Shamanism and Turkish Mythology

Shamanism and Turkish Mythology

The Tendency to Believe and the Need for Civilization go back to the earliest times of humanity. When man first appeared, he was in a state of ignorance, trying to avoid wild animals, seeking refuge in caves and trying to understand nature. We were ignorant and curious and lived a harsh life for thousands of years until a true civilization was established. We tried to make weapons by tying stones to the ends of sticks, and for a long time we didn't even discover fire. Our food could be poisonous, disease threatened us and life expectancy was very short. Because of this, many tribes became cannibalized and conflicts raged.

In ancient times, the human population was low and life was difficult. However, as our civilization progressed and medical advances were made, the population began to grow. In the 1800s, the world population was about one billion, but it is now over 8 billion and is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050.

When we look at ancient social structures, a distinction is made between hunter-gatherer societies and agricultural societies. Early humans were generally hunter-gatherers and lived in small clans and led a nomadic life. These societies tended to sacralize nature and their understanding of religion was based on understanding the mysteries of nature.

Agricultural societies, on the other hand, were settled and developed systems of law, gods and ideologies. These societies were more complex and are known as the first places where religion and laws took shape. However, some societies, such as the ancient Turks, did not leave written sources, so it is difficult to know about their lives.

As hunter-gatherer communities struggled with nature, they tried to give it meaning. For them, rain and plant growth were seen as blessings from the Creator, while natural disasters were interpreted as punishments or warnings. By trying to understand nature, people developed belief systems such as animism and then shamanism. Shamanism represented the human desire to live in harmony with nature and to be with it.

Humans have found a way to establish good relationships with nature, to connect with a force that protects them. This shaped people's idea of gratitude and respect for nature. Gifts or prayers offered to nature reflected people's desire to increase their own security and live in harmony with nature. This was in line with people's ability to find solutions using their practical intelligence and played an important role in the evolutionary process.

The evolution of our abilities arises from the human effort to adapt to our environment and survive. I've shared this example before in a video: if I give you a meal, you won't have to make much effort to get it, because it will be presented directly to you. However, if I put it on top of a tree or bury it on the ground in front of your eyes, you will have to find a solution to reach it.

In this case, you will either have to climb a tree, throw a stone or dig up the burial site, and this will require you to mentally develop a solution. Because humans are in such a constant struggle, they have had to constantly change their environment and develop new techniques. This evolution has continued until today's civilization and one day someone will invent the wheel, someone will learn to use fire, someone will domesticate animals and someone will learn to farm.

In this process, people's minds took over and imagination was born. This imagination shaped both paganism and philosophy and eventually gave birth to science. People look at the clouds to see shapes, look at the stars to create maps and search for the meaning of what they see in their dreams. It is instinctive; people have to constantly think and invent scenarios. In difficult situations, taking refuge in a being more powerful than themselves provides psychological relief. People trust a god as a needy being, like a child trusts its father. But this does not only create a god; since we live in a social environment, we also have to create social rules and laws. This is why religions and the need for justice have made great contributions to humanity.

Today, technology and modern life have made many needs fulfilled. But in ancient times, those who did not follow the law or tradition were left on their own and had to fight for survival on their own. Today, everyone has access to technology and can easily buy food by going to a grocery store. So, while today the need for religions or justice seems to have diminished, in ancient times those who did not follow these laws were left alone and had to fight for survival on their own.

Today, you can sit in an apartment and shout "I don't agree with this" because that's what the world has become. But if you imagine yourself 5,000 years ago, you can better understand how important religion is. Imagine, no civilization, no crowds, no technology, all you know is a huge sky. When it is dark, thousands of stars are visible, the moon shines brightly. In the daytime, the sun looks scorching and really mighty. When you find yourself in this world, you wonder what you are here for. "What am I here for? Because I was not here all the time, I have been here for a few years," only then, what is my reason for being here? These questions are the oldest questions in the world.

There are two big objects on the hill that seem to be constantly watching: one comes during the day, the other comes at night. It rains, floods happen, a wild animal attacks, earthquakes happen, and I don't know what is happening. It seems as if some being is playing with me and I want to deal with this being. That is what we call religion. All I know is that I look at nature, I look at the stars in the sky, I look at the trees around me, I look at the earth. It rains, it feeds me, or sometimes it is very cold. I take something from the earth, just like a mother, the earth nourishes me. So, at the very beginning of all beliefs and logic, it is based on nature.

The sky really looks very interesting. I look at the sky when I pray, I watch the sky for thousands of years, and necessarily one day some smart person starts seeing some shapes in the sky, starts making up a story or starts organizing us by saying, "This is why we are here." The simplest example is Hamurabi. The simplest example is Hamurabi. Hamurabi came to the throne by making many revolutions and had the famous Code of Hammurabi written. However, when he was writing these laws, he made himself look like he was receiving revelation from God. In other words, he said, "I am not saying these things, God is saying them." Just like in the story of the Ten Commandments of Moses. In ancient times, a constitution meant religion. Religion in the early ages was, in the most primitive and simplest terms, the worship of nature, that is pantheism.

Respect nature, bless nature, recognize its greatness and do not harm nature. Because nature is our home and we are part of nature. The sky is very important because in all religions people worshipped the sky. Sometimes as the Sun God, sometimes as the Moon God, sometimes as Ares Mars or some other name, we started to deify the things we saw in the sky. We called the shapes we saw in the sky zodiac signs and made up a story for them. We even started to look for the afterlife in the sky. Because we are in this world now, but people are dying, where do they go when they die?

These people, there was something that spoke to me, it was not the body, but it is no more. People thought that the soul of the deceased person would go on traveling in the world, that was animism. The dead soul goes upwards, just like steam goes upwards, and if it goes upwards, where can it be? It could be in the stars, they shine at night. There is a light in them, a sacredness. So these stars are the home of the deceased souls, or the deceased souls appear like stars up there, and when we look up in the sky and we see the brightest star, the star Sirius, we thought that this is also the home of the greatest soul, or the greatest home.

Yes, the star Sirius and its various cultural and religious connections is indeed an interesting topic. From ancient Egypt to Turkish mythology, Sirius seems to have played an important role in many cultures. The fact that different societies have given Sirius different names and attributed different religious and mythological meanings to this star reflects the fascination and importance people attach to the sky and nature.

It is also interesting that religions and mythologies are intertwined with real history. The boundaries between reality and myth may have been blurred for people in the past. For example, epics like the Iliad seem to describe real events, but there are also fantastic elements involving gods and mythical beings. People may have found it difficult to distinguish between fact and myth because their thinking and the cultural environment in which they lived were different.

People a thousand years ago could perceive mythologies as real events because their sources of information and worldviews were different. They did not have access to information such as books, research sources or the internet as we do today. Therefore, people might have accepted legends and mythologies as true. Also, at that time, religion and mythology were an integral part of everyday life and people accepted these beliefs without question.

Today, we have easier access to scientific and historical information and it is becoming easier to distinguish between fact and myth. However, because people's beliefs and mindsets have changed greatly throughout history, it can be difficult to fully understand and evaluate the worldviews of people in the past.

Yes, as you said, in the past the boundaries between religion, mythology and history were quite blurred and were important elements that formed the memory and identity of a society. Legends, myths and epics played a huge role in shaping the history and culture of a society. Ancient mythological stories, especially creation epics, offer an in-depth look into a society's existential beliefs and worldview.

