THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF PRACTICING MARTIAL ARTS

Looking back at my life, it was probably my father that started me on the journey that led to my appreciation of the value of military science, strategy and tactics.  He was an Army Officer during WWII and fought in many epic battles including Anzio and the Battle of the Bulge.

After surviving the war, he became a successful business man.  The lessons he learned from his military experience served him well for all the rest of his days.

Here is my father's ring from 1941.
(The blood Stone ring)  I wear this everyday.

Martial Arts training serves as a foundation that enables a person to live a quality life.

The most obvious psychological benefit is the physical effect.  Martial Arts training enables one to maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit, giving the practitioner a relaxed mind and the energy the practitioner needs to accomplish their life's goals.  The breathing exercises in the martial arts (sometimes referred to as Chi Kung) enable the practitioner to bring in and circulate additional oxygen to the body and brain which is vital to growth, healing and proper brain function.

Martial Arts training can tap into the shadow side of our subconscious through the recreation of the life and death struggle.  Understanding one's shadow side can be of great importance, making us aware of our deep fears and helping enable the practitioner to develop the courage to overcome these emotions.

Martial Arts teaches a person to endure and persevere. Welcoming self-discipline is one of the core values in the training.

Martial Art Training can improve your perception of your self so you can become the person you want to be.  It allows you to better organize yourself and how to deal with pain, emotions, and the vagaries of life.

You learn to think positively when dealing with any dire situations. Martial Arts is a moving meditation, providing the practitioner with the same benefits as a sitting meditation.  It enables you to center yourself. 

PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPTS ASSOCIATED WITH MARTIAL ARTS 

The philosophies of Taoism and Zen can be quite beneficial to one's mental attitude and health.  The Zen principle of Kai Zen is the art of bettering yourself a little everyday in every aspect of your life.  This daily improvement gathers it's own momentum and will inevitably change your life for the better.

Understanding Taoist philosophy of Yin Yang, the balance and interplay of Order and Chaos can  help you maintain balance in your own life.  Self development is the opposite of self destruction. 

The warrior philosophy of being a protector of life, not a killer, can enable a person to resolve conflict in a positive way, resulting in less mental trauma after experiencing a harrowing event. 

Just like all arts, music, painting, poetry and dance; martial arts is an expression of oneself.

After many years of study a Martial Artist becomes extremely observant and acutely aware of even the smallest phenomenon of human nature.

Martial Art practice allows one to endure when all the world's wrath come upon you, you can stand tall like a mountain against the storm.

 About the Author: 


 Judd Bank is the President of CPI Investigations and a life long Martial Artist.
http://www.privatedetectiveny.com

  

  

  

THE BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND

The greatest opponent one will ever face is oneself.

How do we take command of our minds and do what is in our own best interest?

How do we fix the kinks in our armor?

How do we escape from being stuck in a B.F. Skinner box?  (a rat in a box whose behavior is determined by seeking pleasure or avoiding pain and who can easily be manipulated by others)
Can we retrain our mind in order to regain control?

The first step is awareness.  We must first be aware of what is happening in order for us to make a change.  Our brains are wired to help us not do anything that is uncomfortable or scarey.

Carl Jung talks about the underlying structure of consciousness.  He believed that much of our behavior is influenced by what he called the collective unconscious.  Jung claimed that you are not the master of your house.  Your unconscious is more sophisticated than your conscious.  Why should you believe that the more newly developed biological part of the brain, the cerebral cortex which enables us to communicate with language and abstract thinking is the more sophisticated one.  Why shouldn't the older systems of the brain be in charge?  They are far older and so deeply embedded in your brain that they can make you do their bidding.  Beware of what you don't understand about yourself.  These older systems of the brain were structured for survival and have an active influence on our personality and can induce destructive behavior.

Fear, anxiety, anger and jealousy may stop you from taking moderate risks that you should take in order to better your life.

These shadow emotions can make you afraid to grow, end bad habits, leave dead end jobs, cut off unhealthy relationships and toxic people and prevent you from being able to take purposeful action to better your life.

These thoughts start to influence the concept of who we are.  We make our decisions on who we believe ourselves to be.

The good news is these thoughts are not who you are.  We are not the passing traffic on the highway, we are the space in which the traffic flows.

Take time to observe your thoughts, then you will realize you are not your thoughts, you are the observer of your thoughts.

Each day we have a series of conflicts between the right way of operating and the easy way.  Don't seek a comfortable life, seek a rewarding one.

Positive change comes when we overcome negative behavior.  Self transformation is possible.

Do challenging things,  build better habits, clarify your goals and then pursue them.  Try not to avoid problems, try to resolve them.  Cultivate your personality.  Re-adjust your comfort zone.

Little victories add up, a few successes make up for hundreds of failures.  If you get knocked down and get up again, your not a failure.  HIT BACK!!

Don't be stuck in a victim mode, the road to success is taking responsibility for your actions.

Steer your emotions and thoughts in the direction you want them to go.  Fear is a reaction and courage is a decision.

Everytime you feel pain, remember that you felt pain before and overcame it.  Being grateful for what you have can get you through tough times.

If you always do what you always have done, you will always be what you have been.  Nothing will be different until we think differently.  Who you become is directly connected with the price you are willing to pay to get there.

ON POLITICS

I try not to speak with anyone these days about politics.  The problem is that people are treating politics like a football game rooting for their team.  The trouble with this is that we project our own weaknesses and faults on the other, rather than dealing with our own shadows.  Us or them?  If they are not us, everything they say and do must be a lie and is destructive to our society.  This type of thinking can stop us from clearly seeing the true state of affairs.

