Hi highest_realm,
I am not by any means an expert in the subject of your query, and indeed as blink suggests, it is perhaps the task of everyone individually to answer that question for themselves in their own way and according to God's Will. But since we can share our beliefs and preferences here in the interest of inspiration and service, and since I have also been interested in the same thing I will add the following -
My current very theoretical "understanding" which may either augment or contradict others here, is that:
The human life in the physical
embodies the potential of fully realizing God-Identity while an individuated being.
Some humans choose this path and others do not.
Beings that do not incarnate in physical are 'typal' beings that conform to the various laws and limitations of the relative plane in non-physical they are denizens of while 'there' - ie: They can travel within their world, put pressure on/have effect on descending planes from 'above' but generally not the reverse. Gods, gods, devas, asuras, angels, etc., etc. and other beings may effect Earth life according to their specific role and individual power, but if they want to realize God they too have to
incarnate into the physical, and eventually into the human.
A human being with the 7 chakras is the embodiment in potential of all Reality. This could be why it is said that "Man was made in God's Image", that the "Whole universe was created for the soul of man", that the entire universe exists inside the heart of man. Also, this is perhaps the reason why the Buddhists say that getting a human life is the greatest blessing in either physical or non-physical existence. Humans have not only this potential, but also have free will, self-consciousness, plenty of help and protection from Source/God either directly or through various intermediaries - including very advanced guides and Incarnations Who have come specifically to help Earth with this process.
There are supposedly many beings and types of beings of a huge range of expression in non-physical that do not care for realization and have their respective roles to play in their respective realm. Some types may even incarnate in physical just for the brief experience of physical life, human or otherwise without accepting the path of realization. Animal souls that come to Earth may or may not elect to receive a human incarnation. But it is only in the human on Earth in which the human soul may
acquire the results of this particular continued evolution (which by definition does not occur in non-physical) for this purpose and eventual goal of realization.
Conversely, humans may experience through the opening (deliberate and otherwise) of kundalini chakras - various other realms of non-physical existence while in the physical (which is much discussed on this website), but this is not necessarily representative of any
embodied Totality or God-realization, even though fully realized beings will have full access to complete kundalini powers.
A human life is the only being/form that can achieve and
permanently become the comprehensive, complete, infinite, eternal, immortal
IDENTITY of both existence and 'non-existence'.
There have been examples of God-realization in human history, in addition to the special example of Avatars (direct descent from Godhead into Incarnation - ie. Krishna, Buddha, Christ), Who are obviously by nature God-realized.
Realization has previously been very rare and still is compared to the numbers of human beings on Earth, but I believe we are living in a time when an acceleration of this elective processs is and will be more and more available to greater and greater numbers of people.
Suggested reading that has been helpful to me:
Sri Aurobindo "The Life Divine"
http://www.sriaurobindoashram.com/Contents.aspx?ParentCategoryName=_StaticConten... Sri Chinmoy "Samadhi and Siddhi", "Great Masters and the Cosmic Gods", "God, Avatars, Yogis"
www.srichinmoylibrary.comBest regards,
- u