Kristin Hotchkiss - Connecticut Yoga Instructor

01/29/2026

There are 2 spaces available for An Afternoon of Wintering this Sunday, February 1st at the beautiful Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, CT. Originally scheduled for January 18th, we rescheduled to a statewide snow storm.

Restorative Yoga. Nature Connection. Herbal Wisdom.

Midwinter doesn't ask us to do more, it invites us to slow down, to soften, and tend inward. This gathering is the invitation your body and soul have been craving.

For more details, and to register, just visit my website: www.rootandalignct.com.

I'd love to see you there!

~Kristin

01/13/2026

Winter Kin: Field Mouse

In the deep quiet of midwinter, Field Mouse moves close to the earth, nearly invisible, tending what truly matters.

Field Mouse does not rush or strive. She gathers slowly, carefully, trusting that small stores are enough to carry her through the cold. Her world is made of tunnels and hidden spaces, of warmth created through attention rather than abundance.

When Field Mouse appears, she invites us to soften into simplicity. To tend the small, nourishing things. To trust that what we’ve already gathered—rest, memory, care—is sufficient for this season.

There is wisdom in staying close to the ground now. In conserving energy. In honoring the unseen work happening beneath the surface.

Field Mouse reminds us: survival does not require force—only presence, patience, and quiet devotion.

Today, may you soften into what sustains you.
May you trust the small comforts.
May you rest without apology.

~ Kristin ❄️🤍

01/12/2026

Winter Kin: Wisdom from the Living Landscape

Dark-Eyed Junco

Dark-Eyed Junco arrives with winter itself. Often called the “snowbird,” it appears as the days shorten and the world turns inward, moving low to the ground, close to what sustains it.

In both nature-based folklore and spiritual symbolism, Junco is often seen as a quiet messenger — one that arrives not with urgency, but with invitation. Its presence is associated with simplicity, inner reflection, and gentle renewal. Junco reminds us to strip away what is unnecessary, to tend what truly nourishes us, and to listen for guidance that comes softly rather than loudly.

Physically, Junco is simply doing what winter asks: conserving energy, seeking food, staying close to shelter. Spiritually, it offers a mirror — encouraging us to do the same. To notice Junco in midwinter is to be invited into a quieter way of being, one that trusts small steps, subtle shifts, and the slow unfolding of change.

A gentle winter ritual:
Pause wherever you are and take one slow breath. Let your awareness drop into your body. Ask quietly, What is my soul asking me to simplify right now? You don’t need to answer — just notice what rises.

May Dark-Eyed Junco remind you that hope often arrives quietly, and guidance can be found in the simplest of presences.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️🤍

01/11/2026

Snowshoe Hare

As winter deepens, Snowshoe Hare moves almost invisibly through the forest. Its coat shifts with the season, whitening as the land grows pale — not to disappear, but to belong.

In many Indigenous stories, Hare appears as a figure of change and transformation, one who adapts quickly and responds wisely to shifting conditions. Snowshoe Hare teaches not by force or dominance, but through attentiveness — listening to what the moment requires and adjusting with grace.

To notice Snowshoe Hare in winter is to be reminded that adaptation does not have to be dramatic. Sometimes it is subtle. Quiet. A soft recalibration that allows us to remain in harmony with what is.

A gentle winter ritual:
Pause wherever you are and take one slow breath. Notice one small thing in your environment — a sound, a texture, a shift of light. Ask quietly, What is changing, and how might I move with it rather than against it? Let the noticing be enough.

May Snowshoe Hare remind you that responsiveness is a form of wisdom, and gentle change can carry us safely through uncertain seasons.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️🤍

01/10/2026

White-Tailed Deer

In the quiet fields and wooded edges of winter, White-Tailed Deer moves with attentiveness. Each step is measured. Each pause is listening.

