Take Back the Magic: Conversations with the Unseen World

by Perdita Finn

Renowned spiritual teacher and co-founder of The Way of the Rose Perdita Finn teaches the art and healing power of connecting with the dead, as she guides readers through the magical process of conversing with the unseen world.

What if you could live in a world where the guidance of those who were gone was available, right at your very fingertips? It's possible, if we are open to it. Anyone can reclaim the forgotten guidance of the dead, and anyone can return to the realm of magic and miracles. In  Take Back the Conversations with the Unseen World , author, spiritual teacher, and co-founder of The Way of the Rose Perdita Finn reveals that life is beginningless, love is endless, and those who have passed don’t truly go anywhere when they die. Weaving together memoir, history, and a non-denominational spirituality based in ecology, Finn invites readers to live the experience that the stories of our lives are much older, bigger, and more merciful than we have been led to believe.

Take Back the Magic takes the reader on a journey of healing, possibility, and love, as the story of how Finn healed her relationship with her bitter, patriarchal father long after his death unfolds over the course of thirteen moving chapters. Along the way, readers will learn how they, too, can reconnect with the generous guidance of the soul’s long story through deep time, recovering their lost relationships with their ancestors and the Earth itself. Throughout, Finn shares guidance, tips, and practical advice that will aid readers in forging their own relationships with those who have passed, as she invites every reader to reconnect with their own inner knowing and to call forth magic from the most ancient parts of humanity. 

An inspiring invitation to healing in this life, and to experience that we are never alone, Take Back the Magic shows that the whole world is simply souls reaching out to and finding each other—and no one is ever truly lost to us, if we allow ourselves to begin our own conversations with the unseen world.
 

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Memoir, Witchcraft, Nature, Death, Magic

256 pages, Hardcover

Published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Lauren Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book. Life-affirming and enlightening. Perdita Finn's writing has an intimacy that makes her personal lived experiences tangible and relatable for the reader. Her storytelling reveals a world where the mystical and otherworldly intersect with everyday life. The book becomes a bold confirmation for those of us who have had encounters with the dead and the divine - while also offering some encouragement and practical advice for connecting with our beloved dead.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this book. Ultimately it transcends any sort of traditional memoir or topical exploration. Highly recommended to anyone interested in the following topics: nature and spirit communication, spiritualism and mediumship, psychic/empathic/intuitive sensitivities, the afterlife, reincarnation and past lives, ancestral healing and/or veneration, ecospirituality, the divine feminine, esoteric Christianity, mysticism, non-denominational spirituality and spiritual practice.

Also see the following books:

The Way of the Rose: The Radical Path of the Divine Feminine Hidden in the Rosary, Perdita Finn and Clark Strand

Waking Up to the Dark: The Black Madonna's Gospel for An Age of Extinction and Collapse,
Clark Strand

The Reluctant Psychic: A Memoir, Suzan Saxman (with Perdita Finn)

[aphrodite · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t make it common practice to judge readers that like a book. but one must make exceptions sometimes.

I can’t help but imagine that if you enjoyed this you must be a white woman in the suburbs who’s on her way to yoga class with the girlies and you’re entering your ~spiritual era~. the equivalent to a man taking mushrooms and discovering empathy for the first time.

not my gig.

[Trista Hendren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A magical and deeply affirming read. I passionately believe we must heal ourselves, our families, and our ancestral lines. This book is a solid roadmap to do so. I adored each chapter. You will want to buy a copy for every member of your family.

[Angelica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book in a raffle about a year ago and have meant to read it much sooner than I did but more recently I've really been thinking about my ancestors and attuning to those potential connections while battling feeling like a crazy person too far into the witchy deep end, but this book was honestly medicine for that intrusive voice that says it's dumb or not real. As hard to believe as some of Perdita's stories can seem, they also bring up those goosebumps where your sense of wonder is continuously reignited and you start to think, what if it is real and what if I did allow myself to trust my intuition even it does sound utterly impossible. I understand why several readers didn't connect, but it really did land for me and I think it's one of those things where if you're not open to it, save it for when you are.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book may well have changed my life (time will tell); it captured my imagination and left me nodding and smiling. I have always talked with loved ones who have died, never thinking it odd. The way the author describes "the dead," makes them feel less "dead" than vital energy sources that are always with us. But that's just semantics. Perdita Finn takes you on her journey in an intimate and accessible way. I bought four copies to give to friends I know will love this book!! I am not a fast reader, but I finished this book in three sittings, rapt by the story, yes, but also the lyrical writing which told this tale. Well done, Perdita!!

