What is AYM?

An Ayurvedic Yoga Massage therapist assists a client into a deep stretch by placing his feet int the client's back while gently drawing back the client's arms behind his body.

Ayurvedic Yoga Massage (AYM) is a unique form of bodywork that combines deep-tissue massage with coordinated breathwork and assisted yoga stretching.

Like Thai massage, it’s performed on a mat, allowing for free movement, flow and a full range of stretching.

Deep tissue massage helps to remove knots and adhesions in the muscles and soft tissues, releasing tension and preparing the body for the assisted yoga stretching.

Together, these techniques help to correct postural imbalances, promote relaxation, and restore mind-body communication.

By synchronising breath and movement, the receiver is led progressively deeper into the stretches. We’ll check in regularly during the massage so that you get the most out of the treatment and are never left wishing for a firmer or lighter touch.

Jon

A smiling shaved-headed man in a black sleeveless shirt, sitting on a blue yoga mat in a bright room with windows and green potted plants.

I completed my training in AYM at the Ayurvedic Yoga Massage Institute (accredited by the Complementary Therapists Association UK and the International Institute for Complementary Therapists).

My teacher, James Winstanley, was taught directly by AYM’s creator, Master Kusum Modak (see below).

After a lifetime of physical training and all the aches and pains that come with it, I was drawn to AYM because it’s one of the only massage experiences I’d had that actually left me feeling stretched, relaxed and reset.

I was also fascinated by the breathwork aspect because it allowed me, as the recipient, to feel a sense of agency in the process, bringing me into better awareness of my body’s tension and tightness, and learning how to release them.

My AYM practice is informed by my training as a yoga teacher and 10+ year meditation practice.

Origins

A woman with tattoos lying face down on a massage mat while a massage therapist ties a drape around her upper body.

Ayurvedic Yoga Massage (AYM) was originally developed in Pune, India, by Master Kusum Modak.

Already an accomplished therapist in traditional Ayurvedic Massage (studying under Master Lamaye Maharaj), she went on to combine this knowledge with assisted yoga stretching inspired by the asana practice of BKS Iyengar, with whom she studied for two decades.

Iyengar was one of the foremost yoga teachers of modern times and a major figure in bringing yoga to the wider world. After a road accident injury, he also became a pioneer in the use of props to make yoga more accessible and beneficial to those with injuries and disabilities.

Kusum Modak combined Iyengar’s approach to alignment and yoga asana with massage in order to create AYM.

She trained my teacher, James Winstanley, and authorised him to be the first trainer in her method in the UK.


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