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.
950 Responses
I didn’t read anything in your letter about the genocide in Palestine. This is cowardly. If I missed something subtle it is a noneffective way to communicate. I believe in you Vishen corrects the silence and speaknout.
Until we get high quality candidates, who actually have the skills and integrity to vote for, it’s just a choice between “lesser of two evils.” Our party system is outdated and illogical in 2025.
Thank you Vishen for articulating what many of us feel and want to say. We all want the dream of America that many of us grew up believing to expand and evolve. As we watch from other countries the implosion of the United States of America, our hearts ache and we pray that the leaders wake up from the sleep like trance that they have been lured into.
Thank you for this. I could not agree more.
Thank you for your truth and grace and the desire to increase understanding in the world.
I grew up a Canadian, but spent many childhood summers with my Mother’s family in New England and the warmth and generosity of spirit ,the kindness and love I experienced there will always remain in my heart.
Thank you for reminding us all to be the best, the highest, the most light filled we can be, to stand when we fall and to extend a hand to others when they do so.
Thank you, Vishen.
No political statements from Mindvalley, please. Vishen, you can have your opinion, and I might share it or not, but keep Mindvalley clear of politics!
Too late
Agreed! When you take a position, you also make a choice and now I will make a choice to cancel my subscription.
I’m writing this with a heavy heart. I’ve long admired the spiritual space you’ve built—one that has inspired so many of us to grow, heal, and evolve. That’s why it was deeply disappointing to see political messaging take center stage in your recent post.
Many of us turn to this community specifically to escape the division and hostility that dominate the political landscape. MindValley has been a rare space of unity, insight, and spiritual nourishment. By taking a strong political stance, you’ve effectively fractured that space and alienated a large portion of your audience.
This isn’t simply about disagreeing with your opinion—it’s about the tone, delivery, and intent. The message came across as dogmatic and one-sided, cloaked in the language of positivity, but ultimately promoting a divisive narrative. It lacked the openness, nuance, and respect for differing perspectives that I once associated with this platform.
To make matters worse, your viewpoint appears heavily influenced by mainstream media sources known for presenting selective truths, omitting key context, and shaping public opinion through bias. For someone in a position of influence, that’s especially concerning.
I am truly saddened. MindValley once stood for inclusion, higher consciousness, and rising above the noise. Now, it risks becoming just another outlet contributing to division.
Fully agree with you Jack. I was unpleasantly surprised reading Vishen’s letter. Hopefully, this space can be neutral and no political division.
Hello Jack
Vishen has stood for kindness , truth , compassion kindness for all mankind. This is what America stood for !!
Now it is evoking rampant fear , terror in the hearts of humanity.
I agree with Vishen wholeheartedly !
If America wants to lead the world it should do as the founders of this country wanted !!
Liberty peace for all
100% agree with Jack and Claus. I felt Mindvalley was a safe place to grow, learn and be myself. The political post from Vishen makes me second guess this. So disappointing!
Fully agree Jack
Vishen, I am heartened by your thoughtful plea which said so much, so well! As I hear you, you are reminding us of core values which give us a moral compass first as world citizens and secondly as US citizens.
I admittedly am not really proud to be an American for a variety of reasons—perhaps because I grew up with the belief that my first responsibilities were to the Higher Power in my life. We need to be people who are not driven by fears and greed but rather by compassion and peacemaking. ✨
I am saddened by this letter to my country, and the use of the Mind Valley platform to communicate such as message. It’s one thing for people in a community to share their personal beliefs with each other on matters of politics, it’s another for the leader to address an entire population as if they acted as one, in such a demeaning way. I feel we in the US have been in a state of divide since the election campaigning began and as someone who did not vote for Trump in either election, but did vote, and as someone who loves this country but does not agree with the actions being taken by this administration, I am offended by this letter. I have been a Mind Valley member for several years. I have just cancelled my subscription.
This is exactly what is also irritating: People are unable anymore to share their thoughts and feelings on a subject without being criticized. Was it too hard for you just to reply by agreeing… or not on the subject?
Vishen, this touched my heart deeply.
