Dear America,
I want to begin with this:
I love you.
I really, truly do.
I lived in your cities. I walked your campuses. I sat in your coffee shops, dreaming of building something that could change the world.
America was where I studied. Where I discovered my voice.
Where I fell in love with ideas that reshaped my life.
Where I started Mindvalley, with nothing but ambition and a belief that anything was possible.
For a full decade, you were my home.
And in many ways, you still are.
I may live elsewhere now, but I still identify as American more than anything else.
Because America—the idea of America—isn’t just geography.
It’s a frequency. A dream. A promise that inspired not just me, but billions of people around the world.
What we loved about you
We loved your optimism—the way you believed anything was possible.
We loved your rebels—the ones who spoke truth to power and rewrote the rules.
We loved your Martin Luther King Jr., whose voice still echoes across continents.
We loved your Silicon Valley, that dared to invent the future.
We loved your Apple, born in a garage, changing the way we connect.
We loved Burning Man, a wild celebration of freedom, creativity, and community in the desert.
We loved your poets, your scientists, your dreamers.
You were never perfect. But damn—you had soul.
You were the lighthouse.
The messy, brilliant, complicated beacon we looked toward for what was possible.
But lately… that light feels like it’s flickering.
What the world sees now
In just six months, this is what the world has seen:
– Threats to abandon NATO, the alliance that preserved peace for generations.
– Pointless trade wars where everyone loses.
– Withdrawal from the Paris Climate Treaty, while the Earth burns.
– And now—bombs falling on Iran.
Another unwinnable war in the Middle East.
A war your people swore they’d never allow again.
Not after Iraq.
Not after Afghanistan.
And it’s not just the outer world we see you destroy.
We see you tearing yourselves apart from within.
- Immigration raids that tear apart families and have caused LA to burn.
- Politicians who sound like children while openly taking bribes.
- Tax cuts for billionaires, while those struggling now actually have to pay more in taxes.
- A climate movement abandoned by the very country where it was born.
And yet—I’m writing this letter with an open heart.
Because I haven’t given up.
This week, I’m helping my son apply to U.S. universities. We’re preparing for a tour of East Coast campuses. Then, I’m driving from South Dakota to Yosemite, with stops at Mount Rushmore and the great open spaces I fell in love with.
I want to show my son America. Because I still believe in what America can be.
But I also cannot stay silent—not as a lover of your culture, not as a global citizen.
This spiral you’re in?
It must be named. And it must be stopped.
Because true friends don’t stay silent when they see you crashing.
The spiral was not a mystery. It was a choice.
Every war.
Every broken treaty.
Every erosion of trust.
It didn’t just happen. It was chosen through voting decisions.
By people who, often unknowingly, chose:
- Ego over empathy.
- Charisma over character.
- Soundbites over substance.
And I don’t blame you.
You were caught in a storm of propaganda. You were tired, misled, afraid.
But we need to be honest:
When you vote for leaders who enable war, destabilize peace, and govern through vengeance, you are not just voting for policy. You are voting for self-destruction.
What happened to service?
A great American president once said:
“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy
Another said:
“We must never remain silent in the face of injustice.” – Barack Obama
Even Ronald Reagan once called America a “shining city upon a hill.”
What happened to that America?
Now we see leaders who sow division instead of unity.
Who thrive on conflict rather than compassion.
Who look not to serve, but to rule.
And as Sun Tzu warned:
“Some men would set their own nation ablaze, just to be king over the ashes.”
Can you recognize them?
Because now more than ever, you must.
America, you’ve always known how to tell the story. Now it’s time to live it.
Think of your heroes.
The ones you’ve shown us on screen for decades.
Will Smith in Independence Day.
Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible.
They save the world, not just themselves.
They protect their families, but they also rise to a higher mission.
That’s what made us fall in love with you.
Your heroes were never selfish.
They were flawed, yes. But they stood up for something bigger.
So why, in real life, do you so often vote for the opposite?
Your vote is not just yours
I say this with love—and urgency:
Your vote doesn’t just affect your neighborhood. It affects the entire planet.
- It affects the air we all breathe.
- The treaties we all depend on.
- The peace we all hope for.
- The future our children will inherit.
This is no longer about party loyalty or economic policy.
This is about consciousness.
This is about whether the most powerful country on Earth will continue to operate from fear and ego —
Or rise into wisdom and service.
