Rafik
“I know rock bottom, and I know the way up.”
I’m Rafik, and I started Bee Mindful Together because I know what rock bottom feels like.
I have lived through trauma, alcoholism, drugs and loneliness. There were times I tried to end my life. I’m not proud of everything I did in those years, and I’m not ashamed to say I was there. It’s part of why I’m here now.
If you’re struggling right now, you don’t have to wait. You can call Samaritans free, any time, on 116 123.
What helped me climb out wasn’t one big moment. It was small things, day after day. I chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo at home, and I practise with SGI, my Buddhist community. I meditate. I help others, and I volunteer in kitchens for homeless people, because I know that table from the other side.
I’m also a beekeeper, and I love nature. I want to show people that you can climb out of rock bottom, and that the way up is real.
These days I’m recovering from a major knee reconstruction, working on this project, and sharing my home with my cats. Strangers often sit down next to me and tell me their life story. I listen. If they ask for advice, I tell them what helped me, and sometimes that means introducing them to Buddhism.
Bee Mindful Together CIC is starting in Bradford, with the hope of growing nationwide. It isn’t open yet. If you’re reading this from a hard place, I hope you leave with a little more warmth, and a little more belief in yourself.
Read more of my story
- What I reached for, and what finally held
- I Ran From Being Alone for Years. Now Alone Is Where I Find Peace.
- A Slower Mind at the Sink
- All Journal posts
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Would you like to help, or just say hello? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.