Second, as we have come to learn more about Eastern paths in recent decades, it has become apparent that the same general worldview — including notions of planes of consciousness, four (or five) basic elements, discarnate teachers, and so on — applies there as well. Indeed, the main difference in Eastern and Western esoteric approaches may not be one of details so much as one of attitude: the East tends to consider such inner realms as distractions on the way to Enlightenment, while Western esoteric traditions are devoted to their exploration and utilization as an integral part of the same spiritual journey.