However, these mythological and legendary stories should not be confused with real history. Distinguishing between facts and myths is an important task for historians and researchers. However, in the past, the transmission of information and knowledge was more limited and myths may have been intertwined with facts. People might have found it difficult to tell the difference between reality and myths, and this could have affected societies' understanding of history.

Today, scientific methods and research techniques make it easier to distinguish between facts and legends. However, in the past, people may have struggled to distinguish between facts and legends, and this may have affected their understanding of history.

Throughout history, people have developed various creation myths and legends. These myths have helped people seek answers to existential questions and make sense of the world. However, it is important that these myths are not confused with reality and are properly related to historical facts.

Yes, as you say, mythologies and legends have helped people seek answers to existential questions and make sense of the world. Over time, these mythological stories have merged with real history and shaped the cultural and historical fabric of societies. However, it is important that these myths are not confused with reality and are properly related to historical facts.

Throughout human history, the mythologies of different cultures have been influenced by each other and shared similar elements over time. This interaction has been realized through trade, migrations, wars and various other interactions. This has led to mythologies becoming similar to each other. However, each mythology has retained its own unique characteristics.

Wars have played an important role in the evolution of humanity. Difficult situations have led people to innovate and look for solutions. Technological and social advances have often been the product of difficult circumstances. However, wars have also brought great suffering and loss. Therefore, wars often have complex and contradictory outcomes.

Throughout human history, cultural interactions and conflicts have played an important role in the evolution of societies. In this process, people have learned from each other, adopted different ideas and beliefs, and built a more complex and diverse cultural heritage over time. This process has played a major role in the evolution and progress of humanity.

Proto-Turks, Semitic Religions and Turkishness

Now, since I put the name "Turk" in the title of the article, it is important to talk a little bit about the origin of the Turks and ancient Turkic culture. We will start by examining the ancient Turks in the first video. Then in the second video we will continue on Turkish mythology.

When we look at the earliest Turkic tribes, we usually find Proto-Turks, Semitic religions and Turkic culture. While some believe that the Turks came from the submerged continent or that there is a history of the Uighur Empire going back 70,000 years, I will focus on the official history, so I will not go into conspiracy theories.

When we say "Turk", we usually think of a person dressed in a hide, armed with a bow and arrow, riding on a horse, with slanted eyes and a thin mustache. This type is a reflection of a tradition from the Af culture. The Af culture is a community that lived in the Altai Mountains and around Minocynoscasia during the Chalcolithic period between 3300 and 2500 BC. These people raised animals such as goats, sheep and cattle, rode horses, used arrows and practiced ceramics. They also made many objects from bronze and copper. They may have even spread their ceramic arts to China, as they had interactions with Indo-European culture.

The Afanasyevo culture is often cited as an example of ancient Turkic societies, but the Turkicness of the Afanasyevo community is controversial. Because the name "Turk" did not yet exist at that time and it is difficult to claim that this community was fully Turkic. However, there are some who believe that the roots of the Turkish community can be traced here. However, I disagree with this idea, because if we want to go back to those times, we have to go back to the very beginning. If we accept that the Turks are descended from here, then we have to make the first humans Turks. In fact, if we believe, we should even make Adam a Turk.

As a Turkic symbol, the wolf usually comes to mind, because the Turk and the wolf are historically closely related. However, when we look at the Afanasyevo culture, we see that their sacred animal is the eagle. They even carved eagle motifs on the weapons they used and painted eagle figures on tombstones or walls.

The Andronovo culture is a Bronze Age people who lived in Western Siberia, around Altai and the God Mountains, between 2000 and 900 BC. These people are more recent in date and are generally thought to have spoken Uralic languages. They had a mixed community structure, mostly nomads and villages. According to many historians, the Andronovo culture may be the ancestor not only of the Turks, but also of the Caucasus and Mongolia. This is because this culture was influenced by Indo-Iranian culture and spread to these communities. Even in the epic of Alper Tunga, we can see themes such as the Turanian-Iranian struggle. In other words, there were close relations between the Iranian people and the Persians.

It is important to explain why the ancient Turks are "ancient" because today's Turks are no longer the Turks of old. Especially after the relations with Iran and the spread of Islam, a series of events discredited Turkism for a while. Turks, unfortunately, became assimilated, that is, culturally melted down. Even the Turkishness of the Ottomans is disputed. This is not a statement or a fabrication, many historians have studied this. Because societies often want to legitimize themselves and sometimes they do it with history, sometimes with religion. The sultans were usually born to foreign mothers, and the top positions of the state were made up of devshirma. In short, since Turkish culture did not exist, there was no Turkishness in the Ottoman period. However, in stating this fact, I must emphasize that I am not hostile to the Ottomans. Because when I talk about the absence of the concept of Turkishness in the Ottoman period, I run the risk of being seen as an enemy of the nation.

Recently, the discourse of an ancestor fantasy has become quite popular. Therefore, I wanted to point this out. Also, I should mention one more fact: The Ottomans tried to conquer and grow everywhere by following a policy of conquest. However, its own culture was not so robust. Think about what they were doing, they were trying to do it with religion and they were trying to Islamize the places they went. They wanted at least our religion to be the same, but that often got a reaction and caused riots. The children they recruited as devshirme would grow up to betray and take revenge. As a result, they had to start melting into this cosmopolitan structure. After a while, they started to take on their culture, which is called assimilation. Unfortunately, this assimilation process was very effective after the end of the caliphate. Turkish culture was forgotten, identity took a back seat and Arabization began.

Today, a large part of what we call Ottomans or Turks actually includes Muslimized Greeks. The Greeks were Islamized and the Turks, unfortunately, were Arabized. Because nationalism is not in the interest of religion. There are even some hadiths in which the prophet denigrates and curses nationalism. Because religion requires being an ummah, and being a nation creates problems. It brings separation. From a logical point of view, it promises equality. It doesn't matter what race or religion you are, as long as you are a Muslim.

But the Umayyad State and various Arab policies unfortunately changed this situation. When we look back in history, ummahism became synonymous with Arabization. Even those who later became Muslims could become slaves, prisoners of war or concubines. Therefore, even if you became a Muslim later, the first one or two generations were not comfortable. After a few generations, if they lived like Muslims, they started to feel comfortable. So unfortunately, under Islam, Turks started to live completely like Muslims, even like Ahl al-Sunnah, that is, like Arabs. In time, even the name Turk was forgotten and started to be used as a swear word.

Bu sadece kültürel yozlaşma değil, aynı zamanda ırksal yozlaşma da var. Osmanlı toprakları 600 yıl boyunca genişledi ve daraldı. Türkler, Rumeli ve diğer bölgeleri fethederken, bazı insanlara tecavüz ettiler. Bazen de Osmanlı kaybetti ve bu düşman askerleri Osmanlı halkına tecavüz etti. Bu durum yüzyıllar boyunca devam etti. Bir yandan Moğollar dünyayı kılıçtan geçiriyor, diğer yandan Papa Haçlı Şövalyeleri gönderiyor, onlar da yakıp yıkıp geçiyor. Kimin kimin çocuğu olduğu belli olmuyor, birçok problem yaşıyoruz. Yani, şimdi çıkıp da “Biz Türküz, Tanrı Türk’ü korusun, Türk olmayanlar aşağılıktır” gibi düşünüyorsunuz, ama bir DNA testi yaptırsanız, muhtemelen %15 Yunan, %10 İtalyan, %30 İranlı, %20 Arap ve karman çorman bir sonuç alırsınız.

