Embodying Soul

"the author’s principal goal is to inform, and the book becomes a kind of self-help guide that encourages intuition, communication, and letting go. a nontraditional but effective memoir about one woman’s discovery of spiritualism."

                                                                                                                                       —kirkus reviews

“have you ever thought about contacting your soul? well, this memoir might help you do it. . . . the book is profound and will help readers look at life with a different perspective and work toward being in alignment with their life, embodying characteristics like softness, calmness, approachability, courage, humility, patience, and strength.”

—mamta mahavan, reviewer, readers’ favorite

“an inspiration for the women who lose themselves in nurturing their families and the lives of other people. there is no shame in loving yourself and making an effort to find yourself. i hope that many women take this book as an inspiration to make their lives . . . exactly what they want and not what other people want.”

—rabia tanveer reviewer, readers’ favorite

“this volume not only describes the . . . choices that its author makes but also combines the narrative of a kind of spirit guide [who teaches her] the importance of getting to know her true self. . . . the two distinct narratives keep the work fresh and interesting as the conversation between soul and self deepens. a truly unique and highly motivational read with plenty of uplifting qualities.”

—k.c. finn, reviewer, readers’ favorite

On the surface, Keri Mangis might seem a gentle yet candid introvert. But peel back a layer and you'll uncover an inquisitive explorer of inner and outer realms. Peel back another layer and you might see a brave visionary pioneering her own brand of spiritual revolution. She has studied or taught yoga, Ayurveda, herbal medicine, energy work, aromatherapy, Buddhism, Hinduism, Tantra, Christianity, and other spiritual teachings and healing modalities. A Minneapolis-based writer and speaker, her work has appeared in Elephant Journal, Urban Howl, The Sunlight Press, Grown and Flown, Rebelle Society, The Good Men Project, Stitch, Literary Mama, and elsewhere.

Prologue: Family Flags

Part I  First Line of Defense

chapter 1 travel suitcase

chapter 2 breaking out of identity confinement

chapter 3 the river of forgetting

chapter 4 forgetting essence

chapter 5 travel scrapbook

chapter 6 emotional guardrails

chapter 7 the museum of universal truth and cosmic knowledge

chapter 8 invasion of the sanctuary of the mind

Part II Growth and Adaptation

chapter 9 endless curiosity and the great truth

chapter 10 hungry to learn

chapter 11 defining ambition

chapter 12 following the course of ambition

chapter 13 robe of authority

chapter 14 putting skin in the game

chapter 15 the story of shame

chapter 16 planting strength

Part III Wound Healing and Regrowth

chapter 17 hemostasis

chapter 18 anger’s gift of illumination

chapter 19 inflammation

chapter 20 vasoconstriction

chapter 21 stretch marks

chapter 22 depression’s call to duty

chapter 23 new skin

Part IV Absorption and Assimilation

chapter 24 process of soul embodiment

chapter 25 overdue nourishment

chapter 26 soul tools

chapter 27 soaking in knowledge

chapter 28 consuming love

chapter 29 heeding a calling

Part V Secretion versus Excretion

chapter 30 sweet nectar of mindful yoga

chapter 31 persistence of anxiety

chapter 32 popped corn

chapter 33 map of opportunities

chapter 34 detox

chapter 35 purge

chapter 36 stripped

Part VI Regulation

chapter 37 center of mindfulness

chapter 38 seeds of creation

chapter 39 business plan

chapter 40 departing visions

chapter 41 control pose

chapter 42 megaphone of truth

chapter 43 dialogue with soul

chapter 44 joy’s greeting

chapter 45 numb

Part VII Sensation

chapter 46 pierced

chapter 47 puzzling gratitude

chapter 48 awakening

chapter 49 guilt’s epiphany

chapter 50 harvest of joy

chapter 51 the beginning

chapter 52 choosing a life led by soul

Epilogue: The Great Truth (Revisited)