Spotlight: The Essential Ingredient: Remaking Ourselves in Times of Crisis by Keri Mangis
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What if the crises of our time are not simply problems to solve—but invitations to transform?
In a world marked by climate catastrophe, political upheaval, social fragmentation, and the erosion of community, many people feel overwhelmed or powerless. We are told to remain hopeful, stay positive, and trust that solutions will emerge. But what if hope alone is not enough?
In The Essential Ingredient: Remaking Ourselves in Times of Crisis, author and TEDx speaker Keri Mangis argues that the real work of transformation begins elsewhere—within ourselves.
Drawing on Jungian psychology, shadow work, and decades of personal exploration, Mangis reframes crisis as a catalyst for profound personal and collective change. Rather than offering quick fixes or prescriptive formulas, she invites readers into a deeper process of self-reflection, healing, and discovery—one capable of reshaping both individual lives and the culture we inhabit.
Structured as a three-part journey through breakdown, reflection, and rebirth, the book guides readers through the psychological and spiritual terrain that genuine change requires. Along the way, Mangis explores the questions that arise when familiar structures collapse: Who are we when the old stories no longer hold? What does it mean to live awake in a time of cultural upheaval? And how might inner change contribute to rebuilding society itself?
Blending philosophy, psychological insight, and cultural reflection, this book speaks to anyone seeking meaning and direction in uncertain times—offering a clear-eyed look at the hidden patterns that shape our behavior, and the difficult but necessary work of confronting the shadows, both personal and collective, that influence our world.
The Essential Ingredient offers something rare: not a promise of easy answers, but an invitation to evolve. The true catalyst for remaking society may be the human being willing to do the inner work first, for we are the essential ingredient.
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About the Author
Keri Mangis is a provocative voice at the intersection of culture, consciousness, and personal transformation. As a TEDx speaker and multi award-winning author, she challenges the status quo and invites us to step into the radical work of remaking ourselves in times of crisis. Her writing and teaching move beyond self-help platitudes, calling instead for the clear-eyed courage it takes to face our collective moment, dismantle inner barriers, and reclaim the imagination and power needed to create a better world. For more than two decades, Keri has immersed herself in traditions of wisdom and transformation—from yoga, Ayurveda, and meditation to alchemy, Jungian psychology, archetypes, and rites of passage. She has studied with leading cultural voices including Sharon Blackie, Michael Meade, and the Center of Applied Jungian Studies. Her first book, Embodying Soul: A Return to Wholeness, received multiple awards, including the 2020 IPA Award for Mind, Body & Spirit and the 2020 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal in Non-Fiction Spiritual. Her forthcoming book, The Essential Ingredient: Remaking Ourselves in Times of Crisis (Spring 2026), is a bold exploration of how breakdown can serve as a portal to renewal—personally and collectively—and a rallying call for evolving human consciousness. Her essays have appeared in Spirituality & Health Magazine, the Star Tribune, Elephant Journal, and beyond.
