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)