Ayurvedic Yoga Massage was created by Master Kusum Modak in Pune, India. Having spent her life studying Ayurvedic massage under Limaye and yoga under BKS Iyengar, Kusum designed a style of bodywork therapy which incorporate the two, stacking the benefits.

As AYM has been shared across the world, over several decades, much of what is taught now is a modified version of the original form. Each therapist tends to deliver the method slightly differently, and techniques often blend with those of other massage modalities. Kusum’s wish is to preserve her original creation in the form of “The Kusum Modak Method of Ayurvedic Yoga Massage Therapy”. Hence, the Modak Institute was established in 2020, aiming to promote a singular, cohesive approach to the method of AYM and is the only training body approved by Kusum herself.

I began my journey with AYM in November 2022, training in a modified version of the original method, separate from the Modak Institute. In July 2025, I trained in the Kusum Modak Method (KMM).

While distinct from all other forms of massage, the two versions of AYM I have learnt are quite different - so out of respect for Kusum, I offer them as two separate services (initialised as AYM and KMM).