By Alan U. Dalul Published in Arts & Culture | September 13, 2026
Main Facts
During a prolonged hiatus from The Wild Hunt enforced by complex U.S. immigration and green card restrictions, columnist and practitioner Alan U. Dalul dedicated his time to intensive reading, spiritual practice, and personal refinement. Books served as vital lifelines during this period of transition, leading directly to a renewed focus on literature that challenges and shapes the contemporary witchcraft community.
The first text to emerge from this period of reflection is A Witch Is: 13 Keys to Witchcraft, authored by Raechel Henderson and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. Rather than serving as a traditional grimoire or a prescriptive guide on how to perform spellwork, Henderson’s book functions as an introspective blueprint. It explores thirteen distinct behavioral and philosophical traits—ranging from resourcefulness and resilience to kindness, intuition, and self-awareness—designed to help readers construct a personalized, ethical, and meaningful magical practice.
Dalul’s review highlights Henderson’s unique ability to guide practitioners without gatekeeping. Instead of telling readers who qualifies as a "real" witch, Henderson offers a framework of foundational values, encouraging both novices and seasoned initiates to examine their own motivations, break rigid rules responsibly, and forge authentic connections with their craft.
Chronology
Pre-2026: Raechel Henderson develops the philosophical framework for A Witch Is, drawing on decades of personal experience, historical practice, and everyday magical application.
August 2026: Alan U. Dalul publishes reflections on The Wild Hunt detailing his period of forced absence due to immigration constraints, during which he heavily engaged in magical study and reading.
September 13, 2026: Dalul’s official review of A Witch Is: 13 Keys to Witchcraft is published on The Wild Hunt, introducing Henderson’s work to a broader international and English-speaking audience.
September 14, 2026: Minor metadata and editorial revisions are finalized on the publication platform to optimize article accessibility.
Supporting Data and Structural Overview of the Book
To fully understand the impact of Henderson’s work, it is necessary to examine how A Witch Is is structured and what it offers the contemporary pagan and witchcraft community (often colloquially referred to as the "witch-sphere").
The Thirteen Keys
Unlike textbooks that focus strictly on herbal properties, planetary hours, or ritual formatting, Henderson dedicates individual chapters to specific virtues and internal strengths. The structural breakdown of the thirteen traits includes:
Core Resilience: Resourcefulness, creativity, self-assurance, and grit.
Emotional and Mental Fortitude: Kindness, patience, intuition, and self-awareness.
Intellectual and Ethical Rigor: Being well-read, decisive, honest, respectful, and curious.
Practical Applications Without Dogma
Each chapter pairs its designated trait with actionable exercises, personal anecdotes from Henderson’s life, and developmental guidance. Readers are guided through foundational esoteric tasks such as:
Creating personalized magical correspondences rather than relying blindly on published charts.
Building and engaging with an astral residence.
Establishing and tending to an ancestor altar.
Navigating complex ethical dilemmas, such as the appropriateness of cursing, managing creative burnout, and assessing personal and material resources.
What the Book Is—and Is Not
A critical data point for prospective readers is managing expectations regarding the book’s contents. A Witch Is deliberately minimizes traditional spells, step-by-step rituals, and ready-made incantations. Instead, it positions itself as a work of shadow work, psychological healing, internal restructuring, and personal accountability. It is engineered to prompt independent thought rather than mimicry.
Official Responses and Publisher Insights
Llewellyn Worldwide, the publisher of A Witch Is: 13 Keys to Witchcraft, has heavily promoted the text as an innovative milestone in modern magical literature. Official promotional materials released by the publisher emphasize a departure from dogmatic traditions:
"A witch is resourceful, resilient, creative, self-assured… This innovative book presents a fresh perspective on witchcraft, one that will help you create richer, more meaningful magic. Through thirteen distinct traits, Raechel Henderson guides you to craft your own personal vision of what it means to be a witch."
Furthermore, critics and early reviewers within the pagan community have lauded Henderson for dismantling the elitism often found in traditional occult circles. By focusing on internal virtue rather than lineage or expensive ritual tools, the book has received official praise for democratizing witchcraft education and making deep inner work accessible to isolated practitioners.
Implications for the Modern Witch-Sphere
The publication and reception of A Witch Is carry significant philosophical and cultural implications for the global pagan, Wiccan, and modern witchcraft communities.
Moving Away from Gatekeeping
One of the most profound observations made by Dalul in his review touches upon the dangerous territory of magical gatekeeping. In esoteric communities, self-appointed authorities frequently attempt to dictate who holds the title of "witch." Henderson’s methodology bypasses this toxicity entirely. As Dalul notes:
"While it’s true that we should stay well away from whoever tries to tell us who is a Witch and who is not, we can and should stay close to those who say ‘if you are a Witch, it would be good to keep this in mind.’"
This shift moves the community away from exclusionary tribalism and toward shared ethical responsibility. It posits that a witch’s validity is proven not by certification or initiation certificates, but by character traits such as honesty, respect, and intellectual curiosity.
The Revival of Adaptability and Resourcefulness
Modern witchcraft has occasionally fallen into the trap of hyper-consumerism, where practitioners feel pressured to acquire rare herbs, specialized crystals, and expensive ritual paraphernalia to practice effectively. Henderson’s emphasis on resourcefulness serves as a direct corrective to this trend.
Historically, traditional witches and cunning folk utilized whatever was locally available out of sheer necessity. By encouraging readers to build their own correspondences and adapt to their immediate environments, A Witch Is promotes a resilient, self-reliant magical practice that can survive economic hardships, geographic displacement (such as the immigration barriers experienced by Dalul), or resource scarcity.
Prioritizing Shadow Work Over Aesthetic Magic
In the era of social media-driven witchcraft—where visual aesthetics often overshadow internal depth—books like Henderson’s are crucial counterweights. By anchoring the craft in shadow work, emotional patience, and ancestor reverence, A Witch Is forces practitioners to look inward. It reminds the community that external spellcasting is hollow without internal integrity.
Conclusion
Raechel Henderson’s A Witch Is: 13 Keys to Witchcraft transcends the typical instructional guide, functioning instead as a mentoring companion. Through Alan U. Dalul’s thoughtful endorsement, the text is highlighted as an essential read for anyone seeking to deepen their magical foundation. Whether one is a solitary beginner or a seasoned practitioner navigating personal or geographical transitions, Henderson’s work offers a welcoming, unvarnished roadmap toward a more authentic, self-aware, and ethically grounded magical life.
