punishment or enlightenment?

My own view is that we are all part of the Universe learning itself. Science tells us our universe came from one and expanded out to form countless galaxies, stars, planets, clouds, trees, birds, us. As Carl Sagan said, we are all star stuff.

As star stuff, perhaps our soul, our spirit, our essence, our 'energy' can continue to mostly stay together, to coalesce and return as reincarnated spirit continuing on learning and experiencing life as 'human' for as long as needed to understand a lesson or process or a continuation. Or perhaps our energy can choose to meld with other energy and return as a slightly different spirit to change the lessons learned.

Maybe it can even mesh with other life energy and become part of the plants and other life around us. Perhaps traces and parts of our energy can separate to merge with other similar life energies sympathetic to certain forces, such as the wind or woods to become Slyphs or Nymphs - the life essence of the air or the forest.

Possibly our energy can rest for eons by merging with countless other energies to be a living planet for a while. Gaia is alive.

I don't see reincarnation as eternal punishment; I see reincarnation as continual enlightenment. When the Universe has experienced what it will through my collected energy, then perhaps it will be time to disassociate and meld with other energy to continue the journey. The concept of "I" will no longer be relevant. My belief is that "I" is simply ego attempting to announce separation and as star stuff, we are all one with each other and with the Universe.