[Mikayla Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book has been so instrumental in healing my phobia of death. i grew up in a doomsday cult thinking i would never die, and this book has allowed me to no longer fear it to such a paralyzing degree. if you fear the dead themselves, this will also be very healing.

i’m a recovering (extreme) skeptic and went into this with a very open mind, which i would recommend. if you come from a secular background, this *will* challenge your previously held beliefs. accept that you don’t have all the answers and you may start to find some! this helped me to trust my intuition and understand how much i’ve repressed it.

as a side note: the explanation of the celtic character knows as “ankou” that perdita saw in her dreams helped me understand why i too have had vivid dreams with this character, and the symbolism behind it. very moving.

loved this — thank you so much, perdita!

[Atlas DeBorde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished it in a day. I’m honestly at a loss for words. This book is one you just have to read. It’s personal for each reader. In it the author talks about her life, and more specifically, her relationship with the Dead. She talks of ancestors, both human and non-human. She talks of the deep loving relationship she is cultivating with her father from the other side. She talks of deities and beings who want to help us grow.

This book answered a lot of questions for me. It was a validation that everything is truly alive. It’s all a cycle. Round and round it goes, for all eternity. Keep an open mind and an open heart when reading this book. I think you may be surprised what you might learn about life, about death, and about yourself. 🧡

[Mary Kerns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perdita Finn’s masterful, vulnerable, storytelling of her own redeeming journey with her father after his death along with many other interwoven stories, all invite us into the world of the dead all around us and gently show us we are never alone, and we are always coming back. Take Back the Magic teaches us how having our own connections and conversations with our beloved dead are not only possible, but already happening when we open our hearts, allowing us to cross thresholds that our cultural conditioning has denied us for so long. The web of lifetimes she weaves is full of magic and miracles, and that magic awaits all of us. This book will change your life!
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[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, like The Way of the Rose, will remain part of the bookshelf in my home for many years. This is an incredibly intimate account of Perdita’s unfolding relationship with the dead as well as a beautiful guide for how all of us can connect with our ancestors and the spirits of the earth. I have loved taking Perdita’s live courses and I was not disappointed by this book. A definite recommended read!

[Tatiana Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled on this book because I thought it was about microorganisms, but was surprised to find it was a deeply spiritual book about connection and relationship with the dead. Take Back the Magic was beautifully and poetically written and provided a fascinating capture of the thought processes of the deeply spiritual author's connection with life through death in a way that deepens her relationships with both the living and dead, plants and animals, past lives and present ones as brought on by the death of her emotionally unavailable father. It was a lovely read and inspired passion and connection in a way that can be applied to many different things, whether you're spiritual or not.

[Raquel · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting reflection on how and why we should integrate our lost loved ones into our lives more. I enjoyed the interspersed sections of concrete FAQ guidance. While the narrative was primarily Perdita's story of a life of synchronicities, it did encourage me to remain even more open to them in my own life, and to be more mindful of my own dead loved ones. The saying "May their memory be for a blessing" should actually be quite literal, is the biggest takeaway of this book.

Enjoyable and thought-provoking.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book healed me in ways I can’t even put into words. I teared up through nearly the entire thing, tears not brought on by emotion, but the kind conjured up when something speaks the same language of the soul. Thank you, Perdita for sharing your story and keeping the magic alive 🙏📿

[Rebecca Jamieson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I INHALED this book and was sad when it was done. A combination of riveting memoir and how-to guide to conversing with the unseen world, it gave me everything in a book I didn't know I needed.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

easier to read than i thought, although it did take a minute for me to get used to the style of interspaced letters and how to and testimonials. some interesting ideas, although I'm not sold on all of them. but overall a good read

