AC 9594 - three heavens, three degrees of a person's life

AC 9594
It is known that there are three heavens:
the inmost, the middle, and the ultimate;
or the third, the second, and the first.
All these heavens were represented by the tabernacle:
by the ark, where the Testimony was,
the inmost or third heaven;
by the Habitation,
where were the table for the breads of faces and the lampstand,
the middle or second heaven;
and by the court,
the ultimate or first heaven.
That there are three heavens is
because there are three degrees of life in a person . . ..
The inmost degree of the person's life is for the inmost heaven;
the middle degree of his life is for the middle heaven;
and the ultimate degree is for the ultimate heaven.
A person being such, or so formed,
and heaven being from the human race,
there are therefore three heavens.

[2] These three degrees of life in man are opened successively;
the first degree
by a life in accordance with what is equitable and just;
the second degree
by a life in accordance with the truths of faith from the Word,
and in accordance with the consequent goods of charity toward the neighbor;
and the third degree
by a life in accordance with the good of mutual love
and the good of love to the Lord.
These are the means whereby are successively opened
these three degrees of life in a person,
thus the three heavens in him.
But be it known that in proportion as a person recedes from the good of life,
and accedes to the evil of life, these degrees are closed,
that is, the heavens are closed in him;
for just as the good of life opens them,
so the evil of life closes them.