Pink Elephant

“Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way” – Native American Proverb
The way I see it… we have taken manifestation in physical form in order to have experiences, sensations, feelings, and make things happen - guided mostly by desire and fear, hard-wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The spirit world responds when we ask for help. And then there is also our fate awaiting us – circumstances of birth, death, and in between… gifts and baggage, people and events appearing on the path. All that.
I hear people say, “I want to get loaded.” The answer is, “You will.” And if you say, “I want recovery more than anything,” the answer is also, “You will” – IF you turn it over to the Higher Power with the wisdom that you cannot enforce what is not meant for you. Otherwise your fear may attract what you don’t want (sorry about that). The trick is to create a hybrid between this apparent paradox – where you’re blending desire & fate – it is like learning to apply a language with its own grammatical rules. That’s the secret, and so… it’s a good idea to get some clarity and define what it is that you REALLY want…
Keep in mind that there are no negatives in the spirit world. There is no such thing as “NOT a pink elephant”. If you’re thinking that you DON’T want to think “pink elephant”, you’re visualizing it, just the same as if you’re thinking that you do. And this is the reason why some people move forward, in spite of adversity, and others turn around… back into the darkness.
Singleness of purpose means that you focus on the goal without getting sidetracked with all the other stuff. This is why surrender is emphasized in the twelve steps, too. Apparently, it’s easier to align yourself with the Divine Forces AKA fate when you got nothing left to loose. Otherwise, the fear-based stubborn need to stick to what you know from the past (even when you want to avoid it) and enforce something that you think you cannot be without, will attract it. Applying your spirit energy acts like a magnet to attract that thing that you’re imagining. Resistance to fate is futile and just wastes your power.
The spiritual masters teach that we manifest our thoughts, fantasies, and fears when we visualize repeatedly, daily, and with high-intensity emotion – it changes our thought process as well as habitual behavior – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly”... You may disagree, but that won’t disable the message. Invested in resistance you won’t apply the formula to your benefit. If you think, “I’m special. You don’t understand my battle…” then you resist learning that language… and you will manifest that, too – by getting stuck in a feedback loop of repeating the past (as in chronic relapse). If you think that you don’t want to suffer on the way… there you go creating more suffering. Also, you might want to consider that everything has its price. If you’re unwilling to pay the price for recovery, you will pay the price for progressive addiction - transcending the momentary turmoil will appear impossible.
The spiritual path counteracts fear and stress, allowing for an increased sense of wellbeing. It’s a good thing to grieve, mourn, and process the past, but remember to focus on healing and moving forward (or giving yourself time to get stronger if that’s what is needed). Don’t invest today’s life energy on past suffering or that which you don’t like. Forgiveness is the golden key to let go of defiance and blame – without forgiveness you interfere with the process and waste precious lifetime. Make sure to forgive yourself, too - there is no healing without it.
Accept your aversion and doubt for the present moment. Zero in on its current physical sensation in your body, breathe into it, and let it be. Then verbalize what you really want - but on a spiritual plane, as in “peace and serenity” rather than material objects, such as money or a car. Visualize yourself IN that life setting and focus on the joy and gratitude of being in it. Identify your number ONE priority and you are promised to have it when the time comes. Affirm, “I trust fate and dedicate this day to align myself with the Divine Forces.”
You could start with, “I am allowed to be happy. I am grateful for this day. What I want above all else is peace and serenity. I offer my life to bring love & joy.” Thank the Creative Forces (whatever you call them) for your life and the blue sky above. It is a way to honor the forces that have power over you and disable your resistance. Understand that your power is like that of a seagull up in the sea breeze – she floats on the air with effortless ease, sometimes without even flapping her wings. Be with it - no chance to go against the wind…
Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”