Inquiry with James Tousignant, September 24, 2026
We met in the Pavilion for our final meeting with James, titled The Beginning of Meditation. James began with a reading from The Book of Life, centred on Krishnamurti’s statement:
“The flowering of meditation is goodness, and the generosity of the heart is the beginning of meditation.”
The group explored what Krishnamurti might mean by the “generosity of the heart.” Rather than taking meditation simply as sitting quietly or concentrating on the breath, the discussion turned toward what happens when we become still and begin to see the movement of our own thoughts, emotions and reactions.
One participant suggested turning the idea around and considering the “generosity of the ego.” The ego can also be remarkably generous—continually giving us thoughts, stories, memories, judgments and problems to work on. As one participant described it, the ego can keep “giving, giving, giving,” filling the space that might otherwise be quiet.
This led to a deeper exploration of the difference between being caught in these movements and simply observing them. Could generosity of the heart mean allowing ourselves to be as we actually are, without immediately judging, resisting or trying to change what arises? As one participant put it, “not holding is another form of generosity.”
The conversation also returned to the nature of meditation itself. Participants described meditation not only as deliberate sitting, but as moments of stillness and awareness while walking, sailing, paddling, or simply listening. In such moments, when the surrounding noise becomes quieter, thoughts and reactions may become easier to see.
The meeting ended with a reflection on the question of what motivates us to look more deeply. Perhaps meditation begins not with achieving a particular state, but with the curiosity to observe what is happening within us—and to discover whether there is another way of being.
- Anastasia Shtamina
