Hot Stone Massage

“Step into a realm of pure tranquility….”

Embark on a journey of self-care and rejuvenation with hot stone massage. The warmth of each stone and the love behind the massage melts away tension and ignites a renewed sense of wellbeing, leaving you balanced, revitalized, and serene.

Who is it for?

Hot stone massage is perfectly suited to anyone who is:

  • Seeking a deeper level of relaxation and tranquillity
  • Going through a stressful or traumatic time
  • Finding it difficult to fully relax and let go
  • Experiencing muscles aches and tension
  • Wanting to improve their circulation and wellbeing
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What is Hot Stone Massage?

Hot Stone Massage uses Swedish massage as its foundation, incorporating long, rhythmic massage strokes to enhance circulation, release muscle tension and promote relaxation.

Yet it’s so much more than a massage. Its secret ingredient is the hot stones themselves.

These smooth basalt river rocks are heated to 50-55°C (120-130°F). They can be placed on specific points of the body (such as your back, stomach, hands and feet) while the rest of your body is being massaged, or they can be used in the practitioner’s hands during the massage strokes.

The radiant heat of the hot stones takes the benefits of a Hot Stone Massage to a whole new level, allowing the muscles to relax even more effectively than with just the use of pressure.

Stones can also be used to etch into muscles for a deeper experience, or tapped or rubbed together to create heat or vibration that is then transferred to the body. This type of hot stone treatment has its origins in many cultures around the world. It’s thought to have originated in ancient China almost 2000 years ago, where heated stones were placed on key acupressure points to balance the body’s energy and improve the flow of Qi.

In Ayurvedic traditions, warm stones were used to balance the doshas, promoting overall wellbeing. Even Native American tribes used hot stones in their healing ceremonies. The stones were heated in a fire then placed on the body to soothe muscles and promote relaxation.

Hot stone massage combines the therapeutic benefits of heat with the healing power of touch, offering a unique and effective approach to relaxation and rejuvenation. From its ability to enhance circulation to its soothing impact on the mind, Hot stone massage provides a holistic experience that promotes physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

What Is unique about our
Hot Stone Massage

Our Hot Stone Massage is unique and transformational, thanks to the added benefit of therapeutic grade essential oils combined in with the massage. Essential oils are powerful transformers to mind, body, emotions and Spirit. Not only can they directly relax muscles and release both physical and emotional tension, they also access the limbic region of the brain. This is the master switchboard for all our autonomic body functions, including breathing, metabolism, heart rate and hormones. It’s the centre of our spiritual connection, and it’s also a storehouse for memories and emotions. The harmonising effects of essential oils helps to optimise wellbeing on every level.

We have a variety of essential-oil infused massage oils to choose from, to enhance your desired outcome (whether deep relaxation or the release of muscle tension). You will also be anointed with one or more specially chosen therapeutic-grade essential oils or blends to bring transformation to any area of your life.

What our students and their clients have to say…

Learn Hot Stone Massage

Learning Hot Stone Massage is a great way to pamper your loved ones and clients, and to help them access heightened levels of relaxation and rejuvenation.

Whether you want to perform this technique on your family and friends or offer the technique professionally, this course is a must.

There are two ways you can learn Hot Stone Massage with Aromatica:

1. We offer a purely online 100+ hour Hot Stone Massage course, created and presented by Natalie Mann. This course can be undertaken without any prior massage experience. You will have 10+ hours of video tuition to watch, and an additional 10 case studies to be undertaken in your own time. Once these are approved, you receive a Certificate of Competence in Hot Stone Massage, allowing you to perform this professionally.

2. We also teach an in-person Hot Stone Massage course in conjunction with our Raindrop Technique Level 2 course. This involves 9 hours of in-person tuition. After the in-person course is completed, you are invited to perform and submit 10 case studies for Hot Stone Massage. Once these are approved, you receive a Certificate of Competence in Hot Stone Massage, allowing you to perform this professionally.

Our in-person Hot Stone Massage Course is open to anyone who has studied Raindrop Technique with Aromatica or Raindrop Australia.

The combined Raindrop Technique and Hot Stone Massage course is run as a non-residential retreat in various locations around Australia.


It comprises:

  • 9 hours of online Theory and Practical Training, conducted at your own pace before attending your Level 1 in-person training
  • Level 1 Raindrop Technique Training (two days in person, giving and receiving a full Raindrop Technique each day)
  • Level 2 Raindrop Technique Training (two days in person, conducted 3 to 5 months after your Level 1 course, on a date that suits all students)
  • A 1 day Hot Stone Massage course, which comprises Day 3 of your Level 2 course.


“One of the unique benefits of Hot Stone Massage comes from the basalt stones themselves. Basalt lends us its grounding nature, helping the receiver to focus and connect with the Earth. At the same time it gifts us with courage and certainty, so that we too can become a solid rock and a pillar of strength during difficult times.” 

– Artemis, Founder of Aromatica

What you will learn in the in-person component of the course:

Practical Elements

  • Learn to set up your massage table so your clients feel safe and welcome.
  • Practice draping your client so as to maintain modesty and warmth.
  • Discover how to incorporate hot stones into various massage strokes (effleurage, petrissage, friction, etc.).
  • Understand the different techniques for stone placement on the body.
  • Give and receive a Hot Stone Massage under supervision by your instructor, utilising many of the same principles as Raindrop Technique.

Theoretical Elements

  • Learn the history and origins of Hot Stone Massage.
  • Discover the therapeutic effects of heat on the body, and the many benefits of Hot Stone Massage.
  • Learn about the types of stones used in Hot Stone Massage, appropriate heating methods, and how to prepare and sanitize your stones.
  • Discover how to work with a client history form, and how to check for specific safety protocols and contraindications important to the use of essential oils and Hot Stone Massage.
  • Learn how to flow and sequence your techniques to create the ultimate Hot Stone Massage.
  • Discover which oil-infused massage oils and which essential oils and blends will best complement a Hot Stone Massage, and how to tailor your choice of these to the needs of your client.

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Gaining Practitioner Insurance

You are covered by Aromatica’s Student Insurance while you are enrolled in the Hot Stone Massage course, and for up to 30 logged (ie. practice) sessions.

Once you have completed and passed the Hot Stone Massage course (including any assessments and 10 logged sessions for Hot Stone Massage), you receive a Certificate of Competence in Hot Stone Massage.

Our Certificate of Competence is recognised by IICT (the International Institute of Complementary Therapists). This enables you to: 

  • Register with IICT as a Hot Stone Massage practitioner, and
  • To access both Public Liability and Professional Indemnity Practitioner Insurance for Hot Stone Massage, so that both you and your clients are covered.


Click here to read more about our practitioner insurance.