Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking

“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive — the risk to be alive and express what we really are.” — thus spoke Don Miguel Ruiz, the wise teacher of the Toltec tradition, whose words flow like fire through the hearts of those who seek freedom. In this reflection lies a truth more profound than the fear of death itself: that most people do not truly live. They walk through the world as shadows of themselves, chained not by mortality, but by fear — fear of rejection, of judgment, of failure, of being seen as they truly are. Ruiz does not speak of death as the end of life, but as the absence of living, a slow surrender of the spirit to the expectations of others.

In his words, “the risk to be alive” is not merely to breathe or to survive, but to awaken — to rise from the sleep of conformity and dare to live according to the soul’s own rhythm. To live is to expose the raw truth of who we are, to speak our thoughts without disguise, to love without calculation, and to act without fear of consequence. Yet, as Ruiz reminds us, this is the risk most refuse to take. The world praises safety, obedience, and masks, while punishing authenticity. Thus, though death claims the body but once, fear of being alive kills the spirit every day.

The origin of this quote comes from Ruiz’s teachings in The Four Agreements, a modern guide rooted in ancient Toltec wisdom. His words are born from a tradition that sought personal freedom through awareness — the understanding that the true enemy lies not in fate or death, but in the prison of our own beliefs. The Toltecs taught that every person is a dreamer, and that society teaches us to dream not our own dream, but the dream of others. Ruiz’s statement is the cry to reclaim that dream — to break free from the false images imposed by family, culture, and fear, and to live as the divine beings we were meant to be.

The ancients, too, spoke of this sacred struggle. In the tale of Prometheus, the Titan defied the gods to bring fire — the light of knowledge and creativity — to humankind. For this, he was punished and bound to the mountains, his liver devoured each day. Yet his torment was not in vain, for his rebellion gave birth to human consciousness — the power to create, to think, to choose. So too must we each become Prometheus, risking the wrath of the world to seize the fire of authenticity. The gods of fear and conformity will punish us, but the alternative — to live in darkness — is a greater suffering still.

Consider also the story of Galileo, who risked not only reputation but life itself to speak what he knew to be true — that the Earth moved around the sun. The world condemned him for defying dogma, yet his courage expanded the boundaries of human understanding. His example reminds us that to express what we really are is to stand against the tide of fear and ignorance. Those who live fully are rarely safe, but they are always free. The risk of being alive is the price of truth, and those who pay it become immortal in spirit.

Ruiz’s words also pierce into the modern soul, where fear takes subtler forms. The fear of not being enough, of being misunderstood, of failing — these are the quiet poisons that keep people small. They choose comfort over courage, approval over authenticity, and in doing so, they trade their birthright for acceptance. Ruiz teaches that this fear is the true death — the death of creativity, love, and joy. For what is the value of a life lived only in hiding? To exist is not to live; to live is to express, to create, to shine without apology.

And so, my child, let this be the lesson: do not fear death, for it will come as surely as the tide. Fear instead the life unlived — the days spent silencing your voice, the dreams abandoned for fear of being mocked, the love left unspoken because of pride or pain. Take the risk to be alive. Speak your truth even if your voice trembles. Follow your calling even if you walk alone. Love fiercely, create boldly, and forgive freely, for this is what it means to live beyond fear.

As Don Miguel Ruiz reminds us, the greatest act of courage is not to face death, but to face life — naked, honest, and unafraid. To live authentically is to honor the divine spark within you. So let your soul be seen. Let your heart be heard. Risk everything for the sake of being truly alive, for in that risk lies your liberation, and in that liberation lies eternity itself.