--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's helpful to remind yourself that…" description: "\"It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing with whatever arises, without picking and choosing.\" — Pema Chodron" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png" --- # It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about… ![“It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing with whatever arises, without picking and choosing.” quote by Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png) > “It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing with whatever arises, without picking and choosing.” [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Meditation involves accepting experiences without judgment or preference. **In simple terms:** Accept whatever arises in meditation. Key Takeaway Observe without trying to control. Themes mindfulness acceptance non‑attachment inner peace Mood calm reflective Type instructional inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - stressful moments - therapy sessions Key Concepts Buddhist practice psychology self‑compassion Questions to Reflect On - What sensations do you resist? - How can you cultivate non‑judgment? A Different Perspective The practice can be challenging for restless minds. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) [Helpful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helpful/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Meditation Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation-opening-1252080/) [Meditation practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation-practice/) [Opening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening/) [Opening Relaxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opening-relaxing-1252082/) [Picking and choosing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picking-and-choosing/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Relaxing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relaxing/) [Relaxing Arises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relaxing-arises-5582545/) [Remind Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remind-meditation-1252081/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“It's helpful to always remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing withwhatever arises, without picking and choosing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-helpful-to-always-remind-yourself-that-meditation-is-about/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Meditation practice isn't about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It's about befriending who we are already.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/meditation-practice-isn-t-about-trying-to-throw-ourselves-away-and-3/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Meditation is not a matter of trying to achieve ecstasy, spiritual bliss, or tranquillity, nor is it attempting to become a better person. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/meditation-is-not-a-matter-of-trying-to-achieve-ecstasy-spiritual/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already. 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Sometimes it is sweet, and sometimes it is bitter. Sometimes your body tenses, and sometimes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/the-essence-of-life-is-that-it-s-challenging-sometimes-it-is-sweet/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-we-run-a-hundred-miles-an-hour-to-the-other-end-of-the-continent/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“But in this meditation technique, we are with the out-breath; there's no particular instruction about what to do until the next out-breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/but-in-this-meditation-technique-we-are-with-the-out-breath-there-s/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/nothing-ever-goes-away-until-it-has-taught-us-what-we-need-to-know/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [So even if the hot loneliness is there, and for 1.6 seconds we sit with that restlessness when yesterday we couldn't sit for even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/so-even-if-the-hot-loneliness-is-there-and-for-1-6-seconds-we-sit/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If you have rage and righteously act it out and blame it all on others, it's really you who suffers. The other people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-you-have-rage-and-righteously-act-it-out-and-blame-it-all-on/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [“When we realize that the path is the goal, there’s a sense of workability. Trungpa Rinpoche said, “Whatever occurs in the confused mind is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/when-we-realize-that-the-path-is-the-goal-there-s-a-sense-of/) [Pema Chödrön](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Every day is a new opportunity to work with what you have inside toward enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/every-day-is-a-new-opportunity-to-work-with-what-you-have-inside/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [If someone comes along and shoots an arrow into your heart, it’s fruitless to stand there and yell at the person. It would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/if-someone-comes-along-and-shoots-an-arrow-into-your-heart-it-s/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Explore all 664 Pema Chodron quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) ## More Arise quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The financial crisis we are facing today arises from the fact that there is almost no more social, cultural, natural, and spiritual capital left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-eisenstein/the-financial-crisis-we-are-facing-today-arises-from-the-fact-that/) [Charles Eisenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-eisenstein/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. 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Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) [Browse all 1,703 Arise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing with whatever arises, without picking and choosing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Pema Chodron" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-meditation-is-about-opening-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arise" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-meditation-is-about-opening-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0b/pema-ch-dr-n-327_arise_it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-med_3138650.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's helpful to remind yourself that meditation is about opening and relaxing with whatever arises, without…” — Pema Chodron", "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": "Pema Chodron", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's helpful to remind yourself that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-meditation-is-about-opening-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-helpful-to-remind-yourself-that-meditation-is-about-opening-and/#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 } } ] } ```