If we cannot accept the otherness of our counterpart, then we are still too caught up in the pain. We are then so close to our pain threshold that the otherness of our counterpart alone – this little bit more pain of separateness that we experience just by his naked existence – makes our barrel overflow. The consequence is, in the best case, avoidance. In the worse case, expulsion. In the worst case, killing. All this because we can no longer bear this little bit more of pain. All this because our barrel is so overflowing with pain that it has no more room for unity and security.
If we are no longer so much in pain, if we are more secure in unity, then we can leave our counterpart as he is. It does not hurt us. We are connected to him, no matter how different it may seem. This change cannot be achieved through insight. It can only be achieved by turning more to our spiritual sense, by giving greater weight to its voice. If we do this, the world will change by itself.