Who Was Genghis Khan? by Nico Medina

 Who was Genghis Khan? – the founding father of Mongolia and the powerful ruler of the largest contiguous empire in history.

Temujin (1162-1227), later called Genghis Khan, was born near the modern-day border of Mongolia and Siberia. Like all children on the steppe, he grew up hunting and riding horses.

When his father died, his own clan rejected his family. Life on the steppe was pretty harsh. He had to learn how to fend for himself.

When his father was alive, he found a bride for Temujin. At sixteen, he claimed his bride.

He knew he was still in danger and needed allies to protect his clan. He formed alliance with a powerful Kereyid tribe. Meanwhile, he was also gaining followers and men who became his close friends and part of his clan.

His ambition was to unite the Mongol clans, instead of fighting with each other. He adapted something new by rewarding positions of power to men based on their ability rather than family ties.

In 1189, he was named the leader of the Mongols, and five years later, with another tribe, they attacked Tatars and won. Temujin returned rich with loot.

He was set on expending his territory, but when he was betrayed by one clan, after beheading the leaders, he let the others join his clan, instead of making them prisoners or slaves. This was a new strategy which made him popular.

With time, he was coming up with new ways to make life on the steppe more bearable, but not everyone liked those rules. Some left, more came.

He also had his brutal strategies. After conquering Tatars, he was left with a large number of people. He wanted to make sure that the Tatars wouldn’t revolt against him, so he executed most of males, only the youngest one that could be molded into a new tribe were spared.

At forty-three, he became the ruler of the steppe. In 1206, he was officially proclaimed as the leader of the steppe and given a new name Chinggis Khan, but he is commonly known as Genghis Khan.

Under the Great Mongol Nation, he imposed a new set of rules – the Great Law of Genghis Khan. The Great Law helped to maintain peace and order. Different tribes were allowed to keep their customs and laws as long as they followed the Great Law: stealing and kidnapping was forbidden, mail service by horse was established, freedom of religion was guaranteed.

Afterwards, his new goal was North China where the riches were: gold, silver, pearls, silk, satin, and metal.

In May 1211, 65,000 Mongol soldiers set for China. They used many methods to attack city after city until Golden Khan fled the capital city.

In the spring of 1215, the Mongols returned home with so much treasures that buildings had to be constructed to store everything.

After years of uniting tribes of the steppe, now he wanted to expand trade with Muslim empire of Khwarizm. Its people were skilled at working with steel, farming cotton fields, weaving beautiful textiles, and glassmaking. Sultan considered Mongols as uncivilized, so he agreed but secretly was preparing for war.

In 1219, Genghis Khan sent a caravan of 450 merchants to Otrar, but they were executed. It angered Genghis Khan and he set to Khwarizm with 100,000 soldiers.

By the end of 1220, all the cities of Khwarizm had fallen to the Mongol armies.

In 1226, on his way to China to put down a rebellion, he fell down from a horse and developed a high fever. Six months later, he died at camp in his tent.

Following next fifteen years, his sons and grandsons continued to expand the Mongol Empire. At its height, it covered almost one-quarter of the Earth’s land.

Until today, Mongolians see him as a great leader. Perspective of opinion always depends from where “you’re sitting.” Five people could read the same book, and you could end up with five viewpoints what the book was about.

Genghis Khan had a strong desire to unite the fighting clans of the steppe, which was a good concept. He came up with some good ideas to keep people happy and not revolt. He built roads, bridges, and tens of thousands of school, established mailing system by horse, manufacturing and trade flourished. The world’s great religions were invited to debate before the Mongol court. That would have made him one of the greatest leaders without expansion of lands. He could have stopped there. But his ego made him want to expand his territory with that he also enforced brutal tactics which tarnished his name as a great leader. Genghis Khan and his heirs terrorized and murdered millions of innocent people. He is a classic example of someone who was driven by a good cause, but with his success his ego got in the way and drove him.

Source: Penguin Workshop, 2014

 

 

 

TRENDING INSPIRATION: Do UNITE people, be it in a small circle or larger community, but never let your ego lead you.

