive language — superiority disguised as sensitivity
  • The onion — is it necessary to name every layer?
  • At the core of our existence — just a human being
  • Rene — eleven years old — whose favorite subjects are math and science
  • Beauty — camp director at the Okavango — fifteen years of quiet leadership
  • MC — whose patience and kindness never wavered
  • Respect is the soil for dignity to flourish

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"At the core of our existence — there is no label, no color, no category. Just a human being."

NEXT EPISODE:
The Border. We inherited it. We live inside it. And sometimes — survival demands we cross it without permission.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19380030 Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0700 404 full false The Why Question The Why Question Why do we want what we want? Why do we stop asking the most important question — and fill the silence with consumption, shortcuts and masks? Episode 3 of Open Heart Season 3 traces the why question from the first human who looked up at the sky — to the hunger for dignity that drives everything we do.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 3 — THE WHY QUESTION

Why is not just a question. It is how the human story begins.

This episode asks:

  • Why do we hold on to our feelings when we know they are only the stories we tell ourselves?
  • Why do we choose wants over needs when dignity is what we truly seek?
  • Why do we want human experiences when we know they will become fragmented memories of the past?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The first human-like being who looked up at the sky and asked why before language existed
  • From fire to space stations — humans never stopped asking why
  • We cannot stop inventing — but we stop asking why
  • Dignity — the one thing above all else that a human being truly wants
  • The piano practice room — countless hours in search of respect
  • The breaking point — we act not from courage but from necessity
  • Our dignity is the foundation of a civilized world

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"Desire creates the need for dignity. But first — we have to understand what we truly want."

NEXT EPISODE:
Superiority vs. Dignity. Dignity stands on the ground. Superiority stands on the stage.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Why do we want what we want? Why do we stop asking the most important question — and fill the silence with consumption, shortcuts and masks? Episode 3 of Open Heart Season 3 traces the why question from the first human who looked up at the sky — to the hunger for dignity that drives everything we do.

SHOW NOTES

EPISODE 3 — THE WHY QUESTION

Why is not just a question. It is how the human story begins.

This episode asks:

  • Why do we hold on to our feelings when we know they are only the stories we tell ourselves?
  • Why do we choose wants over needs when dignity is what we truly seek?
  • Why do we want human experiences when we know they will become fragmented memories of the past?

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The first human-like being who looked up at the sky and asked why before language existed
  • From fire to space stations — humans never stopped asking why
  • We cannot stop inventing — but we stop asking why
  • Dignity — the one thing above all else that a human being truly wants
  • The piano practice room — countless hours in search of respect
  • The breaking point — we act not from courage but from necessity
  • Our dignity is the foundation of a civilized world

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

"Desire creates the need for dignity. But first — we have to understand what we truly want."

NEXT EPISODE:
Superiority vs. Dignity. Dignity stands on the ground. Superiority stands on the stage.

SHARE YOUR STORY:
lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19380016 Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700 424 full false State of Mind State of Mind EPISODE 2 — STATE OF MIND SHOW NOTES

The mind is not a fixed address. It is transient yet powerful — a state of storming weather followed by peaceful calm. No clues for where it is heading or where it will land.

This episode asks:

  • How do we feel about ourselves when we look up at the skyscraper?
  • What would happen if we had a different way to communicate without words?
  • Does the mind enjoy playing the game of deception just for fun?

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

The perfect human mind is like a mirror. It reflects but does not hold, it expects nothing, it takes nothing.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Music as a natural extension — not a goal but a way to live
  • Living inside the creator's mind — the practice room as a world
  • The questions that follow us across every decade and every country
  • Solitude as the whisper from the heart
  • The mind as a fairy godmother — messing with us and leaving without notice

NEXT EPISODE: The Why Question — It is how the human species has been able to survive and thrive on planet earth.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> EPISODE 2 — STATE OF MIND SHOW NOTES

The mind is not a fixed address. It is transient yet powerful — a state of storming weather followed by peaceful calm. No clues for where it is heading or where it will land.

