I believe we planned it all before we fall into a body and it seems so noble and dramatic on the other side to participate in such horrific ventures and positions our soul would put us through...but there...before we fall... we do not know pain... It is the Leper soul who gives the orders so it can develop in whatever way the soul wants but it is the body and mind that do the suffering.... The body and mind can still refuse to play along with the mechanizations the higher self would have us go though. If the soul doesn't throw us a metaphorical bone once in a while either one or both might not go along. Free-will allows lots of us to wonder way off our soul's plan A. Is it any wonder that we often refuse to listen to that inner voice? or so called "God" for that matter when it tells us to go hang on a tree or something equally gruesome for the evolution of one's spirit or mankind? I think there is a higher path that doesn't require so much suffering that can also raise one's consciousness and do a heck of a lot of good.... Making waves of love and spreading it across the globe may not need a stoic body capable of handling 8-9 pain all day long? It just needs a joyful being being joyful... This suffering stuff and especially hanging on trees in my estimation is for the birds(God help the birds). I think if my higher self asks me to do any more major suffering, I am going to tell her to shove it...jejejejje.... just keeping him on his toes.... He doesn't know if I am serious or not but if I don't put some doubt in him then he may have me raked over the coals next week...