--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: one of the greatest lessons that comes…" description: "\"“one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is that a relaxed curiosity about life and sleepwalking through it are two radically different ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg" --- # one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is… ![“one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is that a relaxed curiosity about life and sleepwalking through it are two radically different choices” quote by Ethan Nichtern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg) > ““one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is that a relaxed curiosity about life and sleepwalking through it are two radically different choices”” Ethan Nichtern ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meditation teaches that calmly observing life differs from passively drifting through it, offering a conscious, engaged stance versus disengaged existence. **In simple terms:** Calm curiosity vs. mindless drifting. Key Takeaway Choose mindful engagement. Themes mindfulness choice awareness Mood reflective calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - stress management - creative work - relationships Key Concepts consciousness presence psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does curiosity change your daily experience? - What does “sleepwalking” look like for you? A Different Perspective Mindful curiosity requires effort and may feel uncomfortable initially. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Different choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-choices/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) ## Related quotes > [Intelligence comes from meditation, intelligence comes from rebellion, intelligence does not come from memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/intelligence-comes-from-meditation-intelligence-comes-from-rebellion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Start with meditation, and things will go on growing in you—silence, serenity, blissfulness, sensitivity. And whatever comes out of meditation, try to bring it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/start-with-meditation-and-things-will-go-on-growing-in-you-silence/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A picture excites the love of parenting that comes through meditation on a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dickerson/a-picture-excites-the-love-of-parenting-that-comes-through-meditation/) [John Dickerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dickerson/) > [“So she had to climb the wall, kill a straw man, and return within five minutes. Shera could do it in her sleep. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-wight/so-she-had-to-climb-the-wall-kill-a-straw-man-and-return-within-five/) [Will Wight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-wight/) > [You don't really see sleepwalking in films that often. It's weird; I feel like in popular culture we have the perception of sitcom, arms-in-front-of-your-body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/you-don-t-really-see-sleepwalking-in-films-that-often-it-s-weird-i/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [“I don’t know,” he said. “I just feel like I have to do something.” “Do what?” “I don’t know. That’s what’s wrong. Or part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-don-t-know-he-said-i-just-feel-like-i-have-to-do-something-do-what/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [One mind awake can become stronger than a thousand zombies sleepwalking in a dying civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/one-mind-awake-can-become-stronger-than-a-thousand-zombies/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [Out, damned spot! out, I say!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/out-damned-spot-out-i-say/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Hypnotized I am hypnotized Sleepwalking to the rhythm of your words, Never wishing to wake-”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-faudet/hypnotized-i-am-hypnotized-sleepwalking-to-the-rhythm-of-your-words/) [Michael Faudet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-faudet/) > [The morning, which is like a farewell that approaches slowly from far away, while smiling... We are the sunshine in the night sky. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-bo-na/the-morning-which-is-like-a-farewell-that-approaches-slowly-from-far/) [Lee Bo-na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-bo-na/) > [“ 'Maybe you out to go back there.' 'Can't. Gotta stay where... where I know what's what.' Where I don't forget what I am,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-henry/maybe-you-out-to-go-back-there-can-t-gotta-stay-where-where-i-know/) [Lisa Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-henry/) > [“Don't get caught sleepwalking on the conveyor belt of life, fumbling about but getting no where fast in the viscous cycle of a comfort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwaun-s-cox/don-t-get-caught-sleepwalking-on-the-conveyor-belt-of-life-fumbling/) [Dwaun S. Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwaun-s-cox/) > [It's interesting how sleepwalking in a certain way becomes an accumulation of your outside stimuli that's actually there and what's happening in your brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/it-s-interesting-how-sleepwalking-in-a-certain-way-becomes-an/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [ I love the idea of longevity in this career. But \[producing\] is not about, "Let me do this because this might happen 20 years… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-love-the-idea-of-longevity-in-this-career-but-producing-is-not/) [Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/) > [The world's problems are, by and large, human problems-the unavoidable consequence of egoic sleepwalking. If we care to look, all the signs are present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/the-world-s-problems-are-by-and-large-human-problems-the-unavoidable/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) ## More by Ethan Nichtern > [“...thoughts aren't the problem. Problems