This episode asks:

  • How do we feel about ourselves when we look up at the skyscraper?
  • What would happen if we had a different way to communicate without words?
  • Does the mind enjoy playing the game of deception just for fun?

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

The perfect human mind is like a mirror. It reflects but does not hold, it expects nothing, it takes nothing.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Music as a natural extension — not a goal but a way to live
  • Living inside the creator's mind — the practice room as a world
  • The questions that follow us across every decade and every country
  • Solitude as the whisper from the heart
  • The mind as a fairy godmother — messing with us and leaving without notice

NEXT EPISODE: The Why Question — It is how the human species has been able to survive and thrive on planet earth.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19324191 Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700 433 full false Demons in Ourselves Demons in Ourselves EPISODE 1 — DEMONS IN OURSELVES SHOW NOTES

We all carry something dark. Something inherited. Something we didn't choose.

This episode asks the hardest questions:

  • Where do our demons come from — our genes or our experience?
  • Why do our closest relationships bring out our sharpest edges?
  • Is there honor when survival is at stake?
  • What does a collective demon look like across 8 billion humans?
  • Can we kill the demon — or do we need it to survive?

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

The demon isn't our enemy. It is the part of us that hasn't been listened to yet.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The inheritance of darkness — genes, memory, and the faces we carry
  • Relationships as mirrors — uncomfortable to be comfortable
  • There is no honor in hunger
  • 120 million displaced people — the collective demon of humanity
  • Emptiness, suffering, impermanence — seeds for future episodes

NEXT EPISODE: State of Mind — Transient yet powerful. No clues for where it is heading or where it will land.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> EPISODE 1 — DEMONS IN OURSELVES SHOW NOTES

We all carry something dark. Something inherited. Something we didn't choose.

This episode asks the hardest questions:

  • Where do our demons come from — our genes or our experience?
  • Why do our closest relationships bring out our sharpest edges?
  • Is there honor when survival is at stake?
  • What does a collective demon look like across 8 billion humans?
  • Can we kill the demon — or do we need it to survive?

THE EPISODE IN ONE LINE:

The demon isn't our enemy. It is the part of us that hasn't been listened to yet.

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • The inheritance of darkness — genes, memory, and the faces we carry
  • Relationships as mirrors — uncomfortable to be comfortable
  • There is no honor in hunger
  • 120 million displaced people — the collective demon of humanity
  • Emptiness, suffering, impermanence — seeds for future episodes

NEXT EPISODE: State of Mind — Transient yet powerful. No clues for where it is heading or where it will land.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19324123 Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 -0700 429 3 1 full false Season 3 Trailer Season 3 Trailer Season 3 of Open Heart arrives June 11th. Hosted by pianist and philosopher Lu Leslan, this season moves inward — through demons, borders, forgiveness, paradox, and the words we repeat without ever questioning them. Not a self-help guide. Not a lecture. A journey through the hardest questions of being human — with company.

SHOW NOTES

Drifting shadow ghost

Laying head on my pillow

Humming lullaby

SEASON 3 — WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • A ten-episode hero's journey — moving inward through three acts and a finale
  • Honest questions about who we are, how we became this way, and what we do next
  • The demons we inherited — from bloodlines, cultures, languages, and histories
  • The words handed to us before we were old enough to refuse them
  • The borders we draw — geographic, linguistic, emotional
  • A philosophy for living. Not borrowed. Not inherited. Earned.

THE QUESTION RUNNING THROUGH IT ALL:

What does it mean to be a better human?

SEASON 3 PREMIERE: Open Heart Season 3 begins June 11, 2026. Episode 1 — Demons in Ourselves. Please join me. I'm Lu Leslan.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Season 3 of Open Heart arrives June 11th. Hosted by pianist and philosopher Lu Leslan, this season moves inward — through demons, borders, forgiveness, paradox, and the words we repeat without ever questioning them. Not a self-help guide. Not a lecture. A journey through the hardest questions of being human — with company.