You know, you are lucky if you find a Central Asian gene. You can even see it in their looks, I mean, when you look at them, the slanted eyes are gone, they have more of a Middle Eastern look. Today's Turk and Uyghur Turk or Gokturk are not the same Turk. Turkishness is not about a single race, it is a culture, a way of life. Indeed, the Turk has a philosophy, but not anymore. This is due to some necessity. Because it is no longer possible to keep the steppe culture alive in this age. It is 2020, the world is modernizing, technology is developing, we don't have the chance to travel on horseback with arrows in our hands.

But the Turkish name and the Turkish lineage continue in a way, even though it has been damaged. For example, today there are still Scandinavian races, but there is no Vikingism. Vikingism is over, it was a culture, a way of life and it is over. If Atatürk had not glorified Turkishness, nobody would be talking about Turks today. Because nobody was talking about Turks during the Ottoman period either. At that time, the Ottoman Empire and conquests were talked about, but nobody cared about the past Turkish culture, the Turkish race. Because pre-Islamic Turks were pagans, shamans, astray, etc.

Even today, there are still people who come out and say "Turks are honored with Islam", as if they were a dishonorable nation without Islam. Or there are very famous poets who say, "What do I care about the Turk who is not a Muslim?" and these are applauded. But there is nothing to do, times have changed, friends. Atatürk tried to revive this Turkish consciousness, but I don't know how effective it was. Past epics were translated, Turkish sources were found, many translations were made from various turkologists, Turkish history was tried to be taught.

However, in this case we created an antipathy. Nationality started to say that whatever was done was Turkish poop just because of political views, just because Atatürk did it. So why did Ataturk try to resurrect the Turkish name or name the country Turkey? Because that was the best option, you are on your way to establish a new country and you have two options: one, either you build an empire again; or you bring Sharia with Islamist logic, which is what most people want. The third option is that you create it yourself, you ignore both and create something brand new.

At least you will go down in history in an honorable way. If you say let's become Islamist, it won't work, because there is a different understanding of Islam in every neighborhood, the country is full of congregations, sects, there are many sects. If you say let's build an empire, there is already a new empire, the Habsburg dynasty has already fallen, the Greek Kingdom has already fallen, the Russian Tsardom has already fallen, empires all over the world have already begun to fade into history. It would be funny to build an empire again, it would be ridiculed, and it wouldn't work. The most logical thing was to rise from the ashes in a way that suited the modern world, like a phoenix. The most logical and the most appropriate to our history was to try to become a nation state.

Not the Turkish race, but the Turkish nation. Blessed is he who is born a Turk, his nation does not know that he is a Turk. That's different, but that's not a problem, you will teach these things with the Turkish History Thesis and the Turkish History Institution. This is exactly Atatürk's policy, that is why he was named Atatürk. However, there is a problem with this policy; Turkishness is not only a race, it is also a culture, a tradition, a belief. But you are trying to bring Turkishness to a geography where Turkishness has been forgotten for a thousand years, 1400 years, where shamanism has been abandoned, where there is no Tengricism, in a geography that has entered a completely different religion. People will not accept this, they will call it idolatry, they will call it the work of the devil, they will call it heresy.

So, in a way, when you bring Turkishness, you bring it not with its culture or religion, but with its history. Let's leave shamanism and all that, anyone can believe in it. Let us tell our history. After all, Europe does not call us Ottoman or Ottoman, they call us Turk. Even in the maps drawn in the 1500s, they call the Ottoman Empire the Turkish homeland, the whole world already calls us Turks, why shouldn't we call ourselves Turks? That would be foolish. What kind of inferiority psychology? Of course, this country, this land has been ruled and administered by Turks for thousands of years. Turks have come and gone here in one way or another and established different tribes. So, you will establish the country under the name of Turkey, because the world recognizes it as such, and you will remind the nation of the Turkish name because it has a glorious history.

It is not just a matter of translating epics. Turkish history will be taught in primary and secondary schools and this new and sterile understanding of history that Europe is trying to create will be broken. Because when you look at Europe, they don't talk about their history at all. There is a saying that Turks are in Europe's history, but not in its culture. But when you look at those periods, we are not even in their history, they do not mention Turks in their books and schools. They are officially trying to erase Turks. It continues even today. Therefore, both 100 years ago and today, we are obliged to teach Turkishness and talk about Turkish history. This is a duty, even a patriotic duty, a debt, a legacy. Ataturk shouldered this legacy very well, and we must continue to carry it.

Now, just because we are talking about the Turks here, I cannot talk about the Ottomans, Seljuks, Gokturks or other tribes, because to go into their war history would mean talking for 500 hours. For how many millennia, how many states have been established, how many heroes have come, which one are we going to talk about? We say that the Ottomans were Turks, but Timur, who fought against the Ottomans, was also a Turk, and he is also a very important figure. So, rather than Turkish history, I would like to go into Turkish religion, Turkish beliefs and Shamanism, because many of these rituals and rituals are still going on today.

Of course, many of them are gone, especially many traditions and customs related to social life. For example, anyone who has studied history knows that the whole life of a human being develops through learning and making good use of what life and nature have to offer. And every society takes on the character of the region in which it lives. A society living in a cold region will have a different mindset.

A society living in a hot region will develop a culture accordingly. But tribes like the Turks, who are nomadic and live in steppe culture and deal with really very harsh and harsh natural conditions, will have a very strong, very hard and very fast structure, just like this character. Also, this structure brings equality, because in these living conditions men and women are equally burdened with work. That is why, among the Turks, women are also warriors, women also ride horses, women also shoot arrows, and women even rule the state when necessary.

For example, the story of Hakan and Hatun is very common and this is something that is unique to the Turks and Vikings. What I want to say here is that when you look at the Torah or other Abrahamic religions, women are always seen as sinful, ugly beings who lead men astray, who drive them out of paradise. When the lineage of Adam is counted, in the creation section of the Torah, no women are named, as if Adam and Eve never had a daughter. Women are deliberately relegated to the background.

In Turkish belief, female figures, especially white mother figures such as Mother Umay, are extremely sacred and important. In the Turks, characters such as the Akinci and the Hunter have come to the fore and have a characteristic called the Alpine tradition. However, in order to understand these characters, it is first necessary to understand creation, and in order to understand creation, it is necessary to understand mythologies. Mythologies emerged out of the fear of death, as people were confronted with the fact that the dead would never come back. Because people could not cope with the unknown behind death, they created an afterlife and sometimes started to worship spirits. So, in this context, mythologies and beliefs play a very important role in Turkish culture.

Turkish Culture, Shamanism System and Death Rituals

While shamanism in Turkic culture is a generally accepted fact, not all Turkic societies perceived this belief system in the same way. For example, some researchers have argued that Turks have a more mature understanding of shamanism than Altai and Yakut shamanism. Moreover, some authors have also recognized that the principles of shamanism in the Turks have become as solidified as religion. So, why do they accept that it has become as robust as religion? Shamanism is normally not a religion, it is a system, a practice. For example, monotheism is not a religion, it is a system; this monotheism includes Christianity and Islam. In the same way, polytheism is not a religion; within polytheism there is Egyptian mythology, there is Greek mythology.

