"I like the whole idea of staring a craving down. Sensing it approach, letting it wash over me, and then feeling it dissipate." 

John wrote a piece that addresses this issue: Embracing crave episodes

"It seems to help me mentally, to face them instead of trying to avoid them psychologically. "

The video Just think of something else touches on the concept of facing the thoughts as opposed to trying to push them out of your mind..