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.
956 Responses
What does politics have to do with self developement? Unfortunately I’ll have to cancel my membership with Mindvalley now.
Really?? Why??? Because Vishen has a different political view than that of yours? You seriously cannot tolerate a different point of view?
He is not threatening you or displacing you or bombing you out of existance or ruining your mother land or causing untold misery, devastration or horror…
And you find just expressing an opinion unbelievable intolerable????? Hmmmmmm……. Very interesting
Ditto!!!!
It’s clear this post has pricked the conscience of the Trump voters who realise their vote is not compatible with true spirituality , which calls us to have care for others and the world we live in. The reaction is so predictable. Why do you think the world and America is so divided……it’s a direct consequence of the hate filled rhetoric of Trump.
Min- nailed it. The most eloquent and succinct response to their reactions.
Thank you Vishen for speaking up. Awesome! Thank you Min!
Such an interesting judgment. That somehow being spiritual means agreeing with a point of view. We are all one, we are all consciousness and we are all seeing the universe through the lense we create within us. So what is your inner knowing creating?
The problem was the only other person to vote for. She is anti-spiritual. We need good people to run for President again. It is impossible for any candidate to get through the RNC, the DNC and the media. This needs to be stopped so people who want to run get to run. Let the voters decide, instead of the swamp.
Ahh yes! The resort to name calling. So stunning, so brave! True spirituality has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with the sail you tack along with in life. Spirituality is above politics, and I suggest you look inwards rather than outwards.
No it’s not that just. I’m so sick of Trump bring blaned for everything. People who think he’s responsible for all the bad in the world are delusional. Simple as that. And I’m no fan myself.
Too bad you choose not to educate yourself properly…
I encourage you to dig deep and look at the kindness Trump is showing to all of us…its sad but then again all great leaders have people who do not understand or see the goodness.
My thoughts exactly, glad I’m not the only one….
This a partisan post. It is 100g clear where you fall politically even if not a US voting citizen.
Up to 50% of your American clients are going to be annoyed by this. But you knew that going in.
Your choice,
Eric Lundquist
And not being a citizen, he needs to mind his own business.
He may be writing with an open heart, but he is writing with an empty brain
Exactly
THANK YOU! It seems like a spiritual battle for the very soul of our country and for the planet. The things I’m learning via Mindvalley are coming in handy and there are so many more opportunities to practice now (unfortunately or…fortunately?)!
So many are afraid to speak out right now and I’m so grateful to know that you practice what you preach. It means so much!
A bigger fan than ever,
Neely
This is so well put – thank you! I can’t speak for others, but you’ve put into words a lot of what I’ve been thinking and feeling.
This a partisan post. It is 100g clear where you fall politically even if not a US voting citizen.
Up to 50% of your American clients are going to be annoyed by this. But you knew that going in.
Your choice,
Eric Lundquist
Absolutely 100%.
Reading Vishens post, though well-intended, makes me ill to read. Clearly a left-wing liberal.
Interesting—sounds like the post struck a nerve. When someone’s reaction is that visceral to a calm, values-based message, it usually says more about the reader than the writer. Might be worth exploring why it hit so hard.
If only it were a value based post. I think Vishen creating more polarization in a world that needs to connect in consciousness rather than political views is remarkable.
Yes
Your article is inspirational!
We need more people speaking out about the problems with this administration and doing something about it. Congress doesn’t speak against him because they will lose their jobs, which is way more power than one person should have. How did this happen?
We need more people looking deeper and not believing the mainstream media–one of whom has openly stated it’s not his job to be “objective”– and look beneath the surface to the deeper truth.