When you say "I am a monotheist" or "I am a polytheist", you are not expressing which religion you believe in, but which system you accept. This is what shamanism is like; it is a system of nature worship and out of this system came paganism, which is called Tengri or Tengricism. Apart from that, most Turks have been totemists, monotheists, Buddhists or Taoists. However, these beliefs did not last long, they were forgotten, because they were monopolized by the East. For example, when we say Taoism today, we think of the Far East, but we don't directly remember the Turks. Because Tengri and Tengricism are part of the Turkish faith.

The rituals that the Turks performed to ensure peace were often associated with blood. For example, the shedding of blood during prayers or rituals was a reflection of this belief. This practice continued even during the Ottoman period. When a sacrifice was slaughtered, it was believed that the blood washed away sins; similarly, when performing ablution, it was believed that sins were washed away with the water. For some, blood was sacred, especially for rulers and nobles. Their blood was not spilled because it was believed to have a sacred quality. For example, if a prince was to be killed, he would be strangled to death without shedding blood.

Although there were many coups and revolutions during the Ottoman period, the blood of leaders was generally not shed. Because it was believed that shedding sacred blood would bring bad luck. People were often drowned and blood was not shed during changes of leaders. This belief was similar in other cultures such as the Mongols and the Chinese.

For example, in Chinese mythology, God had created some people more special than others and they were called lords or aristocrats. They were thought to be endowed with a God-given divine gift and their leadership was often blessed and proclaimed by God or priests.

The Altai Turks generally expressed life in three different terms: tin, süne and kut. Tin is an entity, a spirit, an essence, present everywhere in the universe; it can also be found in stone, earth and humans. Süne, on the other hand, is a spirit, will and soul that belongs only to humans and includes abilities such as astral travel.

Kut, on the other hand, can be found in everything, animate or inanimate, and can give sanctity to everything. This sacred power is given or received by the will of God and enables a person to become a superior being. Receiving Kut enlightens a person spiritually and makes them special. This concept can be considered a philosophical term and the Greek version is called wisdom. In Islam, it is called guidance. Those who have Kut are considered to be people with special abilities and can show some enchanting properties.

In the Turkic faith, people who have kut are called alps, and thanks to their kut, they are able to perform special feats. For example, people like Oghuz Kagan possessed these qualities and achieved many extraordinary successes with their kut. In Turkish culture, there is a belief that in order for the Alp character to ascend to heaven after death in an eternal and honorable way, he must be victorious over his enemies, and kut plays a key role in this process. As seen in the Oghuz Kagan epic, the fact that Oghuz goes to the gods after his death is a reflection of this belief.

A similar motif appears in ancient Greek mythology. Hercules proves himself by passing 12 difficult tests and joins the pantheon when he dies. Similarly, Jesus dying on the cross and then being united with the gods is considered an important theme in the Christian faith. In these examples, the holy spirit or holy spirit is believed to unite the person with the gods or to provide a privileged status for an honorable afterlife.

You meet Jesus and you eat and drink and chat with him. This is something that the Vikings also did, so it was also found among the Scandinavians. They had what they called the "Valhalla faith". When a warrior dies, he goes to the place where the gods live and talks to the gods, especially Thor, eats and fights. Since the warrior's whole life is spent fighting, he enjoys fighting in the afterlife. Of course, if he does not die, he can fight forever and use his skills to perfection.

Apart from that, Vikings and similar warriors were buried with their belongings when they died. They would be buried with swords, armor, or the spoils they had obtained. Because they believed that in the next world these things would enrich them and help them fight.

We can also see this understanding among the Turks. When a ruler or leader dies, he is buried with his belongings. Sometimes he is even buried with his horse. Because they believed that these belongings and the horse would serve him in the afterlife. Even those who find the graves of great figures can be killed, because the graves are sacred and must not be opened.

Turks would bury a deceased person in the fall if they died in spring, or in spring or summer if they died in winter. During this time, the body was preserved with a method called embalming to prevent decay. This method was also used for important people like Atatürk. However, some people confuse this process with mummification and think that we idolize Atatürk. In fact, this is part of the Turkish tradition.

After 40 days of a deceased person's death, a ceremony is held to commemorate them and prayers are said. This tradition still continues. However, this is not found in the Islamic faith. In Islam, what we call "Mevlid" is the celebration of the prophet's birthday. But in the Turkish tradition, it has turned into a memorial ceremony for a deceased person. Similarities can be found in all faiths.

Tengrism, Mythologies and Traditions

The Emergence and Evolution of Beliefs Sometimes a new belief appears suddenly; sometimes people combine old and new beliefs. Over time, they may even forget which belief is old and which is new. For example, among the Turks, creation has been treated in three different ways through Tengrism, mythologies and traditions. The idea that the universe was threefold was depicted as the sky, the earth and the underworld. Today this concept is known as heaven, earth and hell. Ancient Greece had a similar belief system: Pantheon, earth and Tartaros. Tartaros was the underground region where evil spirits went and were tormented.

The Threefold Understanding of the Universe and its Changes This threefold understanding of the universe has not changed over time, but details have been added. For example, according to the Torah, God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh day. Islam also believes that the universe was created in six stages or six days. Turks, on the other hand, have two different versions due to the nations and religions they have been influenced by. Western Turks, influenced by Christianity, sanctified the number seven. Eastern Turks, influenced by other nations such as the Scandinavians, depicted a ninefold creation.

Sacred Trees and Belief Rituals Ancient Turks often likened plane and poplar trees to the sacred tree of creation. More recently, cypress trees have come to be seen as the tree of life and are planted in cemeteries. Among the Western-influenced Turks, the ritual of the seven rounds of return for the soul of the deceased to reach heaven is still practiced today. This ritual stems from the belief that there are seven levels of heaven.

Ancient Celestial Bodies and the Symbolism of Numbers The significance of the number seven is based on the seven major celestial bodies known in ancient times: Moon, Sun, Saturn, Mars and others. These celestial bodies play an important role in belief systems and rituals.

The belief systems prevalent in the Romans and Ancient Greece were also reflected in Turkish culture. Turkish funeral ceremonies are known as "yuğ" and the person who conducts these ceremonies is called "yahucu". In the Orkhon and Tonyukuk monuments, the word "you" is found and the belief in ascension is seen. The purpose of ascension is to go to heaven and unite with God. In this process, aids such as wolves, goats or eagles are used. A similar example in Islam is the event of Miraj, when the prophet ascended to the sky on a mount called Burak.

Other tools used by the Turks to ascend to the sky are shamans and the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life is considered to be a tree that connects the earth to the afterlife and the iron stake. The iron stake is the star Sirius and is located in the constellation Dog. In shamanic rituals, the shaman accompanies the deceased and provides passage to the realm of the dead. Trees are seen as suitable for communicating with the deity and receiving inspiration. These beliefs were not completely forgotten with the arrival of Islam and continued to live in the memory of the people.

The tribes that established states in Central Asia and the tribes that migrated remained under the influence of different beliefs. Beliefs such as Chinese philosophy, Indian Buddhism and Christianity affected the Turkish social structure and rituals. As a result of these interactions, there were divisions among the Turks and a deep-rooted empire could not be created. With the spread of Christianity and Islam, beliefs such as shamanism weakened and were replaced by new religions over time. For example, in Christianity, Saturnalia celebrations and December 25, the birthday of Mithra, began to be celebrated as Christmas. Such changes show how belief systems have evolved over time and how they interact with each other.

Nowruz, Hızırellez and Hızır İlyas are traditional holidays celebrating the awakening and renewal of nature. These holidays are organized to celebrate the equinox, the time when day and night are equal. Hızır means green and represents spring. Spring is a vital time, especially for steppe peoples living in harsh winter conditions.

