The term Eastern can have multiple meanings depending on its context. Most modern uses of the term refer to Eastern philosophy, Eastern or Asian countries, Eastern history or ancient Asian culture, typically also including those countries whose ethnic identity and their dominant culture derive from ancient Asian culture. Thus, in various contexts, the term "Eastern" may refer to something that came from the East.
The term is usually associated with a cultural tradition that traces its origins to ancient Asian thought and Asian religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism and Taoism. Cornerstones in this tradition are arguably beliefs in:
- spiritual,
- karmic,
- or ancestral forces
- personal auras,
- or energy flows around the human body
- and anti-scientific thought in general.