Unfortunately, we have too many people believing Biden signed everything that’s got his name on it (most were Autopenned, one under Pelosi’s control), that Biden won the election fair and square (speaking from a state where a county sheriff, after investigating reports of stolen votes, recommended 6 of the 7 Elections commissioners be arrested for “shattering” Wisconsin’s voting laws–nothing happened, and where last-minute Democrat votes mysteriously appeared or “showed Up” in recounts), and regulatory capture of scientific and medical “oversight” has resulted in a cessation of proper dialog on vaccination effects, Covid response, healthy eating, “climate change,” and a laundry list of other regulatory subjects that are ostensibly for our safety and health but in fact are no more than cash cows for the global elite (who profit from jumping when the Acrons say, “frog.”)
Anonymous…
You sound just like that tv station that had to pay 750 million for lying to its audience… please keep reading both sides and keep curious…
An old native American saying… “remember the right wing and the left wing are part of the same bird.”
It’s always good to encourage deeper thinking, but “looking beneath the surface” only works when we apply consistent standards of evidence—not just distrust anything mainstream or inconvenient.
On objectivity in media: You’re likely referring to comments made by journalists or commentators about transparency vs. false equivalence—not a rejection of truth, but an acknowledgment that pretending both sides are equally valid, even when one is provably false, misleads the public. Media literacy includes separating editorial content from reporting, and critically evaluating all sources, not just the ones we disagree with.
On Autopen signatures: The use of an autopen is legal, longstanding, and has been employed by both Democratic and Republican presidents (including Bush and Trump) for ceremonial or time-sensitive signings. It doesn’t invalidate executive action or imply someone else is in control.
On the Wisconsin claim: The case you mention has been repeatedly reviewed. No charges were filed. The sheriff involved, Christopher Schmaling of Racine County, has long been tied to partisan efforts, and the Wisconsin Election Commission’s decisions were consistent with emergency pandemic procedures and state law. Multiple recounts and court cases—including those with Trump-appointed judges—upheld the 2020 results as fair and accurate.
On last-minute “found” ballots: These are standard late-reporting urban precincts, not “mystery votes.” Ballots appearing in final counts reflect established election procedures—many governed by Republican-led legislatures—on how and when absentee ballots are counted.
On regulatory capture and science: There is valid debate to be had around corporate influence in government, but conflating this with climate denial or vaccine misinformation undermines serious issues. For example, the scientific consensus on climate change and vaccine efficacy is built on decades of peer-reviewed global research, not on regulatory edicts or press releases. Dismissing it wholesale ignores the evidence and the mechanisms for improving it through accountability—not rejection.
Healthy skepticism is necessary—but it must be rooted in verifiable evidence and applied consistently. Otherwise, it becomes what it claims to fight: a narrative designed to obscure, not reveal.
I completely agree with your thoughtful message. There’s nothing going on this administration that is acceptable. Please know that there are many Americans that do not agree with what is happening here.
And many more who do. We see that change can be hard but we needed change! Stop being so negative and give this a chance. We did with last two administrations before Trump and they failed us miserably. Politicians, if rich should not get rich while “serving” our country!! They did!!
It’s actually not that many more votes, percentage-wise. About 230,000 additional votes in key districts—due to how the Electoral College works—would have flipped the 2024 election in Kamala Harris’s favor. That doesn’t even count the ballots that were rejected, which appear to have increased since 2020 and are still under review or investigation in some states.
Now, I’m going to leave this here. It doesn’t even touch the part where Trump is accepting a $400 million plane from Qatar without congressional approval. All of this comes from verifiable reporting—sources included:
🧾 1. Insider Trading Allegations
On April 9, Trump tweeted “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY!!!” just hours before pausing tariffs—causing markets to spike 9–12%.
Critics and legal experts flagged this as a possible case of insider trading.