As someone born in Los Angeles to immigrant parents, I’ve carried both pride and pain watching the soul of our city—and our country—struggle under the weight of division, injustice, and unchecked power. Your words remind us that America was never just a place, but a promise. One rooted in possibility, purpose, and unity.
Now more than ever, it’s time to heal—not just as a nation, but as a world. To move from fear to compassion. From dominance to shared humanity. We can still choose love over ego, inclusion over isolation, and empathy over indifference.
May we return to being a lighthouse—radiating hope, embracing our beautiful differences, and standing tall in service to each other and the generations to come. 🌎❤️
This resonates especially as a Canadian watching from the outside in. It’s hard not to feel bad for what was such a beautiful and strong country being ripped apart domestically and internationally. We are watching in horror as things unfold with no explanation. This line from Vishen’s post: “We are simply asking you to remember who you are, at your best.” says it all. Come back America, the world needs the real you. Kate, your neighbour from Canada 🇨🇦
A beautiful letter.
When I was a little girl, when anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, my answer was always, ‘ I want to be American’. I can’t tell you why. Maybe because the best TV shows were American or all the Heros on TV seemed to be American….
But right now I’m so scared of what you’ve become.
But I hold hope!
Every beautiful American person I know would never want what is happening now for their country, their lives, their children, their neighbour.
I don’t know how the ‘baddies’ have managed to cause so much harm to so many so fast. But I know your country is still filled with hero’s who are gathering their numbers, summoning their courage and will rise to reclaim the America that was free for all generations to come.
Democracy means that the power belongs to the people not the few. Claim it! We are supporting you.
With love from UK.
I am extremely disappointed by this!
You do not speak for all of us Americans!
Why would you even say, you do not speak for all of us Americans? He never said that… He was he was speaking for himself, from his own perspective.
Amen.👍
Dear Vishen, this had to be said. I am not from the United States, but I have allways shared the american dream. I admire Martin Luther King Jr. and how brave he was sharing his dream and making his nation believe in it.
The great souls from United States have allways been people that serve others….there are so many great souls in this beautiful country! and they are diverse, from all ethnics…
I believe in the American Spirit as a Beacon of Freedom, Justice and Faith. I pray to see that beacon shinig again for alll antions in the world
Disappointing to say the least! I don’t understand why brands are lining up to create division in their market base but here we are! I came here to learn, and not to be lectured to regarding your opinion. If you cannot see why changes are necessary you obviously haven’t been into the heartland of the US or the inner cities. Congrats on creating just another echo chamber! I canceled my longtime subscription!
THANK YOU! I totally agree! Terrible and unappreciated email.
Thank you for joining the conversation, for speaking up. Something we all need to do! Silence is complicity. Within the US I’ve really noticed differences in perspective largely based on news and information sources. Unfortunately, depending on the information “bubble” that individuals occupy, their perceived narratives on what is occurring both in the United States, and around the world, can vary greatly. Though this can be a result of educational deficiencies, many don’t want the truth, only that which confirms previous biases and conditioning. People think they can say anything, even outright lie, and believe that’s “free speech”. The racial, religious, gender, wealth, etc. discrimination that has been rampant in our country since its founding are being laid bare for all to see. The current ugliness in our country will force a reckoning, a change – if we don’t turn a blind eye to our many weaknesses and faults – and speak up against what’s not working for all!
Thank you for saying what I would have said but I am unable to comment for some reason.
We need everyone, especially those with privlege to speak out.
Thank You Donita, Thank You Vishen!
Not what I expected from Mindvalley. I partially agree … I am Italian, I always thought of the US as a stronger younger brother ready to protect when need be. But alas I was young and naive.. there was help for sure in the past, but the plan was always for dominance. Not invading but through political and mostly economical pressure. Sadly most of my country citizens do not feel as allies , we feel enslaved. You are not the loving brother but the shop/firm owner squeezing everything he can from workers. It’s my way or I’ll destroy you. Not bombs but economy. The Us should stay there in the US, they can not rule the world. Let us be, we’ll sink down? We will deal with it. Nation should come together only where a global menace menaces life on earth. It should be a council, where everyone has an equal voice, not kingdom council where us sits on the throne. We should find solutions together not being colonized one way or the other.