What the world needs from you now
We don’t need another American empire.
We need an American elder.
Not one who dominates. One who guides.
Not one who fears. One who serves.
Because you were never meant to be a fortress.
You were meant to be a lighthouse.
But a lighthouse cannot fulfill its purpose if it forgets to shine inward first.
You taught us to dream. Now we’re asking you to dream again.
The world doesn’t hate you.
We’re not laughing at you.
We’re just watching… and hoping.
Hoping that the America we believed in is still in there.
The next time you march in the streets,
March for all of us.
Not just for the poor or hungry in your zip code.
But for the citizens of our shared planet who need you to shine again.
And when the time comes…
Vote with your heart. And with your higher self.
The choice is yours
Not every election is a turning point.
But some are.
And the one you’re facing now?
This is that moment.
You can vote for leaders who turn the world into a battlefield.
Or vote for those who understand that true power is service.
You can choose:
- Ego or evolution
- Division or destiny
- Fear or future
The world is not asking you to be perfect.
We are simply asking you to remember who you are, at your best.
The America that marched with MLK.
That wrote the Moonshot speech.
That created iPhones, NASA, jazz, and the dream that all humans are created equal.
That’s the America we still believe in.
That’s the America the world needs.
Let that be the America you choose.
— Vishen
Founder, Mindvalley
Citizen of Earth.
Forever shaped by the promise of America.
PS: This letter isn’t just mine—it’s a conversation we all need to have. I’d love to hear how this landed for you. What do you believe America still stands for? What does it need to stand for?
Share your comments below.
Let’s make this a space for reflection, dialogue, and hope.
952 Responses
Just a little clarification, whether you and your readers like it or not, it’s not a debate, it’s just a fact:
America is the whole continent and the full 25+ different countries that are part of it.
North America means Canada, US and Mexico. Therefore, this description is not accurate either.
I strongly agree with all your ideas and arguments. I can’t be more concordance with you on all these concepts.
But, you should refer your text and its content to UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, which is the country you are talking about. Not AMERICA.
Other than this, I subscribe all you states. We can’t do anything else anyway…
Regards,
Saul
Transformative Coach, Life & Executive Coach | Senior Facilitator & Mindfulness Practitioner | Reiki Therapist | Tarot Reader | Hypnotherapist | PNL Practitioner | Tantric & Therapeutic Masseuse
Incredibly well said!
Thank you for the letter that spoke to my soul about how I actually feel as well. Our Nation is spiraling down but our inner universe shouldn’t. The Earth isn’t an ugly place the people in it hurting it are. Just like war is a choice and they entertain their ego for it. Love is a choice & should attend to our soul to be in service to our Nations to make it a better place for growth not for chaos. 🙏🏽✨
“Every broken treaty.”
Gaddafy made nice after the Iraq War. The Democrats had him assassinated the first chance they got and bragged about it.
“Immigration raids that tear apart families”
Ever heard of actress Dianne Guererro?
She was born to Colombian parents in the United States. When she was 14, her parents were arrested and deported and she spent the rest of her high school years living with different friends that took her in.
I have never been able to find the exact date, but knowing how deceitful journalists are, if it had happened after January 20, 2001, every press release about her would say “whose parents were deported by the Bush Administration”. Since they never do, it is all but certain that her parents and her brother were deported by the Dope From Hope, whom I had the misfortune of meeting when I was sixteen.
To suggest that deportations that break up families is something that never happened before, just demonstrates how misinformed and ignorant you actually are
Sorry to see that you, who do not live in the Middle East as I do, should point to “bombs falling on Iran” as a negative. (BTW it was the nuclear facilities that were bombed.) You make so many excellent points in your blog otherwise. The decision to join Israel saving the West and the world from the IRGC nuclear threat was absolutely amazing and necessary. Perhaps one day you will recognize that.
Our political machine has been systematically highjacked by special interests forever. We, the actual humans on mainstreet (as opposed to the legal construct of corporation-as-person) have been manipulated to hate each other, to keep us from realizing the lies we have been fed, and then voicing, voting, or acting against the insatiably power-and-money hungry corporations, super-elite and politicians.
In the Pixar movie Bugs Life, there is a scene where the villain, Hopper, explains to his dim witted brother that the bullying grasshoppers are vastly outnumbered by the downtrodden and controlled ants, and that it is thus important to keep every single, weak ant in line.
