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Have you seen those itty-bitty plastic bottled waters that can be consumed in one giant gulp? Anyone who has gone for a hike, done a workout routine, or was even remotely thirsty understands the impracticality of a plastic bottle that size. That 8 ounces of water will not suffice your body's need for hydration. So how about a bigger plastic bottled water? As absurd as that small bottle is, the bigger versions are no better. While you may see buying bottled water as a quick fix, the truth of the matter is: that quick fix has a lasting negative impact on the environment and your health.

“You must lose yourself to find yourself.”

In order for the life you were meant to live to come together, the life you are living now first has to come apart. There is no linear path to one’s evolution. It is a cycle that has to keep undoing itself: the habits, the structures, the comfort, the expectations, the stories that define it -- so that when one’s life as s/he knows it has been totally broken down, only from there is there room for something much greater and truer to sprout from beneath.

I’ve come to believe that to be alive means to experience trauma; and I don’t mean things like war, or car accidents (although those things too) — I mean things like death, divorce, and anything else that shakes us up and makes us feel unsafe physically or emotionally. Trauma can also be secondary, by the way. It can be induced by hearing or seeing someone else’s traumatic experiences. When you take into account the majority of news stories, I’m pretty sure we’re all walking around a little traumatized.

Do it now! Go against the grain, take an adventure, thwart off the oh-so-average, menial life you have been living. I once read a story about a rocking chair -- yes, a rocking chair. It started out by painting a picture. An image of a grandparent seated in an old, wooden rocking chair on an outdoor patio overlooking a great expanse of open land. Sun shining, starry-eyed grandchildren gathered around waiting for yet another wild venture saga.

As the summer winds down and nights wander in with cool breezes our bodies call out for different things to keep healthy and strong. Where the heat of the blazing summer sun was once enough to call forth the power of our immunity, without its penetrating rays staying strong in the sky, we require a bit more to support the seasonal transition into fall that leads the way to winter's doorway. Here are some essential nutrition tips for fall-transition and beyond.

1. Start with a Glass of Warm Water

The other day when I was out doing my laundry, an aging Baby-Boomer said to me, “When are you gonna take your Bernie sticker off your car?”  I looked at him and said, “Never.”  He started in on me about how Bernie was leading a ‘60s style revolution (yes, indeed he was) and the kids just didn't step up.  I was stunned. So I said, “That's not true at all.” I said perhaps it was that the establishment just wasn't ready for such radical change all at once.

It was once said that the only thing constant in life is change. It is an inevitable force that encompasses every aspect of our lives. Perhaps a greater part of us knows and appreciates this, yet we can all relate to struggling with and resisting change when it begins to rise in our own lives. We become attached to circumstances as they are, even if they are not what we truly want, even if they are unhealthy and are limiting our growth. It is this strange comfortability, quiet resignation and satisfaction with settling, that I find so fascinating.

**Note Kapalabhati is not recommended for pregnant women. If you begin to feel dizzy or anxious during the practice slow down your breathing or halt the practice.

What is Kapalabhati?

Kapalabhati is a breathing technique that is exceptionally effective for detoxifying the body, strengthening the core, and warming the body. Kapalabhati is often translated to “skull shining breath,” which alludes to its mind clarifying properties. In Kundalini, this practice is often called “breath of fire,” because of the heat it produces in one’s core.

It doesn’t take a trained psychologist to realize that past experiences often dictate how we handle situations in our present—but they don’t have to define how we handle them in our future. My father was an adulterer for many years, which not-at-all-surprisingly has caused feelings of anxiety and distrust in my current relationships.

Sound a little familiar?