Golden Lotus School of Yoga

Golden Lotus School of Yoga We are a yoga teachers organization officially established in 1966 by Yogacharya Oliver Black, founder of Song of the Morning Yoga Retreat.

He was a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of the renowned spiritual classic "Autobiography of a Yogi".

🎉 Yogacharya’s Birthday Weekend CelebrationSeptember 4–6, 2026 | Song of the Morning📍 Vanderbilt, Michigan✨ All are welc...
08/25/2026

🎉 Yogacharya’s Birthday Weekend Celebration
September 4–6, 2026 | Song of the Morning
📍 Vanderbilt, Michigan
✨ All are welcome!

It is with gratitude that we gather each year to honor Yogacharya Oliver Black’s birthday and celebrate his life of service, devotion, friendship, and generosity.

This year, we gather as a Circle of Friends to give thanks for all we have accomplished together, honor the past, envision the future, and continue carrying forward the vision entrusted to Yogacharya by Paramahansa Yogananda.

Join us for a special weekend of meditation, inspiring presentations, fellowship, the Wheelhouse Celebration, rare archival material, Fellowship with Yogacharya: “Life’s Journey,” and Yogacharya’s Birthday Party.

Whether you have been coming for decades or are visiting for the first time, we warmly welcome you.

All program activities are free for this special event.

🔗 Learn more and register for Birthday Weekend:
https://songofthemorning.secure.retreat.guru/program/yogacharyas-birthday-weekend-celebration/

❤️ The Foundation is Friendship

For 37 years, the Circle of Friends has helped sustain Song of the Morning. Whether you’ll be joining us in person or celebrating from afar, we invite you to learn more about our Circle of Friends, Birthday Weekend giving, and all we’ve accomplished together:

https://www.songofthemorning.org/friendship

08/07/2026

If you've ever wondered what it feels like to spend a weekend at Song of the Morning, our Autumn Inner Peace Retreats are one of the best ways to experience it. 🌿

Imagine waking to the gentle sounds of nature, sharing peaceful meditations in community, practicing Golden Lotus Hatha Yoga, wandering quiet forest trails, enjoying nourishing vegetarian meals, and simply taking time to slow down and breathe.

As summer transitions into autumn, join us for an uplifting weekend of relaxation and spiritual refreshment in our peaceful woodland setting.

🍂 Autumn Inner Peace Retreats
September 11–13
October 9–11

If you've been thinking about visiting Song of the Morning, autumn is a beautiful time to begin.

🌿 Learn more and register: https://www.songofthemorning.org/retreats

Life presents us with challenges, large and small. How we meet them makes all the difference.Inspired by the teachings o...
07/24/2026

Life presents us with challenges, large and small. How we meet them makes all the difference.

Inspired by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Awakening the Divine Warrior Within explores practical yoga techniques to help you face life's challenges with greater confidence, courage, and inner strength.

Through Golden Lotus Hatha Yoga, meditation, scientific affirmations, guided communion with nature, and time immersed in Song of the Morning's 800-acre forest sanctuary, you'll learn practical yogic tools designed to help you meet life's challenges with confidence and strength.

"Realize that enough hidden strength lies within you to overcome all obstacles and temptations. Bring forth that indomitable power and energy."
— Paramahansa Yogananda

📅 August 21–23, 2026

Learn more and register:
https://songofthemorning.secure.retreat.guru/program/divine-warrior-hatha-yoga-retreat/

What if the strength you need is already within you?Inspired by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Awakening the Di...
07/22/2026

What if the strength you need is already within you?

Inspired by the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Awakening the Divine Warrior Within is an invitation to unplug from technology, reconnect with nature, and awaken your inner power.

Spend a weekend immersed in outdoor yoga, guided nature experiences, meditation, dinner by the campfire, s'mores and sharing beneath the stars, and time to relax, explore, and play in the beautiful waters of the Pigeon River—all within Song of the Morning's 800-acre forest sanctuary.