 

That’s what happens with today’s leaders. They don’t unite people. They divide instead, because that’s how they can control people. If people were united, then there would be no need for politicians.

 

 

 

Traits:

·         When his father died, his own clan rejected his family. Life on the steppe was pretty harsh. He had to learn how to fend for himself pretty quickly.

·         He was smart about forming alliances with tribes to keep his clan protected.

·         His ambition was to unite the Mongol clans instead of fighting which each other, which he achieved and came up with the Great Law to keep peace.

·         He is credited with many good constructive things, but his ego tarnished his name as he set on expansion of lands and brutal treatment of conquered people.

 

 

 

FURTHER INSPIRATION AND RECOMMENDATION:

We all have the same traits, for example ego or anger, but the question is what is the percentage of the traits that defies you. There are different ways or tools to discover what you need to work on.

 You Are Enough by Panache Desai

In this book, the author explores an ancient experience of Samadhi which is the sacred remembrance of your Essential Self – to be one with God. It is knowing who you are, fully and authentically, but we keep searching for it externally, instead of turning inward.

There is purpose to the chaos around us, it is to awaken yourself to become conscious of who you truly are. It is happening on a global scale – a collective awakening.

Once you understand and cultivate this concept, the external factor won’t affect you. When you have a solid foundation, it gives you inner peace in rocky situations. It doesn’t mean that you will be immune to pain and suffering. It means you won’t get lost in your pain.

In order to achieve harmony, old beliefs and emotional wounds need to be stirred up, brought to the surface. So the blocked energy can flow again. Everything is energy, including us and the whole universe. Understanding how the universe works is the key.

For example, judgement or hate or fear represent low vibration. Love is high vibration, and we need to start with self-love, cultivating awareness, acceptance, and compassion for yourself. Often, we’re the harshest critics of ourselves. Thus, self-love is the important first step.

Samadhi is a fundamental realignment of energy that rouses the frequency in which you reside.

We were programmed to achieve and acquire, but once goal is achieved the vessel feels empty. That is classic example of your separation from your Essential Self. Often, we chase illusion, separating ourselves from authenticity and oneness.

Often, the precursor to spiritual awakening is some crisis, something that cuts through the illusion of the ego.

Without realizing, from childhood we start conditioning ourselves in order to be for example loved, approved, accepted, feel safe, or perfect.

With each condition, we lose our natural flow of love, peace, curiosity, discovery, and fulfillment.

Maybe you develop sarcasm or build a shell or become a rebel or a perfectionist. Every condition disconnects you from your authenticity and your Devine Essence.

Conditioning creates a façade you live behind, masking your Essential Self.

You can take a step back and watch your thoughts, become an observer of your own behavior and don’t judge.

Whatever denser energies (bitterness, anger, frustration) are dormant (buried inside you) in your vibrational system, you will attract situations (criticism, betrayal, delay) to bring those dormant energies to the surface and release them.

When you face an internal discomfort be aware of it without judgement or resistance, don’t react, it will eventually disappear. But if you push away feelings, it will only continue to repeat until you accept it and observe it without judgement. Acceptance and compassion lead to freedom.

Acceptance allows energy to flow. Resistance locks energy. Your triggers are your chance to wake up and become more consciously aware. By surrendering you are letting go of the resistance.

This spiritual leader leads a free meditation (registration on his website) Monday-Friday from 8:30 to 9:20 eastern time – meditation in this case is not silence, he explains many concepts which humanity struggles with, and he further explains what he teaches in this book. It’s a daily reminder how to stay on the positive path, not give in to the negative energies around us, and in the process transforming ourselves. If you can’t join it live, then he posts this on his YouTube channel.

This book has a very fresh approach how we program ourselves throughout our lives and how we suppress our emotions. This process is about recognizing our patterns and releasing our emotions as it all comes down to just that. It’s been already proven by many that our suppressed emotions cause illnesses. Once we resolve our traumas the illnesses go away.