the catholic hangover.
by Lilah Wild @ freestylewitchcraft.com
For those of you coming to the Craft from the Christian traditions, you face some extra burdens: what I call "The Catholic Hangover." What this means is embracing paganism and witchcraft and enthusiastically learning and practicing your new spirituality, but falling into the traps of feeling all the power comes from outside you, or holding yourself back.
Many of us automatically shift into "reverence" mode when we get around an altar, instilled in us by priests, parents, and Sunday School teachers. It's a very hard habit to break, especially when it's been reinforced through the twin traps of fear and guilt. It's hard to express yourself when you've been taught your whole life to be good and quiet and subservient, to bundle up your emotions in front of a judgmental "God." And let's face it - who the hell wants to dance for The Man? It takes a bit of getting used to wild tribal dancing and making love as sacred expressions/offerings of energy, when they've been denounced as "evil," or at the very least, "inappropriate," by proponents of the Church. It's also hard for some people to get a grasp on the fact that power exists within the self - especially when certain sects hold the belief that humankind is inherently sinful. This can set up a real nasty tug-of-war between what you've been taught in the past, and the beliefs that your instinct is leading you towards.
And your confusion can leave you ripe for unscrupulous "gurus" to take advantage of your spiritual vulnerability.
If this is a problem you're facing, the answer is simple: start slow, and let your comfort levels work it out.
