Practise

This is one of those vestiges of British spelling that really serves very well. Most usage dictionaries have caved in to the pressure to simplify and approve the spelling as "practice," whether for verb or noun. Webster's Dictionary excuses its users from making any distinction that Canadian teachers have been urging on their charges forever: "is" is the verb, "ice" is the noun.

At our CPI weekend with a member of the Spiritual Formation team we heard this advice. Practise the Practice.

In other words, it's really not much use to learn about spiritual disciplines unless you try to incorporate some of them, or one of them, in your everyday life. It was wonderful to hear our instructor talk about the practices, good to try some of them on for fit.

But as we've returned to our normal lives we've come with the assignment to consider which of the practices we want to move to that other column--the verb column. Which spiritual practices are we willing to make part of what we do (or practise) daily, or regularly, enough to make them into a habit?

Maybe just a different spelling isn't all that important. But for this old English teacher it's a reminder that knowing about an idea isn't enough. If it's going to work for me I must move it to a new place in my life and begin to introduce a new action that can make a difference if I practise the practice.

Being more centred, more focused, more balanced can be the positive results of doing what I've learned about. Ask a CPI participant near you for more information.

Posted by Marion