Chapter 4, Bogachevsy Summary and Analysis

Gurdjieff meets Bogachevsky, also known as Father Evlissi, after Bogachevsky graduates from the Russian Theological Seminary and arrives in Kars to be ordained into the priesthood. He takes some of the teaching responsibilities for Gurdjieff's education, during which time the young student benefits from the many meetings and discussions with Bogachevsky's friends, all learned men.

During one of these discussions, an army engineer brings up the phenomenon called "table turning", or where people place hands on a table and it bumps out answers with one of its legs. The engineer believes that this involves spirits. The group gathers around a three-legged table, and by placing their hands on it in a certain way, the table begins to tap out answers after several minutes. The group asks about the age of each member, and the table correctly answers. Gurdjieff finds...