It is afternoon in Bethesda, USA, and business as usual in the offices of the Computer Solutions and Development Company. One executive of the company takes a break. He closes the door to his office and spends 20 minutes meditating. His boss does not complain. In fact, he approves.

The scene shifts to Tower Companies, a real estate development and management firm in the same city. Employees here meditate in their offices before leaving for their respective homes. The company makes sure they do it.

A bizarre, out-of-place practice, one would think. But not completely without a rationale. Corporate America is gradually hitting a goldmine: it is waking up to the advantages meditation techniques offer as human resource management tools. Stressed out workers are no good: this realisation has made some companies in the US promote meditation programmes in their routine curriculum. Offering time and instructions to the employees forms a means to cajol willing, half-willing or purely reluctant employees to adopt the techniques.

Inspired by the Transcendental Meditation Program (an Iowa-based group dedicated to promoting meditation), R W