THE PUPIL Angus Donald
THE PROBLEM I’m busy and stressed at work and I want to learn how to relax swiftly through meditation
THE EXPERT Martin Boroson, the author of The One-Moment Master, who teaches momentary meditation

THE LESSON
Angus Standing on the concourse at Paddington station, West London, eyes closed, hands linked in front of me, and I’m thinking about being randomly rugby-tackled by a passing stranger. Only for a moment, this ridiculous fear pops into my mind. I try not to imagine the bone-jarring wallop and, instead, to concentrate on my breathing. Actually, not so much concentrate, but in Martin Boroson’s words, “to allow my mind to settle into my breathing”. In and out through my nose, in and out... and for just a moment I get a glimpse of the tranquillity that I’m aiming for.

My awareness of the station and my concerns about the Twickenham-like behaviour of passers-by melt away. For a few seconds I’m there, existing in the moment, at peace. Then my minute is up and I open my eyes, feeling dazed but oddly happy.

Martin, 47, a monk-like American who lives in Devon, is teaching me to do a “basic minute” of meditation, the unit of his new teaching method. The aim is to practise the basic minute several times a day until you can dip in to a region of peacefulness and refresh your mind and soul whenever you like. I’m not sure that a busy railway station concourse is the right place to learn, but Martin insists that you can learn anywhere, no matter how noisy. I’m also not absolutely convinced that a minute is long enough to get the full benefit of meditation.

Martin explains that doing a minute’s meditation many times over has a cumulative effect. He describes doing one basic minute as making a single pinprick in a great dark sheet of consciousness, on the other side of which is a bright light. Each pinprick that you make lets through more light. Martin turns a nice metaphor; another of his comes from oil prospecting. He says a minute’s meditation allows you to drill down into a reservoir of peace.

Of course, the basic minute is only the beginning of his teaching; he wants his students to work up to being able to just drop into meditation for a moment and out again, a fraction of time in which you experience peace. He says that mastering this technique can help your creativity, reduce stress, even allow you to spread calm and joy to those around you. But I’m only with him for one afternoon, so I just have another go at the basic minute.

Breathing in and out, in and out... colours and shapes flash behind my eyelids, then the noise of the station fades away and I experience a peculiar sensation: I feel like a helium balloon tethered by a string; then the string is cut and I drift up towards the heavens. And suddenly my minute is up.

Martin Angus didn’t want to do this in Paddington station. Meditation, he assumed, required a peaceful setting. But I wanted to prove that peacefulness is available everywhere, all the time: the trick is tapping into it quickly, in just a moment. When Angus arrived for our session, he seemed stressed and a bit nervous, but willing to believe that this could work. We started with an exercise that takes just one minute. Angus applied himself enthusiastically. As his mind cleared, his face and body visibly relaxed, and a sweet smile appeared on his face. With practice, this will take him less and less time, until he can do it in just a moment. I think he should do it every day.

THE FOLLOW-UP
Angus Just before writing this, I did a basic minute in the Body&Soul office in an attempt to boost my creativity. It wasn’t an unqualified success; I kept thinking about what I was going to write. So I did another one a bit later and halfway through the second minute I did find that sense of calm disconnection for a few moments. Martin had said to me: “Don’t beat yourself up if you can’t find that calm for a whole minute. If you can just bob along, just touching it, and then touching it again, it will give you the benefit.” Hand on heart, I can’t really say that it has given me any great benefits so far, but for some reason I enjoy doing it – and it’s not as if it takes up much of my time.

THE DETAILS
The One-Moment Master (Random House, £6.99) is available from Times BooksFirst for £6.64, p&p free: 0870 1608080, or visit timesonline.co.uk/booksfirst For more about Martin Boroson’s work, visit www.onemomentmaster.com

HOW TO DO IT
The Basic Minute
1. Create a place of solitude.
2. Sit down.
3. Place your legs in a relaxed but fixed position.
4. Sit up.
5. Set your alarm (or mobile or kitchen timer) for exactly one minute.
6. Place your hands in a relaxed but fixed position.
7. Close your eyes (or just lower your gaze).
8. Allow your mind to settle into your breathing as you inhale and exhale.
9. When the alarm sounds, stop.

Times recommends

• Live chat: Thrifty ways to update your winter wardrobe
• Is anybody out there really listening?
• Nutrition Q&A: Will eating late make me fat?