After the hardships of winter, the arrival of spring means the resumption of life. For this reason, unexpected help and surprises are expressed as "catching up like Hızır". Unable to change deeply rooted beliefs, statesmen or religious leaders have transformed the meaning of folk rituals by integrating them into their own belief systems. For example, Saturnalia, which was celebrated on December 25th in the Roman Empire, has come to be celebrated as Christmas in Christianity.

In Turkish culture, the tradition of leaving food on the grave of the deceased continues today with the ritual of pouring water. This is more of a cultural tradition beyond the practices introduced by Islam. Shamanic customs such as lighting candles in mausoleums and tying cloths to trees considered sacred have continued under the influence of different religions. The tradition of lighting candles in the fire cult is based on the belief that if the candle melts completely while praying, the wish will be granted, and this practice has continued in Christianity. Today, some Muslims also light candles in shrines. Similarly, the use of amulets and totems are among the modern applications of ancient beliefs.

In pagan beliefs, the concepts of good luck and bad luck are associated with certain objects. These objects can be objects such as rabbit's foot, read first, evil eye beads, which are believed to bring good luck or protect people from evil. People hang these objects around their neck or carry them in their pockets. These practices are part of pagan rituals and have continued in different forms in different cultures over time.

For example, there is a tradition of giving a piece of stone or bone to a shaman or cleric and having prayers read on it to make it auspicious. Practices such as drawing drawings or writing prayers in Arabic on such objects are known as amulets or talismans and come from paganism. Although such practices have no place in Islam, it is observed that some mosque hodjas perform procedures such as exorcism, exorcism, writing amulets and breaking spells and earn money from this business. This is related to culture, not religion, and similar practices were common in Arab culture.

The pagan Arabs believed in four great powers and hoped to achieve success by praying to them. Later, their belief in idols such as Lat, Menat and Uzza developed. For thousands of years, people have relied on amulets and talismans and believed these objects to be protective.

In Ahmad Bin Ali Albuni's book "Shams al-Ma'arif al-Kubra", it is described that there are four great masters who govern the four seasons of the year. These masters are located in the four corners of the world and are sometimes called angels, maliks or ifrit. Different cultures have recognized and celebrated these four great beings by different names.

Names such as Azrael, Gabriel or Michael are similar to these four great beings. However, the word Azrael does not appear in the Qur'an and in Islam the angels of death are considered to be more than one being. Through hadiths and pagan beliefs, the name Azrael is still used today.

Beliefs such as the four great angels or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse exist in many religions. Humans have divided the universe and life into four main elements: east, west, north, south; fire, water, earth and air. Over time, beliefs based on these four elements evolved into concepts such as the four great angels or the four architects, and people began to ask for help from these beings.

According to the Islamic understanding, Allah is the only deity and everything should be sought from Him. Therefore, asking for help from the four great powers is considered shirk and is wrong. However, as a result of cultural interactions, such beliefs and practices have persisted in different forms and over time have become intertwined with religious practices.

Human belief in various belief systems and metaphysical entities throughout history is a common phenomenon across cultures and religions. Kabbalism, as part of Jewish mysticism, includes teachings that letters and numbers carry special meanings and hold universal secrets. According to this teaching, there are 22 letters and each has a value; when used in the right order, these letters can have the power to work miracles.

Kabbalism was taught to some Jews as far back as ancient Egypt, and over time it has taken different forms in different cultures and belief systems. For example, numerology practices, such as the ebced calculus, have been used for personal prophecies and future predictions. However, the authenticity of such practices has not been proven and are generally considered part of beliefs and traditions.

It is known that clergymen, especially in ancient times, had an important place in society due to their knowledge of sciences such as astronomy and medicine, and were sometimes even more feared than the king. In ancient Egypt, the ability of astronomers to predict events such as solar eclipses gave them great power and respect.

During the spread of Islam to Anatolia, thought leaders such as Sarı Saltuk, Hacı Bektaş Veli and Ahmet Yesevi facilitated popular acceptance by reinterpreting Islam with the local beliefs of the region. They presented Islam in a more peaceful and spiritual way through Sufi teachings.

Practices such as seeking help from djinns, writing amulets and exorcism are still practiced among the people today. Such practices are not limited to Kabbalism, but are also rooted in Turkish and Arab cultures with shamanism and similar beliefs. These beliefs have evolved over time under the influence of different cultures and religions and have continued in different forms.

That is why so many sects and communities have emerged. The ones close to Buddhism produce people like Mevlana and develop the concept of wahdat. Those who are close to Shamanism develop a belief based on Turkish culture and Turkish customs but are Muslim in appearance. Apart from these, there is vefailism, kalenderism, haydarism, on and on and on. All of these are in a way a product of our failure to Islamize.

Turks did not accept Islam directly, that is, they did not accept it. There was a lot of fighting and bloodshed at the beginning. There was a large group who became Muslims by force of sword, and there was a large community who resisted this for centuries, who tried to protect their faith by not learning Islam from the Umayyads, Abbasids or Iranian people.

In time, of course, they started to assimilate, they could not afford it and they combined their understanding of Islam with their own understanding, that is, with shamanic teachings, which today we call the Turkish Islamic synthesis and this is still going on. That's why many of the things that our people today think are Islamic teachings come from shamanism, or many of the events and people that they think are written in the Qur'an are actually from either Arab mythology or Turkish beliefs.

We had to take not only religion but also culture in a way and this was counterproductive. Because Islam, with all due respect, is an Arab religion and it tries to spread Arab culture. We don't know what is written in the Quran. Okay, they can be interpreted, but when you look at it, none of the Arab states and none of the Islamic states followed a policy of "your religion, your people; mine is for me", they waged jihad everywhere and especially tried to inculcate Arab worship.

Throughout history, the adoption and adaptation of various beliefs and practices among different cultures and religions has been a feature of human history. The Umayyad State's perception of the Turks and the cultural conflicts following the adoption of Islam are part of this process. With the acceptance of Islam, the influences and practices of Arab culture were blended with the Turkish society's own beliefs and traditions.

The fact that natural elements such as water, which are considered sacred, carry different meanings in different cultures and are associated with different rituals is an example of this cultural interaction. The fact that Turks see water as a symbol of life and Arabs associate water with cleanliness and worship by performing ablution is a reflection of these differences.

Shamanism and Arab-Turkish Relations

The combination of Shamanism and Islam contributed to the formation of a unique understanding of Islam in Turkish culture. Shamans were believed to communicate with spirits, possess healing powers and have significant authority in society. This is a belief that has persisted from ancient times to the present day, and shamans were seen as people with both religious and medical knowledge.

The adoption and practice of Islam by the Turks did not fully harmonize with Arab culture. This led the Turks to search for an understanding of Islam closer to their own cultural values and beliefs. This search continues with various interpretations such as scientific Islam, moderate Islam and political Islam.

The role of shamans in society is important, not only as healers and diviners, but also as a bridge to the worship of deities. This parallels the confessional ritual in Christianity, where shamans were used as intermediaries for spiritual cleansing.

Such beliefs and practices show how cultures and religions interact and influence each other over time.

In Scandinavian societies, there were oracles that leaders consulted and were highly respected by the people. These oracles were known as "volva" and their words had a great influence on the leaders' decisions. If an oracle recommended an expedition, it was followed; otherwise, one stayed where it was recommended. Similarly, in Ancient Greece there were oracles such as the Oracle of Delphi. These oracles received visions from the god Apollo and made prophecies that were extremely valuable to the people. The people held these oracles in high esteem because they were understood to be prophets or messengers.

