--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not only important how long your…" description: "\"It is not only important how long your breath is. What is more important is how smooth and subtle it is. For length of breath without the accompanying ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg" --- # It is not only important how long your breath is. What is… ![“It is not only important how long your breath is. What is more important is how smooth and subtle it is. For length of breath without the accompanying subtlety is fruitless.” quote by T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg) > “It is not only important how long your breath is. What is more important is how smooth and subtle it is. For length of breath without the accompanying subtlety is fruitless.” [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Breath quality matters more than duration; smooth, subtle breathing yields true benefit. **In simple terms:** Quality of breath matters more than length. Key Takeaway Focus on gentle, steady breathing. Themes mindfulness breathwork wellness Mood calm focused Type instructional philosophical When to use this quote - meditation - stress relief - athletic performance - public speaking Key Concepts Yoga philosophy pranayama Questions to Reflect On - How can you make your breathing smoother? - What practices improve breath subtlety? A Different Perspective Length without subtlety produces no benefit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) [Breaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) ## Related quotes > [“It is as true as breath. It is as important as the words of children. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-childs/it-is-as-true-as-breath-it-is-as-important-as-the-words-of-children/) [Craig Childs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-childs/) > [Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath. Nothing is that important. Just lie down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/stress-is-basically-a-disconnection-from-the-earth-a-forgetting-of-3/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [The most important thing to me as a songwriter is the breath. The most important thing I could say to somebody is, 'Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/the-most-important-thing-to-me-as-a-songwriter-is-the-breath-the-most/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [As long as there's breath in our lungs our story is still being written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-millard/as-long-as-there-s-breath-in-our-lungs-our-story-is-still-being/) [Bart Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-millard/) > [“You will always find me writing and reading as long as I have the breath of life within me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-d-green/you-will-always-find-me-writing-and-reading-as-long-as-i-have-the/) K.D. Green > [With one long breath, caught and held in his chest, he fought his sadness over his solitary life. Don't cry, you idiot! Live or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/with-one-long-breath-caught-and-held-in-his-chest-he-fought-his/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“His eyes close, and he draws a long breath. When they open again, they’re colder than ever. “And that’s where you’d be disappointed, Lou.There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-martin/his-eyes-close-and-he-draws-a-long-breath-when-they-open-again-they/) [T.L. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-martin/) > [Finally, I drew in a long breath. It was noisy and painful and just heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/finally-i-drew-in-a-long-breath-it-was-noisy-and-painful-and-just/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Dum spiro, spero. As long as I have breath, I have hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-carroll-lee-slonimsky/dum-spiro-spero-as-long-as-i-have-breath-i-have-hope/) Lee Carroll; Lee Slonimsky > [“shuddered out a long breath. She’d gone all the way down Weird Street and made a hard left onto Crazytrain Avenue.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-kaye/shuddered-out-a-long-breath-she-d-gone-all-the-way-down-weird-street/) [Laura Kaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-kaye/) > [“That's all you've got for me?" I drew a long breath and let it out slowly. "You know. I might be able to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayde-scott/that-s-all-you-ve-got-for-me-i-drew-a-long-breath-and-let-it-out/) [Jayde Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayde-scott/) > [“As long as you have breath, YOU have a chance!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/as-long-as-you-have-breath-you-have-a-chance/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [“As long as there’s breath in You - PERSIST!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/as-long-as-there-s-breath-in-you-persist/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [“However, let the reader understand that with God, at least as long as there is breath, it is never”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-swaggart/however-let-the-reader-understand-that-with-god-at-least-as-long-as/) [Jimmy Swaggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-swaggart/) > [“He expelled a long breath, smiled slightly as if in memory. “I heard them in their room. She said she was a bit tired,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meljean-brook/he-expelled-a-long-breath-smiled-slightly-as-if-in-memory-i-heard/) [Meljean Brook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meljean-brook/) ## More by T. K. V. Desikachar > [Anybody can breathe. Therefore anybody can practice yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/anybody-can-breathe-therefore-anybody-can-practice-yoga/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The knock at the door tells the character of the visitor!