Chi Energy Secrets revealed (Valentine's Day)

Ananda M. (Dharma Meditation Initiative), Dhr. Seven, Ellie Askew (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Love (metta) is what we are about.

What is the Buddhist view of romantic love? Study meditation on Valentine's Day this year as we connect (one of Dr. Lustig's "4C's") with one another. Guest reveals secrets of QiGong and Reiki (energy healing). We can learn to heal ourselves and gain clarity and evolve spiritually. We'll see a hands on demonstration of polarity energization and balancing then practice. Question and answers, vegan snacks, kombucha, and socializing. FREE to those who RSVP:

• Dharma Meditation Initiative, Los Angeles
• Thursday, Feb. 14th, 2019, 7:00-8:30 PM
• The Neighborhood Church, Room #23
• 301 N. Orange Grove Bl., Pasadena, CA (MAP)
• More information: (626) 241-8642

The most important thing in life (video)

Eric Dubay (atlanteanconspiracy.com); Editors, Wisdom Quarterly

What is the Number 1 most important key factor to achieving and maintaining optimum health, energy, longevity, vitality, and wellness? 

Is it genes, diet, exercise, hydration, sleep, mindset, environment? Certainly all of these factors are important, but in fact they are all secondary to something most doctors and laypeople alike completely overlook.

Think about it: What is the most important thing in our life? It’s so important that we do it all day every day and all night every night. We are even doing it unconsciously right now while reading this. 

Author Eric Dubay

It’s something so crucial to our health, longevity, and wellness that were we to cease for even a few minutes, it would result in certain death! The one and only undeniable answer is breathing.

• [WQ: The Buddha emphasized ana-pana-sati, "mindfulness of in-and-out breathing," just as yoga advocates prana-yama or "breath control or restraint." Christianity cherishes the breath calling it "holy spirit," and the martial arts emphasize the control of chi (ki, spiritus, the holy ghost) -- invisible life force -- as a source of great power and vitality.]

To breathe is to live. And without breath there can be no life. All aerobic life, plant and animal, from birth to death, completely depends upon the airs [and accompanying "life force energy"] for health, well-being, and continued existence.

From microscopic mitochondria [the power source of the cell] to macroscopic lungs, every living cell breathes and depends on the [vital] airs’ life-giving properties for sustenance. More

Buddhist Mindfulness of Breathing
Ven. Nyanatiloka, Buddhist Dictionary: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

The focus of mindfulness meditation on breathing is the subtle breath itself not sensation.

  

Soft breaths move in and out and like soft clouds.

"Mindfulness on in-and-out-breathing" is one of the most important Buddhist exercises for reaching mental concentration and the four absorptions (jhānas).
 
In the Discourse of the Fourfold Setting Up of Mindfulness (Satipatthāna Sutra, MN 10, DN 22) and elsewhere, four methods of practice are given, which may also serve as the basis for insight meditation.

The "Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing" (Ānāpānasati Sutra, MN 118) and other texts have 16 methods of practice, which divide into four groups of four.

The first three apply to both serenity- (samatha) and insight-meditation. The fourth refers to pure insight practice. The second and the third group require the attainment of the absorptions (samadhi).
 
"With attentive mind one breathes in, with attentive mind one breathes out.
 
I. (1) "When making a long inhalation one [simply] knows [yet does not ponder, think about, measure]: 'I make a long inhalation'; when making a long exhalation one knows: 'I make a long exhalation.'
 
(2) "When making a short inhalation one [simply] knows: 'I make a short inhalation'; when making a short exhalation one knows: 'I make a short exhalation.'

(3) "'Clearly perceiving the entire [length, extent, or body of the breath], I breathe in,' thus one trains oneself; 'clearly perceiving the entire [length, extent, or body of the breath], I breathe out,' thus one trains oneself.

(4) " 'Calming this bodily function I breathe in,' thus one trains oneself; 'calming this bodily function I breathe out,' thus one trains oneself.

II. (5) " 'Feeling rapture (pīti) I breathe in,' thus one trains oneself; 'feeling rapture I breathe out,' thus one trains oneself.

(6) " 'Feeling joy I breathe in,' thus one trains oneself; 'feeling joy I breathe out,' thus one trains oneself.