One of the basic principles of shamanism is the belief that everything and everyone is interconnected. This belief is based on the idea that nature is one and sacred. In the tree, in the stone, in the sky and in us humans - we all come from the same origin and are in the same existence. When we die, we will be part of the same cycle. Therefore, we are all one. While this idea is called "pantheism" in the literature, in the Islamic understanding it is known as "Wahdat-i Body" and is included in Sufi philosophy.

Relations between Turks and Arabs date back to the third century AD, albeit indirectly. The Sassanid Empire ruled and controlled both Persian and Arab territories, while at the same time struggling with the Turks. Although there were good agreements between them from time to time, rebellions were frequent due to the system of asabiyyah between the tribes. The Sassanid State sometimes used Arabs and sometimes Turks to suppress these rebellions. While this strategy was used to keep good relations with the Turks, in cases where the Turks caused problems, the Arabs were used against the Turks. Such political maneuvers led to war and enmity between Turks and Arabs.

Relations between Arabs and Turks have historically been complex and diverse. Arabs are reported to have recognized and respected the warrior skills of the Turks. However, there are also accounts that demonize and humiliate the Turks due to wars and conflicts. Some sources from the pre-Islamic period claim that the Turks would accept Islam but would not be able to fully live the religion. Such narratives may have been used to humiliate the Turks.

In Europe, Turks were often portrayed as a frightening and foreign power. Events ranging from Attila the Hun's raids to the Siege of Vienna contributed to the negative shaping of the image of Turks in Europe. Phrases such as "the Turks are coming", which were popularly used to scare children and keep them under control, were part of this negative image.

In the story of the sons of Noah in the Torah, Turks are portrayed in a negative light by being identified with Gog and Magog. Such narratives, when considered in a historical and cultural context, reflect the attitudes and prejudices of different societies towards each other.

Relations between Arabs and Turks go back deep into history and have not always been based on brotherhood. Throughout history, there have been both wars and alliances between Arabs and Turks. While some historical sources state that the Arabs recognized the Turks as strong warriors and gave them their due, on the other hand, there are also narratives that humiliate and demonize them for their wars with the Turks.

For example, the Arab attitude towards the Turks during the Sharif Revolt is a reflection of this complex relationship. According to Islamic belief, Arabs are considered to be the race from which the prophets came and are therefore considered sacred. However, Islamic doctrine states that God sends prophets to deviant societies, which calls into question the reason for the Arabs' continuous hosting of prophets.

When we look at history, we see that there were many wars during the spread of Islam and Turks gradually adopted Islam. If Turkish societies had been able to form a united empire, perhaps this process of assimilation would not have happened and Turkish beliefs would have continued more strongly until today. However, while the Turks struggled with many difficulties, relations with the Arabs added to these difficulties.

The Turks' acceptance of other faiths and the difficulties experienced during the transition to Islam may be related to their way of life and belief systems. Turkish beliefs are similar to those of the Far East, and this similarity has parallels with the Japanese understanding of Shintoism and the creation epics. These similarities have created a cultural affinity between the Turks and the Japanese.

The Roman Empire is also thought to have had an assimilation effect on the Turks. Common beliefs and figures between nations strengthen cultural ties. The story of Remus and Romulus being raised by a wolf in the founding myth of Rome is similar to the story of Bozkurt and wolf figures such as Aşina or Asena in Turkish mythology. These common motifs may have facilitated the integration of Turks into Roman culture.

Turkish Mythology and Turkish Epics

The understanding of Tengrism and Turkish mythology shows some similarities with Japanese mythology. According to the Japanese, at the beginning of the universe, the earth and the sky were united and the universe was like a shapeless egg. Over time, the light and pure essence of this egg rose up to form the sky, while the heavy and solid part came down to form the earth. The realm of darkness in Japanese mythology is called "Yomi", which is similar to the ancient Greek concept of Tartaros or our concept of hell. The myth goes on to explain that during Izanami's enlightenment phase to break the curse, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu was born from his left eye and the Storm God Susanoo from his right eye.

The mythological similarities are not limited to stories; there are also parallels in definitions. In the Japanese understanding, "kami" symbolizes both the god and the godmen, the seers. In Turkish culture, too, there are shamans, or "kams", and they symbolize the god. The Japanese say "Kami", we say "Kam" and we have continued the same tradition.

According to the Altai Creation Epic compiled by Raddoff, in the beginning everything was water; there was no earth, no sky, and the sun and moon did not yet exist. At that time, Tengri Kayra Khan, the highest of gods and the beginning of all beings, created a being similar to himself and named him "Kişi". Kayra Khan and the Person flew and glided over the water. However, the Person was not satisfied with this eternal silence and wanted to soar higher. Because of this extravagant desire, he lost his ability to fly and fell into the bottomless waters. When he called for help, Tengri ordered him to rise from the water, and with this order, the Person was freed from the water

Since he could no longer fly, Tengri wanted to create the earth and told the One to dive into the water and bring up soil from the depths. He sprinkled the earth on the water. However, he secretly hid a piece of earth in his mouth, and when Tengri ordered the creation of the earth, the earth in his mouth swelled and he began to suffocate. Tengri saved his life by ordering him to spit out the earth in his mouth. The earth created by Tengri was flat and uneven, but the earth that gushed out of the mouth of the Person splashed everywhere, creating swamps and hills.

Erlik was an expelled being from the realm of light, just as Iblis was expelled from the presence of God. The mythological similarities indicate that Erlik was on the expelled side or the evil side. Like a fallen angel, Erlik had lost his wings and the ability to fly. Izanami went through a similar situation; he was a holy being, descended to Yomi, lost his holiness and went through a process of purification. Izanami and Erlik are not just evil beings, but beings who are negative by their very existence. Because Ulgen or Izanagi is positive and completes duality. The Turks and Japanese also worshipped and sacrificed to Izanami or Erlik. Good and evil, darkness and light, are things that always co-exist, and one without the other has little meaning.

Recognizing good and evil gods plays an important role in understanding one's own existence and the world. In mythologies, these gods symbolize man's inner conflicts and nature. Man has tried to make sense of his own actions and life through mythological figures. Good and bad actions are seen as elements that ensure the survival and development of society. Religions also emphasize the will of man, through which he can reach the highest heights or fall to the lowest levels.

In Tengrism, Tengri, the sky god, symbolizes mercy and resides in the sky. Erlik, on the other hand, dwells in the underworld, in a palace made of black mud and imprisons the souls of the dead. These concepts parallel god figures in other cultures, such as Set in Egypt, Hades in Greece, Shiva in India or Ehrimen in Iran. These figures are often beings that people fear and revere.

In the Torah, Jehovah is depicted as God sitting in the heavens, while the serpent is banished to the earth, that is, down below. In Islam, this exiled figure of evil is the devil exiled to hell. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the story of Gilgamesh's quest for immortality and the theft of the flower of immortality by a snake led to the snake being seen as a symbol of evil and sin. For this reason, enmity began between the snake and man. In the Torah, man is cursed with mortality because he sins, and it is a snake that causes him to sin. Today this serpent is called the devil, and the devil is considered an open enemy to man.

