Animal Group-Souls: The group-souls, to which the vast majority of animals are attached, are found on the lower mental plane. These have already been described in detail under the heading ‘Group Souls’ in the previous chapter ‘The Astral Plane’.
Individualised Animals :Individualisation, by means of which an animal rises to the human kingdom, is attained by association with humans. The intelligence and affection of the animal is developed to the degree necessary by its close relationship with its human friend. An animal that has attained individualisation after death on the physical and astral planes, has usually a very prolonged, though often somewhat a dreamy life in the lower heaven world. Its condition is sometimes called ‘dosing’ consciousness and is analogous to that of a human on the same level, though with far less mental activity. It is surrounded by its own thought-images; even though it may be only dreamily conscious of them and these will of-course include images of its earth-friends in the very best moods. These images will of course awaken response from the egos of its friends in the usual way. The animal will remain in the condition described until in some distant future it assumes the human form.
Cosmic entities from other planes: It was mentioned in the chapter ‘The Astral Plane’ that there are occasionally found on this plane certain cosmic entities and visitors from other higher planes and systems. Such visitors are found in much greater number on the mental plane. Not a lot has been written about these entities in esoteric literature, however they are very lofty beings and are not so much concerned with individuals, but with great cosmic processes.
Rupadevas or Gods of Form: Rupa means form and deva means God. These beings known to the Hindus as Devas, to Christians as Angels, and elsewhere as Sons of God, etc., belong to an evolution distinct from that of humanity. This may be regarded as a kingdom just above humanity, similar to humanity being just above the animal kingdom. There is however an important difference; while an animal can only pass into the human kingdom, a human being having attained a certain level of spiritual development has several choices of which the deva line is one. Though at present it is not possible for us to understand a lot about them, it is quite clear that the aim of their evolution is considerably higher than ours.
There are at least as many types of angels or devas as there are races of humans on earth and in each type there are many grades of power, intellect, and general development. None of the devas have physical bodies such as we have. The lowest kind are Kamadevas, who have as their lowest body the astral (Kama is a Sanskrit word meaning desire), the next class is that of the Rupdevas who have bodies of lower mental matter, and who have their habitat on the four lower or rupa levels of the mental plane. The third class is that of the Arupadevas, who live in bodies of higher mental or causal matter, and who have their habitat on the three higher or arupa levels of the mental plane known as the causal plane. Above these are four other great classes inhabiting the other higher planes and above and beyond the deva kingdom stand the great host of the planetary spirits. The relationship of devas to nature-spirits (entities of the astral plane which assist in the running of various phenomena of nature) somewhat resembles at a higher level, that of humans to animals. Just as an animal can attain individualisation only by association with a human being, so also it appears that a nature-spirit can normally acquire a permanent reincarnating individuality only by an attachment of a somewhat similar character to devas. Devas will never be human, as most of them are already beyond that stage though there are some who have been human beings in the past.
The bodies of devas are more fluidic than those of humans, being capable of far greater expansion and contraction. They have also a certain fiery quality which clearly distinguishes them from human beings. The fluctuation in the aura of a deva is also much greater than that of a human being. The colours in the aura of a deva are more of the nature of flame than of cloud. They are described as radiant, embodiments of strength, possessing vast knowledge, great power and are most splendid in appearance. They guide natural order, their cohorts carrying on ceaselessly the processes of nature with regularity and accuracy. Not much is known of any rule or limit for the work of devas. They have more lines of activity than one can imagine. In general, the devas unreservedly co-operate with the great plan of the universe and as a direct result of that is the perfect order that one finds in nature.
The article has been taken from the book Life Beyond Death by Anil Sharma