There are days amidst the hurried pace of life when I startle and look back at my life, realizing I have lived for too long in an invisible flutter of anxiety. I feared losing my accumulated wealth, career failure, the physical decay of my body over time, and above all, the ultimate fear called death. I poured all my energy into working and accumulating vast wealth just to build a secure fortress. But ironically, right inside that sturdy fortress, the anxiety of loss still lurked quietly every night.
Until I opened the pages of No Death, No Fear by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.
The book did not come to me as a collection of philosophical theories detached from reality or empty comforting words. It was a beacon illuminating the most hidden corners of consciousness. With gentle yet profound meditative insight, the Zen Master handed me the key to liberation: Looking through the very nature of transformation to live a leisurely, letting-go, and completely peaceful life in every single moment.*
1. The Philosophy of the Flower Petal: The Universe as a Manifestation of Interbeing
Look at a brilliant flower blooming under the morning light. By the mind’s habit, we call it “a flower” and view it as an independent entity. But if we look deeper into the heart of that flower with the eyes of mindfulness, what do we see? We see yesterday’s harsh sunlight, the torrential summer rain, the clouds, mother earth, and even the sweat of the cultivator.
If we pull the sunlight out of the flower, it will instantly vanish. Pull out the sky’s clouds and rain, and the flower cannot exist either. The flower is actually made entirely of “non-flower” elements. It manifests when conditions are sufficient and conceals itself when conditions recede. A flower blooming or withering is merely a conceptual label placed by humans, while its pristine nature is a continuous flow of transformation.
When realizing this philosophy, I look back at everything I hold onto in life:
- Success and personal assets: I realize there is no such thing as “I made it all by myself.” Every achievement I have is actually the convergence of family love, the companionship of colleagues, timely encouragement, and countless shared plans. I am not an isolated entity. When the arrogant ego dissolves, arrogance gives way to a profound sense of gratitude toward life.
The perfect cyclical loop of the universe: Imagine an old-growth primal forest. When an aging animal passes away, its body decomposes, becoming nutrient-rich humus that nourishes giant trees and sustains life for countless microorganisms. Birth is death, and death is birth. The death of one individual is the seed of life for countless others. Nothing is ever truly destroyed; everything is simply participating in a dance of transformation balanced to perfection.
2. “This Too Shall Pass”
Speaking of the impermanence of all states in life, I once heard a story:
A businessman came to a Zen Master with a face heavy with worry. He lamented that his business was in crisis, his family was discordant, and his mind was always filled with anxiety and sorrow. He wanted to learn Zen to find peace. The Zen Master simply looked at him, smiled gently, and said briefly, “This too shall pass.”
The businessman returned, reflected, and persistently practiced meditation. Thanks to those words, he clung less to his current hardships and overcame the crisis. Sometime later, he achieved major success again; his business flourished and his family became harmonious. Enthusiastically returning to the monastery, he bragged to the Zen Master: “Master, I have practiced and achieved brilliant success! Now I have attained joy, happiness, and a vibrant love for life!”
The Zen Master maintained that serene smile, looked deep into his eyes, and replied, “This too shall pass.”
The phrase “This too shall pass” is a mirror reflecting the true nature of the universe. We suffer because we tend to want to freeze moments of happiness and chase away pain. But impermanence does not distinguish between joy and sorrow. When we clench our fists to hold onto joy, we create a new anxiety—the anxiety of fearing that joy will dissolve. Accepting impermanence means cherishing joy when it arrives, but also being ready to smile and wave goodbye when it departs, without generating attachment, regret, or panic.
3. Applying Wisdom to Life: Finance and Healing Fear
Serenity only truly holds value when it steps off the page and into the heartbeat of daily life—from financial management to how we face our deepest wounds.
1. The perspective of impermanence in investment and assets
Previously, financial losses or investment failures were a nightmare to me. But when understanding impermanence, I realized that cash flow is like water: what flows in must flow out. No one can keep a stream fixed in one permanent place.
Knowing that money will eventually transform and depart in one form or another, I choose to proactively give first. Proactive sharing gives financial flow a humane, meaningful mission, rather than hoarding it amidst fluttering anxiety.
And when I happen to lose money? I no longer see it as a personal tragedy or loss. It is simply a lesson. My capacity and understanding at that time were not enough to hold onto wealth in material form, so it had to transform into experiential lessons for my mind to mature further. Money does not disappear; it merely changes form from matter into knowledge and awakening.
2. Healing the fear of the body and separation
This physical body of ours was formed from a tiny cell in the womb, continuously nurtured for decades by the food, water, and air of Earth. The day we close our eyes and let go, the body returns to the womb of Mother Earth. That is a natural, self-evident, and beautiful rule, just like the rhythm of breathing in and out. Realizing this, the fear of death or aging no longer has the power to disturb the mind.
Sadhguru once shared a perspective full of freedom:
“When you realize that your existence goes far beyond this physical form, fear will completely vanish.” Departed loved ones or past memories are not truly lost. They simply transition from a “manifest” state to a “concealed” state. They are still continuing vividly right inside every cell, thought, smile, and action of our own every single day.
4. Living Every Day to the Fullest
Understanding transformation makes every step I take to work each morning strangely light. I no longer carry the mindset of someone going into battle or enduring pressure.
In the office environment, I view work under a completely new lens:
- Energy contribution: Being aware that the energy I put in every day will transform into value for the organization and society. KPIs or deadlines are merely surface-level measurements of this energy transformation process.
- Re-evaluating disagreements: In meetings, intense debates or differences of opinion are no longer labeled as “good” or “bad.” Disagreements are born to eliminate outdated, obsolete thinking. They are like nutrient-rich fertilizer or the harsh midday sun: necessary and stimulating for the collective flower to bloom more brilliantly.
- Cherishing intangible values: Alongside numbers, I learn to cherish smiles, active listening, and teamwork—the things that make up the true fabric of life.
The ultimate state of serenity is not giving up or sitting still to avoid life. It is the ability to immerse oneself 100% into the flow of reality without attachment: no attachment to “gain” or “loss,” no being trapped in past regrets or terrified of the future.
5. The Epic of a Free Soul
Sadhguru once reminded us: “Life is not happening to you; life is happening from you.” When you change your perspective of the world, the world you live in automatically changes.
No Death, No Fear has given me the eyes of leisure. Nothing is born naturally, nothing is lost, there is no eternal existence, nor is there total disappearance.
Everything is simply transforming in an endless dance of the universe. Understanding that, I walk my path with a light heart. Breathing in, I know I am alive. Breathing out, I smile at impermanence. This life, right here and right now, is a masterpiece of freedom.
