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
So now you’re getting involved in politics? I will not be following you anymore. You can remain a global citizen and move somewhere else but I’m an American citizen and I support my president regardless of the party that they come from. I suggest you watch other news or you don’t watch the news at all.
Thank you Vishen for your words, for speaking up what so many feel, the pain in our hearts.
I am German, used to be married to an American, my children are American citizens. It breaks my heart to see democracy going down the drain, seeing so many parts of the world in war with each others and themselves. Seeing America going down, just hoping it will survive this, with people who still remember what used to be written in the history books, before they got rewritten. Please wake up everyone. 🙏❤️
Thank you very much for sharing your hilarious opinion about what is happening in America with all of us. You talk about the importance of unity, but does your opinion contribute to a feeling of unity? In my opinion, it does not. Anyway, I am not a big fan or a practitioner of victim consciousness, so what you wrote does not really resonate with me. I find it funny that, as a person who apparently experiences much success and some wealth, you do not appear to be a very peaceful or joyful person. Like the late Wayne Dyer taught, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” I recommend that you change the way you look at things if you would like to experience true peace and joy. And remember, if whatever you are doing does not bring you joy just for the sake of doing it, then you are not doing what you were created to be doing. Be free to contact me (www.rodolfoleon.com) if you would like to discuss all of this further.
Thank you for believing in us when so many of us have given up. I think the courage and the spark are still here, but no one knows what to do about it. We have let our education systems fail and we no longer know how our own government works. Our people don’t know how to separate propaganda from reality.
Thank you for your love. We need it now more than ever. And if you know anyone who knows how to lead us out of this mess, please send them! Until then, I’ll be looking for answers and gathering my posse, getting ready to do whatever needs to be done.
Vishen, I am sure this message will be buried in with all the rest. I enjoy reading others responses and thank all that have shared here. I have not shared my views with the world or responded to any social media like this letter, because I realize it will be read by people with closed minds to understanding and seeking truth. Yet, here I am responding to your letter in an attempt to plead for all to have open minds to views that differ from their own and keep seeking truth…not just from those that support their view.
First, what you share is the view of someone living in another country and hearing the views laced with propaganda from all over the world. I have many friends throughout the world stating the same views that you share and they refuse to hear any truth that does not support their view. Reframing a truth and seeing a different perspective falls on deaf ears that refuse to even engage in hearing.
Truth is, no matter what political affiliation one’s ideology aligns with, 90% of people want the same outcome of peace, love, health, clean air, affordable living to facilitate a happy life, etc.
We know that generations of beliefs can change our genetic DNA. This being said there are those that take refuge in being told what to do and how to do it…a mentality of giving responsibility for their choices to someone else…putting faith and trust in the doctor, social group, government rules, etc. Victim mentality that cries of what is, yet does nothing to change it. This is where many governments take advantage and squeeze the dreams out of a society through fear of noncompliance of rules, laws or social shaming and division.
Then you have those that refuse to give up the sovereignty of their own mind and they choose to dream, seek knowledge based in truth and use critical thinking.
Sadly to control the masses the “divide and conquer” strategy has been used aggressively for years, bringing us to where America and the world sits today. We have all been subjected to the entities that, for years, have lied about their true motives and vilifying, even destroying the truth so it does not reach the masses. COVID is a perfect example.
Only united hearts of love, seeking the understanding of truth in all things will heal America and the world. Seeking truth…even using AI does NOT present truth, as it has misinformation included in its results.
Let us all lead with hearts open to hearing one another with true empathy, curiosity, and above all a loving heart.
Blessings for humanity always
You had me at Yosemite, Vishen.
You had me sharing time with your son.
That might have been the most powerful line of your entire love note to American and to Life.
My dad was one of the first National Park Horse Patrol rangers in Yosemite. And eventually the first certified SCUBA divers in Olympic National Park. He served the NPS for 40 years. He spent an hour every night at sunset “contemplating his naval” while taking in a beautiful view. I often sat by his side. No matter where he was. Of course he always had a martini in hand too.
He knew inner peace.
He taught me.
I taught my three boys.
My boys taught friends and girlfriends and will someone teach their children too.
And now I’ve taken dozens of souls to Olympic to teach a process given to me by the Divine to share with others. A simple path inspired by a simple, loving man to help people understand that they are ALREADY ALL THAT IS.
The process was a heavenly give – Father to Daughter.
Holy Father to Holy Daughter.