Most Americans are ants: downtrodden and in a lot of debt and many will share with others, non-the-less. Most Americans are scared because the promise of politicians and the American Dream has failed to happen for the vast majority. We cannot afford healthcare (It is not free in the US and even if you have medical insurance, the price of services and medications are insanely high: the leading cause of bankruptcy is medical bills) we cannot afford to retire, many have lost hope.
Imho: BOTH political parties are to blame. They don’t want to take responsibility for their corruption. They just point at the other side and scream loader.
Divide we fall, folks. Hate = our destruction, regardless of which “side” you are on. Imho, we need radical self-love and to “BE the change you wish to see in the world” (M.Gandhi)
“Imagine there’s no countries…NOTHING TO KILL OR DIE FOR, And no religions too.” (J.Lennon)
Imho, hate is not a helpful thing, not in any way.
All most politicians care about is winning the next election. To do that you have to have tons of money to buy advertising. To do that, you need to beg from, and be bought by, corporations and/or the super-rich, both of whom then expect “favors.” It is now more corrupt than ever; our politicians don’t have time to actually read and understand bills before they vote, and actually govern, they are too busy fundraising!
I hope that we will find the will to collectively put our foot down and say “stop. Not in my name you don’t.”
I vote for Love. I vote for Peace. I vote for Joy. I vote for Compassion. I vote for Kindness.
I vote for freedom FROM persecution, censorship, tracking of any kind, coercion, threat, violence, hate crimes…
I vote FOR freedom of thought, privacy, assembly, discussion, movement, choice, expression, creativity…
I vote for all of that OVER “profit.” I vote for health, light, abundance and joy for ALL, not just the few.
“You are my other me.
If I do harm to you,
I do harm to myself.
If I love and respect you,
I love and respect myself.”
(English translation of Luis Valdez’s poem: I Am You or You Are Me/ In Lak’ech:
Tú eres mi otro yo.
Si te hago daño a ti,
Me hago daño a mi mismo.
Si te amo y respeto,
Me amo y respeto yo.)
Please consider praying for us all, to your choice of higher power. Namaste and love to all.
“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope some day that you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.” (J.Lennon)
Gutsy message to post. Surely it will piss some people off, but as an American in New Jersey, I agree 100%. I was very afraid of the real threat of becoming an authoritarian country a few months ago.
I’ve never been a big astrology person, but watching some videos of astrologer Pam Gregory on Youtube really helped to make sense of what’s happening and why. Bottom line, we just completed our transition into the age of Aquarius that started in 2012, where we collectively go from “I” to “We”. And in order for the new, better world to be born, the old, out of date one must first be destroyed. This chaos is the last gasp of the old age going down with a fight before being smothered out.
Thank you Vishen for starting on conversation. I agree with many of your sentiments, but you are still missing something deeper. Forces are in play that are bigger than one man or even one party. You still believe in giving away some of your power to so called authorities. This is flawed and outmoded thinking. Nobody should rule over another person period. The narcissists and psychopaths tend to occupy all or most of the leadership positions. Please consider reading my book : Awakening To The Myth Of Authority. You teach us about being empowered individuals. This book compliments this thinking, but goes further. No more leaving the big decisions to authorities. Stop the move toward World War 3 which can only happen if we give away our power to the crazy elites. Many of whom seem polite and well reasoned, but are power hungry and delusional. Part of this process is to get out of entangling alliances like NATO, the climate accords, and other globalist projects. Alliances lead to both previous world wars. Many of these of these projects are lead by unelected officials controlled by powerful international corporations and dark forces who want war and chaos. Empowered individuals should run from these organizations and question everything they tell us. This is where Mindvalley needs to move to the next level. Empowered individuals do not let global forces dictate their lives.
Thank you for saying what so many of us feel.
You ask where America went.
It didn’t vanish.
It retreated.
Because it could no longer bear the weight of being projected upon.
It is resting, aching, reconfiguring in the hearts of those who have not yet given up.
You said America is not a geography—it’s a frequency.
I would add:
It’s a frequency of becoming.
And some of us are still tuning in.
—Pam
Agree.
