Our journey out from God/Source was the process of separation.
In order to know ourselves as individuals we followed this path of separation culminating in life on earth.
In life we know ourselves as something divided from other people, other species. We feel loneliness because of this separation.
We can seem very far from God/Source here on earth.
The journey back to God/Source is a process of unification. We retain our self knowing ability during ascension.
However, our self-hood becomes less and less important to us as we unite our energy with others.
When we are completely merged with God/Source we cease to know our self as an individual, as a species, as a mind, as anything separate from God/Source.
This is the true end of our journey within the circle of life.
There may be other higher spheres of experience that we continue our journey within.