For us with dystonia we can never get enough of learning more about breathing, relaxation and the importance of bending and stretching. At the autumn meeting of the Norwegian Dystonia Association in Tromsø on 21 September Ina Borch gave us new and exciting approaches in this regard.
– We take our breath for granted, and that’s a good thing. What’s nice to know is that we can use our breath consciously to connect with the internal systems in our body. Breathing is our only direct link to the nervous system, Borch explained to us gathered in the conference room at Clarion Hotel The Edge in Tromsø this rainy Saturday in September.
In total, we were 31 members represented from south to north who had found their way to this autumn’s peer meeting. The southernmost participant came from Drammen while the northernmost participant came from Alta and Hammerfest.
– Very nice and great to see that so many have shown up, said the leader of the local team Nord, Lise Bakken, as she, together with her colleague on the board of the local team Line Mathiesen and the national board chairman Johan Arnfinn Warvik, welcomed everyone.
Breathing can provide control
The choice of topic was not accidental. Johan Arnfinn pointed out that those of us affected by dystonia can experience a wave of muscle pain and painful thoughts. He himself had received good help from a physiotherapist who had taught him techniques for relaxation.
Ina Borch’s message to those present in this regard was to work with our breathing more consciously.
– If you feel uncomfortable you can use your breath to gain more control over your bodily reactions, Borch pointed out. Borch runs Ina Yoga in Tromsø on a daily basis.
She thanked us for allowing her to come to the autumn meeting and said she was happy to have been invited.
– We don’t have to think about our breath, it’s there all the time. At the same time, it’s one of the automatic processes we can physically control. Breathing is like a bridge to the nervous system. Today we’re going to try to get in touch with and focus on our breath, Borch explained to the gathering.
– We have two nervous systems, the autonomic and the somatic. We’re going to try to reach the parasympathetic nervous system in the autonomic nervous system, where we find calm and can feel safe.
Borch then took us through several different breathing exercises and techniques.
Inspired
During the session, she included bending, stretching and balancing exercises to the full effort of everyone in the room. Finally, she took us on a meditative relaxation journey. With eyes closed and with calm background music, she let us turn our attention to one body part at a time from the bottom of our feet to the top of our heads, a method known to have a stress-relieving effect.
“I think you look a little more peaceful now than when I came in,” Ina Borch summed up with a smile as everyone opened their eyes.
She received applause. Dystoni-nytt received a comment from Berit Lysaker, local team leader in Oslo and Akershus, afterwards. “Awesome!,” she called what Borch had taken us through and she thought the exercises that were demonstrated inspired us to follow up.
Lunch and sightseeing
The good conversation continued during lunch. After the meal it was time to get to know Tromsø better. For several of the visitors from the south, this was their first time in Tromsø and the region.
Johan Arnfinn was able to state that a boat trip had actually been booked for everyone. But at the last minute, the shipping company cancelled the booking with the dystonia association and instead entered into a contract with a group from Spain who they wanted to make more money from. Such treatment of customers can quickly backfire on the tourism industry itself, said Johan Arnfinn.
As a substitute, a trip to the “Fjellheisen” (which is a Gondola that takes you from the city to a mountaintop) with a visit to the Arctic Cathedral was organized at the last minute. Some chose the alternative, which was a city walk on a strategic route that gave the opportunity to take a closer look at the artwork of city girl Marit Bockelie on the walls of houses in the city centre, as well as her latest creation “the portal” in the new Vervet district.
Everyone enjoyed the trip, and even the weather gods changed their minds and showed a kinder side. For those who took the Fjellheisen, the weather cleared up enough to make it possible to enjoy the view of Tromsø and the surrounding islands.
Text and photo: Vidar Bjørkli, Norwegian Dystonia Association