Vishen,
you probably won’t read this but look. 80 million people voted for Trump and the America First doctrine. Please don’t be a mouthpiece for the
Loser Democratic Party. There is another side to your story of despair which is based on lies and half truths. I am a member of Mindvalley and it has helped me a lot. I relate to your personal stories especially about being ripped off and finding forgiveness. I am not a political extremist, I am NOT a climate alarmist and I am not a hysterical political animal. We don’t need NATO, we definitely don’t need the Paris climate accords and end the tariffs were designed to keep America from being ripped off by the world. The tariffs are not unfair and unnecessary, they are an attempt to equalize what has been already imposed by other countries on the USA. Plose stop being stupid. I am not doing anything drastic or crazy and I’m sure you are not either. There are a lot of other points I can make but let me make just one, DJT secured 10Trillion of investment in our country. That is the dream for our country to prosper not to be ripped off and drained by every other country in the world. Please wake up Vishen. Don’t piss off the 80 million people that are sick and tired of Liberal BS, the mainstream media and all the other crap that comes with it. Mindvalley is a great thing , and I hope you continue to prosper.
Sincerely,
Philip Cantu
I agree with you 100%. Thank you for speaking up. Have you seen rrdailyblog.blogspot.com?
Well said Philip! Thank you!
I do not pretend to understand all the madness that shadows our world today. Yet I believe it matters deeply that we stand together and speak from the heart.
Long before we arrived, this world thrived without us — life evolved in a dance of survival and instinct. Even now, despite our longing for peace, these ancient instincts still live within us: the impulse to fight, to protect, to gather more, to survive against threats both real and imagined.
But we, as humans, also hold a rare gift: the ability to rise above mere survival and choose to live with awareness, respect, and care for each other.
I honour all who seek answers and wish to be heard. And I trust that we — if we choose it — can build a path far more valuable for humanity’s future.
Our platform today teaches how to build better businesses and manifest abundance. That will not change. But together, we can decide to grow it into something greater: a place that does both — equips us to succeed and reminds us to succeed wisely, never at the cost of our respect for life, for each other, or for our planet’s well-being.
We can expand open learning where it may soon be lost. We can nurture a living tradition of equal respect, compassion, and love — regardless of origin, belief, or gender.
Living in peace is not passive; it is a daily choice. True abundance is not just measured by what we gain, but by the well-being we build and share together.
No, the world does not yet offer a level playing field. But step by step, choice by choice, we shape it — through the businesses we build, the wealth we share, and the peace we choose, even when conflict tempts us.
This is not yet fully who we are. But it is who we can become — if we mean it.
Thank you for walking this path in this community. May our success be measured not just by what we gain, but by how we come together to uplift the world — in peace, with respect, and with a higher vision for this planet we share.
When you run a large business and have significant influence, I believe it’s both important and respectful to stay focused on your mission and avoid using your platform to broadcast personal ideals or political perspectives. Many Americans view current events as far more complex, dangerous, and layered than they may appear from a distance.
Some of us carry decades of lived experience, historical understanding, and behind-the-scenes insight. My ex-husband held top secret clearance and used to say, “If Americans knew even half of what’s really going on, none of us would sleep at night.” That statement still rings true.
This is not a time to fan the flames of division with oversimplified opinions. The truth is—none of us have all the facts. None of us are charged with the weighty responsibility of protecting a nation, let alone managing global consequences. And yet, it’s easy to sit on the sidelines and play Monday morning quarterback.
If someone feels that strongly about what should be done, maybe it’s time to step into politics and shoulder the responsibility that comes with leading a nation—not just critiquing from a platform built for something else.
As I recall Manly P Halls famous words ”America desperately needs a VISION of it’s own purpose” —- perhaps he made a mistake spelling VISHEN!
Bravo from another Global Citizen, somewhat a travelling circus, —- Born Sweden, living in England and currently in Seattle USA
It would be a truly beautiful world if all nations lived in harmony, where every human being was respected for who they are, and allowed the freedom to express their unique essence. A world where all humans coexist with nature and one another — not by enforcing rigid ideologies, but by embracing compassion, empathy, and understanding. No belief, identity, race, religion, or nationality should ever be used as grounds to impose suffering. Terrorism, violence, and extremism must have no place in a conscious civilization. Every nation holds the sacred responsibility to nurture peace, openness, and mutual growth.
