Two weeks ago, I landed in Miami.
I didn’t expect to be greeted by two FBI agents with the politeness of yoga instructors and the curiosity of philosophers… but here we are.
I’ve recorded what happened and posted it to the world—the video you’re about to see got 1.3 million views on Instagram.
Here’s what happened.
The FBI agents asked me about my recent travels—Brazil, Istanbul, Dubai.
Brazil?
Rock in Rio.
Istanbul?
Gates of Agartha Festival. Satori was playing; the only thing I was conspiring with was great music.
Dubai?
Well, Dubai is the global center of capitalism and one of the most innovative cities in the world (of course I go there).
Then came the question:
“Have you consorted with any politicians?”
I said yes—last year I was at a dinner in Mar-a-Lago.
They nodded, handed back my passport, and welcomed me to the U.S.
No drama. No hostility. The agents were doing their job.
The real issue isn’t the FBI.
The real issue is the culture of fear America has fallen into.
Fear: the last refuge of leaders with no vision
Tourism to the U.S. is down 15%.
International students are down 20%.
Immigration demonized.
The world’s most iconic “nation of immigrants” now treats newcomers like threats.
Why?
Because fear is the cheapest political drug.
Pushing the fear button is the last refuge of leaders who have no talent, no vision, and no solutions.
And nowhere is this more obvious than in the stories being sold to Americans daily.
The night at Mar-a-Lago that explained everything
I was invited to Mar-a-Lago by a Mindvalley member.
I was truly honored and grateful for the invite.
And I want to say that the people there were genuinely nice to me.
While we disagreed on policy, we got along as friends.
But I’d like to share with you some of the things I heard.
I sat next to a Christian woman who believed abortion should be banned nationwide.
I disagreed—but I respected her conviction.
Then a senator told me:
“There are 300,000 Chinese migrants at the southern border waiting to be activated by China.”
I asked for evidence.
He admitted he heard it as a rumor.
Fair enough.
Another person told me that there are 2 million potential terrorists in America after what happened in Israel.
Of course, there was no supporting evidence for this.
Now let me tell you what I did not hear.
No one was talking about:
- Healthcare
- Lifespan
- Cost of living
- Education
- Economic mobility
There were no ideas. No policies. No strategies.
Just fear.
And yet fear won votes. Millions of them.
But let’s look at the hard proof: The Republican Party is actually bailing on business
Now, let’s step away from fear, rumor, and political superstition… and look at actual numbers.
Because when you examine the last seven decades of U.S. economic performance, a very uncomfortable truth emerges:
The U.S. economy performs dramatically better under Democrats than Republicans.
Take these five core indicators that economists use to measure national performance:
Real GDP growth
Since World War II, America’s GDP has grown at about 4.3% under Democratic presidents versus 2.5% under Republicans.
Job creation
Job growth averages 2.6% per year under Democrats and 1.1% under Republicans, tens of millions of additional jobs.
Unemployment
Under Democrats, unemployment usually falls by about 0.8 percentage points. Under Republicans, it typically rises by about 1.1 points.
Stock market performance
The S&P 500 returns roughly 8.3% per year under Democrats and only 2.7% under Republicans. If you invested based on party alone, you’d retire in a hammock on a beach.
Recessions
Ten of the last eleven recessions began under Republican presidents. That’s not ideology. That’s math.
You can fact-check them by asking AI in regards to what I’m talking about. Feel free to research them.
Most American entrepreneur friends of mine still believe the myth that when Republicans are in power, business is better.
That myth is the exact opposite of actual facts and data as stated above.
Democrats do better and business. And they do so without having to blame immigrants and others.
Republicans do the opposite.
And here’s where MAGA makes it even worse
It’s not just that Republican economic myths don’t hold up. Trump’s current strategy is actively harming America’s economy and global brand.
Trump’s vilification of immigrants—and the violent ICE raids flooding Instagram and TikTok—are already hitting the U.S. economy like a slow-motion avalanche.
Obama deported 3M people. But he did it without harming America’s image.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
- Tourism to America has fallen by roughly 15%. That’s billions of dollars lost annually because visitors no longer feel welcome—or safe.
- Foreign graduate student applications have dropped by about 17%. This is catastrophic. These students often stay, innovate, start companies, and build the industries of tomorrow. They’re the future builders of Silicon Valley, healthcare breakthroughs, AI labs, and biotech.
- Forty-four percent of American unicorn companies were created by immigrants. Nearly half of the most valuable companies in America exist because of immigrant founders.