📅 August 21–23, 2026
📍 Song of the Morning Yoga & Meditation Retreat | Vanderbilt, Michigan

Learn more and register:
https://songofthemorning.secure.retreat.guru/program/divine-warrior-hatha-yoga-retreat

Join us for a transformative week of inspiration, meditation, and fellowship during Self-Realization Fellowship Convocat...
07/22/2026

Join us for a transformative week of inspiration, meditation, and fellowship during Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation Week at Song of the Morning. 🌿

Immerse yourself in the timeless Kriya Yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda while surrounded by the peaceful beauty of Song of the Morning's natural sanctuary.

Throughout the week, our community will gather virtually with thousands of devotees around the world for the live-streamed Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation. Along with the online classes, you'll enjoy vegetarian meals, daily Golden Lotus Hatha Yoga classes, fellowship, and time to rest, reflect, and rejuvenate among the quiet woods and the Pigeon River.

Whether you join us for a single day or the entire week, we would love to share this special experience with you.

📅 August 2–9, 2026

🎥 Learn more about the Self-Realization Fellowship Convocation by watching the video in the comments.

➡️ Register for Convocation Week at Song of the Morning:
https://songofthemorning.secure.retreat.guru/program/2026-srf-convocation-at-the-ranch/

Join us Labor Day Weekend, September 4–6, as we celebrate Yogacharya J. Oliver Black's Birthday and gather together as a...
07/22/2026

Join us Labor Day Weekend, September 4–6, as we celebrate Yogacharya J. Oliver Black's Birthday and gather together as a Circle of Friends.

At the request of his Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, Yogacharya founded Song of the Morning as a place where sincere seekers could deepen their relationship with God through meditation, spiritual practice, and fellowship. Each year, we gather to honor Yogacharya's life, celebrate the spiritual legacy entrusted to him by Paramahansa Yogananda, and give thanks for all we have accomplished together while continuing to carry that vision forward.

Throughout the weekend, enjoy inspiring talks, meditation, fellowship, the Bhagavan Krishna Commemoration Meditation, Golden Lotus Hatha Yoga, the two-part Fellowship with Yogacharya: Life's Journey presentation, a rare archival presentation, opportunities to share your memories of Yogacharya for our Archives, time for personal silent meditation in the Boathouse Meditation Sanctuary, the re-grand opening celebration of the newly restored Wheelhouse, and our annual Yogacharya Birthday Party.

Whether you have been coming for decades or are visiting for the first time, we warmly welcome you to celebrate all we have been blessed to care for together.

These photos are just a few highlights from last year's celebration. We hope you'll join us this Labor Day Weekend for another memorable Yogacharya's Birthday Weekend Celebration.

Learn more, view the full weekend schedule, and register here:
https://songofthemorning.secure.retreat.guru/program/yogacharyas-birthday-weekend-celebration/

06/29/2026

Shared mandala offering on the river. A sacred moment of peace, connection and letting go from our Living in the Light retreat.

☀️ What a weekend we shared at Song of the Morning for our "Living in the Light" retreat, June 19–21. It was a beautiful...
06/25/2026

☀️ What a weekend we shared at Song of the Morning for our "Living in the Light" retreat, June 19–21. It was a beautiful time to gather for the Summer Solstice and International Day of Yoga. We welcomed nine guests, five of whom were visiting the Ranch for the first time, and it was a joy to see them settle into the rhythm of the land. This heart-centered weekend was designed to nourish the body and calm the mind, providing a sacred space to step away from the noise of daily life and settle into a tranquil rhythm of spiritual renewal.

The feedback during our Golden Lotus Hatha sessions was deeply encouraging. Guests resonated with the meditative focus of our practice, with several sharing that, "This is true yoga." A particular highlight was the practice of the "sacred pause"—the intentional time taken to pause, relax, and feel after every asana. This allowed guests to integrate the benefits of each posture while deepening their experience of inner calm.