Mythological stories are treated with similar themes in different cultures. Universal stories such as Noah's Flood are also found in Turkish mythology, but in the Turkish tradition, humanity is said to have descended from many people, not just two. The flood story told in Abdülkadir İnan's book "History of Ancient Turkish Religion" exemplifies this difference. In the story, seven saintly brothers foresaw the flood and built an ark to survive. After the flood, among the bodies revived by Ulgen were people of various age groups, and thus humanity emerged.

In this story, it is noteworthy that Erlik is the eldest brother and replaces Ulgen. Turkish mythology has been influenced by other cultures and many different versions have emerged. In the creation of man, it is said that Ulgen created the shell, the body, but it was Erlik who breathed the soul. This symbolizes that human beings have both good and evil qualities within them and that the evils in the world stem from this inner conflict. Religions and philosophy describe this inner struggle and which side will prevail, the spirit or the nature. After death, it is thought that the human being will go in the direction of whichever god he or she has become closer to; up to the sky towards Ulgen or down to the underworld towards Erlik.

This narrative in Turkish mythology seems to be compatible with the modern understanding of science and the theory of evolution. The idea that humanity is not descended from a single couple but from many individuals is in line with the evolutionary process. The depiction of God as a being sitting on his throne in the sky is a common theme in almost all belief systems.

Even in the scriptures it is written that in order to meet God, you have to go through certain stages. In the 'Book of Enoch' it talks about 7 difficult stages. Again, in Islam, there is the Miraj event. The situation of seeing all the stages of the sky is described. Likewise, in Turkish belief, according to the narration identified by On Offin, we pass through 7 or 9 difficult stages on the way to Ulgen. Not everyone can pass through this path to the peace of the country. Only male shamans can pass through it, provided they perform rituals. However, even male shamans can only reach the fifth obstacle, the Iron Stake, that is, Sirius.

The Turks also have a being called Umay Ene, which is similar to the Greek Gaya, the earth. In Greek belief, all created beings, even the gods, overflowed from Gaya. Umay Ene is similar to this and is even mentioned in the Göktürk Inscriptions. Umay Ene is the moment of nature, the protector. According to the Ibn Deva History, the Mongols also had the Uma Hatun culture. They offered sacrifices to this Uma Khatun while preparing for war. In fact, Mongolian and Turkish beliefs are very close to each other. This is already evident from the fact that they have the understanding that they have come from the same roots by making Uma Mother and continuing the blood culture in the same way.

But because of these similarities, we also try to make famous Mongols Turks. For example, there are those who say that Genghis Khan is a Turk, which is a blunder. There is no such thing, he was a Mongol. And to continue, in both shamanism and paganism there is an understanding of idolatry. And the reason for this is this: Because people were intertwined with nature and they sacralized nature. They said, 'There is a word in all nature' and they developed worship related to this word. I have already explained 'Essence', 'Tin Kut' and concepts such as 'essence' and 'religion' are still used in philosophy.

So, he doesn't think you are very unfamiliar with the origin of idol worship. Abu'l Ghazi, Bahadir Khan's ideas were all about substance. Because in all nature there is a promise and this promise is sacred. In a way, human beings will contract when they die, so collecting or worshipping the essence was extremely important.

Kugur çak is a ritual that a person performs to commemorate a deceased loved one and to satisfy his or her longing. In this ritual, the person makes a puppet of their deceased loved one and places it in a sacred place in their home. Before eating, the first bite is placed in front of the puppet, because the belief is that the spirit is still in the world and will consume the food. Over time, this practice became more than just a personal remembrance ritual and was used to worship important figures, leaders, seers and shamans of the community. On anniversaries of death or on certain religious days, the community comes together to worship these figures. This is part of the culture of ancestor worship, and idolatry derives from the idea of worshipping the dead in the most primitive times.

Ancient Egypt had a similar periodization: ancestor worship and animal worship. Later, Amenhotep IV, also known as Pharaoh Akhenaton, tried to introduce the belief in one god, the Aten, but eventually failed and returned to polytheism. People do not give up their beliefs easily and that is why, even after thousands of years, even though we live in the Islamic geography, Turkish beliefs persist. People symbolized spirits first with idols and then with animals.

Each nation is known for the animals it considers sacred. For example, while the eagle was considered a sacred animal in Afanasia, the wolf played this role for the Göktürks. In Rome, the bear was sanctified during the periods when the belief in Mithraism was widespread. However, the figure of the wolf in Turkish mythology is particularly important. As described in the Bozkurt Epic, the wolf is considered a symbol of the Turks' power of life and war. The wolf, with its agile, mobile and powerful nature, was used as a motif on the flags and mountains of the Turks. This reflects the Turks' nomadic lifestyle and their struggle with harsh natural conditions.

Wolf symbolism is so deeply rooted in Turkish history that even Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had a wolf figure placed on Turkish banknotes issued in England in 1927. This shows that the presence of the wolf symbol in a country bearing Turkey's name is a historical necessity. In the Epic of Oghuz Khan, it is told that Oghuz's wife descended from the sky in the form of a blue wolf, and in the Epic of Ergenekon, a wolf saved the Turks. In the Uighur Derivation Epic, God descends to earth in the form of a male wolf and marries the daughter of a Turkish ruler. From this union, the Uighur race was born.

The Gokturk Epic tells the story of a boy who, after the Turks were defeated in war and almost their entire population wiped out, was left alive out of pity by the enemies, his hands and feet cut off and thrown into a swamp, only to be rescued by a she-wolf named Ashina. The wolf licks the boy's wounds and takes him to a cave on the shore of the Sea of Siha. She then has intercourse with the boy and bears him ten children. One of these children was named Turk, and he became the founder of a Turkic tribe called Ashina or Asena.

These stories contain the idea that the Turkic lineage was created in a cave and that a small child became the founder of a new tribe. This parallels the belief in Mithraism where Mitra emerges from a cave and befriends a sacred bull. However, Mitra kills the bull at the behest of Helios, and from this act emerges humanity, the stars and various beings. These stories symbolize sexual union and creation.

The difference between the Turks and the Romans is that while the Romans sacrificed the bull, which they considered sacred, the Turks never sacrificed a wolf. The fact that the Turks have preserved the symbolism of the wolf until today is important in terms of preserving not only the figures but also the numbers. For example, while the numbers 3 and 9 were considered sacred by the Turks, with the advent of Islam, the numbers 6 and 7 also became sacred. However, the Turks did not forget the sacredness of the numbers 3 and 9 and combined these numbers with the sacred numbers of Islam.

Oghuz Khan had three sons from his two wives and these children formed the six species representing the formation of the universe. This parallels the accounts in the Torah that Jehovah created the universe in six days and in the Qur'an that Allah completed the universe in six days. Although the Turks converted to Islam, they did not forget the sanctity of the number three, and there are even those who say "Allah's right is three".

When talking about the Turkish tree of creation and Yggdrasil in Norse mythology, it is explained that Ulgen designed the universe in the form of a tree with nine branches. However, over time, the seven levels of hell, the seven levels of heaven and the beliefs about the number seven in other cultures have merged and today a seven-dimensional universe is envisioned. Beliefs such as the levels of the sky and the division of the afterlife into various levels have remained essentially the same, although the numbers have changed.

Today, shamanism is still of interest as a research topic and in some New Age movements. People continue to live and interpret the beliefs of thousands of years ago in different ways.