- Every ICE raid you see on Instagram isn’t just traumatizing undocumented families—it is damaging America’s global brand, driving talent away, shrinking innovation, and weakening long-term competitiveness.
Fearmongering may get votes. But it is a horrible economic strategy. You cannot build a future-ready nation by scaring away the very people who create the future.
If we agree that diversity is beneficial, that unity matters, and that racism is something that belongs in the garbage bin of history.
When we stop falling for these myths, we stop allowing politicians to use them as weapons.
I created the video to dismantle many of these myths.
Darwin and the diffusion of sympathy
Let’s zoom out to science.
Charles Darwin wrote:
“As man advances in civilization, he extends his sympathies to all members of the nation, and then to all nations.”
He called this the diffusion of sympathy—the expansion of empathy.
This is evolution.
This is progress.
This is how civilizations rise.
Shrinking empathy? That’s regression.
Fear shrinks empathy.
Unity expands it.
Darwin knew this.
Walsch knew this.
Wilber mapped it.
And the world desperately needs to remember it.
The spiritual perspective: why unity matters the most right now
Neale Donald Walsch wrote:
“The highest virtue of highly evolved beings is unity.”
And another:
“In advanced civilizations, unity is not a dream—it is their natural state.”
This is the future of humanity.
From egocentric to ethnocentric to world-centric to cosmocentric.
And that’s the work we’re doing at Mindvalley.
The Mindvalley Spiritual Summit: a leap beyond fear
Our upcoming Spiritual Summit is a gathering of the world’s nine top spiritual teachers committed to unity consciousness:
Regan Hillyer (#1 Manifestation Coach), Lee Holden (Medical Qi Gong Master), Marie Diamond (Feng Shui Master), Dawn Hong (Kundalini Master), Shi Heng Yi (35th-generation Shaolin Master), Dr. Peter Levine (Psychologist and Founder of Somatic Experiencing®), Sensei Zen Takai (16th-generation Samurai), Dr. Tara Schwartz (Neuroscientist), and myself.
Get your spot at the Spiritual Summit here
Happening this weekend, November 22–23
I’ll talk about a powerful and interesting idea by Ken Wilber (the world’s most cited academic)—called Stages and States—which helps you understand how we can bring unity consciousness within ourselves and the world. We will go deeper into why unity is important for the progression of humanity.
This isn’t just an event. It’s an energetic consciousness activation.
If fear is the virus, unity is the medicine.
My declaration
People have asked whether speaking openly like this on my Instagram might jeopardize my O-1 visa.
I’m not afraid.
I’ve done nothing wrong.
I’ve built companies, created jobs, supported communities, and obeyed the law.
And America’s greatness lies in its protection of honest speech—especially speech meant to heal, unite, and uplift.
I love America. I want it to thrive.
And because I care, I will not stay silent when this country is being misled.
Not by rumor, fear, propaganda, or leaders who cannot govern, cannot unify, and cannot offer real solutions—especially Donald Trump.
It’s time for something higher. Something wiser. Something rooted in unity consciousness, not fear consciousness.
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Unity, fear, immigration, evolution—what part of this message resonated with you most? Share it in the comments below. I’ll be reading every single one.
Vote for pragmatism. Vote for unity. Vote for evolution.
Humanity is ready for its next leap.
With love,
Vishen
REFERENCES AND SOURCES OF DATA MENTIONED IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
Presidents and the U.S. Economy: An Econometric Exploration (July 2014)
U.S. economic performance by presidential party
Presidents and the U.S. Economy: An Econometric Exploration (July 2015)
Presidents as Economic Managers (article in the National Affairs magazine)
76 Responses
I live in Italy, and here too, the primary language of politics is the language of fear.
On Sunday, I’ll be voting for the regional council, and what surprises me most is that the coalition that has always governed doesn’t speak proudly of the things they’ve achieved—which are there—but of the things that need improvement, as if they hadn’t been able to fix them so far.
I’ll cross out the names on the ballot paper that speak to the things I believe in, but I know that perhaps it will be more useful to participate in the summit and improve the energetic vibration of the world.
The fear resonates with me. Here in Turkey many people are planning towards emigrating or at least studying abroad. They believe they’ll have a better education or job possibility in Europe or other countries. The fear is of economic hardship and lack of human rights, aggravated by the prolonged baseless imprisonment of the one political leader prepared to fight back for true democracy and justice for the people of this country.
