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Ayurveda course

10-Day Ayurvedic Massage Training in Rishikesh

  • 10 Days
  • Rishikesh, India
  • International students welcome

A short, practical introduction to hands-on Ayurvedic massage technique.

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Warm herbal oil being poured from a small pan into a suspended wooden dhara vessel before a treatment

In short

The 10-Day Ayurvedic Massage Training at School Lama is a practical, hands-on course in Rishikesh, India covering traditional Ayurvedic massage technique, warm-oil application and body mechanics. It runs for 10 days and costs ₹24,000. The course is open to beginners and welcomes international students.

About this course

Ayurvedic massage is a manual craft. You can read about Abhyanga for a year and still not know how much oil to warm, how to keep contact through a long stroke, or how to protect your own wrists through a full session. That knowledge transfers hand to hand, which is why this course is built around practice rather than lectures.

Over ten days you work through the foundations: what Ayurveda understands the body to be, why particular oils are chosen, and how the classical strokes are actually performed on a real person. You practise on fellow students and receive correction as you go.

A wooden bowl of Ayurvedic herbs including turmeric root, neem leaves and ground powder, beside a stone mortar and pestle

Herbs and oils are selected for the person on the table — which is why the course begins with constitution, not technique.

Who this course is for

  • Complete beginners with no prior massage or bodywork background
  • Travellers who want to bring a practical skill home rather than only an experience
  • Yoga teachers and movement practitioners widening what they can offer
  • Spa and wellness therapists adding traditional Ayurvedic technique to existing training

What you will learn

Days combine a short theory session with extended supervised practice. Most of your time is spent with your hands on a body, giving and receiving, with correction from the instructor as you work.

  1. Foundations of Ayurveda

    The framework the whole practice sits inside: the Panchamahabhuta (five elements), the three doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and the idea of Prakriti or individual constitution. You learn this not as theory for its own sake, but because it is what guides oil choice, pressure and pace for the person in front of you.

  2. Abhyanga — full-body oil massage

    The central technique of the course. Abhyanga is a full-body massage performed with warm herbal oil using long, flowing strokes that follow the limbs and torso. You learn stroke direction, how to maintain unbroken contact, how to sequence the body from head to feet, and how to keep the oil at a working temperature throughout.

  3. Shiroabhyanga — head and scalp massage

    Working the scalp, neck and shoulders with warm oil. This is often the first technique students can perform confidently on its own, and it is the one most people go on to use most.

  4. Padabhyanga — foot massage

    Traditional Ayurvedic foot work, including the marma points of the feet and the use of a kansa bowl where taught. Short, self-contained, and practical to offer independently.

  5. Marma points

    An introduction to the marma points used in classical Ayurvedic bodywork: where the principal points sit, how they are approached with measured pressure, and which areas call for a lighter hand.

  6. Oils, preparation and the treatment room

    Which base and herbal oils are used and why, how they are warmed and stored, and how a treatment space is set up before a guest arrives — draping, temperature, timing and hygiene.

  7. Body mechanics and practitioner care

    How to stand, how to use your body weight rather than your arms, and how to work a full session without injuring your wrists, thumbs or lower back. The part of massage training most often skipped, and the reason many practitioners stop early.

What this course is — and is not

  • This is a foundation course in technique. It does not qualify you as an Ayurvedic physician, and it is not a medical training.
  • Ten days is enough to learn and practise the core strokes with confidence. It is not enough to master them — that comes with repetition after you leave.
  • You will practise on other students, so expect to both give and receive massage throughout the course.

Frequently asked questions

Can beginners join the 10-Day Ayurvedic Massage Training?

Yes, the 10-Day Ayurvedic Massage Training is open to beginners. The course starts from first principles and assumes no previous massage, bodywork or Ayurveda experience, so students with no background can follow it from day one.

How much does the 10-Day Massage Training cost?

The 10-Day Massage Training costs ₹24,000 as a total programme fee. What that fee includes beyond tuition is being confirmed, so please ask when you enquire.

What massage techniques are taught in the 10-day course?

The 10-day course teaches Abhyanga (full-body warm-oil massage), Shiroabhyanga (head and scalp massage), Padabhyanga (foot massage) and an introduction to marma points, alongside oil selection, treatment-room preparation and practitioner body mechanics.

Do I need to bring my own massage equipment?

What students should bring, and what is provided at the centre, is currently being confirmed. Please ask when you enquire so you can pack accordingly.

Is the 10-day or the 14-day massage course better for a beginner?

Both courses are open to beginners. The 10-day course covers the core techniques in a shorter window and suits a tighter travel schedule, while the 14-day course adds extra supervised practice time for the same foundations. Choose the 14-day course if you want more repetition before working on your own.

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  • International guests welcome

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Course information pending confirmation

Duration and price for this course were transcribed from client-supplied source material.

The details below were not included in that material, so they remain pending confirmation.

Details still to be confirmed

  • Language of instruction
  • Class size and student-to-instructor ratio
  • Whether course materials, oils or a manual are included
  • Whether accommodation and meals can be arranged
  • Start dates and how far ahead to book
  • Whether a certificate of completion is issued