When the body is gone, a soul can see its life much more clearly.
It can see the good it did, but also the harm it caused.
For some souls, that realization is very painful.
Instead of learning and connecting with other souls, they hide.
They stay alone with their memories and regrets.
Other souls may try to connect with them, but shame makes them pull away.
That loneliness is what hell is.
Not physical fire, there is no physical suffering in the world of souls or physical pleasure.
But a soul choosing isolation because it cannot yet face its own life.
When a soul slowly learns compassion and honesty, it can reconnect.
And when connection returns, the suffering begins to heal.
A soul is a consciousness.
It has a personality and it feels emotions.
A soul wants to know the Creator more.
Its strongest emotions are awe and love.
Healthy awe is a blend of humility, fear and wonder and causes sadness through love.
When one trusts the Creator is good, love is felt and that love contains sadness because His goodness can always be more revealed.
Awe and love grow deeper when the mind meditates and thinks about the patterns of infinite wisdom and notices how reality is guided by The Creator.
Explore the NextSelf Blog. Start with this post explaining the world of souls. And my Youtube.
The blog lists all the difference patterns to study, understanding patterns is how one can develop 'Daas' [felt knowing].
Update: As awe, trust, and love deepen, they can allow greater openness and intimacy with the Creator. That intimacy can include sadness when you notice how much more of His goodness can be revealed.