SHOW NOTES

Drifting shadow ghost

Laying head on my pillow

Humming lullaby

SEASON 3 — WHAT TO EXPECT:

  • A ten-episode hero's journey — moving inward through three acts and a finale
  • Honest questions about who we are, how we became this way, and what we do next
  • The demons we inherited — from bloodlines, cultures, languages, and histories
  • The words handed to us before we were old enough to refuse them
  • The borders we draw — geographic, linguistic, emotional
  • A philosophy for living. Not borrowed. Not inherited. Earned.

THE QUESTION RUNNING THROUGH IT ALL:

What does it mean to be a better human?

SEASON 3 PREMIERE: Open Heart Season 3 begins June 11, 2026. Episode 1 — Demons in Ourselves. Please join me. I'm Lu Leslan.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

CONNECT WITH OPEN HEART PODCAST:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19323988 Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0700 203 3 trailer false Break Free Break Free What truth remains when you dare to let go of everything that was never truly yours? In this Season 2 finale, Lu explores what it means to break free—not from life or people, but from the accumulated weight of traditions, rules, conventions, and noise inherited through the generations. She shares a deeply personal story about choosing solitude over convention, the Stoic wisdom of releasing what we cannot control, and a meditation on being the wave rather than riding it. This is Open Heart at its most honest—an invitation to ask what is truly yours and have the courage to live by that answer.

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Breaking free from traditions, rules, conventions and noise inherited through generations
  • The burden of belonging and the echo chambers that define us
  • Personal story: choosing solitude as salvation
  • The Stoics on suffering and releasing what was never ours to hold
  • Navigating life's conditions by seeing the big picture
  • We are simply passengers sharing the same journey, sky, stars and breath
  • The wave passage: a meditation on peaceful surrender to life's natural cycle

QUOTE: "Peace doesn't lie. And solitude—real, chosen solitude—is my salvation."

SEASON 3 ANNOUNCEMENT: Open Heart Season 3 begins June 11, 2026. A brand new season exploring our world from a different perspective. Stay tuned.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> What truth remains when you dare to let go of everything that was never truly yours? In this Season 2 finale, Lu explores what it means to break free—not from life or people, but from the accumulated weight of traditions, rules, conventions, and noise inherited through the generations. She shares a deeply personal story about choosing solitude over convention, the Stoic wisdom of releasing what we cannot control, and a meditation on being the wave rather than riding it. This is Open Heart at its most honest—an invitation to ask what is truly yours and have the courage to live by that answer.

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Breaking free from traditions, rules, conventions and noise inherited through generations
  • The burden of belonging and the echo chambers that define us
  • Personal story: choosing solitude as salvation
  • The Stoics on suffering and releasing what was never ours to hold
  • Navigating life's conditions by seeing the big picture
  • We are simply passengers sharing the same journey, sky, stars and breath
  • The wave passage: a meditation on peaceful surrender to life's natural cycle

QUOTE: "Peace doesn't lie. And solitude—real, chosen solitude—is my salvation."

SEASON 3 ANNOUNCEMENT: Open Heart Season 3 begins June 11, 2026. A brand new season exploring our world from a different perspective. Stay tuned.

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Open Heart with Lu Leslan is for anyone who aspires to understand themselves and the world more deeply. Through honest personal stories, philosophical insights, and practical wisdom, each episode invites you to live with more clarity, courage, and compassion. Subscribe and share with someone ready to open their heart. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19207422 Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700 551 full false Metamorphosis Metamorphosis What if transformation isn't something you choose? In this episode, Lu explores metamorphosis as a magical, unstoppable and risky process happening in all of us—visible and invisible, in darkness and in light. She shares the butterfly's secret (complete dissolution before emergence), a deeply personal story about bringing a premature infant into the world, and why our tears are the seeds of transformation. Three profound questions anchor the episode: Does anyone know another person completely? Does it matter what my children think of me as a human being? Can humans trust each other enough to make something greater than themselves?