[Keltie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical, enlightening, and life-affirming. Part memoir, part guidebook, couldn't put it down. 5 Stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book quite literally changed my life. Over the last several years I've been working on healing from my childhood trauma and breaking generational cycles of pain, and for many reasons, I've been guided towards a path of teaching and counseling children through emotional hardships and the natural difficulties of life, basically to catch trauma before it imprints as trauma. I first found Perdita and Clark through their book and fellowship The Way of the Rose, after Our Lady came to me with an urgent message to uplift Earth's mothers and children. I was blessed enough to meet Perdita shortly after and receive this wonderful book from her, which gave me the keys to unlocking so much more magic in my path. For all my life, my family has believed I was my maternal grandmother reincarnated, and this hung over my head like a curse as I felt expected to be a replacement and like I couldn't be my own person, and this tore apart my relationship with my mother. Through reading this book, I began thinking of ways that my passed on loved ones could aid me in my current hardships and life goals, and I realized, my grandmother was a teacher. This book transformed my curse into a gift and gave me a way to reconnect with my grandmother, potentially my past life, to learn how to re-mother my own mother and heal our relationship, and to help me be successful in my new journey of teaching children, and to ultimately help other families break generational curses and learn to be loving mothers again. Perdita, I can't thank you enough for the gift you and this book have been in my life.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book is an invitation and a beckoning to dive deeper into soul and recognize ancient connections to earth and to each other. This is a call you might hear in nature and moments of synchronicity, and it might unearth longings to forge ties to those who have passed- family ancestors, beloved friends, cherished pets, even favorite trees.

Perdita tells of recognizing the glorious tangle and woven threads of her ancestors' lives with her own, and of healing her troubled relationship with her deceased father. I enjoyed the different approaches she uses, including letters to her father and lots of stories, all beautifully told. I particularly loved the account of how Our Lady of Woodstock appeared to her husband and how they both followed her beckoning.

I loved reading this book and didn't want it to end. And, indeed, this story never does end. Departed loved ones are never lost or gone. They are here and we are always finding each other. Perdita offers guidance on how to make those connections through devotion, prayer, dreams and ritual, and how to trust, and stay open to messages and miracles.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Perdita Finn's book Take Back the Magic - and wow! This book has the potential to change lives and perceptions. Actually, I let Perdita read it to me by listening to the audiobook and I think that made it even better... I was mesmerized and often walked farther and longer than planned just so I could "read" one more chapter. Occasionally I buy a book in more than one format and this is a book that deserves multiple places in my library. Highly recommended!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another DNF for me. Again, not what I thought it was, I guess I better start reading the synopsis of some of these books. It was more about relating to, l you know what I don’t really know what it was about.

[mooney mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far my favorite book of 2024. It reconnected me back with spirit at a time when I was feeling the magic of life wane. It also helped me reframe death in a way that feels very true and comforting for me. I’m someone who often feels alone… but when you realize you’re never alone, that spirit is always there with you… that your ancestors are always there with you… that is an invaluable gift. Her gnosis resonated so deep in my soul. I’m just so grateful she told this story and shared it with the world. (Also very grateful for the friend who recommended it to me shout out momo)

She tied in her ideas of death and reincarnation to the well being of the planet, calling her readers to care for the earth, which I also really appreciated, and gave me a new perspective when it comes to being more mindful in my choices. It raises the question - how would we treat the earth, knowing it’s our only true inheritance? what kind of place are we creating now that we will one day return to?

I also highly recommend listening to the audiobook version because it’s the author reading it to you, which felt very special, if audiobooks are your thing. :)

I freaking love you Perdita thank you ur a rockstar

[Brooke Gilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of Psychopomp work is old. Almost every culture has had a person function as a psychopomp in helping human souls in crossing over to the otherside as there are dangers in them lingering amongst the living. Those that do not crossover are what people may refer to as ghosts aka earthbound souls. Therefore we should always approach who we are connecting with cautiously.
To me this book serves more as a memoir and catharsis for a person working through a father's death. I do appreciate the author connecting more to her intuitive side as we all have intuition and we need to normalize having conversations about what we perceive and receive on an intuitive side. However, to say there is no danger in connecting with the dead is in my opinion, which is also based in personal experience, is way off base as you could be connecting with an earthbound rather than someone who has fully crossed over. Not smart. Would you open your door to a stranger before getting to know a bit about them first? Most likely. Connecting with the dead should be treated in the same way. The author often received validation in her connections which is how we should hope for and expect if we are working with the spirits of ancestors, guides, archetypes, etc. Safety first!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is stunning. I highly suggest the audio book read by the author for that extra ✨sparkle✨.

