For the last week I have been sleeping with my head at the foot of the bed. Just for a change of pace. And my brain is enjoying the novelty of it all.

From my new perspective, with my toes up next to the headboard, my brain is so engaged. The dog is snoring. The clock is ticking. The moonlight is coming in the window. But everything is upside down and backwards. How fun is that? Waking up in the middle of the night, my mind pauses. There is this exquisite moment of complete awareness while my brain puts everything into place. And this slight change in orientation makes me feel like I am waking up in a new place. Like being on vacation. Surprisingly it adds to my excitement for the new day.

Being creatures of habit, many of us hold on to the security of routine. We find it hard to change habits, in part, because of the familiarity we have developed with the old ones. Repeated habits wire the brain to form a nice groove. Everything can go on autopilot. But that groove tends to become a rut. Sometimes a really deep rut. And being in a rut stagnates growth and development. Read more

I have several favorite breathing techniques in my bag of relaxation tools. Of them, I find “Alternate Nostril Breathing” (or Nadi Shodhana) to be one of the most effective at calming my mind and soothing my nervous system. It also feels very balancing because it helps integrate the brain, allowing me to get the most out of my creative right hemisphere and my logical left hemisphere.

You may not have noticed, but we don’t breathe evenly between our two nostrils. One nostril typically feels more clear and open than the other. And this openness tends to cycle from one nostril to the other. A typical breathing pattern cycles between each nostril every 2-3 hours. One cycle, you find that you can breathe comfortably through your left nostril and your right nostril is congested. A few hours later, your right nostril is clear, but your left is a bit more congested.

Research has shown more electrical brain activity on the side opposite the open, clear nostril. Left nostril open – the creative right brain is more predominant. Right nostril open – the logical left brain in more predominant. Read more

I remember my first kumquat.

Several years ago, a dear friend of mine from South Africa handed me one. I looked at it, trying to figure out how to peel such a tiny orange. “Oh, just eat the whole thing”, she instructed, amused at my hesitation.

Zowie. A puckersome little tidbit. Bitter. But with a wonderful burst of sweet tartness.

Kumquats look like small oval oranges, but have a surprisingly bold flavor (emphasis on “surprisingly”). Bite size, pop-in-your-mouth morsels of bitter, sweet juiciness.

And since I am writing about them here, you’ve probably guessed that they have some wonderful nutritional benefits as well.

Indeed they do. Read more