Immortality has always been a dream for humanity; we do not want to face death because we fear it or simply because we love life too much. Eating mermaid flesh, consuming golden apples, drinking the sacred water of Amrita… are some of the ways to attain immortality in ancient mythology.
However, some believe that immortality is a curse since everything goes on forever.
For centuries, immortality has captivated humanity, which is why we often see it intertwined within ancient mythologies. Let’s explore 8 ways to achieve immortality according to ancient myths in the article below.
1. Eating Mermaid Flesh
The mermaid, more accurately described as Ningyo, is a creature frequently mentioned in Japanese mythology. Ningyo lives in the sea and is depicted as a hybrid between a monkey and a carp. If encountered by a human, Ningyo brings misfortune or severe storms.
There is a tale about a girl known as the “800-Year-Old Nun.” The story goes that one day, her father accidentally brought home a piece of meat, which turned out to be from a Ningyo. She ate it and fell under the curse of immortality.
After many years of sorrow due to the loss of her husband and child, she devoted herself to Buddha and became a nun. Perhaps it was her sanctity that finally allowed her to die at the age of 800.
2. Angering the Gods
A common theme in Greek mythology regarding humans is the punishment for those who are arrogant and disrespectful to the gods. Some of these individuals have had to pay for their foolish actions by living eternally in suffering.
One such story involves King Ixion, who got into trouble for murdering his father-in-law. King Ixion sought forgiveness from Zeus, but while on Mount Olympus, he made the mistake of attempting to assault Hera. Zeus discovered this and tricked Ixion with a cloud shaped like a goddess. As a result, he was bound to a fiery wheel and condemned to remain there forever.
Another legend states that this king tried to deceive Zeus and ended up trapped at the domain of Thanatos, the embodiment of death in Greek mythology. This place led to a world where no one could die. However, this disturbed the god of war, Ares. Consequently, King Ixion was punished to roll a stone up a hill every day, only to roll it back down at night.
3. Eating Golden Apples
The golden apples in Norse mythology differ significantly from those in Greek mythology. For the Norse gods, these apples are crucial.
These apples are used to maintain immortality and help them “stay forever young.” Idun is the goddess of spring and the guardian of this apple orchard. She was deceived by the handsome yet treacherous giant Loki, who handed all the apples over to the giant Thiassi, causing the Norse gods to begin aging and weakening.
With their last bit of strength, the gods compelled Loki to return the golden apples to Idun. Ultimately, Loki transformed into a falcon and retrieved the apples for her. From then on, the gods regained their youth and strength.
4. Ambrosia: The Drink of Immortality
In Greek mythology, Ambrosia is the drink of the Greek gods. It is described as having a flavor similar to honey and is delivered to Mount Olympus by doves, granting them immortality.
Some mortals and demigods were granted the privilege to drink Ambrosia, like Heracles, while others attempted to steal it and faced punishment. Tantalus was punished to remain trapped in a pool of water with food always just out of reach.
5. Drinking the Sacred Water of Amrita
In Hindu mythology, Amrita is the sacred water that grants immortality. In Sanskrit, Amrita means “immortal.” The legend tells that the deities were originally human but were denied immortality due to a curse. Since then, they have sought ways to achieve eternal life.
By all means, these divine beings churned the ocean to find Amrita. It is described as a sweet liquid that, with just one drop, can conquer death and grant immortality.
6. Sucking on Cinnabar
Cinnabar, also known as red mercury, is a red mineral primarily composed of mercury. It is believed to be one of the items of Taoism.
Taoist believers think that cinnabar can be processed into elixirs and has the effect of removing some imperfections from the body, allowing a person to achieve immortality. However, this elixir contains toxic components. Many have died from consuming it, including several famous emperors of the Tang dynasty.
Ultimately, Taoist followers devised the idea of harnessing the natural energy of the human body through meditation and other exercises in the hope of attaining immortality.
7. Eating the Peaches of Immortality
Peaches of immortality frequently appear in legends regarding immortality in both Chinese and Western traditions. Among them is the famous story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, who was tasked with guarding the orchard of immortal peaches by the Queen Mother of the West. She mentioned that the peach trees would only bear ripe fruit after 3,000 years. Thus, these peaches are a great reward reserved for the gods to grant them eternal life. By stealing these peaches, Sun Wukong lived for over 1,000 years.
8. The Plant of Immortality in Sumerian Mythology
The epic of Gilgamesh, the heroic king of the Sumerian people (Mesopotamia), recounts his quest for the source of immortality after the death of his friend Enkidu.
On his journey to seek immortality, he met the immortal sage Utnapishtim, a character similar to the immortal Noah. Noah built a great boat to save the gods from a great flood. Utnapishtim revealed to Gilgamesh a mysterious plant that could restore the king’s youth and grant him eternal life. However, after finding this miraculous plant downstream, Gilgamesh lost it to a snake.
