Buddhability My Life is Better Than I Could Have Imagined
Mar 6, 2026
Radhika Rao, a San Francisco theater teaching artist who blends improv with peace education, shares her journey from anxiety to renewed purpose. She explains trying Buddhism out of envy, how chanting reshaped her path, and using theater to teach empathy, train police and medical teams, and imagine social change.
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Joined Buddhism After Envy Sparked A Cry For Help
- Radhika joined Buddhism after envying a drama friend who seemed effortlessly joyful and resilient in a toxic theater environment.
- She cried in a bathroom and asked the friend to take her to a neighborhood Buddhist meeting, which launched her practice.
Daily Practice Produces Concrete Proof
- Radhika contrasts SGI practice with religion that is only ritual by highlighting daily practice as transformative rather than passive attendance.
- Chanting, study, neighborhood meetings and seeing "actual proof" (health, confidence, relationships) showed concrete change.
Chanting Sparked A Path From India To Harvard
- Chanting helped Radhika clarify goals and led her to apply to a sociology program and later pursue an EdD at Harvard focused on arts and youth citizenship.
- She credits guidance from SGI members and gut feelings that aligned with opportunities, culminating in acceptance to Harvard.