Investigations launched by:
Sen. Adam Schiff and Congress
NY AG Letitia James
Additional coverage: MarketWatch, The Guardian
🧼 2. Bribery & Ethics Erosion
Trump suspended enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which blocks corporate bribery of foreign governments: News.com.au
He also dismantled post-Watergate ethics reforms, weakening guardrails against corruption: Washington Post
💰 3. Profiting from the Presidency
Trump earned over $600 million in 2024 alone via:
Crypto coins ($TRUMP, $MELANIA): Reuters
Merch/NFTs/Bibles: Business Insider
Foreign licensing & development deals (UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Vietnam): Business Insider
✈️ $400M Qatar Jet Gift
Trump accepted a luxury Boeing 747 from Qatar, claiming it’s for official use—then plans to transfer it to his presidential foundation after leaving office.
Analysts call it a massive foreign gift that bypasses Congress and violates constitutional norms.
Coverage:
Washington Post
Time
🇸🇦 Saudi Conflict of Interest: Jared Kushner
After leaving the White House, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner received a $2 billion investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Here’s why this is a major ethics red flag:
💼 The Deal
Who: Jared Kushner, former White House senior advisor
What: Launched a private equity firm, Affinity Partners, in 2021
When: Received $2 billion from the Saudi PIF in 2022—months after leaving government
Why It’s Suspicious:
The PIF’s own internal advisory board recommended against the investment due to Kushner’s lack of experience.
The board was overruled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), reportedly at his personal insistence.
🔗 New York Times
🚨 Why It’s a Conflict of Interest
Timing & Power Access
Kushner had just left his White House role—during which he closely worked with MBS on U.S.–Saudi diplomacy, including weapons deals and shielding MBS after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Policy Favoritism While in Office
Kushner pushed for pro-Saudi policies while in government.
He reportedly protected MBS even after U.S. intel concluded the prince was behind Khashoggi’s killing.
Ethics Advisory Warnings
The Saudi fund’s own experts warned Kushner had no investment track record.
The deal had unusually favorable terms, and was seen as a potential payoff for political loyalty.
🧾 Legal vs. Ethical
Not illegal—because Kushner was no longer a federal employee.
But ethically? It looks like delayed compensation for political favors, and deeply damages public trust in foreign policy decisions.
🔗 Business Insider
This isn’t just about bad optics—it’s about institutionalized corruption. If this doesn’t raise red flags for you, the flagpole might be in someone’s offshore bank account.
K, have you seen the hard mathematical evidence by The Election Truth Alliance? They have hard statistics that show that the odds of Trump winning all the swing states is the same as if he won the Mega Millions 6x in a row. That’s impossible.
And Smartelections.us just sued for a hand recount in PA.
There is a lot movement about how the election was obviously tampered with. It wasn’t just one thing, there were many prongs to that, and evidence is mounting. I don’t know that it’s in time to do anything about it, but hope springs eternal.
Agreed. Transformation is not easy and making change is something most humans avoid at all costs. That being said this platform Mind Valley I was always under apparently a false impression was about change, about awareness and consciousness. This post is so far from that that I am so disappointed in a leader who promotes that taking a polarizing stance. I hate the idea that I’ve become like those with TDS and want to paint Vishen with this brush of condemnation, but the fact is that taking this position instead of leading a oneness revolution of consciousness is unacceptable.
I totally agree… We need leaders that lead… not that want to self destruct to be king of ashes. This kind of leadership has it all wrong.
Thank you💜
Thank you for stating what most Americans belive in.
How can you say “what most Americans believe in” when 80% voted the lying, corrupt, Democrats out?
It was nowhere near 80%! And so many people on the fence got convinced to vote for him at the very last minute thanks to his big homophobic campaign against “they/them” at the 11th hour, which from an ad campaign standpoint was genius, but was morally repugnant. Just sayin.
Yup!
You’re correct Diana. This much too long but well written post from Vishen has many statements that are not true, or to be clear, lying.
Bombs didn’t fall on Iran they reduced nuclear war capacity. As a “citizen of the earth” Vishen should focus on problems of poverty & pollution in his country of 1 billion people.
The election does not back up what you say. Americans spoke and elected our leaders.
FALSE!
