Do you know why King Henry V is seen as one of the most celebrated and successful kings in English history?

He was a King who knew intimately what his people wanted; as a young man, he defied his father's wishes by hanging out at the local tavern( where he hooked up with the infamous Falstaff ) and seemed to have whiled his youth away laughing and drinking. But that was only what the public eye perceived. What really happened was that the tavern turned out to be the Best Education a Future King could have. It was at the tavern that he learned the language of the streets and it was this language that made him a King in tune with his people because he understood how the Common Man lived, what the Common Man had to face and what the Common Man yearned for.

As King, he pursued this knowledge with vigilance. Under disguise, he wandered through the streets striking up conversations with everyone he met to learn first hand what that person needed. What was his grievance? What was his complaint? And from these, he formed his political policies.

Herny V can be a kind of model for our own body-kingdom.

How well do we know our bodies? Do we listen when our muscles twitch or when our teeth are clenched? Do we know why a vague,dark sorrow sits heavily on our chest? Or why we are tormented by a relentless sleeplessness that leaves our eyes foggy and our minds numb?

Some Henry V work can help us here.

Make a daily habit ( as Henry did) of listening to your body.Do you know what your body wants or fears?

There are some steps you can follow here to help you uncover what the body wants.

First, you need to find a spot where you can be comfortable and relaxed for 15-20 minutes. Breathe deeply for 2-3 minutes, in and out, imagining as you do so that each breath clears out any clutter that is inside your head.

Then gently but firmly, ask your body what it needs. And when I say firmly, I mean firmly. You have to take your body seriously and show your own seriousness about this question in your voice.

Firmly, but gently ask "What do you want? What do you need? Do you need more time? less stress? more loving moments, fewer arguments? more exercise, less sugary food? more sleep? less hurriedness?" "What do you need,My Body?"

Remember: If you don't ask this question, WHO WOULD?

Then keep silent and just listen. Listen with every pore in your body. Listen! And the answers will come, a little bit hesitantly at first, then in a rush, everything coming so fast and so quickly that unless you have pen and paper in front you, you will miss the catch. Jot everything down. Scribble them down. Don't worry about spelling and don't censor anything. Don't say to yourself,"No, that is nonsense." All nonsense is sense to the subconscious mind. And you have to be careful that you do not block out anything your body is trying to tell you.

She's like a child who will tell all if she trusts that you will listen and not scold. Would the Common Man have revealed as much if he knew that the man drinking with him at the local pub was THE KING?

You will be flushed at the end of the list--some of you might write down 1 or 2 items; others might have a whole page. But no matter, you have at least one thing,one grievance made on your body's behalf.

Then your next step is the step you would take with any child who has told you the truth. Honour her sharing. Thank her for telling you the truth, bitter as it might be. And show her how you will take steps to make amends.

If your list is a whole page long, select ONE grievance--just ONE and tell your body that you will talk with her again to find how you both can deal with the problem and come to a collective solution.

We are not one, but many--- and this diversity makes us better and more compassionate beings in the long run. So use it to your advantage. Have a conversation with your body. This conversation can easily become a life-long friendship.

Copyright 2005 Mary Desaulniers