only develop when thoughts no longer arise from or refer to actual experience. That's when thoughts start ossifying into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/thoughts-aren-t-the-problem-problems-only-develop-when-thoughts-no/) Ethan Nichtern > [“Love requires learning to love ourselves in the mirror, and learning to look other people in the eye. Buddhism, in turn, asks us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/love-requires-learning-to-love-ourselves-in-the-mirror-and-learning/) Ethan Nichtern > [“war doesn't end war any more than a heroin fix ends a heroin addiction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/war-doesn-t-end-war-any-more-than-a-heroin-fix-ends-a-heroin-addiction/) Ethan Nichtern Explore all 4 Ethan Nichtern quotes ## More Different choices quotes > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [There are times when I wish I could go back and change the course of my life. Make different choices...But the past cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/there-are-times-when-i-wish-i-could-go-back-and-change-the-course-of/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [I really like the risk takers. I like people who make those different choices on the carpet. I really like Charlize Theron. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-rodriguez/i-really-like-the-risk-takers-i-like-people-who-make-those-different/) [Genesis Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-rodriguez/) > [“like to think that somewhere out there, on a planet exactly like ours, two people exactly like you and me made totally different choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/like-to-think-that-somewhere-out-there-on-a-planet-exactly-like-ours/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For any actor - not just talking about myself - but if you've been fortunate enough to work for a long period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-bennett/for-any-actor-not-just-talking-about-myself-but-if-you-ve-been/) [Haley Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-bennett/) > [I used to write travel essays, and I was struck by how the fact of writing about a place would change my relationship with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-cain/i-used-to-write-travel-essays-and-i-was-struck-by-how-the-fact-of/) [Chelsea Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-cain/) > [“Anthony’s current wealth is 1 million. Betty’s current wealth is 4 million. They are both offered a choice between a gamble and a sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/anthony-s-current-wealth-is-1-million-betty-s-current-wealth-is-4/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Don't fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains two descriptions: could have and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/don-t-fear-failure-so-much-that-you-refuse-to-try-new-things-the/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [“But when we make choices that are different than what our friends are doing, it might seem to them that we are questioning their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennetta-billhimer/but-when-we-make-choices-that-are-different-than-what-our-friends-are/) Jennetta Billhimer > [“People everywhere hear the excuse “there’s not enough money”. In actuality, there is enough money… just different priorities. New stadium, heathcare for all, faster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-steves/people-everywhere-hear-the-excuse-there-s-not-enough-money-in/) [Rick Steves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-steves/) > [“Insight 1: Human decision making serves evolutionary goals. The traditional way of thinking about human behavior is based almost completely on a consideration of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/insight-1-human-decision-making-serves-evolutionary-goals-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are all the same. We just make different choices in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/we-are-all-the-same-we-just-make-different-choices-in-life/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Yes, I could have made some different choices in life but I didn what I did, both good and bad and I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yes-i-could-have-made-some-different-choices-in-life-but-i-didn-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you have a boat to sail, land becomes a choice! If you do not have a boat to sail, land becomes a fate!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-you-have-a-boat-to-sail-land-becomes-a-choice-if-you-do-not-have-a/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Our enemies send other people's children on missions of suicide and murder. They embrace tyranny and death as a cause and a creed. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/our-enemies-send-other-people-s-children-on-missions-of-suicide-and/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 74 Different choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is that a relaxed curiosity about life and sleepwalking through it are two radically different choices”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethan Nichtern" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-from-meditation-is-that-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Different choices" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-from-meditation-is-that-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bd/ethan-nichtern-72375_different-choices_one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-f_760080.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“one of the greatest lessons that comes from meditation is that a relaxed curiosity about life and…” — Ethan Nichtern", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ethan Nichtern", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-nichtern/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“one of the greatest lessons that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-from-meditation-is-that-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-nichtern/one-of-the-greatest-lessons-that-comes-from-meditation-is-that-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```