Across many Indigenous traditions, Deer is associated with gentleness, intuition, and heart-centered awareness. Deer does not meet the world with force. It survives through sensitivity — by noticing shifts in the air, by trusting its senses, by responding rather than reacting.

To witness Deer in winter is to be reminded that softness is not weakness. It is a finely tuned intelligence. In a season that asks us to slow, Deer teaches us how to move through uncertainty with grace — alert, receptive, and deeply embodied.

A gentle winter ritual:
Wherever you are, soften your shoulders and jaw. Take one slow breath in through the nose, and one long breath out. Ask quietly, Where might I move more gently with myself right now? Let your body answer in its own way.

May White-Tailed Deer remind you that sensitivity is a form of wisdom, and gentleness can be a profound kind of strength.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️🤍
Root & Align Wellness

01/09/2026

Restorative Yoga ~

Restorative yoga is a practice of deep listening and gentle return. It’s slow, supported, and intentionally spacious—an offering that asks very little of the body while giving so much back. Using props like bolsters, blankets, and blocks, the body is fully held so it can soften, rest, and exhale. There is no striving here, no pushing or fixing—only an invitation to settle in and be supported.

In January, after the busyness of the holidays and the momentum of a new year, restorative yoga feels especially nourishing. Winter is not a season of urgency; it’s a season of tending. Of quiet recalibration. Of allowing the nervous system to downshift and the body to restore itself in its own time. This practice supports deep rest, eases tension, soothes the nervous system, and gently replenishes energy—often leaving you feeling grounded, clear, and subtly renewed rather than “worked.”

It’s a practice I personally gravitate toward during the winter months. When the days are shorter and the world feels quieter, restorative yoga becomes a place where I can meet myself honestly—without expectation—and allow rest to be enough. It’s something I return to again and again, and something I deeply love sharing with others who may be craving the same sense of ease and permission to slow down.

If you’re feeling called to rest more deeply, to soften the edges of winter, and to honor this season rather than rush through it, I’d love to welcome you to my January workshop at Sticks and Stones Farm in Newtown, CT, An Afternoon of Wintering—a gentle, nourishing gathering centered around restorative yoga, nature connection, and seasonal herbal wisdom. Come as you are, and let winter hold you for a while. 🤍

You can register by visiting the Events page on my website at www.rootandalignct.com

Space is intentionally limited to keep the experience intimate and well-supported, so I encourage you to register soon if this feels like a yes for you. I would love to share this afternoon of wintering with you. 🤍

Blessings,
Kristin
Root & Align Wellness

Sticks and Stones Farm
201 Huntingtown Rd, Newtown, CT 06470

01/09/2026

In the deep quiet of winter, Wolf moves with intention.

Wolf is presence shaped by relationship — to land, to pack, to instinct. Even when unseen, its influence is felt in the way the forest listens more closely, in the way boundaries are honored, in the way movement becomes purposeful rather than hurried.

In many Indigenous traditions, Wolf is regarded as a teacher of loyalty, cooperation, and balance. Wolf reminds us that strength is not solitary bravado, but devotion — to one another, to the work of survival, to the rhythms of the natural world. It knows when to lead and when to follow, when to move together and when to wait.

To sense Wolf in winter is to be reminded that we are not meant to do everything alone. Even in quiet seasons, connection matters. Even in stillness, belonging remains.

A gentle winter ritual:
Pause for a moment and feel your feet on the ground. Take one slow breath. Ask quietly, Where am I being asked to lean into connection or shared support right now? Let whatever arises be enough.

May Wolf remind you that strength grows through relationship, and belonging is a form of resilience.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️🐺
Root & Align Wellness

01/08/2026

When the forest grows quiet enough, Barred Owl speaks.

Its call carries through the winter night — steady, watchful, unhurried. Barred Owl does not chase the light. It moves within the dark, seeing what others cannot, trusting what is revealed slowly.

