Tengrism

Tengrism is a shamanistic and animistic religion that originated in the Eurasian steppes, based on shamanism and animism. It typically focuses on the titular sky god Tengri, no deity in the usual sense, but rather a personification of the universe. Some scholars beleive that adherents of Tengrism consider the purpose of life to establish harmony with the universe. It was the prevailing religion of the Göktürks, Xianbei, Bulgars, Xiongnu, Yeniseian and Mongolic peoples, and the Huns.  By the 12th–13th centuries, Tengrism began to become influenced by monotheism. All modern adherents of "political" Tengrism are monotheists. Tengrism has been championed by the intelligentsia of the Turkic nations of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan with Kazakhstan) and Russia (Tatarstan, Bashkortostan) ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union during the 1990s.According to polemicists, "political" Tengrism represents a key element in the renewal of Turkic–Mongol ethnic identity and should be adopted as the official religion by the new states of the region.  On a scale of complexity, Tengrism lies somewhere between the Proto-Indo-European religion (a pre-state form of pastoral shamanism on the western steppe) and its later form, the Vedic religion. The chief god Tengri (Heaven) is strikingly similar to the Indo-European sky god Dyḗus and the East Asian sky god Tian. Tengrism formed from the various Turkic and Mongolic folk religions, which had a diverse number of deities, spirits and gods. Turkic folk religion was based on Animism and similar to various other religious traditions of Siberia, Central Asia and Northeast Asia. Ancestor worship played an important part in Tengrism. Tengrism also played a large role in the religion of Mongol Empires as the primary state spirituality. In Mongolian folk religion, Genghis Khan is regarded as the embodiment of Tengri's will. in the Secret History of the Mongols. written in 1240, Genghis mentions both Eternal Tengri and "heaven and earth" when he says "By the mercy of Eternal Tengri and the blessing of heaven and earth I have greatly increased in power, united all the great nations and brought them under my reins." According to Hungarian archaeological research, the pre-Christian religion of the Magyars (Hungarians) until the end of the 10th century was a form of Tengrism and Shamanism. Tengrists view their existence as sustained by the eternal blue sky (Tengri), the fertile mother-earth spirit (Eje) and a ruler regarded as the chosen one by the holy spirit of the sky. Heaven, earth, the spirits of nature, and ancestors protect and supply the needs of humanity. By living an upright and respectful life, a person will keep their life in balance and perfect their personal Wind Horse, or spirit. Traditional Tengrism was more embraced by the nomadic Turks than by those residing in the lower mountains or forests. This belief influenced Turkic and Mongol religious history since ancient times until the 14th century, when the Golden Horde converted to Islam. Since then, Tengrism was mostly submerged by other religious ideas. Traditional Tengrism persists among the Mongols and in some Turkic and Mongolic influenced regions of Russia (Sakha, Buryatia, and Tuva) in parallel with other religions.