Tai Chi and Qigong in the Park brought to you by a collaboration between Morning Crane and Santa Clara County Parks & Recreation
Tai Chi and Qigong are an interconnected system that boosts flexibility and mental clarity, using gentle movements and breathing exercises.
Join us and bring balance to your body and mind as you connect with the beautiful and serene park.
This is an experience you won’t want to miss.
SUMMER 2025 CLASS SCHEDULE:
Bernal-Gulnac-Joice Ranch (372 Manila Dr, San Jose)
- Click on the address above, which will take you to the park,
- Click here to go directly to the small parking lot. There’s very limited parking but plenty along Manila Dr.
- Class will be held on the grass between the two barns.
Class Locations and Directions:
Casa Grande New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum (21350 Almaden Road in San Jose)
- Click on the address above, which will take you to the museum. Class will be held under the big tree on the lawn.
- Cell phone signal is very spotty there, so we recommend having directions either already downloaded or printed out.
- From Highway 85 take the Almaden Expressway exit south 6.5 miles to Almaden Road. Turn right on Almaden Road and proceed 2.5 miles west to the town of New Almaden. The Casa Grande will be on your left.
- From Highway 880 take 101 south to 280 north (toward San Francisco). Exit 280 at Hwy. 87 (Guadalupe Parkway) south. Exit Hwy. 87 at Almaden Expressway south (to the right). Proceed about 8 miles to Almaden Road. Turn right on Almaden Road and proceed 2.5 miles to the town of New Almaden.
Alviso Marina (1195 Hope St, Alviso)
- Click on the address above, which will take you to the park.
- Class will be held towards the north end of the parking lot below the cement stadium seating.
About Your Instructors:
Christine Castillo
Christine’s inspirational story started her as a patient, then Qigong a student, and is now a Qigong Instructor.
Born and raised in San Jose, California. Christine loves practicing and teaching Qigong (Chee-gung)! Qigong has changed her life in so many ways. Just to name a few Qigong helped with managing stress, she learned how to calm down her thoughts and change them. Qigong has helped me reach other levels of subconscious being. Qigong teaches empowerment and teaches us how to slow down and listen to your body.
Christine focuses her teachings on the Qigong cleansing exercises which help release these toxic emotions, learn to accept the things we cannot control, learn to have peace and forgiveness. Not only with ourselves but with others.
Christine has been practicing Qigong (chee-gung) for eight years, teaching for five years. She teaches classes in-person and online, with youth groups, with adults, events and one-on-one sessions.
She is also learning about Classes Chinese Medicine for seven years and is a Morning Crane Curative Qigong practitioner and affiliate.
Yvette Clark
Yvette Espinosa Clark is a certified Qigong Instructor who is passionate about empowering others to live their healthiest lives, maintain great health, and guide them through their healing journeys.
Yvette believes that Qigong allows people to activate the healing energy that resides within all of us, providing a way to take health into one’s own hands. She views Qigong as preventative medicine—the best medicine—and her own body serves as a testament to this belief.
Yvette discovered Qigong during her personal healing journey after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2016. She chose the holistic route because she wanted to address the root cause of her illness rather than mask it with temporary solutions. Despite being told that without three harsh medications she would be in a wheelchair forever or possibly die, and that there was “no cure,” her soul trusted otherwise. She acknowledges that medication is sometimes necessary and that everyone’s journey is different and unique.
Over time, through diet changes, acupuncture, and supplements, Yvette began to heal. However, it wasn’t until she started practicing Qigong that she witnessed true healing and transformation begin within. She slowly regained her life and health, once again able to perform basic day-to-day activities without pain and feel joy. This motivated her to dive deeper into understanding the mind-body connection and how Qigong worked, not only for her continued healing but to share this knowledge with the world once she was healthy enough to do so.
Yvette has been teaching since 2018, and her healing has been what she describes as miraculous and mind-blowing. In 2023, her bloodwork showed all numbers in normal range with no inflammation in her body—a complete healing. She shares her story to encourage others not to lose faith during their healing journeys and to never underestimate the power of Qigong and the mind-body-soul connection.
Yvette’s goal is to encourage people to practice Qigong as preventative medicine rather than waiting until they are in crisis mode. She advocates for staying ahead of one’s health by making Qigong part of everyday routine to live a life filled with great health, peace, balance, harmony, and vitality.
Yvette believes that Qigong, combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle changes, is the key to a healthy mind-body. She would be honored to guide others on their wellness journeys.
