Barry Long's Death
Barry Long died at 9.30pm on Saturday 6 December
2003.
He said:
'Do not mourn me, do not celebrate me, just be still and
know that if you love me your love of me is your love of
God for there is really only God in consciousness to love.'
Cremation
According to Barry’s wishes on Thursday
11th December 2003 there was a private cremation with no
memorial. His ashes are to be scattered. In lieu of flowers,
donations to The Barry Long Foundation to help publish the
books he was working on in the last year of his life would
be appreciated.
Tributes from around
the world
Below, listed in the order in which they
were posted, are the health updates and statements issued
prior to his death.
Barry's Health
Barry Long is 77 years old. After the tenth
annual 14 day Master Session in November 2002 it became
clear that his health would not sustain him through such
an intensive program in the future. He has had prostate
cancer for some years and the disease is now taking its
natural course.
In January 2003 the Foundation announced that
it did not propose to organise a program of meetings and
talks for him as in previous years. No more meetings are
therefore planned.
Meanwhile Barry's condition is as good as
anyone's could be in his situation and his spirits are high.
As there have been many enquiries about his
health, from people all around the world, this page has
been set up for occasional updates.
14 January 2003
Barry says,
'I am in good spirits as you'd expect.
I'm doing well considering the seriousness of the disease.
I read all your letters of good wishes and thanks and I
thank you for them.'
23 April 2003
From Barry Long:
'Here is an update on my health. Despite the
cancer and the fact that my body is approaching a terminal
stage, I'm still mobile and active although slower and of
course more tired as time goes on. The pain is controlled
by God's medical medications - a great gift.
I'm finishing four new books, writing up to
six hours a day and enjoying the wonderful revelations.
The essence of one of these entitled 'What
it is to die' I trust to have on this website shortly.
I am filled with life and the love of God
and the indescribable bliss that's engendered when death
is near. I wish for nothing, especially a cure, and have
everything.
Thank you for your many enquiries and good
wishes.'
15 June 2003
From Barry Long:
The
Matrix
"We are all connected inwardly by a matrix,
an abstract inner grid of intelligence, light or Self-knowledge.
Each of us is an intelligent light in the matrix, some brighter,
some less bright. The brighter the light the greater the
sensitivity and appreciation of truth.
Truth as self-knowledge is knowledge of the
abstract reality behind everyday existence. This is based
on the fact that everything, in order to exist, must have
a greater reality behind it. Example: without the relative
reality of your physical body you cannot think, all thought
being secondary, ephemeral or transient compared to the
body.
The matrix, like all truth, is impersonal.
It is the intermediate power between the abstract reality
and the physical - between the truth and the fact. In its
entirety it runs the whole of existence, with each individual
light contributing to the intelligence of the whole. In
regard to my or anyone's approaching death, it has a special
significance.
The matrix may also be described as a net,
a resilient network responsive to every major and minor
change in existence. Where our individual light is, the
matrix dips. The closer the individual is to death, and
the more profound their knowledge of truth, the more the
dip is accentuated, making possible abstract intercommunication
between people connected by real love. For love, true love,
is the light of self-knowledge and abstract means knowledge
not available to the learned surface mind.
When we love someone for what they are, or
the truth they are, our light focuses on that light in the
matrix, making both lights brighter. If you love BL for
the truth he is, his approaching death has a special significance
for you. Already there will have been a sense of inner change
in you, as well as possibly important changes in circumstances
affecting your work, accommodation and relationships. These
will be for good in the long run. But speculation and imagination
about this must be avoided; at such climactic moments in
our lives, we are here only to witness the reality of this
extraordinary consciousness.
As BL gets closer to death the gravity or
pull of the matrix increases, until at the moment of death
(when the net opens and then begins to resile as though
nothing had been there) extraordinary things may happen.
For instance, the love and truth I am will
enter those closest to me and those who love me most. But
immediately after the death you must be still -
no displays of grief, sorrow, mourning or celebration. Such
personal emotions short circuit the purity of the matrix
and is why the amazing and wonderful experience of immortal
love that enters the lover at death is so rare."
My Health
"My health continues to slowly deteriorate
bringing death gradually closer. But I'm not in pain and
would like to pass on some valued advice for the dying that
I've found to be true. This came from hospice notes and
is largely the message from the palliative care people advising
me.
I'd formed the impression that dying was going
from one medical emergency to another. But the palliative
message is that dying is a natural process, usually 'an
orderly and undramatic progressive series of physical changes
which are not necessarily medical emergencies.'
I've found I descend by plateaus of increased
fatigue and less vitality, each of which I get used to before
descending into the next plateau. The dying process, if
you continue to be spared pain and medical emergencies,
seems to me a matter of 'getting used to' until you enter
the natural state of unconsciousness.
Of course, I've not had chemotherapy or radiation
which do seem to carry difficult side effects. All I'm saying
is that dying, as far as I've experienced so far, is a natural
process which may entail discomfort but may not be as hard
or terrible as at first thought. Perhaps because death is
natural, part of the solution is not to fear it.
Anyway, as you can see, I'm still writing
profusely and seeing deeper into the mystery of death. As
my dear mother said just before she died at age 90, 'Soon
I'll know the grand secret, won't I Barry?'
The piece, 'What
it is to die' that appears here on the website gives
a taste of some of the mysteries revealed in the several
books I've been working on. I trust you enjoy it - enjoy
meaning to enjoin, meaning to join and be one with, to delight
in. That's the spirit."
23 July 2003
I've just spent a couple of weeks in hospital
and am now on a weaker plateau with pain still controlled.
The medication needed adjusting and this was successfully
done. The cancer had reduced the white blood cells of my
immune system so I was given a blood transfusion which has
helped stabilise my new condition.
I am not writing now, only editing the new
books I've done, and am simply enjoying the beauty and warmth
of what seems to be an endless summer here - a great blessing
for a sun boy who approaches his 77th birthday on wattle
day, 1st August and the birthday given to all racehorses
in Australia.
How long do I have? Quite rightly none of
the doctors will or can say but I suspect I have a few weeks
- although I've been proved notoriously wrong at self-diagnosis.
I thank you all again for your good wishes
and loving support. I am surrounded by physical angels.
I want for nothing. And to me all the great good fortune
that I have comes from that mighty indescribable power that
I have always called God.
Sara is by my side literally day and night
and does pretty well nothing else but care for me and look
after me with great love and devotion. No man was ever more
loved than I.
3 September 2003
Well I'm still here. I'm in good spirits,
weaker and seeing that only God knows when.
23 September 2003
But it is far from roses all the way as the
flesh gradually separates
from the coordinating intelligence.
Sometimes you feel so sick you wonder how
the body continues living without dying.
13 November 2003
Barry is a lot weaker and tireder now. He
is sleeping peacefully much of the time and is in no pain.
He has read (or been read) all the many letters
and emails of gratitude and love that he has received up
until now. The flowers people have sent have been lovely
to have around. Thank you.
To me Barry is radiant and wondrous - and
as sweet natured, whole hearted and uncomplaining as ever.
Sara (Barry's partner)
