I should start by saying, don't pay too much attention to the defoliation, it was partly done because the leaves on this tree are absolutely amazing as a spice in soups and stir fries, and with this year's cold season I had to use a few more than I had intended, it was also partly done as an experiment to see if exposing the branches to light would encourage some upward growth, and it did exactly that. My hope was that the tree would stop growing sideways and grow upwards, but it appears to have decided that it should just do both. This is the tree:

Showing new branches at the leaf node where the old leaf was removed. It has new branches like this at most nodes with leaf removal. I thought I would share this bit for anyone else dealing with a tree that is frustratingly growing sideways like this one, though I would not recommend this for anyone who doesn't know their trees. I knew this one could handle it and would benefit from it because it is seed grown and has a very large, very healthy, and extensive root system.

Ok, on to my question. Anyone here who does bonsai or citrus or both: any suggestions on what to do with this tree? When I got the tree it had one tiny root about an inch long, and half of the tree was necrotic and had to be removed. (I was asked to save it and then told to keep it if it survived). Since that time I've had to cut the trunk twice more for dead tissue, once was due to spidermites, once was my fault as I left it too close to a window during an unseasonable temperature plunge. It finally sprang back this year with a vengeance, but had spread out laterally and was only growing the 6 spindly branches. After fighting with whether or not I should just prune it back again, I decided to try the partial defoliation and was happy to get the result I was looking for in upward growth. (I can fit tall plants in my growing space, but wide is a challenge). Now I'm trying to decide what more I can do with this tree. Just let it grow in this lateral way with branches almost at soil level, trim back again, or is there a more artistic direction I can take this tree?