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Metamorphosis defined: meta meaning change, morphe meaning form
  • The butterfly's secret: complete dissolution before emergence
  • The real risk: a fetus and womb—neither knows what the other will become
  • Personal story: bringing a premature infant into the world
  • Tears as seeds of transformation—our yearning for more humanity
  • Three questions: knowing others, children's perceptions, collective trust
  • The transformation process needs no approval, no permission—only trust
  • The practice: noticing dissolution, sitting in not-knowing

QUOTE: "The caterpillar doesn't cry. But we do."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Break Free – The Season 2 finale.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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 transformation isn't something you choose? In this episode, Lu explores metamorphosis as a magical, unstoppable and risky process happening in all of us—visible and invisible, in darkness and in light. She shares the butterfly's secret (complete dissolution before emergence), a deeply personal story about bringing a premature infant into the world, and why our tears are the seeds of transformation. Three profound questions anchor the episode: Does anyone know another person completely? Does it matter what my children think of me as a human being? Can humans trust each other enough to make something greater than themselves?

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Metamorphosis defined: meta meaning change, morphe meaning form
  • The butterfly's secret: complete dissolution before emergence
  • The real risk: a fetus and womb—neither knows what the other will become
  • Personal story: bringing a premature infant into the world
  • Tears as seeds of transformation—our yearning for more humanity
  • Three questions: knowing others, children's perceptions, collective trust
  • The transformation process needs no approval, no permission—only trust
  • The practice: noticing dissolution, sitting in not-knowing

QUOTE: "The caterpillar doesn't cry. But we do."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Break Free – The Season 2 finale.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19175052 Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700 647 full false Intention Intention What if intention isn't about achieving—it's about being? In this episode, Lu explores the difference between intention and goals, intention and expectation, and how living with intention requires courage to let things fall apart. She shares personal examples from daily life—preparing a meal with what she already has, bowing after hot yoga in gratitude—to demonstrate how mindful frugality leads to gratitude, centeredness, and appreciation. This is about choosing direction, trusting the process, and savoring every experience as if it might be the last.

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Intention vs. goal: compass not map
  • Intention vs. expectation: freedom vs. control
  • The courage to risk: being ready for things to fall apart
  • The meal: using what you have, savoring what's here
  • The frugal mind is a grateful mind, a centered mind, an appreciated mind
  • The hot yoga bow: gratitude for what the body allows
  • The practice: three morning questions (Who do I want to BE? What can I CONTRIBUTE? What will I LET GO?)

QUOTE: "Intention makes the ordinary extraordinary."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Metamorphosis – Complete structural transformation, not just change.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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 intention isn't about achieving—it's about being? In this episode, Lu explores the difference between intention and goals, intention and expectation, and how living with intention requires courage to let things fall apart. She shares personal examples from daily life—preparing a meal with what she already has, bowing after hot yoga in gratitude—to demonstrate how mindful frugality leads to gratitude, centeredness, and appreciation. This is about choosing direction, trusting the process, and savoring every experience as if it might be the last.

SHOW NOTES:

IN THIS EPISODE:

  • Intention vs. goal: compass not map
  • Intention vs. expectation: freedom vs. control
  • The courage to risk: being ready for things to fall apart
  • The meal: using what you have, savoring what's here
  • The frugal mind is a grateful mind, a centered mind, an appreciated mind
  • The hot yoga bow: gratitude for what the body allows
  • The practice: three morning questions (Who do I want to BE? What can I CONTRIBUTE? What will I LET GO?)

QUOTE: "Intention makes the ordinary extraordinary."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Metamorphosis – Complete structural transformation, not just change.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19095263 Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 -0700 667 full false Chaos Chaos 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 together
  • The second law of thermodynamics: entropy and why we can't stop disorder
  • The body as chaos processor: learning to listen to its signals
  • Chaos through life: moving, remodeling, reorganizing
  • Chaos through the body: puberty, relationships, growing pains
  • Sitting with chaos: allowing energy to work through the system
  • The duality of seen and unseen: macro life continues while micro chaos rebuilds
  • The practice: sit with chaos, trust the breakdown

