Chapter 50: Living as an Immortal
“Between birth and death,
three in ten are followers of life,
three in ten are followers of death,
and men just passing from birth to death
also number three in ten.
Why is this so?
Because they live their lives on the gross level.
He who knows how to live can walk abroad
without fear of rhinoceros or tiger.
He will not be wounded in battle.
For in him rhinoceros can find no place to thrust their horn,
tigers no place to use their claws,
and weapons no place to pierce.
Why is this so?
Because he has no place for death to enter.”
— Tao Te Ching, Verse 50
The Deathless State of Awareness
This profound verse shifts the focus from the physical to the energetic, the eternal. Lao Tzu describes the nature of a person who lives from their inner truth—who is not ruled by fear, conflict, or the illusions of mortality. According to Wayne Dyer, this is not about living forever in the body but about awakening to your immortal, non-physical nature.
The “three in ten” who die early or live unconsciously represent those trapped in ego, fear, and attachment to form. The Sage, however, dwells in the eternal. Because such a person is aligned with the Tao—free from the false self—they become invulnerable to spiritual death. Harm has no access point in someone who lives in inner stillness, authenticity, and divine connection.
Key Ideas:
Living as the immortal self brings peace, fearlessness, and clarity.
Immortality is a state of consciousness, not a physical state.
Living from the Tao makes you “unwoundable” to the chaos of the world.
Fear, anger, and grasping pull us toward the illusion of death.
Actionable Steps: Living as an Immortal
- Shift from Body to Spirit Identity
- Remind yourself daily: “I am not this body. I am eternal Spirit.”
- Begin and end the day with spiritual reading, prayer, or meditation to stay centered in this truth.
- Release the Fear of Death
- Contemplate the timeless part of you that was never born and will never die.
- Journal about the part of you that exists beyond time, roles, or age.
- Practise Stillness and Non-Reactivity
- Observe your reactions when you feel threatened or attacked.
- Pause and breathe deeply. Let the moment pass without defending the ego.
- Live in the Present Moment
- Immortality lives only in the now.
- Practise mindfulness in everyday tasks: eating, walking, listening.
- Avoid “Gross-Level” Living
- Reduce obsession with material gain, appearance, or social validation.
- Focus on soul-growth, love, and inner alignment.
- Become the Safe Space
- Like the Sage, become a being who cannot be harmed because you don’t “go to battle.”
- Refuse to argue, retaliate, or seek revenge. Stay in your centre.
- Affirm Your Eternal Nature
- Daily affirmation:
“I am a timeless being of light and love. Nothing real can be threatened.”
- Daily affirmation:
Meditation Prompt:
Visualise your immortal self.
Feel yourself as pure energy—no face, no name, no story.
You are light, moving freely, at peace, without fear.
From this space, ask: What would the eternal me choose today?