(7) " 'Feeling the mental formation (citta-sankhāra) I breathe in,' thus one trains oneself, 'feeling the mental formation I breathe out,' thus one trains oneself. More

WARRIOR CELIBACY (sutra)

Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson, Seth Auberon, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly; Amazing Documentary TV; Ven. Thanissaro (original translator), Yodhajiva Sutra: "The Warrior" 1 (AN 5.75)

"What it Takes to be a Shaolin Monk" - Shaolin Kung Fu is among the oldest institutionalized styles of Chinese martial arts. It originated and was developed in the Mahayana Buddhist Shaolin temple in Henan province, China, for over 1,500 years. But what did the historical Buddha teach about warrior-celibacy that is still practiced in Theravada Buddhism?

Shhh, I can't give up hand-to-hand combat.

This sutras, addressed to monastics, deals with the battle to maintain celibacy to be victorious in practice. The Buddha compares the victor to a warrior, an analogy likely to appeal to masculine pride (AN 7.48).

In this analogy, a celibate is a warrior of the highest degree not a wimp. Because trying to maintain celibacy involves attraction to females, females play the role of first-line adversary for the purpose of this discourse.

The same would go for men, who are the vexation of female celibates as is dealt with in the Bhikkhuni Vinaya texts.

Discourses in the Pali language canon depict nuns successfully maintaining their celibacy when confronted by men in the wilderness. A prime example is the Psalms of the Nuns (Therigatha XIV). There are other examples of nuns resisting temptation in the Bhikkhuni Samyutta.

But ultimately, of course, the "adversary" exists within not without the individual. This is shown by the fact that the monastic in this discourse has to set off alone to make an end of the defilement (outflow/inflow) of obstructive sensual passion in the mind before becoming "victorious."

(Hard Shaolin 04) Stay hard with chi gong (qi gong) techniques to control breath (prana) energy

 

SUTRA: The [Spiritual] Warriors

Theravada preserves what the Buddha taught

[Thus have I heard. The Buddha taught:] "Meditators, there are five types of warriors in the world. What five?

 

"There is a warrior who, on seeing a cloud of dust [stirred up by the adversary's army], falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in battle. Indeed, some warriors are like this. This is the first type of warrior found in the world.

 

"Then there is a warrior who can handle a cloud of dust, but on seeing the top of the adversary's battle banner, he falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in battle. Indeed, some warriors are like this. This is the second type of warrior in the world.

 

"Then there is a warrior who can handle the cloud of dust and the top of the adversary's banner, but on hearing the tumult [of the approaching forces], he falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in battle. Indeed, some warriors are like this. This is the third type of warrior in the world.

 

"Hand to hand"? Huh huh huh, huh huh huh...

"Then there is a warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, the tumult, but who in hand-to-hand combat is struck and falls wounded. [Hand to hand?] Indeed, some warriors are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior in the world.

 

"Then there is the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, the tumult, and hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out ahead in battle. Indeed, some warriors are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior the world.

 

"These are the five types of warriors who can be found existing in the world.

"In the same way, meditators, there are five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among the monastics. What five?

How shall Shaolin monks train to be like the "spiritual warriors" of which the historical Buddha spoke?

 
[1]
"There is a meditator who, on seeing a cloud of dust, falters, faints, fails to steel him [or her]self, and cannot continue in the high life. Declaring this weakness [and inability to continue] in the training, that meditator leaves the training and returns to the low life [of ordinary uninstructed worldlings].

Don't make me come in the wilderness for you.

"What is the 'cloud of dust'? A meditator who hears, 'In that village or town there is a female who is shapely, beautiful, charming, endowed with the foremost lotus complexion.' On hearing this, one falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot continue in the high life. Declaring this weakness, that meditator leaves this training and returns to the low life. That is the cloud of dust.

"This individual, I say, is like the warrior who on seeing a cloud of dust, falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in  battle. Indeed, some individuals are like this. This is the first type of warrior-like individual found existing among the monastics.
 
[2]
"Then there is the meditator who can handle the cloud of dust, but who on seeing the top of the adversary's banner, falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot continue in the high life. Declaring this weakness, that person leaves the training and returns to the low life.

"What is the 'top of the banner'? There is the meditator who not only hears about a beautiful female, he sees her for himself. But on seeing her, he falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot continue in the high life.