Reading your letter stirred something deep within me, Vishen. Like you, I believed in the promise of America—not just as a nation, but as a sacred idea. I chose law school over social work because I believed that working within the system could bring about lasting change. I dreamed of joining the legislature, of being a voice for the vulnerable.
But instead, I found myself in the executive branch of New York State government—where power often eclipses purpose. There, under the weight of institutional ego and narcissistic leadership, I was silenced and bullied for speaking truth. My First Amendment rights were threatened by a man who saw dissent as danger rather than dialogue. And yes, he was a Democrat—proof that corruption and control know no party lines. That experience triggered a profound unraveling—one that became the catalyst for my spiritual awakening.
For a time, I was lost at sea.
But in that darkness, something sacred found me. I surrendered to the wisdom within and around me. I began asking my higher power each day to flow through me, to use me—not as a vessel of resistance, but as a vessel of light.
Now, I strive to be the lighthouse I once needed. Not to direct others’ paths, but to shine steadily, so those adrift might find their way home to themselves.
Thank you for reminding us what America can be when we remember who we are—not as rulers, but as stewards; not as consumers of power, but as vessels of love.
May we all rise—not to dominate, but to illuminate.
Vishen, I like Mindvalley and its self-help programming you’ve incorporated but it is a service I pay for. By using your network to voice your opinion, it essentially picks a side and alienates a large portion of your customers, which I’m one of. When corporations or celebrities stray from their swim lane and start to believe people want to hear their opinion, half love it and many of the other half leave them. Just look at Bud Lite, Target, and Disney for example. Most of the people in America are hardworking, pay their taxes, and just want to be left alone, but at some point, you have to stop and speak up. The US is $37 trillion in debt and over spending $4 trillion a year. When you realize the US government is wasting trillions of dollars of our tax money while politicians and elites enrich themselves in the process, you have to make a change. If America continues on its short term gratification spending spree, it will implode and world will be worse off thatn it is now. The majority of Americans backed a leader that was strong enough to try something different so we can right the American ship, even if it has short term negative effects on the US or the world. In 2023 the US provided 68% of the NATO’s budget. NATO needs the US more than the US needs NATO. The strong action in Iran finally brought a cease fire between Iran and Israel. Who knows if it will hold but that hasn’t happened since 1979. Regarding immigration, the US has a legal way for people to apply for visas, green cards, and eventually citizenship. Legal immigrants learn English and try to assimilate to the US culture. Everyone supports legal immigration, but we currently have about 20 million illegal immigrants in the US. That’s about the same population of Taiwan or Syria. ICE raids are not the cause of the riots in LA, its groups of illegal immigrants that didn’t follow the immigration process and don’t want to assimilate to US culture. So Vishen please focus on Mindvalley and let the US citizens worry about the US.
Vishen,
Your words stirred something deep within me; something sacred.
Thank you for loving boldly and speaking with the grace of a soul that sees beyond borders. I felt every line of your letter as a prayer; for healing, for remembering, for rising.
Like you, I believe the spirit of America; her higher self, is not lost. Just weary. And like you, I still see the light within her, waiting to be reignited by truth, compassion, and collective awakening.
You reminded us not just of what we’ve lost, but of what we can still choose to become. And that is holy work.
I stand with you; in love, in faith, and in the sacred hope that we will return to who we truly are.
Thank you, Vishen.
Vishen – I salute and honor you for the courage to speak up regarding what is on your heart and mind on these topics. For those Mindvalley members who criticize you for raising politics on this platform, isn’t the ultimate culmination of “personal development” Soul Visibility? If we, as enlightened individuals, can’t have a mature discussion about politics (how we choose to govern ourselves), then who can?? And if no one is able or willing to talk about these topics in a mature way, then what hope do we have? For those who disagree with Vishen and his views, feel free to say so! But say it from an open heart without taking things personally and descending into insults and conspiracy theories. I am sure Vishen would be the first to admit he doesn’t have all the answers but I have no doubt that his questions are very worthy of discussion.