In many Indigenous traditions, owls are regarded with deep respect, often associated with wisdom, intuition, and the ability to perceive beyond the surface of things. Barred Owl, in particular, is a teacher of stillness and discernment — reminding us that not all knowing arrives loudly, and not all guidance comes in daylight.

To encounter Barred Owl is to be invited into a different rhythm. One that listens more than it speaks. One that waits. In the long nights of winter, its presence suggests that there is wisdom unfolding even when we cannot yet name it.

A gentle winter ritual:
Pause wherever you are. Soften your gaze or close your eyes. Take one slow breath in, and one slow breath out. Ask quietly, What is being revealed to me if I listen more closely? Let the question linger without effort.

May Barred Owl remind you that stillness sharpens perception, and quiet can be a form of strength.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️🤍
Root & Align Wellness

01/07/2026

This morning, I had to gently nudge myself out the door. Gray, gloomy days like today can feel a little heavy when the sun isn’t shining its usual warmth.

But as I wandered along the Connecticut shoreline, something beautiful happened. The fog—thick, alive, and sentient—wrapped the landscape in a soft, magical hush. With each step, my spirits began to lift, carried by the quiet, mysterious presence around me.

There’s a kind of gentle alchemy in fog: it transforms the familiar into something sacred, inviting you to slow down, breathe, and simply be. This morning’s walk reminded me that even in the gray, there is magic waiting to be discovered.

-Kristin

01/07/2026

In the hush of midwinter, when the woods are rendered in shades of silver and bone, a flash of red appears—bright, unapologetic, alive. The cardinal arrives like a heartbeat against the snow, reminding us that warmth still exists, even in the coldest season.

Across many traditions, the red cardinal is seen as a messenger. In Native American lore, it is often associated with vitality, relationships, and the life force itself—its red feathers echoing blood, fire, and the sacred spark that keeps us moving forward. In other folk traditions, a cardinal’s presence is believed to carry a message from the spirit world: a gentle reassurance that we are loved, watched over, and not alone.

To witness a cardinal in winter is to receive a quiet teaching. It does not migrate or retreat. It stays. It sings. It becomes more vivid against the stillness. Perhaps that is its wisdom for us now: to tend our inner flame, to let our true colors be seen, even when the landscape feels sparse.

A gentle winter ritual:
Pause for a moment today. Place one hand over your heart and take three slow breaths. Imagine a soft red warmth glowing there. Ask quietly, What inner fire am I being asked to care for this winter? No need to answer — just listen.

May Red Cardinal remind you that presence is a form of courage, and staying can be an act of devotion.

With warmth,
Kristin ❄️❤️
Root & Align Wellness
Hotchkiss.RootandAlign

01/06/2026

Winter Herbal Allies | An Introduction

As winter settles in, many of us naturally reach for warmth, comfort, and simple ways to feel supported. Over the coming weeks, over on my Instagram page, I’ll be sharing familiar kitchen herbs that have long been worked with during the winter months — gentle, accessible plants many of us already know.

Each week, we’ll explore one herbal ally at a time, including traditional uses, easy ways to work with the herb at home, a bit of folk wisdom & symbolism, and trusted sources. Everything is shared as an invitation, with an emphasis on listening to your own body and moving at your own pace.

If you’re curious about herbs and would love a thoughtful, approachable way to learn, I’d love for you to follow along with this winter series 🌿

Warm Blessings,
Kristin
hotchkiss.rootandalign

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTGhfeqlLnW/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

01/06/2026

Before we leap into goals, plans, and productivity, winter asks something different of us: to slow down, listen, and restore.

My latest blog post explores this in-between season and offers simple, grounding ways to care for yourself as the year gently turns.

If you’re moving into the new year with curiosity rather than pressure, I invite you to read along.

Link below — and if you’d like to stay connected with future blog posts and seasonal gatherings, you’re welcome to join my mailing list.

Seasonal Blessings,
Kristin

forest bathing, yoga, root & align, wellness, outdoors, forest