Ideas on Shamanism and Totemism

Shamanism and totemism have been the subject of increasing research interest in the last 50 years and many books have been written on the subject. Many claims have been made about the origins of shamanism, and cave and rock paintings are thought to provide clear evidence for the existence of shamanism in prehistoric times. These drawings, which began in the Neolithic period, provide data that can trace the rise of shamanism back to the Bronze Age. Researchers who have studied Siberian, Central Asian, Tibetan and Mongolian forms of shamanism have noted that the concept of shamanism or divination has existed in similar forms in each society since ancient times.

Man's greatest fear is death, and the idea of waking up in another world after death or immortality has always been intriguing. A sacred value has always been attributed to those who can give news from the other world, shamans in ancient times and prophets in more recent times. In paganism, the death and resurrection of holy people, and in shamanism, the process of death and resurrection is important as a condition for becoming a shaman. In Scandinavian culture, the drowning ritual means that a person faces death and is considered to have returned from the dead if he or she wakes up. After this experience, a shaman gains the ability to travel to and from the spirit world. The death of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection three days later is also based on this pagan tradition.

Totemism continues to this day. In China, the totem symbol carries historical information such as ancestral ideas, advice and important events. Important dead people, seers, warriors and martyrs are commemorated with these symbols and people pray in front of them on important days. Today, we continue a similar ritual by inscribing the names of our martyrs on marbles at the martyrs' cemeteries and reciting the Fatiha for their souls en masse at the cemeteries.

Shaman dance is a ritual in which shamans go into a trance and communicate with the spirit world. The shamans, who spin around the fire singing, lamenting and drumming, travel to the spirit world as a result of their dizziness and trance state due to the effects of the substances they eat and their movements. After this trance state, shamans talk to the gods, receive prophecies and return after seeing the future.

Yes, the stories about shamanism and totemism can indeed sound fantastic. The idea that shamans leave their bodies and astral travel or have a prophetic experience emphasizes the mystical aspect of these belief systems. However, the explanation for such experiences may be simpler. Activities such as constant spinning, using substances and making sounds can cause people to experience trance-like states and have different experiences. This is natural as a result of physiological reactions.

Shamans leaving their bodies can also be associated with the removal of their clothes. Shamans represent nature spirits and gods by wearing animal skins. Removing these skins during the dance may symbolize leaving the body and becoming a spirit. It is possible that primitive peoples used animal masks and clothing in ceremonies to protect themselves from the cold, as well as using animal bones or heads in rituals.

Cave drawings and cave paintings in Siberia show people with animal heads or masks. This shows that shamans traveled with animal bones and skulls and reflected their culture in this way. Drawings of half-human and half-animal beings, such as santor and harpies, also suggest the possibility of shamans. When future settlers look at these cave walls, they may not be able to distinguish whether the figures depicted are shamans or gods.

Such beliefs and rituals are cultural expressions deeply rooted in human history and have evolved over time. As humans have sought answers to questions about death, the afterlife and spirituality, belief systems such as shamanism and totemism have provided mystical and symbolic answers to these questions.

There are pictures of dragons on the cave walls. This suggests that dragons might be real. Perhaps people have seen dragons. Even if they don't have the ability to breathe fire, such a being could exist. People may have drawn them in caves because they were afraid.

2000 or 3000 years ago, when scientific thought had not yet developed, human figures with animal heads might have been familiar. These figures were part of our primitive mythologies. The Egyptian gods may have been essentially very famous priests. Or, as it is written in the Torah, they are famous heroes of the age. They can be half god, half man. Don't be confused by the term 'demi-god' here. Because even Pharaoh was believed to be God. Even Caesar declared himself to be God. So there is a possibility that a very famous priest or warrior could be deified like Achilles or Hercules. Because such leaders may have saved a large community from great disasters or conquered a place. So they may have been deified by the community.

If you remember, I said earlier that shamanism is essentially prophecy. Voltaire has a claim about this: Based on word similarity, Voltaire says that the 'brahman' in India is actually the prophet Abraham. Abraham also had a wife named 'Saray' or 'Sara'. He claims that she is the 'saraswi' of India. This Indian belief was first transmitted to Judaism and then to Islam. Where did it come to Judaism? Egypt. Because Egypt was very much influenced by Indian beliefs. And the Jews were slaves in Egypt. The claim that Abraham was one of the countless 'brahman' priests who left India and tried to spread their teachings around the world is not new.

Many books say that figures like Osiris and Hermes were originally very wise priests, but over time they became gods of wisdom. In ancient times, there were many cults, like the Zealots or the Essenes, and these cults trained priests like spies. We don't know what Jesus did for the 20 years before he claimed to be a prophet. At the age of 10, he is known to have been a boy arguing with the priests in the temples, but nothing more. 20 years later he appears and proclaims his divinity. After beating an Egyptian to death, Moses flees Egypt and goes into hiding for 7 years. It is not known what he did or where he went during his hiding.

When he returns, he declares his prophethood. Muhammad, on the other hand, married Khadija when he was 25 years old and at the age of 40 he retreated to the cave of Hira and stayed there for hours and hours before declaring his prophethood. All the prophets have lost years in their lives and after these lost years they come back with enlightenment. Today's shamans or spiritualists believe that these people were supported by a cult and religiously trained. This information can be found in some books, such as the Ra information. But this alone may not be enough. So they strengthen this theory by looking at ritual similarities.

There is a footprint similar to the one in the Kaaba called Makam-e-Ibrahim in India. If you type Lord, it will come up. Items such as the Hajar-ul-Aswad stone and the Hubal stone are parts of Indian pagan culture. However, there is no need to think too much about this.

According to Fuat Köprülü, who mentions three great traitors in ancient Turkish life, each of these traitors is commemorated with ceremonies involving sacrifices. Cattle, shiklan and yuu are cattle hunting ceremonies. Every man must be able to hunt to prove his maturity and this hunting is done in the name of God. Shaytan simply means feast and yuu are funeral ceremonies. The Turks also sacrifice at funerals and this is done by the travelers, the priests. In the Turks, sacrifice is divided into bloody and bloodless. Bloodless sacrifice, in the simplest terms, is simply leaving an animal to nature. It means letting God decide its fate and you can do it whenever you want. For example, if you have a son or something you want very much has happened, you can release an animal into nature to celebrate and thank God.

Blood sacrifice, on the other hand, is not something that can be done all the time because blood is sacred and important to the Turks. Therefore, it is done in great ceremonies. The Turks have a different understanding of ceremony that other tribes do not have. All Turkic tribes gather together and six tribes divide an animal into six parts and claim the parts. This also determines the hierarchy among them. For example, the tribe that gets the head is understood to be the leader. These are symbolic expressions among the Turks and in the future, when a civilization is established, you have to say which tribe you come from. Because it shows how famous you are and how deserving you are of leadership.

The Seljuks chose for themselves the kinship, that is, they chose the eldest son and the head. Thus, they said, "We are the biggest tribe, we are the most important, we must be obeyed". Later on, the Ottomans, because they couldn't take the Kinal, chose the second eldest tribe, the Kayı tribe. They even paid some historians to make it official by saying, "We are from the Kayı tribe". For example, Aşıkpaşa bought two houses just to write a legitimate history of the Ottomans.

Since the sultanate system was not well established at first, that is, the understanding of theocracy had not developed, such measures were necessary. An authority had to be established. However, when the Ottoman Empire became a large enough empire with events such as Fatih's conquest of Constantinople, it became clear that the dynasty could not be overthrown or replaced by another dynasty. In time, the sultans became caliphs and were even seen as gods.

Sources

[1] Wikipedia