I truly hope you See these words. I hope while you are in Yosemite you take an hour to “contemplate your naval” on the patio of the Ahwahnee Hotel. With a gorgeous cocktail in hand. I suggest the “El Captatini”. And if you would like the daughter of a ranger to give you a tour, or hike you to the falls, I am a hop and a skip away. It would be an honor. I’ll show you around. I’d treat you to that El Capatini….compliments of my dad for all you have done for His world.
Much Love, Joanne (now Joanna)
323.243.8443. (And yes….I’d honestly be happy to show you the Valley)
joannemenon.com
It is a beautiful, well worded letter. It resembles several conversations I have had in the last 6 months with numerous Canadian and American citizens.
It is a very scary World, making many of us rethink our position on several topics. It makes us want to hug and reinsure our children that all will be well.
I hope all, nations and individuals, will take a deep breath. Look at the beauty in this world, pause, then realize it is one big sand box. We all need to work together and love each other and our children.
Thank’s so much for your words. I spoke with a Croation immigrant the other day who had lived through the war in Yugoslavia. He said where we are now is “unrecoverable”. I do not believe him. Many were misled by Trump’s cult of personality and lies. My belief is that in the next election(s) the pendulum will swing the other way, just as it did after his first term. Our country was born of revolution and the will of the people will prevail again. There is much love and diversity in our nation. We only have to read the words on the Statue of Liberty to be reminded of who we are. It boggles the mind that we are at this juncture. We are America the Brave, America the Free. We will not continue to be led by a mysoginistic bully, a racist lier, an ugly felon. The January 6th event was not a revolution but an attempt at mob rule. The no kings demonstrations were nationwide and speak of the will of the people!
The America you described is what so many of us are praying for. I for one, cannot believe we are here again. It’s a sad (and scary) day to be an American.
“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.”
It was the last administration that caused the price of oil to go up which funded the war in Ukraine and gave money to Iran to fund the October 7 attacks. Not to mention the persecution of political opponents and anyone willing to choose not to take a vaccine
If you don’t like American stay the fuck out and stay out of our business and stop promoting your business here!
I have appreciated Mindvalley for several years now. Thank you.
Do you actually believe people of the world don’t want peace? Do you believe the President of the United States and Americans don’t want peace? Letter to America?
Put your letter to America, to Europe, to the Middle East, Asia, Africa…. publish it to the world and open the discussion to the world, in every language, not just in the void you operate in, here in Pulse, or your expensive paid platform Mindvalley. $399/yr hasn’t been a waste to me. However, you’ve crossed the line, outside of your platform, yet, as previously noted, safe to pontificaten your safe zone Mindvalley void. It feels great doesn’t it to be patted your back by you “followers.” I’m a paid patron, not a follower.
Be brave Vishen. Step outside into the world at large. Tell the world, not just the minions.
Blessing and, yes, actually peace be with you.
Dear Vishen, let’s start with this: “America” is not just the United States. It also includes Canada, Mexico, and the entire Latin and South American continent. So perhaps we should be more precise – what you’re referring to is the USA.
And yes, the USA is getting exactly what it deserves. They chose it. Unfortunately, the rest of the world also suffers the consequences-politically, economically, environmentally. But the RoW will handle this.
Yes, U.S. military power is formidable; the capacity to eliminate threats such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions is unquestionable. But beyond that, I have no desire to return.
Americans live in a bubble, convinced of their own exceptionalism and grandiosity. But exceptional in what, exactly? The cost of living & housing is astronomical. Public healthcare and education are dysfunctional at best. The country has little historical depth or cultural continuity. It was built on the foundations of slavery and the genocide of Indigenous peoples. For decades, it relied on undocumented labor while turning a blind eye – because it was profitable (and cheap) to do so.
So yes – perhaps a collapse is what it will take for people to finally wake up. Only then might there be a chance for something truly worthy to emerge from the rub(b)le.
“It’s because we grow through discomfort or insight. But never through apathy.” (quoting you in “Buddha and the Badass”). And you know what? That applies to countries too. Maybe America needs a real jolt of humility-pain-to learn, evolve, and stop living in that bubble.
Vishen,
The actual problem is not our ‘government’ , but the fact that our government is NOT a government, but rather a corporation ACTING as a ‘government’…only “color of law (NO ACTUAL LAW). This Corporation does what every corporation does — seeks PROFIT at any cost! Therefore, all that is done by them is in ‘self-interest’ rather than
in the interest of the People they claim to rule.
I will share with everyone your hate for America! Thank God I saw this before I signed up for your class!
