In the physical plane, you will encounter humans, animals, insects, trees, water systems, and so forth. Many types of entities live on the physical plane. Well, it is the same on the astral plane. Many types of entities live there too – dead humans, dead animals, pests and parasites, and all other sorts of energetic things.
The Hermetic saying — “As above, so below, as below, so above” — in regards to the astral realm, can help solve many questions you have, as well as rid you of confusion.
Today, we want to discuss the dead that live in the astral. Since, we name people “humans”, let us name humans in the astral: “dead humans.” And so we say, dead humans inhabit the astral plane.
Dead humans can be both good, bad, or evil. They can be positively, genuinely benevolent or they can be total demons.
They act in the manner of humans. They live like humans live. They walk around, they are healed, they are cared for, they exercise, they appeal to higher dreams, they eat astral food, they discourse with others in either good or bad ways, they act out, they fight, they repeat their death over and over again, they learn new ways, and so on.
Imagine living on earth and now living in another place!
The astral plane can be considered like the purgatory in Christian books. It reveals why people should lead an exemplary life, so they can just pass through the astral and arrive at the mental. The astral plane can be a scary place, just like when you land in a violent or criminal place you fear for your life.
Dead humans who have lead a clean, benevolent life just pass through and make it to a high level in the mental plane. That is the beauty of knowledge. It gives an incentive to a better world.