"Declaring this weakness, he leaves the training and returns to the low life. That is the top of the banner. This individual, I say, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, but who on seeing the top of the adversary's banner,  falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in battle. Indeed, some individuals are like this. This is the second type of warrior-like individual among the monastics.

(National Geographic) Amazing feats by Shaolin Buddhist monks undergoing Qi Gong training
 
[3]
"Then there is the meditator who can handle the cloud of dust and the top of the adversary's banner, but who on hearing the tumult, falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot continue in the high life.

Declaring this weakness, he leaves the training and returns to the low life. What is the tumult? There is the meditator who has gone into the wilderness, to the foot of a quiet tree, or to an empty building. A female approaches him and giggles, calls out to him, laughs, teases him. On hearing her giggle, being called out to, hearing her laugh, and being teased by her, he falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot continue in the high life.

"Declaring this weakness, he leaves the training and returns to the low life. That is the tumult. This individual, I say, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, but who on hearing the tumult, falters, faints, fails to steel himself, and cannot engage in battle. Indeed, some individuals are like this. This is the third type of warrior-like individual found existing among the monastics.

[4]

Theravada Buddhism lives on in the Thai Forest Tradition, Burma, Sri Lanka, Cambodia...

.

"Then there is the meditator who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, and the tumult, but who when in hand-to-hand combat is struck and falls wounded. What is the hand-to-hand combat?

"There is the meditator who has gone into the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty building. A female approaches him and sits down next to him, lies down next to him, throws herself all over him. When she does so he -- without first renouncing the training, without declaring his weakness to continue in this training [which would absolve him of the rule and, because he would no longer be a monastic, would avoid a defeat offense that entails immediate expulsion] -- engages in sexual intercourse.

"This is hand-to-hand combat. This individual, I say, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, and the tumult, but who when in hand-to-hand combat is struck and falls wounded. Indeed, some individuals are like this. This is the fourth type of warrior-like individual found existing among the monastics.


 
[5]
"Then there is the monastic who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, the tumult, and hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out ahead in battle. What is victory in the battle?

"There is the meditator who has gone into the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling. A woman approaches him and sits down next to him, lies down next to him, throws herself all over him. When she does so he extricates himself, frees himself, and goes off where he will.
 
"He resorts to a secluded dwelling place -- the wilderness, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a haystack. Having gone into the wilderness, the foot of a tree, or an empty building, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body upright, and brings mindfulness to the fore.

The Five Hindrances to Meditation

1. "Abandoning craving (covetousness) with regard to the world, one dwells with awareness free of craving. One cleanses the mind/heart of craving.
2. Abandoning ill will and anger, one dwells with awareness free of ill will, sympathetic to the welfare of all living beings. One cleanses the mind of ill will and anger.
3. Abandoning laziness and drowsiness, one dwells with awareness free of laziness and drowsiness, mindful, alert, perceiving light [the nimitta or "sign" that develops with persistence]. One cleanses the mind of laziness and drowsiness.
4. Abandoning restlessness and worry [with regard to the world], one dwells undisturbed, the heart/mind inwardly still. One cleanses the mind of restlessness and worry.
5. Abandoning doubt and uncertainty, one dwells having crossed over doubt, free of perplexity with regard to skillful mental states. One cleanses the mind of doubt.

I will kick butt with the absorptions!

"Having abandoned these Five Hindrances, corruptions of mind that weaken wisdom -- withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful states [of mind] -- one enters and remains in the first absorption (meditation, jhana) with rapture and bliss born of withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained attention.

"With the stilling of applied and sustained attention, one enters and remains in the second absorption with rapture and bliss born of serenity, unification of mind [coherence, composure] beyond applied and sustain attention -- with internal assurance.

"With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, and alert, and experiences refined pleasure in the body. He enters and remains in the third absorption, of which the noble ones [those who have entered the stages of enlightenment] declare, 'The one who is equanimous and mindful has a most pleasant abiding.'

"With the abandoning of both pleasure and pain -- as with the earlier fading away of elation and distress [pleasure and pain] -- he enters and remains in the fourth absorption with purity of equanimity and mindfulness, surpassing pleasure and pain.

"With mind/heart thus concentrated, purified, and bright, unblemished, free of defects, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines the mind to the knowledge of the passing away of the mental defilement.