Most Americans completely agree that Vishen has no clue what he is talking about and agree that he has been tricked by the media propaganda, which is surprising, since he should be an expert on limiting beliefs and manifesting.
The USA is awesome, we are prospering, we are joyful, we are loving, and we are getting even better every day.
And everyone is still trying to get in here, and everyone wants our help, our money and our technology and our ingenuity, and the smartest from all other countries want to invest here too.
Don’t get sucked into the silly nonsense you hear on CNN, it is complete narrative manipulation.
I heart this! 🙂
Please. Please. Stay out of politics.
Thank you, Vishen. This was beautifully said.
Please no politics on this service. We pay to get away from the drama, the predetermined coercion and facade of intellectual inquiry.
With respect, a deeply humble nature and a place to find refuge ways from such noise.
beautifully said Joe; I agree.
Exactly.
I’m grateful Vishen spoke up as eloquently as he did. I understand the desire to have drama-free spaces, but speaking possibility in tough times should not be seen as a dramatic act. One thing I do believe.. silence serves no one during times of societal pain. Silence actually serves the worst outcomes.
He is misinformed and uninformed. It isn’t his place and needs to mind his own business
He is highly educated and knows exactly what is going on. It is in fact his place, and it is 100% his business.
Everything where one feels implicated is their business. When you are not allowed to share your opinion on a subject, this is where the problem/danger starts. And thank you for giving us here a good example.
If one is to speak up, speak about Gaza, the genocide almost every American leader facilitated for over 70 years. This is spiritual warfare and it does need to be acknowledged but not energized. We are the majority not the minority. Now is the time to step into your power. Perhaps Vishen can offer a free workshop on this platform for how to raise your vibration, align with your soul purpose,
step into your power and manifest the best furure 🔥🙏🏼✨️
Right on Bobby!!
I agree.
I’m not sure about the shining America of the past, but it was clearer about its ideals.
Thank you Vishen ❤️ for showing up in this way.
It can’t be easy but you are speaking your truth. You have power and a platform. Thank you for using it in the way that felt necessary to you.
It appears to me this isn’t about politics… it’s more fundamental than that.
The human shadow has taken centre stage… a product of our collective trauma; obvious, out there and completely unmasked.
And what can I do?
Work with the invisible world, try to bring a feeling of goodness and care into every moment.
Empathise with the fear that is surely behind that vote. Gently tend my own fear (I live in the UK so easier).
If I find I have the capacity in my nervous system, I’d engage with people who have an opposing view to mine (that day hasn’t come yet) and listen….
Have as much authenticity and integrity as I can in my own life, examine myself, where is my inner tyrant, can I accept and allow it, see it clearly when it appears and not leave lurking it in the shadow?
Do the shadow work, know myself in all my dark corners.
Love and be real.
Exactly!
Vishen can not teach clients to CREATE, experience JOY, MANIFEST from the Infinite Divine, make a difference in the world AND at the same time say “Please expend all your energy putting other people in prisons, fighting, and controlling others”.
YOU MUST CHOOSE.
Create Life
OR
Enforce, Control, Contain, Destroy
It is that simple.
If Vishen loses the people who believe in controlling and containing other humans, then he keeps ONLY those who want to create, extend, and expand. I assure you that no one runs around Mind Valley University with weapons or masks. But damn if being hugged by a complete STRANGER didn’t bring me to my knees in tears. To this day I don’t know who held me, but it was worth the entire price of admission and flying my ass all the way to Estonia from CA.
<3
While those are very nice words to describe Vishen’s teachings, this message in particular was based in FEAR. You can feel it…. so it’s rather curious what flipped the script. People fundamentally do not believe in controlling and containing other humans when they vote – this dualistic way of thinking is not rational. Two things can be true at the same time: that stranger that hugged you and brought you to your knees, could have very well been a Trump voter!
Exactly. Well said Joe.
Yes- thank you!
Spot on, Joe.