The Quest of Jean Gebser The Ever–Present Origin Hans Heimer Cheshire, England
1. Introduction When we read The Ever–Present Origin (EPO) and Gebser’s other writings forming the seven volume Complete Edition (In German), we are staggered by the enormous investigation, learning, effort, difficulties and time which must have gone into this work, as well as the insight and wisdom which is displayed. It is a lifetime achievement by a polymath. He was a poet, writer, psychologist, historian and social philosopher who went outside academic philosophy, made himself familiar with most aspects of modern Western thought and to a much more limited extent in later life, with Eastern wisdom. As a courageous and true human being, Gebser was not interested in mere theory, but worked to applly it. He talked about and published his findings because of the urgent need to help humanity out of the catastrophic situations it had created for itself (and of which he himself was the victim).
2. The Biographical Background to Gebser’s Writings Unfortunately the biographical information we have is limited. It would have been intensely interesting to have more detailed data on his intellectual and spiritual quest, its motivation, its stages and growth and his final conclusions. In the Postscript to the Complete Edition (v7 p439), mention is made that in 1947, Gebser started work on an autobiographical reflection entitled ‘To be a Human Being. After–sketches from a Life’. Five chapters were planned: 1.
The Sleeping Years (1905—1931)
2.
The Spanish Interlude (1931–1939)
3.
The Girl in the Snow (1954–1960)
4.
Asian Moons—Western Days (1961–?)
5.
???
Only the first chapter was completed (v7 pp329–4Ol), for the others there are only designs and key words. I have not had the time to study all Gebser’s writings, but based on what I have read, I feel that the following biographical facts are significant in leading to the views expressed in EPO: a) Gebser, born on the 20th August 1905, had a very difficult childhood during the first World War. He had a good relationship with his father, who may have been driven to suicide by his mother, when Gebser was 17 years old. At this time Gebser turned inward to protect himself, as well as his father and sister (to the limited extent possible). c) Gebser sought solace from his problems by reading books, by writing, poetry and the study of languages, principally German, but also Greek, Latin, French, Italian, later Spanish and English.
