“The Art of Living: is a joyous documentary that celebrates the extraordinary life of Michael Behrens in his own words. It is a deeply spiritual and moving account of living peacefully outside society’s usual conventions The art of remaining unique and profoundly whole in solitude, of knowing who and what one is and what one believes.
Filmmakers Zaya and Maurizio traveled to Hawaii a few years ago and met Michael on a secluded beach. It soon becomes clear that there is more to him and his story.
Michael is 72 years old (photographed in 2015), energetic, and lives alone on the island of Maui, or rather, in the dense, lush tropical jungle, in a house he built himself. He bought the property more than 40 years ago because it seemed appropriate to him and he had to carve his own way into the property, walking through the jungle almost with his bare hands.
Although he now has a solar panel to power his internet connection, keeping him in touch with other mathematicians and the world, the highlight is a beautiful garden with lush tropical plants and ornamental fish ponds where he can practice yoga and light Walk around on your shoulders.
A math prodigy/prodigy, he discovered at the age of 14 that he could see complex patterns that no one else could. A graduate of Stanford and MIT, he became a rising star in the field of abstract mathematics and was fully immersed in academia between the ages of 16 and 29. He then decided to take a break to see the ocean, which eventually took him to Hawaii. More than 40 years later, he still leads a socially distant life that most people would find strange.
He escapes the pitfalls of traditional success and wealth as well as the stressors of modern life. His life was very simple, with a holistic view. He lamented that society was so stressed and preoccupied with material things that it lost touch with nature.
A typical day for him involves practicing yoga in nature, even in trees, practicing Buddhism, and swimming with dolphins on the remote coast of Maui every day. The beasts embraced him and asked him to join their herd; he accepted each day.
The wonderful thing about Michael’s disordered life, however, is that he remains deeply rooted in mathematics, and he acknowledges and respects its existence, which makes up nearly everything in the world.
Despite this unorthodox lifestyle, Michael was probably one of the most successful people on the planet, blending the abstract structures of science and mathematics with a deep spirituality that drove him to live a life of deep fulfillment, simplicity to “become”.
To quote Michael: “There are two schools of spirituality. One loves everything that is beautiful and positive. But the other is beyond that and sees everything as good and positive.” Words of wisdom for life.
