What is the intermediate heaven?

The casting-off of the physical body depends on the degree of development that we have already attained. 

We are now psyche and spirit. 

Our psychical body is the image of our physical one, not inferior, but superior, the blossom of the seed, yet still the blossom of that particular seed, and not of another. 

Now we have to go through varied experiences until instead of the psychic dominating the spirit or the two being evenly balanced, the spirit becomes entirely the master and the psyche the servant. 

Then we are ready to depart into the heavenlies, having finished the task that was given us to do.

At first, the psyche is generally supreme. 

The life then is much like the earthly one—food is necessary, we live in houses, we work, we rest, but yet with a difference. 

We need food and rest at stated intervals, but in the spirit world, they are only needed when the spirit is not strong enough to supply the body. 

Some fast in our world when the will is strong enough to control the body. With spirits, it is always so, that is, the body only needs refreshment when the faith fails or is too weak.

Gradually, and with many failures and retrogressive steps, the soul and spirit first become equal, then the spirit is master, and finally, the psychic envelope is burst and the spirit rises free and untrammelled. 

The pneuma when it is strong enough, goes to its home for a time and then returns. This it may do often and over a long period before it finally leaves. Generally, however, about half a century is the limit of its stay in the Hades or intermediate state.

And then the Ship

Complete at last—loosed from its earthly bonds,

Glides from its birthplace to the sea—

Which yielding, yet supporting, bears it on,

Out from the land-locked harbour to the deep.

Cumbrous before, it lay upon the stocks

Like some dead thing, neither of earth nor air—

But now it lives and guided by the winds

Leaves earth behind it and sails onward to the sun.