Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability
The Science of Happiness
PRX and Greater Good Science Center
4.4 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 31 August 2023
⏱️ 17 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Rapper Rexx Life Raj shared his deepest pain in his latest album, and discovered it was one big compassion practice for his fans dealing with their own grief.
Link to episode transcript: https://tinyurl.com/4xzncasd
Episode summary:
After losing both of his parents in the same year, Rapper Rexx Life Raj channeled his grief into his latest album. On tour, he found himself communing with fans who were struggling with grief of their own. For our show, Raj tried a meditation to cultivate more compassion, and discovered that his life was full of compassion practices – like connecting with his fans who were suffering. We also hear from researcher Hooria Jazaieri about the relationship between vulnerability and compassion, why compassion is so critical to our relationships, and the many ways we can cultivate more of it.
Practice:
Find a comfortable place and take a few moments to focus on your breath.
Think of a loved one. Allow the feelings of warmth and love to fill your heart. Wish those individuals well.
Think of a time when your loved one was suffering. Notice how your sensations shift. Sincerely wish that they may be free of suffering.
You can try this practice with different types of people in your life, including loved ones, friends, and even those you don’t get along with.
Learn more about the Compassion Meditation practice at Greater Good In Action:
https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/compassion_meditation
Today’s guests:
Rexx Life Raj is a rapper and musician from the Bay area.
Listen to his latest album, The Blue Hour: https://tinyurl.com/3rpfv9r9
Listen to Raj Life Raj’s Music: https://www.rexxliferaj.com/
Follow Raj on Twitter: https://twitter.com/RexxLifeRaj
Follow Raj on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rexxliferaj/
Hooria Jazaieri is an Assistant Professor at Santa Clara University. Her research focuses on personal reputation and emotions like compassion and awe.
Learn more about Hooria and her work: https://tinyurl.com/2ndpkke9
Follow Hooria on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HooriaJazaieri
Resources from The Greater Good Science Center:
Can Compassion Change the World: https://tinyurl.com/3ac2meyc
Does Mindfulness Make You More Compassionate? https://tinyurl.com/4beawh8b
When Empathy Hurts, Compassion Can Heal: https://tinyurl.com/yc4pyjcv
Compassionate Mind, Healthy Body: https://tinyurl.com/mruc6m95
Do Your Struggles Expand Your Compassion for Others? https://tinyurl.com/yc4pyjcv
More Resources on Compassion:
The Atlantic - What’s Missing From Empathy: https://tinyurl.com/4b6s2v3y
TED - Compassion and the true meaning of empathy: https://tinyurl.com/2kkhf3p5
Washington Post - Compassion fatigue hits not only professional caregivers. Other people get it, too: https://tinyurl.com/5325ewjt
Harvard - Connect with Empathy, But Lead with Compassion: https://tinyurl.com/5n8amcuh
What has your experience been like practicing compassion for others? Email us at [email protected] or use the hashtag #happinesspod.
Help us share The Science of Happiness!
Rate us on Spotify and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/4uyr2w35
Episode image based on photo by Marco Alexander
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | When my mom got diagnosed with cancer, it turned me into a caregiver overnight because |
| 0:07.5 | my mom was already taking care of my dad because he had diabetes, heart failure, he was |
| 0:11.6 | doing dialysis three times a week. |
| 0:15.2 | So when she got sick, I had to step up and really take care of both of them. |
| 0:20.5 | My mom passed May 6th of 2021. |
| 0:25.4 | My dad passed August 29th of 2021. |
| 0:42.9 | I was dealing with a lot and I didn't really tell anybody like a lot of people didn't |
| 0:46.8 | even know. |
| 0:47.8 | My mom had a cancer up until like a month or so before she passed away. |
| 0:52.0 | I was really trying to handle it all myself. |
| 1:05.7 | I understood that what I was going through was important and it would be important for |
| 1:10.3 | people to hear. |
| 1:11.3 | So I would just take notes on like feelings and thoughts and moments. |
| 1:30.8 | A lot of people resonate with this music and they really don't, I'm like man, you put |
| 1:36.2 | what you went through into this music and it's connecting with people and I think that's |
| 1:40.4 | a beautiful thing. |
| 1:41.4 | In terms like that's exactly what I want, it's just a place where people could come and |
| 1:45.4 | we could hold a space for, these feelings and emotions. |
| 1:55.3 | Welcome to the Science of Happiness, I'm Dacker Keltner. |
| 1:58.4 | Our guest today is the Bay Area rapper Rex Life Raj. |
| 2:02.1 | His latest album, The Blue Hour, deals with the grief he felt after the untimely deaths |
| 2:07.8 | of both of his parents. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from PRX and Greater Good Science Center, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of PRX and Greater Good Science Center and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.