Four Noble Truths
"He knows in line with truth that:

1. 'This is suffering (disappointment, woe, ill)...
2. This is the origination of suffering...
3. This is the end of suffering...
4. This is the way leading to the end of suffering...

These are mental defilements... This is the origin of defilements... This is the end of defilements... This is the way leading to the end of defilements.' His heart thus knowing, thus seeing is released from the defilement of sensuality, the defilement of becoming [rebirth], the defilement of ignorance."

"With this release comes the knowledge, 'Released!' One knows, 'Rebirth is ended, the high life is fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'

 
"This is victory in battle. This individual, I say, is like the warrior who can handle the cloud of dust, the top of the adversary's banner, the tumult, and hand-to-hand combat. On winning the battle, victorious in battle, he comes out ahead in battle. Indeed, some individuals are like this. This is the fifth type of warrior-like individual found existing among monastics.

"These are the five warrior-like individuals who can be found existing among monastics."

Exercising with Monks (Qi Gong and Shaolin)

Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Ven. Anandajoti, Wisdom Quarterly

Chi Gung at Vivekavana Solitude Grove, Penang, Malaysia, June, 2011

Ajahn [Thai teaching monk] Suthep teaches Qi Gong as a standing, fluid, meditative series of movements designed to balance the body and bring the mind back to serenity. Qi (chi or prana or breath/spiritus) Gong (work) is a Chinese system of physical exercises and breath control related to Tai Chi. (Research)

  

Shaolin monks (annenbergfoundation.org)

Of course, as Americans true to stereotype we say, "Serenity shamenity. Give me some action!" So it is for the sake of engaging the body and mind from where they are NOW to where we wish them to be, for the benefit of ourselves and others, that we present the following training video. Let's kick some @ss, which nevertheless entails working with subtle energy (chi/prana):

 

Would-be students sincerely seeking to learn Chinese martial arts are invited to come to an authentic martial arts academy in Si Ping, Northern China, for Shao lin, Wudang Kung fu, Tai chi chuan, or slow Qi Gong for health. The academy hosts male and female students 6 and older with or without martial arts experience. (Shaolins.com)

  

(DM) See Minute 8:55 for discussion of psychic children, Qi Gong, Taoism... When seeking enlightenment, raising the DNA's vibration or activating the body's electromagnetic Merkaba may help (lightactive.org). See also Minute 25:07 for teaching blind to see with inner eye.

Alchemy Conference (Long Beach)

• AlchemyConference.com
• Real alchemy explained by Jay Weidner
• Longevity Secrets Revealed
• Long Beach Convention Center

The largest gathering of Alchemists in 500 years! Come for transformation and to learn an ancient wisdom for modern times, September 16-18, 2011

Discover the art of transformation

Be nurtured for three days in the alchemy way of life with initiation into the sacred mysteries. Find knowledge and tools that sustain and transform life. Forward thinking types will take part in finding solutions to current issues the world now faces.

The Alchemy Conference is a unique event. It is both an outstanding forum to learn about scientific findings and spiritual teachings from world-renowned experts and an opportunity to mingle with like minded seekers. Gain insights and a sense of personal improvement.

Take a quantum leap
East meets West, old meets new, people from all over the world gather and discover practical solutions for improving life. This is the largest collection of practicing alchemists in the last five centuries! The conference will be revealing the secrets to an extraordinary life. Action is important step toward an extraordinary life and planet. And abundant opportunities are now being offered to consciously transform life starting with the individual.



What resonates?

• Meditations and experiments toward enlightenment
• Awaken powerful energies to fuel transformation
• Mysteries of the ages for bringing abundance and wealth
• Creating a sustainable environment
• Revealing the hidden secrets of life
• Lightwork and bodywork
• Recognizing hidden “signatures” of people and events
• Transmuting emotions, thoughts into purified consciousness
• Applying alchemical strategies for professional growth
• Alternative healthcare and continuing rejuvenation
• Spiritual transformation
• Ancient techniques to increase sensuality and sexuality
• Gain life momentum

Shaolin: Kung Fu Buddhism (film)

Lewis Beale (Washington Post, Sept. 9, 2011)

Buddhist monks in "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (The Weinstein Company)

[It's] arguably the most popular franchise in film history, featuring the 1,500-year-old martial-arts tradition of some Chinese Buddhist monks.