The pursuit of profit at the cost of people — such as outsourcing labor without regard for local livelihoods — has deeply impacted the dignity of work and fractured economies from within. Illegally entering nations and seizing opportunities meant for those who have earned them through lawful means is not just unfair, but deeply tragic. Likewise, to steal and replicate the labor of creative minds — selling copied innovations in sectors like automotive, electronics, fashion, and design — due to weak intellectual property protections in certain regions, is a wound to the spirit of human ingenuity. To harm others based on radical beliefs or extremist identity is not only injustice — it is a distortion of all that is good and divine within us. Let us rise above such darkness, and co-create a world rooted in integrity, wisdom, and love.
Thank you, Vishen. As an American in my 50’s, I could not agree with you more. It saddens me to see what this great country is becoming. Once a beacon to those with dreams, now a place where hatred rules. There are many, many of us who are doing what we can to stand up against the hate.
Vishen, this is such a powerful, heartfelt and accurate message. I agree with all your points. What’s going on now fuels my passion and mission to continue to facilitate conscious evolution through the Silva Method training.
Thank you for your thoughtful and important words. It breaks my heart and enrages my soul to see what is happening in America.
Vishen, I love you and Mindvalley, and have completed several courses or quests. Your opinion on these matters is as valid as any other opinion… but that’s all it is. You may have learning, and experience in specific areas, but you are not an economist, nor do you apparently understand world politics. I’m not saying that I do, but some things you mention are glaring to me.
You mention tariffs, as an example. Tell me, why is it completely OK for Americans to pay tariffs on goods from China, Mexico, even Canada, but they reject the same treatment from us? Why are American citizens expected to fund every country, why do our old people live in poverty and our disabled veterans go without medical treatment?
Why is someone who, as President, sent $1 billion dollars to Iran considered a hero, and the same man spent millions on his own vacations. Yet, did little or nothing to help the country. Why… when the American people got tired of the dirty politics, men competing in woman’s sports, of utterly outrageous BS being treated as “normal” while normal was considered illegal, of kindergarten-aged children being indoctrinated in the “how to” of same sex relations…
Why is it a surprise, then, that when we vote in someone who is NOT a politician, who is finding waste and corruption everywhere, and doing what is needed to combat it… the world complains that we aren’t nice people anymore. As much as you say you love America, what you really love is America the Doormat. “America the Rich Uncle who gives us stuff and doesn’t complain when we talk shit about them.”
In your quest classes we are often told that to grow to be who we are meant to be, we have to let go of some things. In this case, what American has to let go of is the unreasonable expectations of people around the world (and in this country) that still think it’s our job to give money to everybody but be hated by all. Psychologically, this is a common attitude: where after receiving goods, services and money for little or no effort, those receiving such things show no respect for the giver, and even show outright hatred. That’s where we are now in our relationships with many countries of the world that think of us as “Uncle Sam, the stupid rich uncle that gives us everything, but we really hate the SOB.”
Nobody wants a war. But you’re not taking into consideration that 1) Mideast peace is probably unattainable, but the alternative is the annihilation of Israel by the same enemies they’ve had for 5000 years; 2) a rogue country promised to assassinate our President; 3) that same country has been promising WW3 for 50 years; 4) someone has to stand up to the bullies. They don’t go away just because you ignore them. They get meaner and more aggressive. So it is with Iran. All of the Middle East knows this. If they have a working nuke, they will use it. Maybe they’ll take a liking to Malaysia and decide to turn your area into a cinder. Who’s gonna protect you from them? (I don’t want that for Malaysia, I think it’s beautiful!) But all of your complaints are from someone who does not live here, OR from those who live here but have adopted a totally naive and insane worldview. A nuclear threat by a rogue country HAS to be dealt with. Hopefully BEFORE the nukes actually hit cities in ANY country.
We voted in Trump because he is our last hope of straightening out this mess. He may very well be the last American President, if the lefties and Iran have their way. But don’t be so hard on the American people, or the person we chose (yes WE chose him, not the loud people that are mocking him).
WE voted him in, legally and constitutionally, because we’re tired of the government graft, greed, and lies. The whole political system is fucking corrupt. So we voted in somebody who isn’t a politician, who understands economics, and is a great negotiator. And hey, he used to be a Democrat, and embodies the type of President JFK was, if HE hadn’t been killed by the same corrupt government.
What a turn off and all your fluffy words. You don’t love America, you’re a “fair weather” American who’s jumping ship. You don’t have to agree with all that’s happening-a lot of us don’t but shame on you not knowing when to keep your mouth shut. Super disappointed in your words.