QUOTE: "We are the architects of the intention, but the guests of the process."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Intention – Living by design, not by default.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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 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 together
  • The second law of thermodynamics: entropy and why we can't stop disorder
  • The body as chaos processor: learning to listen to its signals
  • Chaos through life: moving, remodeling, reorganizing
  • Chaos through the body: puberty, relationships, growing pains
  • Sitting with chaos: allowing energy to work through the system
  • The duality of seen and unseen: macro life continues while micro chaos rebuilds
  • The practice: sit with chaos, trust the breakdown

QUOTE: "We are the architects of the intention, but the guests of the process."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Intention – Living by design, not by default.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19095258 Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700 740 full false Imperfection Imperfection 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 corruption
  • The biological parallel: good and bad bacteria in our bodies and in our world
  • We live in a perfectly imperfect world
  • The pianist's paradox: striving for perfection while knowing it doesn't exist
  • Personal struggle: orderly life, high standards, and the source of suffering
  • The practice: laugh at yourself, say thank you, move on
  • Holding the paradox: striving and acceptance together

QUOTE: "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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Chaos – The functional breakdown that fuels growth.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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 corruption
  • The biological parallel: good and bad bacteria in our bodies and in our world
  • We live in a perfectly imperfect world
  • The pianist's paradox: striving for perfection while knowing it doesn't exist
  • Personal struggle: orderly life, high standards, and the source of suffering
  • The practice: laugh at yourself, say thank you, move on
  • Holding the paradox: striving and acceptance together

QUOTE: "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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Chaos – The functional breakdown that fuels growth.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19024800 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700 679 full false Illusion Illusion 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 loop
  • Memory as reconstruction, not recording
  • Personal story: the family photo and the stranger you recognize
  • The evolving roles: music teacher, piano teacher, educator, podcaster, filmmaker
  • The biological paradox: six elements, infinite variety
  • The unanswerable question: "Who am I?"
  • The practice: noticing when you're creating coherence

QUOTE: "The self isn't a thing you find. It's a process you're always in the middle of."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Imperfection – Embracing the cracks in a perfectly imperfect world.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

  • Website: leslancreativestudio.com
  • Social media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448
    https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9
    https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CM

Thank 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 loop
  • Memory as reconstruction, not recording
  • Personal story: the family photo and the stranger you recognize
  • The evolving roles: music teacher, piano teacher, educator, podcaster, filmmaker
  • The biological paradox: six elements, infinite variety
  • The unanswerable question: "Who am I?"
  • The practice: noticing when you're creating coherence

QUOTE: "The self isn't a thing you find. It's a process you're always in the middle of."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Imperfection – Embracing the cracks in a perfectly imperfect world.

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

  • Website: leslancreativestudio.com
  • Social media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448
    https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9
    https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CM

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-19024781 Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700 781 full false Human Bias Human Bias 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 are
  • What 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-Care
  • Why the self trying to fix itself is like using a broken compass
  • The cosmic joke of self-improvement and why we’re the punchline
  • How laughter can break the endless loop of bias and self-judgment
  • The ancient wisdom of Wu Wei and the art of effortless being
  • Inviting listeners to notice these patterns and respond with humor and kindness

Resources:

  • Email Lu your thoughts, stories, or questions: lu@leslancreativestudio.com
  • Previous episode on Existence and Absurdity (Episode 3) for reference and deeper context

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

  • Website: leslancreativestudio.com
  • Social media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448
    https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9
    https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CM

Thank 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 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 are
  • What 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-Care
  • Why the self trying to fix itself is like using a broken compass
  • The cosmic joke of self-improvement and why we’re the punchline
  • How laughter can break the endless loop of bias and self-judgment
  • The ancient wisdom of Wu Wei and the art of effortless being
  • Inviting listeners to notice these patterns and respond with humor and kindness

Resources:

  • Email Lu your thoughts, stories, or questions: lu@leslancreativestudio.com
  • Previous episode on Existence and Absurdity (Episode 3) for reference and deeper context

Connect with Open Heart Podcast:

  • Website: leslancreativestudio.com
  • Social media links: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/open-heart-with-lu-leslan/id1861169448
    https://open.spotify.com/show/2duSwoSJVHFG8wn7SsC1F9
    https://youtu.be/C47yEyI19CM

Thank 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18983705 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700 679 full false Existence Existence 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 existence
  • Wu Wei: following the natural path like water flowing downstream
  • The starlight phenomenon: connection across millennia
  • A national park poem about grace and courage
  • Three 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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Human Bias – How our experiences shape everything we perceive.

