Spirituality Studies 135 Lucie Chocholová backgrounds, may have narrowed the range of perspectives represented. Although the study does not presume that such characteristics inherently determine interpretations of yoga practice, future research could provide additional comparative insight by including broader diversity to see how instructors negotiate spirituality and professional responsibility in contemporary yoga contexts. Finally, coding and data organization were performed manually because of the relatively small data set involved. The lack of specialized software may limit transparency and reproducibility in the coding process. Future studies may expand this pilot investigation by incorporating a larger and more diverse sample, including participants from different national settings, institutional backgrounds, and training lineages. In addition, further research could benefit from the use of qualitative analysis software to facilitate systematic coding and auditability of analytical decisions. 7 Conclusion During the twentieth century, yoga became increasingly associated with bodily discipline (Singleton 2010, 15–19). Formal qualification focuses primarily on physical competencies such as anatomy, physiology, and āsana-based practice (Databáze MŠMT 2026). In popular discourse and commercial representations, yoga is seen as a coherent, clearly defined fitness discipline focused on health rather than spiritual realization. According to the study participants, on the other hand, the term “yoga” is applied to a wide range of practices. Scholarship has documented that the global popularity of yoga has been shaped by styles that reinterpret traditional frameworks (Jain 2014, 75–82) and that individual systems articulate core yogic concepts in distinct ways (Singleton 2010, 15–19). Some founders of yoga styles have trademarked their systems and developed them as commercial brands. According to the study participants, class quality can vary significantly. The extensive, formally structured training required in codified styles such as Iyengar Yoga contrasts with the shorter duration of the Czech requalification course, which also allows instructors greater flexibility in defining and naming their own yoga styles. Participants suggested that structured trademarked systems provide clearly defined methodological frameworks, while free-style classes allow instructors greater pedagogical flexibility. At the same time, however, they acknowledged that free-style classes can vary dramatically even when they have the same name, especially when led by different instructors. Participants suggested that such variability places greater responsibility on instructors’ expertise and experience. They also noted instances in which instructors modify or rename established styles. Public controversies surrounding trademarked systems, such as the case involving Bikram Yoga (Moss 2012; Settembre 2019), illustrate how naming practices may shift over time. In terms of categorizing free-style yoga forms, participants in this study emphasized the need to distinguish classes by their level of dynamism and the goals they aim to achieve. The participants were also united in the opinion that reducing the number of yoga styles would improve transparency about which type of content corresponds to a given class name. Among the viewpoints expressed in the group discussion, there were also concerns about the instructor’s competencies, especially in teaching mental and spiritual practices.
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