Roy and Mary Ann Thibodeau

Roy first met J. Oliver Black (Yogacharya) in 1972. Yogacharya was a leading disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda and founder of Song of the Morning and the Golden Lotus Teachers Association (GLYTA).  Roy was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Yogacharya and joined the SOM staff soon after. While on staff for the next three years, Roy was trained as a GLYTA Yoga teacher and trained to lead group meditations. He continued to live in the area and taught Hatha Yoga Classes in Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs and Alpena. He has been an ardent and devoted student of Paramhansa Yogananda’s Self Realization Fellowship teachings ever since and an active GLYTA teacher. He currently teaches seven classes weekly in Grosse Pointe and Wayne County Community College in Detroit, including gentle, meditative mat classes and chair classes. In addition, he and his wife Mary Ann hold a weekly meditation and a Sunday Spiritual Service in their home, as well as facilitate Yoga and meditation workshops in their area.

Mary Ann first discovered Song of the Morning and met Yogacharya in 1973 when she was hired for her first teaching job out of college in Gaylord, MI. She considers Song of the Morning her Spiritual Home where she was blessed to spend time with Yogacharya. He married her and Roy and christened their 3 children, two of which are GLYTA teachers. She received her first Kriya Yoga Initiation from Yogacharya in 1976 and trained to become a yoga teacher shortly after that through GLYTA. She has been a loyal and devoted student of Paramhansa Yogananda’s Self Realization Fellowship teachings and an active GLYTA teacher over the years. She currently teaches eight classes weekly in Grosse Pointe including gentle meditative mat classes, chair classes, and adaptive classes for young adults with Autism. In addition, she and her husband Roy hold a weekly meditation and a Sunday Spiritual Service based on the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda in their home as well as facilitate yoga and meditation workshops in their area.