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 existence
  • Wu Wei: following the natural path like water flowing downstream
  • The starlight phenomenon: connection across millennia
  • A national park poem about grace and courage
  • Three 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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT EPISODE: Human Bias – How our experiences shape everything we perceive.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18834214 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0700 481 full false Duality in Practice Duality in Practice 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 Breath
  • The Middle Way: holding opposing truths in one continuous flow
  • Why we don't need to resolve every contradiction
  • Personal story: Peace Corps denial and holding disappointment AND relief

QUOTE: "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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT 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)

]]> 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 Breath
  • The Middle Way: holding opposing truths in one continuous flow
  • Why we don't need to resolve every contradiction
  • Personal story: Peace Corps denial and holding disappointment AND relief

QUOTE: "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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18834197 Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0700 723 full false Thought Capturing in Practice Thought Capturing in Practice 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 process
  • How to observe with curiosity instead of criticism
  • Why comfort is the enemy of growth
  • A 10-minute practice for sorting your thoughts

QUOTE: "Curiosity feeds imagination. Imagination is our most powerful resource."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT 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)

]]> 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 process
  • How to observe with curiosity instead of criticism
  • Why comfort is the enemy of growth
  • A 10-minute practice for sorting your thoughts

QUOTE: "Curiosity feeds imagination. Imagination is our most powerful resource."

SHARE YOUR STORY: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

NEXT 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18834182 Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0700 746 full false The Power of Storytelling The Power of Storytelling 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 light
  • How storytelling builds bridges across distance and breaks down isolation
  • Why vulnerability and courage mean telling our stories imperfectly
  • The language of the heart: music, imagination, and narrative
  • The paradox of meaning: holding gratitude inside the illusion
  • The pale blue dot: seeing ourselves from 3.7 billion miles away
  • What's coming in Season 2

Key Themes:

  • Storytelling as healing
  • The architecture of empathy
  • Vulnerability as freedom
  • Meaning, gratitude, and the human condition
  • Cosmic perspective and interconnectedness

Looking Ahead:

Season 2 of Open Heart begins March 19th with "Thought Capturing" — a deeper exploration of human consciousness.

Connect With Me:

Share your story: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

Visit: leslancreativestudio.com

Quote 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 #PodcastCommunity

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 light
  • How storytelling builds bridges across distance and breaks down isolation
  • Why vulnerability and courage mean telling our stories imperfectly
  • The language of the heart: music, imagination, and narrative
  • The paradox of meaning: holding gratitude inside the illusion
  • The pale blue dot: seeing ourselves from 3.7 billion miles away
  • What's coming in Season 2

Key Themes:

  • Storytelling as healing
  • The architecture of empathy
  • Vulnerability as freedom
  • Meaning, gratitude, and the human condition
  • Cosmic perspective and interconnectedness

Looking Ahead:

Season 2 of Open Heart begins March 19th with "Thought Capturing" — a deeper exploration of human consciousness.

Connect With Me:

Share your story: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

Visit: leslancreativestudio.com

Quote 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 #PodcastCommunity

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18745111 Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800 679 full false Motherhood Redefined Motherhood Redefined 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.

Support 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 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.

Support 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18698129 Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800 561 full false Let It Be Let It Be 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 wisdom
  • The misunderstood meaning of surrender and harmonious living
  • Embracing human duality: accepting both light and shadow within ourselves
  • Practical ways to access inner wisdom: meditation, intuition, and mindful listening
  • Cultivating trust and freedom through self-knowledge and letting go

Reflection 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.