Look, I am shaking right now after reading this post because NO ONE and I mean NO ONE in the spiritual community is talking directly about the darkness we are facing in this world! I’m incredulous that FINALLY someone in the spiritual community is directly talking about ICE, fear, intimidation of Americans and immigrants, ecomonic conditions under a conservative vs progressive/liberal administration, the fight of good vs evil on American soil in the 21st century. With a heart of deep gratitude, I applaud your courage and your honesty to tell it like it is!! You will never know the great healing you gave me bc this post frees me from the constriction I feel of not being able to speak of the evil of Trump & Co. in spiritual circles; its like seeing a runaway train coming right for us, and only being able to say, “Be in the Light and try to move a little to the left to avoid the runaway train that doesn’t exist and no spiritual seeker sees.” I See it and I feel ashamed for seeing it. Last yr I was at a restaurant and on the silent TV was Trump campaigning. I looked away of course, but when my eyes glanced back, my Higher Self intelligence said, “Antichrist.” I’m irreligious. I didn’t really understand what that meant, so I was rocked when I realized what that message revealed. I never ever thought I would be dealing with this in my later time of my life. I’m absolutely sure I did not sign up for this. We need help!! We need truth from our spiritual teachers to speak to the reality and truth of what is happening, and how to navigate and constructively contribute to the Light. I’m trying to pretend the bad news doesn’t exist, but every now and then I’m pulled back into world events and I’m soul crushed. Now I have to figure it all out and get myself back into my bubble. I feel like. ping pong ball, and right now, I’m not doing so good. Truly, and I mean this with all my heart, Thank you Thank You Thank You for this powerful, much needed post! Your truth and bravery was so very healing! Blessings
I am sorry to hear how you are feeling. I started to cry while reading it. It is not easy to live in this world, knowing it can and should be much different.
I think most of us, particularly outside USA, see Trump as a dangerous tyrant. We wonder why you cant see through the lies, such gross lies and exagerations of Trump and of the people around him.
Every last word you said resonated with me. I’m so sick and tired of ii t all that I want to leave ‘America, my home sweet home.’ Yeah, I want to immigrate somewhere the F. else before Trump decided to build more walls…not just to keep everyone else out, but to trap us all in his F’ed up fiefdom. Now, I am not rich so I can’t buy my way into another country. But my partner for now and I are making plans. He is a government employee and is looking to get hired at a base in Germany. Meanwhile, I will finally publish my memoir and become so filthy stinking rich that we will never have another care in the world. Also, I would really like to be one of your members that u consider giving a small platform to at one of your future events. I think it will be called “Ranting of a Mad Woman” both physically mad due to perimenopause, but also some have considered mentally mad, as well in the past. Anyway, I am just such a pissed off Karen right now that I want to roast just about anyone and anything and frankly there is endless fodder one has to contend with nowadays. Yeah, I know it may seem like it goes against the feel good aspects of ur organization, but really don’t most people just enjoy being comfortably numb? I mean life can be tough enough just going the motions. So, I understand wanting to just shut the front door at the end of the day and hide from the world. Unfortunately, true growth and the motivation behind it often come during the worst of times or when someone really lights a fire under ur ass, right? Well, I have been quietly observing most of my life and now, I finally think it is time to speak some harsh truths to the rest of the world. And what better place to start then your personal growth platform with it’s tribe members who truly want to learn and grow. Please at least consider me, and give me a shot with one of ur ‘talent scouts’ or whatever first. Like I could do a zoom call screening with someone (not a panel of several people please). For I am an introvert who was content to live a quiet life…until now. No, what had been our great way of life here America is systematically being destroyed and that pisses me the hell-o off! Sorry, I am sure shit is hitting the fan elsewhere in the world, but thanks to our national news agencies here, like ‘World News Tonight’ I have often wondered why we only ever hear about the continental united states. WTF! No wonder we are disliked by so many people around the world. Anyway, never in all my days would I have ever thought that I would want to…and further, actually put the steps in motion to…leave my own damn country! Anyway, if ur interested in potentially letting me have just a wee bit of air time at one of seminars, please have someone reach out. Thanks!
Hi Vishen,
I am all for unity consciousness. That said, I will not attend any event that begins by creating clear political division between the parties (i.e. the democratic party is much better and here’s why – and the republican party sucks and here’s why).
You say you want to evolve our consciousness to a unity consciousness – I REALLY love the concept, and the whole premise of evolution – but I cannot get behind this event if this will have any kind of a political basis. There is no room for discrimination of any kind – race, nationality, color, religion, or political beliefs should not impact unity thought OR inclusion or exclusion. And at a beautiful convention of like-minded beings gathering for the “soul” purpose of evolving mass consciousness, there is no place for political grandstanding. Why would you want to feed the mass consciousness more fear, and incite even more division rather than unity? Peace brother – you have a lot of power at your fingertips and I really hope you figure out a way to keep politics out of it.
