Explore what it truly means to live artfully through the lens of a mathematician who abandoned conventional success for jungle living, and discover how different people craft their own masterpieces of authentic living.

From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco

Nia: Hey Miles, I've been thinking a lot lately about what it really means to live well. Not just existing, but truly living an artful life. You know what I mean?
Miles: I do, and it's such a profound question. What does the art of living actually look like? I was just reading about this mathematician named Michael Behrens who completely redefined what that meant for himself.
Nia: Wait, a mathematician? That's not who I'd expect to look to for life philosophy.
Miles: Right? That's what makes his story so fascinating. He was this rising star in abstract mathematics at Stanford and MIT, could see patterns where others couldn't, but then at 29, he just... walked away from conventional success.
Nia: Walked away to do what exactly?
Miles: To live in the Hawaiian jungle! He literally built his own home by hand in the middle of thick vegetation, created gardens based on sacred geometry, and spends his days practicing yoga and swimming with wild dolphins. No electricity, minimal possessions, completely off-grid.
Nia: That's incredible. Though I wonder—is that really "the art of life" or just one very unusual version of it? Not everyone can or would want to abandon society completely.
Miles: Exactly. And that's the beautiful tension here. The art of life seems to be about finding deep integrity with your essence, whatever that means for you. For Michael, it meant merging his mathematical mind with spirituality in this unconventional way. For others, it might look completely different.
Nia: So maybe the art of life isn't about following someone else's template but discovering what makes your own life a masterpiece?
Miles: I think that's it. It's about asking: what does authenticity look like for me? What patterns do I see that others might not? Let's explore how different people are answering that question and what it might teach us about crafting our own art of living.