Rocco Pink had plans for the stage, singing, and acting in New York. While pursuing his dream as a young man, he sought help from voice instructor David Sorin Collyer, and he learned much more than how to sing. Collyer taught Pink how to breathe–and that changed everything.
Pink admits he was struggling emotionally at that point in his life, and Collyer’s instruction in basic breath work led to a deeper study of meditative practices. Experiencing the benefits of meditation led Pink to share the practice with others. Now, more than 30 years later, Pink works with individuals and groups in multiple settings, including a weekly gathering in St. Louis, where he teached the techniques that turned his life around.
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Pink introduces people to mindfulness meditation, a breath-based practice that develops gentle focus on present-moment awareness. “I believe strongly in heart meditation,” Pink says. “I believe that when we connect with our heart, we are connecting with ourself and, in turn, connecting with divine source. And I think there’s a lot of power in that. We can really be in the present moment with ourselves.”
During weekly hour-long sessions at People’s Community Action Corporation, part of People’s Health Centers, Pink leads RestSMART. The program is designed to introduce mindfulness practices through discussion and guided meditations that are accessible for everyone, regardless of prior meditation experience. Pink approached the organization’s leaders with the concept after the 2025 tornado upended lives throughout the city. “A lot of people were suffering, and I thought it would be a great way to offer something where people find some sort of relief and learn some techniques on how to navigate this world and the stress that we’re under,” he says.
Researchers studying mindfulness and meditation practices report clear correlations with reduced stress and anxiety, improved mental health, enhanced cognitive function, better physical health, and improved relationships. Physicians recommend it as a form of stress management, one of the keys to a healthy lifestyle, along with diet, exercise, and sleep. Yet some people view meditation with trepidation.
“The word meditation can be scary for people,” Pink says. “My biggest mission is to reshape that and to let people know that it’s not something weird or elite. You don’t have to know anything special or anybody special… When you bring it to a real, human level, people relax into it.”
One of Pink’s most profound and rewarding teaching experiences was bringing mindfulness meditation to the prison population. He notes that individuals with severe trauma would find emotional relief within just a few sessions. “I would leave the prison in tears because I couldn’t believe how these guys were getting it,” he recalls. “And we all come from some sort of trauma. This is about getting comfortable with the discomfort of sitting with ourselves because I really believe that to walk in wholeness and to heal, we have to face the darker parts of ourselves.”
Pink begins RestSMART sessions by presenting information on an aspect of meditation or mindfulness that the group can consider and discuss. He then leads a 20- to 40-minute guided practice, and follows with time for questions and shared observations. Sessions occur at 10 a.m. Thursdays.