It’s clear you listen to and easily absorb mainstream media propaganda. It would be wise for you to stick with what you know, because clearly politics and global issues are not something you fully understand.
You had me at Yosemite, Vishen.
You had me sharing time with your son.
That might have been the most powerful line of your love note to American.
My dad was one of the first National Park Horse Patrol rangers in Yosemite and one of the first certified SCUBA divers in Olympic National Park. He served the NPS for 40 years. He spent an hour every night at sunset “contemplating his naval” while taking in a beautiful view. I often sat by his side. No matter where he was. Of course he always had a martini in hand too.
He knew inner peace.
He taught me.
I taught my three boys.
My boys taught friends and girlfriends and will someone teach their children too.
And now I’ve taken dozens of souls to Olympic to teach a process given to me by the Divine to share with others. A simple path inspired by a simple, loving man to help people understand that they are ALREADY ALL THAT IS.
The process was a heavenly give – Father to Daughter.
Holy Father to Holy Daughter.
I truly hope you See these words. I hope while you are in Yosemite you take an hour to “contemplate your naval” on the patio of the Ahwahnee Hotel. With a gorgeous cocktail in hand. I suggest the “El Captatini”. And if you would like the daughter of a ranger to give you a tour, or hike you to the falls, I am a hop and a skip away. It would be an honor. I’ll show you around. I’d treat you to that El Capatini….compliments of my dad for all you have done for His world.
Much Love, Joanne
323.243.8443. (And yes….I’d honestly be happy to show you the Valley)
joannemenon.com
Thanks Vishen,
Americans of all stripes have become numb to the daily onslaught to our cherished beliefs, including the nihilism that it wasn’t real anyway. all told it feels like a giant psyop that is running on us and which shows no sign of weakness in the face of our inability to meaningfully push back. The speed with which this all happened, and is even accelerating today, is catastrophic and it doesn’t feel like its going to be able to come back.
I know that our future is always not set in stone, we still have agency and haven’t lost it all, so it is really good to hear bigger voices in the world community trying to rescue us Americans (and all of us who believe in her ideals) from the rabbit hole we are falling down. I hope that we have the strength and resilience to weather the storms coming our way, which might include a possible full breakdown of our current system. I know that you and your teachings, as well as all the many thought leaders, do have the ability to vision better for the future, i hope more of that comes to light and we can start to see options other than what the crazy is bringing today. Our problems and situations are super complex, but our advanced mindset should be able to do better than just roll over and take it. May that happen to us and percolate towards those in the driver’s seat, as well to as those in the back of the bus so they cooperate. we can do better, and have to!
Hey Vishen- you and Professor Rao, whom I met and know personally, have been a huge inspiration to me over the past 10 years. I live in Tel Aviv, in Israel, and I am in shock at what has happened here. Yet acting as victims, as we are ‘instructed’ to do, would be false and misleading; we all bear, and it is actually uplifting in my opinion, to share the moral burden, as well as the responsibility for what has occurred, now with Iran, and in Gaza. Yet we encounter the fundamental issue – truth
Without truth, how can one apologize, and for what?
Byron Katie once said we should apologize every day for everything we know we did that hurt others, and for that which we do not know. But without truth, how can one find clarity, how can one apologize, and for what ?.
Given the fact that the public news services mostly serve us fictions, sound bites, partial truths, and commercial blather, and omit or manipulate information, it might seem to be a huge challenge to establish a mental template, one to understand what happened here, why it happened, should have happened, and the costs vs the so-called ‘benefits’ – as this already tosses us into the realm of finding truth, which we do not own.
In situations of great duress, such as living through a war -and without truths – I find it immensely helpful to remember something you once said on your amazing course, “Be Extrodinary ” on Mindvalley: “Life’s challenges can be managed by visualizing yourself crossing a tumulous river, not by fighting the currents, but by trusting the Universe to safely bring you across, swaying right and left you will go “.
So I recall your words, and thank you whenever I am really scared: trust the Universe as benevolent, give recognition to the miracles, count them, look for synchronicity, and count it. Miracle Number One are your inspiration, thank you
We are devastated by the behavior of our government. I believe this cult has been aided by foreign powers eager to see our country’s greatness crumble under a dictator who will favor them. It will be a test of what is left of the American Dream, of good and evil, really. Here at home we are very worried and we are sick at the destruction of our alliances, aid programs, civil rights and federal institutions. Medical research and educational institutions are being crushed by this leader. We need change quickly. All of us with any sense of right and wrong are marching and demonstrating.