I see what you see…. this is a misuse of his platform. I didnt subscribe to hear about politics otherwise I would not have signed on. Personally, I’m disappointed in this organization… there is nothing “spiritual” about this and I’ve unsubscribed.
I am sorry to hear about your experience. I have experienced this all of my life as a Colombian, in any country I visit and know how difficult and annoying it is.
However, I am truly disappointed by your letter, which I usally look forward to read. Please don´t get into politics. We are here in the mindvalley platform to get away from this noise, from the world chaos and politics, We are looking for things that amplify our inner voice, to learn, to gain wisdom and serenity. Having Vishen email about Trump, (pro or against hi, it doesn´t matter) makes me so disappointed and makes me want to leave mindvalley, I can´t believe this got in here as well. You talk about the problem of division, but clearly are against Trump and convincing your readers to follow. Again, I don´t care if you are against or pro democrat or republican, I am sick of this and this was my only safe space. Makes me want to leave mindvalley, and I hope this does not continue because I really like this platform.
A Mindvalley user and disappointed fan,
I love all of the mindvalley trainings I’ve ever taken and I think this company can do good but I hate how the emails have become so political based and bashing. I try very hard to keep negativity out of my life which is one of the reasons I used to love mindvalley, it was uplifting and have education and hope. I’ve tried to unsubscribe from the emails but I’m still getting them. I asked to receive only content emails but it appears to not work. I’d have to unsubscribe all together but it looks like I’ll have to. Bring light, not darkness. You talk about fear taking over but that’s what I see in these posts – the spreading of fear and hate. I’d like to have my own beliefs and vote how I want. I don’t want this content in my spiritual bubble.
You explained the why for unity. Looking forward to the how that begins within each of us.
Thank you for this, Vishen!
I almost deleted your email without even reading it because so many of the spiritual leaders of our world seem to have fallen down the ‘conspirituality’ rabbit hole and/or are supporters of the current president of the US.
(my former mentor, Mr ‘Big Life’ himself, included😳)
It was a refreshing change to see truth and light instead! So, again, thank you!💚
Hey Vishen, first off, completly agree with every way you have dissected the issue to the root cause. Most of us are still running on 10000 b.c brain reflex on fear the.. OS of humanity never got updated because everywhere many vested interest and livelihoods survived off selling fear narratives and us vs them narratives and to start rewiring minds is a long jounrey with efforts from every angle …education to corporate.. to government intiatives and systemic redesign on how a civilization operate and what it values and what it assumes. from ai algorithm rewrites to what enters each minds and bringing an ability to think for oneself before reacting and consuming anything we see hear or interact with. its a full angle redesign from all instituitional players first and then slowly cultivating a generation that can narrow down the root cause like you did analysing and drilling down to root cause.. its that ability to think that matters for each individual. as socrates wished.. we need a genration capable of thinking rather than responding mindlessly and understanding of each other and like you said …prioritising unity as a civilization’s next evolutionary leap. wishing you all the very hearfelt mometum in the direction you planned for the summit.
Hi Vishen – It was great to see you sharing your thoughts fearlessly and you are walking the talk. You built Mindvalley to be a platform for Unity, to awaken consciousness and build personal power and you have the vision (sounds like vishen 😀) to see not just the US but the world thrive.
Political leaders are given power to not even have security checks in travel but true leaders of humanity like you are stopped by FBI to be questioned is a proof that the political system needs to change. Change will come gradually as more and more people leave fear and enter into their personal power to awaken and build a bright future with unity in this world. We are already more global than we were anytime before in history. Shifts will happen. Until then, let’s not give up (whoever is awakened already) and keep working in Unity and build momentum for the positive transformational shifts in people around us. More Power to You. 🙌
I believe the Democrats now are different than the ones before, like the ones I used to be. Before, there were just good values, there were not ideological issues, like 1) gender ideology; gender ideology when there are only two genders according to biology, and genetics??!!! Where this non sense came from?? 2) The “WOKE” movement, which it gives rights, by taking rights from others! And I can go on and on, by talking about all the points of the sinister Agenda 2030, which is what all of the “democrats” are defending, which is basically the destruction of the Occidental values. I am not USA citizen, but I see how this sinister Agenda is getting many North Americans, and that is really scary and sad. Seeing women voting for a Muslim, when Muslims treat women like objets is seeing manipulation in one of it’s more hidden modes ever, por example. I want to see them saying “my body”, “my choice”, under a burka!! Anyways, I am glad some are stoping this sinister Agenda 2030, which if we do not do it will destroy Occidental values and culture.
