Kristin Hotchkiss ~Founder
Many of us spend our days rushing, multitasking, and running on empty — disconnected from ourselves and the natural world. I created Root & Align to offer something different: a space to slow down, breathe deeply, and remember what it feels like to be grounded and whole.
I’m a 200-hour registered yoga instructor (RYT) with nearly 20 years of teaching experience in Connecticut, and a certified Mindful Outdoor Guide through the Kripalu School of Outdoor Leadership. My educational background in public health and lifelong love of hiking and the outdoors have shaped my belief that real wellness comes from connection — to body, mind, and nature.
At Root & Align, I guide people through yoga, forest bathing, and mindfulness practices that help them move out of stress and back into balance. These experiences combine gentle movement, breathwork, and nature immersion to help you feel calm, centered, and at ease — both on and off the mat.
Yoga and time outdoors have been anchors in my own life, helping me find clarity and resilience through challenge. My purpose now is to share those tools with others — creating space to pause, reconnect, and belong. Whether you come to the forest or the mat, my hope is that you leave feeling rooted, aligned, and renewed.
About Forest Bathing
In a world that moves fast, our bodies and minds rarely get the chance to slow down. Forest bathing — or Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese practice meaning “taking in the forest atmosphere” — invites us to do just that. It’s not a hike or a workout. It’s an opportunity to move slowly, breathe deeply, and let nature work its quiet magic.
During a forest bathing walk with Root & Align, you’ll be guided through a series of gentle “invitations” designed to help you reconnect with your senses and the land around you. We pause often. We listen. We notice what’s alive in the moment. The experience typically ends in circle, where we share a hand-blended herbal tea and reflect together, participation is always voluntary.
Rooted in the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership framework, forest bathing has been shown to support:
Lower stress and anxiety
Improved mood and focus
Enhanced immune and cardiovascular health
Better sleep and overall well-being
Most of all, it offers a way to come home to yourself — to feel grounded, clear, and connected to the natural world.