• I'll kick your @$$... once I finish this video game
  

The Shaolin Temple, founded in the fifth century, has been the key element in hundreds of movies and TV shows: “Kids From Shaolin,” “American Shaolin,” “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,” “Shaolin Soccer” -- and now “Shaolin,” a new movie starring Jackie Chan and Andy Lau that debuted Friday on video-on-demand.

All are based on the martial-arts practices of the Buddhist monastery -- a special brand of kung fu that combines physicality and Buddhist spirituality and is, according to the Shaolin Temple’s Web site, “based on a belief in the supernatural power of Buddhism.”

“Most people don’t realize kung fu is internal and external, a peaceful and a martial application, and a Shaolin movie will include both... “Shaolin is all about spirituality, karma, your well-being,” adds Doris Pfardrescher of Well Go USA, which is distributing “Shaolin.” All other martial-arts films are “ just about action, fighting,” she adds, “but Shaolin is about religion, spirituality, being with Buddha.” More

Chi (breath energy) explained

Howstuffworks.com

In Taoism, chi is the force that animates the universe (©2007 Publications Int'l, Ltd.)

Chi [breath, spirit, spiritus, prana, qi] is a primal substance that animates the universe in Taoism, a mysterious force at the center of ancient Chinese myths and legends that also brought attention to Tai Chi and the Tao [sometimes defines simply as the way or the path of least resistance].

Chi is the force that sets the world and everything in it into motion. Chi is also the force that sustains all things once they are created. [In Buddhist Abhidharma, chi is the "air element," one of the four fundamental characteristics of matter. It is responsible for movement and does not refer to mere oxygen entering and exiting the body. It refers to a far more subtle energy that diffuses throughout the body just as wind does.]

The Idea of Chi

The Taoist concept of chi is not easily accepted by Westerners. It is not a concept that appears in our mainstream religions [except for Christian texts in Latin that speak of spiritus and the "holy spirit," where spirit means "breath"] or philosophies [except for the now defunct theory of the Four Elements]. More

• Introduction to Taoism and Chi
• Chi: The Life Force
• The Influence of Chi
• Personal Chi
• Experiencing Chi
• Chi and Breathing
• Cultivating Chi
• Eastern Spirituality articles
  

Light Meditation (how to video)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Sathya Sai Speaks (Vol. X, pp. 348-350, Shivarathri, 1979); text edited by Wisdom Quarterly

There are many meditations and lots of different advice. This is a universal and usually effective form, a first step toward spiritual [= spirit = spiritus = breath] development.

It takes discipline but leads to joy. Practice before dawn when the body is refreshed after sleep before dealing with the day. Have a lamp or a candle before you with an open, steady, straight flame. Sit in front of the candle in the lotus posture or any other comfortable sitting position.

Mayo Clinic recommends this meditation

Look at the flame steadily for some time, closing eyes when the flame is firmly in the mind's eye. Let it slide down into the lotus of the heart, illuminating the path. When it enters the heart, imagine the petals open one by one, bathing every thought, sensation, and emotion in light removing darkness from them. There is no space for darkness to hide. The light of the flame becomes wider and brighter. Let it pervade all limbs.

Now those limbs will not indulge in dark, suspicious, or destructive activities; they have become instruments of light and love. As the light reaches the tongue, falsehoods vanish from it. Let it rise up to the eyes and ears and undo dark desires infesting them. The head is suffused with light dispelling dark thoughts. Imagine the light grows more and more intense. Let it shine all around and spread ever widening circles, encompassing loved ones, friends, companions, strangers, rivals, enemies, all living beings, the entire universe.

As the light daily illumines the senses, a time will soon come when one no longer relishes dark and disturbing sights and tales or crave for base, harmful, deadening toxic foods and drinks, demeaning things, places of ill-repute and injury, or frame harmful designs against anyone at any time. Stay with the thrill of everywhere witnessing the light [which may refer to the nimitta preceding jhana in serenity or Buddhist shamatha meditation].

If one adoring the good (for oneself, others, and both) in any form now, visualize that form in the all-pervasive light. Practice this meditation regularly every day. At other times rest the mind on the breath just under the nose like an uplifting fragrance.

• No time? Try the One Moment Meditation
  
• SaiDivineInspirations Blog
• Saidivineinspirations on Facebook
  

I'll kick your @$$... once I finish this video game

V. Tran, Seven Dharmachari, Pat Macpherson (Wisdom Quarterly)

5:30 reveals why* we have difficulty mastering either martial arts or meditation (Tstyle9).

