The Doctor Will OM With You Now...

With a growing body of research proving yoga’s healing benefits, it’s no wonder more doctors - including those with traditional Western training - are prescribing this ancient practice to their patients. What’s behind the trend, and will it help you feel better? Yoga Journal investigates.

- Susan Enfield

IN A SMALL workout room with a handful of other Navy veterans, David Rachford looked out the window to watch the fringed leaves of a tall royal palm tree wave softly in the warm Southern California breeze. The soothing view eased the challenging exercise routine he was trying for the first time. It was just a simple twist, Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)—nothing like the rigorous daily training he’d done as a damage control man on aircraft carriers—but his legs refused to cooperate, due to the painful nerve damage and severe sciatica he’d suffered as a result of a career-ending back injury. As an outpatient receiving pain management treatment at the Veterans Administration West Los Angeles Medical Center, Rachford was now required to attend this weekly yoga physical-therapy class. It was the last place he’d ever expected to find himself.