[looks around] "Well, Mitch..."

Sissyphus' reaction to the news after a short one-on-one with Bouldy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyf0s7KkN1o

The Barclay episodes show that in the Star Trek universe you're conscious the entire time you're converted to energy. And souls exist, as do beings of pure energy (typically depicted as "higher", more advanced lifeforms with godlike powers), as do multiple episodes where someone "ascends" to energy godhood. Which is not at all how physics works (kinda dumb that we're ok with that but salamanders are a bridge too far for the fandom, when I put it like that).

But hey, let's run with that. Then here's a fringe theory I just came up with: the Star Trek transporters temporarily force an "ascenscion" into a conscious of pure energy, that is then yeeted across spaces before the universe shoves you back down to physical space because you aren't actually enlightened yet.

Oh that's pretty clever! They add a windcatching panel to make it sway in the wind on purpose:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBM5ApUFi98