This book has helped me return to a more grounded state and has turned my gaze towards ancestral veneration. I find myself wanting to set aside the time and effort to refresh my altars and create some new ones for my ancestors with more intention than I’ve previously put toward the task.

Reading this book along side Sophie Strands “The Body is a Doorway” has been a beautiful experience. I didn’t set out to do that but found myself reading their books side by side in a way that highlighted how generational stories often play out within families and how things can look very similar while being very different at the same time.

I read The Way of the Rose by Clark Strand first (also a wonderful audio book listen) and I really enjoyed getting another insight into the journey he was on (along side the whole family) while building his relationship with “the Lady”.

I love reading anything by this whole family. Every time I’m left in awe. They are beautiful writers with great insight into the natural and spiritual world that they so lovingly share with us and I am so thankful.

[Crescent Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to be finding many books with similar themes lately. This book is not only about magic and the unseen world, it is mostly about how the dead are all around us, how she learned to communicate with the dead. But she does it in an unusual way. She speaks about the Earth, how decomposition means that the soil itself is the remains of the dead–whether human, plant, or non-human animal and how we interact with the dead through the world around us. She also speaks of many of her personal experiences.

It's an easy read and fascinating. It makes me look at things in a new way, to think about my own experiences form a new perspective.

I'm about three quarters of the way through the book now and really happy I found it.

[Laura Weldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful memoir-infused foray into the wonders of reincarnation, the helpful presence of ancestors, and the meaning found everywhere. Here's a taste of Perdita's beautiful writing:

“Beneath us and behind us, all around us, are mysteries. We send out probes into space and shatter atoms to see how they are made. But our most adventurous scientists only discover what the mystics always knew—the cosmos is stranger than we can possibly imagine. Light bends. Time folds. One world gives birth to another. An electron can be in two places at once. Most of the universe is dark matter, and we have no idea what that is. In truth, most of what we are is dark matter.”

[Victoria Haf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Estuve leyendo varios libros relativos a la muerte este año, empezando en el otoño, se sentía como una época para trabajar con mi relación con los muertos.
Este libro lo leí porque the Way of the rose (otro libro de Perdita Finn) me cambió la vida y me ayudó a retomar una relación más abierta y no-dogmática con el catolicismo. Este libro no es tan life-changing, es más biográfico donde Perdita habla de sus relaciones con sus muertos y a través de esta narrativa, te invita a relacionarte así mismo con los tuyos, dejando las ideas de que creer en lo sobrenatural es falso, por eso el título de libro, re-encantar el mundo y volver a creer que vivimos una existencia mágica

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I liked this a lot, though at times I felt there was a bit too much detail about events in the authors personal life. I also admit to having a bit of skepticism around the "miracles" mentioned.
Maybe because I've never experienced such things as she mentions and don't personally know anyone who has. Seemed a bit too "new agey" to me. Perhaps I'm just not spiritually evolved enough!
I also had a hard time with her unquestionable belief regarding reincarnation, I just don't get how anyone can know for sure.

[Jacky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and didn't want to put it down. I'd forgotten what it was about in between the time I placed the library hold and received it, so the whole book was a delight.

I appreciated how she mixed in the story of her relationship with her father with the story of her relationship with her husband with the why + how to communicate with your ancestors. Stories are woven together across time so beautifully.

Well written, clear, poignant and inspiring. The cover is also gorgeous.

[Laurie AH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardback format. I love this book. Beautiful story about reconciling with her father, embedded in compelling and practical arguments for honoring and engaging with our ancestors. Inspired me to make a list of my dead relatives and friends (surprising myself about who I thought of before others) and create an altar to those ancestors. Wonderful stories about her deep connection to her husband and children too.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting... a lot more memoir than magic, at least the first third, which was as far as I got. I'm sure Perdita is a fine human being but it just came across to me as very self-indulgent. Maybe it was a cathartic writing process for her; she was both the writer and the target audience. It reminded me of the YouTubers who strap on a Go-Pro, film their normal mundane lives, make a channel and expect other people to find it fascinating.

[Tj · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read that offers us a lot to consider about our ancestors. At times I felt bludgeoned over the head about climate change, which I suppose is an even bigger issue if we consider the idea that we'll be coming back to this planet over and over, again and again. It distracted me as a reader though and made me feel like being stuck at a party where you can't escape a person who won't stop bringing up a topic that's incredibly important to them.