Our time together included a mindful mandala nature walk, the World Peace Ceremony, and a shared mandala offering. Between these sessions, participants enjoyed quiet moments for reflection, journaling, and renewal within the peaceful sanctuary of the Ranch.

Throughout the weekend, we returned often to Yogananda's affirmation:

"I am submerged in eternal light. It permeates every particle of my being. I am living in that light. Divine Spirit fills me within and without."

Living in the Light offered a meaningful path back to oneself, allowing our guests to leave feeling refreshed, uplifted, grounded, and more connected to their inner light.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone at GLYTA and Song of the Morning who helped make this weekend possible. 💙

To stay informed about future Golden Lotus Hatha retreats and other GLYTA offerings, sign up for the GLYTA newsletter at GoldenLotusYoga.org.

☀️ Happy International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice ☀️Today we celebrate two beautiful reminders of light.The Summer So...
06/21/2026

☀️ Happy International Day of Yoga & Summer Solstice ☀️

Today we celebrate two beautiful reminders of light.

The Summer Solstice marks the longest day of the year, inviting us to pause and appreciate the beauty, abundance, and renewal found in nature. It is a time to reflect on the light that surrounds us and the light that shines within each of us.

Today is also International Day of Yoga, a worldwide celebration of a practice that has helped countless people cultivate greater balance, awareness, compassion, and inner peace.

Paramahansa Yogananda helped introduce the science of yoga meditation to millions in the West, sharing teachings that continue to inspire seekers around the world. Through yoga and meditation, we are reminded that true peace begins within and radiates outward into our homes, communities, and world.

As we welcome the abundance of sunlight on this Summer Solstice, may we also take time to nurture the qualities that bring light into our lives—peace, gratitude, wisdom, kindness, and love.

Wishing you a joyful Summer Solstice and a meaningful International Day of Yoga. 🌞🙏

A beloved gathering place at Song of the Morning has been given new life.The Wheelhouse has long been woven into the lif...
06/20/2026

A beloved gathering place at Song of the Morning has been given new life.

The Wheelhouse has long been woven into the life of the retreat center, serving as a space for yoga, meetings, community gatherings, and quiet reflection overlooking the Pigeon River valley.

As part of the "On the Way to the Garden Court" building campaign, the Wheelhouse has undergone a major restoration focused on preserving the history, beauty, and purpose of one of the ranch's original structures while preparing it to serve future generations.

This project was made possible through the generosity of friends of the ranch near and far. Funding for the restoration was fully raised leading up to Yogacharya's Birthday Weekend 2025 and surpassed during the weekend, helping to breathe new life into this cherished space.

Over the past two years, improvements have included new sliding glass doors, engineered hardwood floors, extensive renovations to the lower-level apartment, air conditioning on both levels, and many other updates throughout the building. Work continues on the wrap-around deck, which will help complete the restoration project.

Today, the Wheelhouse is already serving the community in beautiful ways. The upstairs space hosts Golden Lotus Hatha Yoga classes, GLYTA teacher training sessions, meetings, and gatherings, while the newly renovated lower-level apartment offers guests a peaceful and private retreat space featuring a full kitchen, dining area, bedroom, and bathroom.

✨ We are excited to share that the lower-level apartment will be available for guests beginning July 1, 2026, providing another beautiful lodging option for personal retreats and retreat stays at Song of the Morning.

We are deeply grateful to everyone whose generosity, vision, hard work, and support helped make this transformation possible. Because of you, the Wheelhouse will continue welcoming and serving the Song of the Morning community for years to come.

Whether you're attending a retreat, joining us for Hatha Yoga, enjoying a personal retreat, or staying in the newly renovated apartment, we hope you'll take a moment to visit the Wheelhouse and experience this beautifully renewed space for yourself.

Swipe through to take a tour of the Wheelhouse and see the beautiful results of this community-supported restoration project.

Address

9607 Sturgeon Valley Road E
Vanderbilt, MI
49795

Telephone

+12487593733

Website

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