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 wisdom
  • The misunderstood meaning of surrender and harmonious living
  • Embracing human duality: accepting both light and shadow within ourselves
  • Practical ways to access inner wisdom: meditation, intuition, and mindful listening
  • Cultivating trust and freedom through self-knowledge and letting go

Reflection 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18661328 Thu, 12 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800 603 full false Looking for Love Looking for Love What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why love remains one of the most misunderstood words in our language
  • How biological processes influence our experience of connection and attachment
  • The illusions of love: understanding why the highs and lows are fleeting states
  • The core essence of love as Self-Knowledge and Truth
  • Practical wisdom on cultivating love from within—nurturing your inner “tree of self-knowledge”
  • Rethinking romantic love as a partnership between two whole individuals
  • Moving beyond transactional relationships toward authentic harmony

Reflective 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com — she loves hearing from listeners.

RESOURCES 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 language
  • How biological processes influence our experience of connection and attachment
  • The illusions of love: understanding why the highs and lows are fleeting states
  • The core essence of love as Self-Knowledge and Truth
  • Practical wisdom on cultivating love from within—nurturing your inner “tree of self-knowledge”
  • Rethinking romantic love as a partnership between two whole individuals
  • Moving beyond transactional relationships toward authentic harmony

Reflective 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com — she loves hearing from listeners.

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18622997 Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0800 631 1 7 full false Teach Me Teach Me 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.
  • Reminder 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 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.
  • Reminder 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18582730 Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800 564 full false Thinking of You, Mom Thinking of You, Mom 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.


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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.


RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18539039 Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800 582 full false Music Mapping Music Mapping 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.
  • Episode 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 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com.
  • Episode 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18511681 Thu, 15 Jan 2026 07:00:00 -0800 714 full false Cultural Bridges | Navigating Identity Across Generations and Traditions Cultural Bridges | Navigating Identity Across Generations and Traditions 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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

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: lu@leslancreativestudio.com

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18470221 Thu, 08 Jan 2026 11:00:00 -0800 765 full false Personal Path | Blessing or Curse of Early Specialization? Personal Path | Blessing or Curse of Early Specialization? 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 Sheng
  • The pride and pressure of being “the musical child”
  • Boarding school discipline and mother’s advice about having a skill for independence
  • The educational trade-offs and pursuit of higher learning
  • Expanding beyond specialization through teaching, entrepreneurship, and curiosity
  • Questions 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com



RESOURCES 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 Sheng
  • The pride and pressure of being “the musical child”
  • Boarding school discipline and mother’s advice about having a skill for independence
  • The educational trade-offs and pursuit of higher learning
  • Expanding beyond specialization through teaching, entrepreneurship, and curiosity
  • Questions 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 lu@leslancreativestudio.com



RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18420624 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800 757 full false What's in a Name? | Finding Freedom through Identity What's in a Name? | Finding Freedom through Identity 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 Kelly
  • Challenges of adapting and mispronouncing names as an immigrant
  • Name changes through marriage and personal transformation
  • Becoming Lu Leslan: the choice of a name that feels authentic and whole
  • Reflection on what names mean to us and their power to define or free us

Connect with Lu:
Have a story about your name? Want to share your journey? Email Lu at lu@leslancreativestudio.com

RESOURCES 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 Kelly
  • Challenges of adapting and mispronouncing names as an immigrant
  • Name changes through marriage and personal transformation
  • Becoming Lu Leslan: the choice of a name that feels authentic and whole
  • Reflection on what names mean to us and their power to define or free us

Connect with Lu:
Have a story about your name? Want to share your journey? Email Lu at lu@leslancreativestudio.com

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Lu's first documentary: Take a Bow: The Ingrid Clarfield Story (2011)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18420587 Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 -0800 548 full false Open Heart Podcast Trailer Open Heart Podcast Trailer 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)

]]> 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)

]]> Lu Leslan Buzzsprout-18347147 Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0800 134 full false