Image item
 
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
🌷 MARCH NEWSLETTER – OF THE OAKS
with Michelle
Supportive tools for moving well, aging with strength, and leaning into calm.
Hi everyone,
March carries a quiet promise. (that is late, just sayin)
The light lingers a little longer.
The air softens.
The snow slowly releases its hold (stubbornly holding).
We “spring forward.” (POSITIVE THOUGHTS)
Maple syrup season has begun.
Spring break arrived.
Saint Patrick’s Day brings celebration and green reminders of growth (green?).
The shift is subtle — but it’s happening (believe).
After months of layering up and turning inward, this is the month we gently wake back up (whether outside is ready or not).
Not with pressure.
Not with drastic change.
But with a reset rooted in rhythm.
What feels ready to stretch?
To lighten?
To begin again?
With care,
Michelle
Yoga Therapist + Movement Specialist
🌿 This Month’s Insights
Spring Reset – 
Clear Space, Clear Energy
01
Spring isn’t just about cleaning closets.
It’s about clearing patterns.
Where have you felt stagnant?
Where has winter heaviness settled?
Reset can look like:
  • Opening windows for fresh air
  • Resetting sleep routines
  • Increasing daily steps
  • Drinking more water
  • Scheduling movement back into your week
Small resets create forward momentum. When it’s stagnant, you feel stiff and restricted.
 
Motion truly is lotion.
Five minutes can change how your entire body feels for the rest of the day.

Movement Insight – 
Rebuilding Elasticity
02
During winter, we tend to move less expansively. Spring is the time to restore elasticity.
Focus on:
  • Longer walking strides
  • Arm swings with rotation
  • Gentle back extension
  • Hip opening
Biomechanically, rotation and extension counteract winter’s forward-flexed posture (think driving, screens, huddling in cold).
When you reintroduce these patterns, you restore balance through the spine and hips.
Movement becomes lighter.
Breathing becomes easier.
Energy rises naturally.

Seasonal Tradition – Maple Syrup & Local Nourishment
03
There’s something grounding about maple syrup season.
It’s patient.
It’s local.
It follows nature’s exact timing — freeze, thaw, repeat.
Sap only runs when conditions are right.
Growth works the same way.
You cannot force a season.
But you can prepare for it.
Let March be your “sap run” month — gentle momentum gathering beneath the surface.

🧘‍♀️ Mindfull checkin–
What Are You Growing?
Ask yourself:
What habit is ready to grow?
What energy feels lighter?
Where can I stretch just a little further this month?
Longer days naturally lift mood and regulate circadian rhythm. Use that light.
Step outside.
Let the sun hit your face.
Walk after dinner.
Notice the shift.

It’s with a full heart that I share there will be no May retreat in 2026. As costs continue to rise, this special three-day experience has reached a point where it’s no longer accessible for many — and creating something that feels inclusive and attainable has always mattered deeply to me.
This retreat has held such a meaningful place in my heart since the very beginning. It was born from a simple, powerful vision — women coming together to support one another, to celebrate, to move, to laugh, and to simply be. The connections, the energy, the memories we’ve created together… they will always stay with me.
To each of you who has been part of it over the years — and to those who continue to follow and support this journey — thank you. Truly. It means more than I can fully express.
This isn’t an ending, just a shift. Please stay tuned for upcoming workshops, and for the return of our Autumn Day Yoga & Lunch at Laurentian Lodge — with a date to be announced. 🍂

 Bonus This Month: 
 
Energy Ball's
(see below)
The only Energy Ball recipe you’ll ever need, plus six no-bake energy ball flavors! 
Ingredients:
ENERGY BALL BASE:
  • 1 ¼ cups  old fashioned rolled oats you can also swap quick oats or a blend of half quick, half old fashioned
  • 2 tablespoons “power mix-ins” chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, or additional rolled oats
  • ½ cup nut butter of choice peanut butter is my go-to
  • ⅓ cup sticky liquid sweetener of choice honey or MAPLE SYRUP
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup mix-ins see below for flavor options
Instructions:
1. Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl: oats, power mix-ins, nut butter, sweetener, vanilla extract, salt, mix-ins, and any other spices you'd like to add. Stir to combine.
2. If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more oats. If it's too dry, add a bit more nut butter. It should resemble a somewhat sticky dough that holds together when lightly squeezed.
3. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set (this will make the balls easier to roll later on).
4. Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and portion the dough into balls of desired size. (I use a cookie scoop to make mine approximately 1 inch in diameter).
5. Enjoy right away or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
  • Store leftover energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • For nut allergies: In place of the almond or peanut butter, try sunflower seed butter.
For nutrition information and 6 more  variations click the box or https://www.wellplated.com/energy-balls/#wprm-recipe-container-33259
 
Closing Thought❤️ With Gratitude
The season is shifting — slowly, steadily, beautifully.
So are you.
Let this be the month you stretch toward light.
With warmth and gratitude,
Michelle
Of The Oaks | Health Gains

✨ Let’s Talk
Curious if yoga therapy could help with your stiffness, pain, or movement challenges? I offer 1:1 sessions for people just like you.
Book a Free Consultation
Let’s explore what’s possible.

Thanks so much for reading! Please share it with someone you feel would enjoy it too.
🫶 Stay Connected
As always, I’m here to support your movement, calm, and well-being.
If you'd like to deepen your practice or book a session, reach out anytime.
Wishing you warmth, grounding, and gentle movement all month long.
— Michelle | Of The Oaks & Health Gains
 
Michelle Deschenes
Yoga Therapist + Movement Specialist
Of The Oaks | Health Gains
www.oftheoaks.ca
📧 moftheoaks@gmail.com
📸 Follow me on Instagram

 
Visit our Facebook
Visit our Instagram
 
17 River Drive
Blind River, ON P0R1B0, Canada