Your message really touched me. I agree with everything you shared.
I’m doing my part by raising my vibration, sending love to all beings, and holding compassion for Mother Earth.
Thank you for all you do and for the light you bring.
THANK YOU!
All of it resonated with me and I can see it all happening as I am a resident of the US. It made me first look within. What can I do and what kind of proper organizations exist where I can invest my time to help with the real issues of cost of living, healthcare, education, lifespan and economic mobility, as Vishen mentioned. Or do I invest my time in creating these opportunities for others to come together and work towards a goal that will help these matters for everyone in one way or another? I don’t really watch the news but that doesn’t save me from seeing the fear being spread and viewing the traumatizing treatment by ICE. The fear in me is that no one will get to the real issues in time to save ourselves. And I am now inspired to ensure that these matters, the real matters, are addressed. We cannot be misled, hypnotized and distracted by the chaos
This is brave to say and write in the current climate! I appreciate it. I am not an unconditional fan of yours, by the way. I used to be very annoyed by your blind fascination with IA. I don’t write this message from blind admiration. I write from an honest human appreciation of what you are saying and the value of unity in a world of fear. I migrated to the UK eight years ago to find myself going back to Spain and now considering migrating again. The default rejection of “strangers” as a threat instead of the perception of someone who brings opportunities to learn from and learn with is astonishing. Thanks for writing this and acting on your mission of building global human unity. You can be a powerful individual and what you do can have a huge impact in the world!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. My colleague (a professor) said he experienced something similar at the airport in Germany. There was an additional checkpoint of American military officials who took his passport while they questioned him about his political views, his social media handles, and his thoughts about Trump. I was shocked that it could happen in another country. He said that he felt as if they implied he would not be able to re-enter the U.S. if he did not say favorable things about Trump. I have warned friends traveling to expect similar experiences, so they aren’t caught off guard. I am especially grateful to have this data you collected in one spot. The people so driven by ignorance and fear do not realize how much this administration is harming people economically, socially, morally, and emotionally. The number of children being harmed is heartbreaking. Something needs to change. This is not who we want to be as a country or a society.
Vishen, I want to start out by saying I am sorry for your unpleasant experience at the airport. I agree that fear gets votes and is a base instinct we need to suppress and grow out of. That being said: you are missing the big picture. Politicians are puppets of the donor class. The donor class spreads their money around to both parties. On rare occasions the people rise up and the politicians take note. In those situations the people win. Also, the vast majority of politicians are bought off, controlled and blackmailed. Just look at the Zionist control over about 75% of the US Congress and Trump’s advisors. You miss the point that central banks control the economy, Presidential policies have a tiny impact. In fact the President is closer to a figurehead. Their acting ability and ability to persuade people is key. They are usually not well mentally. Please look into that. Also, you miss the fact that there is a hidden global cult that has been playing the divide and rule game for centuries. Why else would people willingly go to war? Regular citizens do not want war. They normally get along with their fellow human. I have evolved into a voluntaryist since the Covid fascism that occurred from March 2020 through 2022. I never heard you speak out against that globally manufactured era (2 different presidents). That was orchestrated by the global cult. Besides being a voluntaryist I believe we are part of collective consciousness having a brief human experience. We can bend reality as a collective, not just as individuals. I know you believe in our ability to bend reality. I am surprised you still seem to fall for the divide and rule two party narrative. Best wishes and love. PS I posted on your original post also.
This newsletter has shown me that you are indeed a vessel of the light and you are meant to illuminate and wake up this world.
Despite people telling you to stay out of politics and stay in your lane as a spiritual guide, you have decided to take the moral and ethical route knowing fully well it might cost you followers and money. At one point or another we all have to make a choice and I’m glad you are on the side of unity, hope, community and humanity.
Vishen, please be careful when talking about politics. Crime is a real thing. I, personally, have had my house broken into and ransacked. I’ve had a car stolen out of my driveway. I’ve been mugged. My business has been practically destroyed by criminals. This has had a very negative effect on my life. And the Democrats seem to ignore this stuff, or even celebrate it. I left California because of this. It was not because of the fear of some imaginary boogeyman. It was actual criminals who destroyed or stole thigs I’d worked for, and who physically assaulted me. Ignoring reality, and dismissing those who talk about reality as kooks, is not the path to a happy society.