This short documentary explores the myth and reality of the "One Inch Punch," featuring interviews with Eastern master Dr. Ze Lo (instructor Jeet Kune Do) and Western Wing Chun master Will Y.

It highlights the acting of Buddhist actress Uma Thurman (pictured left), daughter of former Tibetan Buddhist monk Prof. Robert Thurman), in "Kill Bill." It deals with what Bruce Lee demonstrated years ago as filmed and edited by Victor Tran.

The core message is simple: It is not the physical aspects of the exercise but the mental (concentration, absorption, jhana, or zen) and "spiritual" (breath, chi, qi, prana, spiritus) aspects that actually matter.

Chi is what gives the punch its power. Internal chi is far more important than external fighting because, as karma teaches, misdirected chi always turns against the practitioner. Chi can be used in meditation to great benefit. Its use in jhana leads to a meditative counterpart sign (nimitta). This establishes one and makes fruitful mindfulness/insight (vipassana) practice possible.

Who is Robert A. F. Thurman? He is referred to by the New York Times magazine as "The Dalai Lama's man in America." Scholar, author, former Tibetan Buddhist monk, co-founder with Richard Gere of Tibet House in New York City, a close personal friend of the 14th Dalai Lama, and father of five children including the actress, Uma Thurman, he is the Jey Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University. TIME magazine named him one of the "25 Most Influential Americans." He has lectured all over the world as his charisma and enthusiasm draw packed audiences.

Quentin Tarantino exploits Uma, Asian culture, martial arts, Lucy Liu, and even the original Mr. Kung Fu (Kwai Chang Caine) actor David Carradine all in one gory action thriller.

*Video Games are Ruining Us

WARNING: This funny "Mad TV" clip alludes to a cruel prank on boys and girls.

Myths and Logic of Shaolin Monks (video)

(National Geographic/1309mw)

(Part 2) The origins of tong chi-gong based on yoga


(Part 3)


(Part 4) The importance of chi (energy)


(Part 5) Visitors train like Shaolin monks

Girl on Girl Fight

The teenagers seen in a video assaulting a 16-year-old could face life in prison.

The principle message of the East is ahimsa (nonviolence, nonharming). Nevertheless, the message has not reached these cheerleaders, who mercilessly beat a friend. StudentNews (CNN) reports.

Story Highlights

• Eight Florida teens to be tried as adults in videotaped beating case
• Video shows 16-year-old girl punched by other girls
• 21% of girls age 17 say they've assaulted someone, the Justice Dept. reports
• The teens have "disconnect" between thoughts and actions, psychologist says
• Practical Buddhist solutions to resolving anger
• Yoga in prisons

(CNN) -- Eight Florida teenagers -- six of them girls -- will be tried as adults and could be sentenced to life in prison for their alleged roles in the videotaped beating of another teen, the state attorney's office said Thursday.

The teenagers seen in a video assaulting a 16-year-old could face life in prison.

The suspects, who range in age from 14 to 18, all face charges of kidnapping, which is a first-degree felony, and battery, said Chip Thullbery, a spokesman for the Polk County state attorney. Three of them are also charged with tampering with a witness.

Everyone involved in the case was under a gag order imposed by a judge. The only attorney for the teens who has been publicly identified did not return calls from CNN, and his assistant cited the gag order as the reason. The teens are scheduled for their first appearance in court Friday.

The video shows a brutal scene: The 16-year-old victim is punched, kneed and slapped by other girls. She huddles in the fetal position, or stands and screams at her attackers, but the assault continues. Authorities say the eight teens said they were retaliating for insults posted on the Internet by the attack victim.

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd called the March 30 attack "animalistic."

"I've been involved in law enforcement for 35 years, and I've seen a lot of extremely violent events, but I've never seen children, 14 to 18 years of age, engage in this conduct for a 30-minute period of time and then make these video clips," he said. Police say the teens planned to post the video on YouTube.

• Watch the disturbing video »

The victim, a 16-year-old from Lakeland, Florida, was hospitalized, and still has blurred vision, hearing loss, and a swollen face, her mother told CNN on Wednesday.

The video shows only girls doing the beating; Judd said the boys acted as lookouts.