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-knock-at-the-door-tells-the-character-of-the-visitor/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The recognition of confusion is itself a form of clarity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-recognition-of-confusion-is-itself-a-form-of-clarity/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [Whether things get better or worse depends to a considerable extent on our own actions. The recommendation of a yoga practice follows the principle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/whether-things-get-better-or-worse-depends-to-a-considerable-extent/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The way that we see things today does not have to be the way we saw them yesterday. This is because the situations, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-way-that-we-see-things-today-does-not-have-to-be-the-way-we-saw/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [As a Yoga Therapist, focus on increasing people's quality of life not on curing diseases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/as-a-yoga-therapist-focus-on-increasing-people-s-quality-of-life-not/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The practice of yoga only requires us to act and to be attentive in our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-practice-of-yoga-only-requires-us-to-act-and-to-be-attentive-in/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [In stages, the impossible becomes possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/in-stages-the-impossible-becomes-possible/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [Yoga is both the movement toward and the arrival at a point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/yoga-is-both-the-movement-toward-and-the-arrival-at-a-point/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [Yoga serves the individual, and does so through inviting transformation rather than by giving information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/yoga-serves-the-individual-and-does-so-through-inviting/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [Yoga, unlike dance or mime, is not an expression of form for others to watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/yoga-unlike-dance-or-mime-is-not-an-expression-of-form-for-others-to/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [It is not enough to jump if you want to reach the sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/it-is-not-enough-to-jump-if-you-want-to-reach-the-sky/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [There are two types of teachers. Those who tell you what you want to hear and those who tell you what you don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/there-are-two-types-of-teachers-those-who-tell-you-what-you-want-to/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The world exists to set us free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-world-exists-to-set-us-free/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) > [The success of Yoga must not be measured by how flexible your body becomes, but rather by how much it opens your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/the-success-of-yoga-must-not-be-measured-by-how-flexible-your-body/) [T. K. V. Desikachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) [Explore all 22 T. K. V. Desikachar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/) ## More Breath quotes > [“The days may last forever, but the years pass by in a blink; the secret to survival is actually remembering to take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-smokler/the-days-may-last-forever-but-the-years-pass-by-in-a-blink-the-secret/) [Jill Smokler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-smokler/) > [Dawn's faint breath breathes with your mouth at the ends of empty streets. Gray light your eyes, sweet drops of dawn on dark hills.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-pavese/dawn-s-faint-breath-breathes-with-your-mouth-at-the-ends-of-empty/) [Cesare Pavese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-pavese/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stopped loving you today, But OMG..., Seeing your Body takes my breath away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becka-miller/i-stopped-loving-you-today-but-omg-seeing-your-body-takes-my-breath/) [Becka Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becka-miller/) > [So we must do our very best Whatever life may bring And look beyond the winter chill To smell the breath of spring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-we-must-do-our-very-best-whatever-life-may-bring-and-look-beyond/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [“The first step in awareness is to be watchful of your body. Slowly,slowly one becomes alert about each gesture,each movement. And as you become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/the-first-step-in-awareness-is-to-be-watchful-of-your-body-slowly/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [“To control your life, control your mind. To control your mind, control your breath.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/to-control-your-life-control-your-mind-to-control-your-mind-control/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“He’s sitting so close, I can feel his breath on my cheek. My stomach flip-flops again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-s-sitting-so-close-i-can-feel-his-breath-on-my-cheek-my-stomach/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My life to yours. My breath beecome yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/my-life-to-yours-my-breath-beecome-yours/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“My heart is your heart," she whispers, and wow that takes my breath away, this line from my childhood that she always used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabel-pitcher/my-heart-is-your-heart-she-whispers-and-wow-that-takes-my-breath-away/) [Annabel Pitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabel-pitcher/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“Being able to be myself was like being able to exhale for the first time after holding my breath for years. It’s only when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/404-ink/being-able-to-be-myself-was-like-being-able-to-exhale-for-the-first/) 404 Ink [Browse all 1,839 Breath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breath/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not only important how long your breath is. What is more important is how smooth and subtle it is. For length of breath without the accompanying subtlety is fruitless.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T. K. V. Desikachar" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-breath-is-what-is-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breath" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-breath-is-what-is-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efa/t-k-v-desikachar-25768_breaths_it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-b_1572374.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not only important how long your breath is. What is more important is how smooth and subtle it is. For…” — T. K. V. Desikachar", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "T. K. V. Desikachar", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-k-v-desikachar/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not only important how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-breath-is-what-is-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-k-v-desikachar/it-is-not-only-important-how-long-your-breath-is-what-is-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```