Meet MA member Andre Kock
I have been teaching meditation professionally since 2024, following more than ten years of personal practice in mindfulness, breathwork and Vedic meditation. My first exposure to meditation began through academic study, later deepened through Vipassana training in 2015, which shaped my understanding of awareness and discipline in daily life. I teach a structured, trauma-aware approach called the YUME Breathway. It blends Vedic meditation principles with evidence-based breath regulation and mindfulness, bridging neuroscience and ancient wisdom to help people restore calm, focus and balance.
I teach at North Shore Health Clinic, and online through live and on-demand sessions. I also facilitate private and corporate wellbeing programs across Australia. My clients include beginners seeking stress relief, professionals building resilience, and experienced meditators refining their practice. I also support trauma-sensitive and wellbeing-focused groups who value structured, sustainable self-care. Structure creates safety. Science builds trust. Presence over perfection. Authentic, calm presence is the foundation of effective teaching and connection.
What’s the story behind your first meditation experience?
My first experience with meditation began when I was still at school in South Africa. I had the opportunity to complete a six-month course with our local university. The teacher introduced us to visualisation, mindfulness and deep breathing as a way to centre ourselves and connect more fully with our acting practice. It was my first glimpse of what presence really feels like — being completely aware, calm and alive in the moment. Who would have thought, twenty-eight years later, I’d be teaching those same principles in my own meditation studio? That early experience planted the seed for everything that followed.
What or who inspires you?
I draw inspiration from teachers who bridge science and spirit — people like Dr Joe Dispenza, Tara Brach and Sadhguru, each reminding us that awareness and physiology are deeply connected. A favourite quote is from Ram Dass: “We’re all just walking each other home.” Nature also inspires me daily — the rhythm of the ocean, morning light through the studio, and the quiet presence of my dog, Yume. These simple moments remind me that meditation isn’t confined to a cushion; it’s the art of noticing what’s already sacred.
Cushion time: How long did you meditate for today?
Forty minutes on the cushion this morning, seated on my half-crescent zafu. The practice began with slow breath awareness, settled into stillness, and closed with a few moments of silent gratitude. I find the curved support of the zafu encourages grounded posture and an open, steady state of mind that carries through the day.
Meditation Apps, yes or no?
No. We live in an age of app fatigue, constantly nudged and distracted in the name of mindfulness. True meditation begins when the noise stops. Practising in person, either one-to-one or within a group, builds energetic coherence that no screen can reproduce. Breath aligns, presence deepens, and awareness becomes shared. That is where real transformation happens — in human connection, not digital simulation.
You’re the voice: Do you sing in the shower?
Yes. Each morning I hum the ancient seed sounds of the chakras—Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, and Om—as the water flows. The sound vibrates through the body, clearing heaviness and re-aligning energy before the day begins. It’s a quiet ritual of power and presence, a way to tune myself to balance and light before I step out into the world.
The getting of wisdom: What’s the best, or most important thing, you’ve learned as a meditation teacher?
The most important thing I’ve learned as a meditation teacher is that stillness teaches more than words. People don’t come to be fixed, they come to remember who they are beneath the noise. My role is to create structure, safety and presence so they can experience that for themselves. Real transformation happens quietly, in the moments between breath and awareness.
What makes your heart sing and what have you come to value most?
What makes my heart sing is seeing people return to themselves—when stillness replaces tension and clarity replaces noise. I value authenticity, presence and compassion above all. Whether in a meditation class or a workplace conversation, I’ve learned that true impact comes from calm consistency, quiet strength and helping others feel safe enough to grow.
The best thing today: What’s the most inspiring or loveliest thing you’ve seen or experienced today?
Waking up to my puppy’s happiness and excitement to start the day with me. There is something profoundly calming about the unconditional love of the voiceless—it reminds me to meet each day with the same presence and joy.