The idea of girls administering a vicious beating so they can post the video online may seem shocking, but it's becoming an increasingly common scenario, according to experts and news reports.

• Watch why more teens are putting fights online »

A search for "girl fight" on YouTube gets thousands of results, and a suggestion to also try "girl fight at school, boy girl fight" and other search terms. There's at least one Web site devoted exclusively to videos of girls fighting.

In 2003, 25 percent of high school girls said they had been in a physical fight in the past year, according to a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (The figure for boys was 40.5 percent.)

A Justice Department report released in 2006 showed that by age 17, 21 percent of girls said they had assaulted someone with the intent to cause serious harm.

Frank Green is executive director of Keys to Safer Schools, a group that studies and tries to prevent school violence. He said he's not sure whether girls have actually become more violent, or whether there's just more awareness of their fights.

"In one respect, girls have always been more vicious than boys," Green said. "Their violence is of a personal nature." He said boys usually have some focus and a concrete goal when they fight. "But girls want to cause pain and make the other girl feel bad," he said.

Judd, the Polk County sheriff, said an important part of the plan in the Lakeland attack was to post the video of the beating on YouTube to humiliate and embarrass the victim.

"It's the next stage of cyberbullying," psychologist Susan Lipkins said. "They want to show what they're doing."

"Our kids are being peer pressured, in another sense of a trend, to put these shock videos out there at other peoples' expense," said Talisa Lindsay, the victim's mother. "And I hope that it doesn't come to the point where there's more people's lives that are being affected by having to take a beating for entertainment, or possibly being killed."

• Watch mother describe how the victim is doing »

The suspects didn't have a chance to post the video online before police moved in and seized it, Judd said. The Sheriff's Department made it public, and it wound up on YouTube anyway. Judd recognizes the irony.

"In a perverted sense, we were feeding into exactly what the kids wanted," he said. "But according to Florida law, [the video] is public record, and it's going to be in the public domain whether we agree with that or not."

Judd said the suspects showed no remorse when they were arrested and booked.

"They were laughing and joking about, 'I guess we won't get to go to the beach during spring break.' And one ... asked whether she could go to cheerleading practice," he said.

Lipkins, the psychologist, says there's a "disconnect between their actions and their thoughts."

"They think the entire society is doing it, and they think it's funny. So they put it on YouTube. And I don't think they expect kids to get really hurt, and they also don't expect to get really caught." Source

HOW TO DEVELOP LOVING-KINDNESS: Counteracting Anger

Dharmachari Seven

There are a number of ways to cultivate and "bring into being" (bhavana) wholesome states of mind/heart (citta) to counteract normal human anger. While it is "normal" to get angry, it is not normal to cause harm on account of that anger or to let anger remain. A charioteer steers the horses pulling her or him along; others are merely holding the reins, the Buddha explained.

The Dharma has a number of helpful ways to deal with annoyance and irritability that has become full blown anger, hate, or wrath.

• Substitution: cultivate thoughts of loving-kindness to replace the anger that has arisen.
• Contemplate the results of remaining angry (the harm, the consequences, the regression in the slow evolution to a superior, more profitable character).
• Leave, run away, avoid the situation that is inspiring anger.
• Stop giving unwise attention to thoughts that give rise to anger.
• Compliment rather than criticize; simply searching the mind for something to compliment results in finding it -- we'll find what we look for because we look for it.
• Reflect: Three things give rise to anger. Someone's actions, speech, or intentions (physical, verbal, or mental karma). If it is one's deeds that annoy, focus on that person's speech or intentions. If it is that person's speech, focus on that person's deeds or intentions, and so on. If, however, all three are annoying (because you are able to see, hear, and read minds or deduce intentions) then reflect in the following way. If this worthy person continues in this way, s/he will certainly land in an unfortunate destination. Done sincerely, this will give rise to compassion and pity (altruistic sympathy).
• Destroy your enemy. It may sound trite, but Eastern wisdom suggests that the best way to utterly annihilate your foe is to make that person a friend (even if that person doesn't know her/his new status).
• Yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and even the martial arts (which emphasize mutual respect, confidence, stress management, and avoiding fights) can be very helpful in converting or dispelling angry emotions parked in the body:
• BBC VIDEO: Yoga in prison

Yoga in prison -- solution to violent habits (BBC video)