CONCLUSION

Everyday you wake up in the morning you wake into consciousness; be grateful and committed to improving yourself to the world.  Guide your feelings and actions along the course that you choose; become the person you want to be.  Invite things into your life.  The better your attitude, the better your ability to overcome the challenges and difficulties you will experience everyday.

Everyone that gets their act together has the ability to influence others and change the world in a positive direction and make the world a better place.




About the Author:  Judd Bank is the President of CPI Investigations and a life long Martial Artist.
http://www.privatedetectiveny.com

HOW TO CONTROL YOUR FEARS, ANXIETIES AND WORRIES

Life is unpredictable. You never know what challenge or obstacle is emerging in the future.  In life you always have two options; take control or surrender under pressure.

It is not about what happens to you, but instead how you choose to manage stress, pressure and misfortune.  

Ships don't sink because of the water around them, ships sink because of the water that gets in them.

Don't let what's happening around you get inside your head and sink you down.

CONTROLLING YOUR FEARS, ANXIETIES AND WORRIES

In order to overcome fear, anxiety and worry we must first understand what fear, anxiety and worry is.

Fear is a good thing, we couldn't survive and day without it.  Fear is a neurophysiological response to real or perceived threat.  Fear activates our fight or flight response by stimulating the hypothalamus which directs the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal system to prepare our bodies for danger.  We inherited this from our hunter-gatherer ancestors who needed energy and increased perception when faced by hungry wolves and lions. 

The mental alertness and energy produced from the experience of fear is sometimes labeled as anxiety.  The feeling of anxiety can be pleasurable like when riding a rollercoaster, however, when we experience those same drops and bumps during an airplane flight we might interpret this feeling as frightful or negative even though air travel is statistically safer than driving a car.   

Sometimes our anxiety can even be misplaced.  We might feel anxious at work, anticipating or perceiving a potential problem when we are actually in a safe building with little threat to ourselves or loved ones; yet when we are in a situation where we should be anxious, i.e. when we are crossing the street at a busy intersection in Manhattan while texting on our cell phones, and not paying  attention to the potential of real danger, we don't feel anxious.  

Worrying is when we anticipate future events imagining a bad outcome or the worst case scenario.  It is helpful to remember that most fears never come true, anxiety will pass, and unpleasant and bad events that take place in our lives don't always effect us negatively.  We are more capable of enduring rough times than we think.

WHAT  CAN WE DO TO CONTROL THESE EMOTIONS

Self-confidence, self-discipline and self-actualization are our allies.  Self control gives you the strength to master your thoughts in order to have the power of a calm mind.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MILITARY

Since no mental or emotional stress is more severe than facing the tough and dangerous  situations on the battlefield, I would like to present certain psychophysiological techniques that the military uses to prepare soldiers for the stress of combat. 

Physical Fitness Training  - Physical fitness programs can increase a person's stress threshold.

Breathing - The Marines teach certain breathing techniques in order to help a soldier control stress during combat.  There are a variety of these techniques but most involve taking a deep breath, holding it in and then exhaling slowly.  If this technique could work during combat, then think how effective it could be during an anxiety attack.  

Posture - Why does the armed forces require soldiers to stand at attention?  When standing at attention, your shoulders are back, your head is straight, your stomach is held in and your chest is out.  This position is well structured, strong and a healthy way to stand.  When soldiers march they move efficiently with their back straight, knees moving up and down and with a controlled gait. When you stand or walk with excellent posture, you look and feel more confident. Confidence overcomes fear.

Psychological Training - Since ancient times military leaders discovered that soldiers will fight harder to protect their comrades than for any country or ideology.  The need to protect is genetically built in all of us.  sometimes it's even stronger than self preservation, ie. a soldier jumping on a grenade to protect his fellow soldiers while sacrificing his own life. This concept can be used to your advantage.  When you are anxious, afraid or worried, master these emotions by acting strong and being the person your family, friends and loved ones will respect.

STAND UP FOR YOURSELF

Fear only has control over you if don't stand up for yourself.  Control your mind, body and emotions.  Avoid avoidance.  Take on new projects and don't quit till you accomplish your goals.  Keep going.  Taking on difficult tasks and challenges makes a person tougher.  Instead of concentrating on what might go wrong, switch your gears and think positively.  Be grateful for what you have, use mind over matter.  have faith in yourself. Take personal responsibility for your actions.  Fix all the kinks in your armor.

CONCLUSION

In order to control fear, anxiety and worries you must own life, or life will own you.

Don't be afraid to fail. cultivate bravery and courage. Aim for self actualization where you can become the best person you could be.  Make your own luck.  Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.  We have a limited time in life so don't spend the rest of it suffering over foolish things.  Relax and enjoy each moment even during the struggling times.  

Inner peace begins when you no longer allow a person or event to control your emotions.  

About the Author - 
Judd Bank is the president and CEO of CPI Investigations, a multi dimensional private investigative firm with offices in Manhattan and New Jersey.

Mr. Bank is a life long martial artist.
http://www.privatedetectiveny.com

HOW TO DEAL WITH NEGATIVE PEOPLE

In life we all have interactions with negative or toxic people.  How can we most efficiently and skillfully deal with them?

The most effective way would be to avoid them, but this is not always possible or desirable.  You might try to ignore them, but since we are human, we are social creatures and do care what others think and feel.  This approach may often make us feel bad.

For the sake of this article I have divided negative people into two types:

The emotional parasite or spiritual vampire and the aggressive negative person.

First I will identify these types of individuals, then I will suggest methods and techniques on how to handle them.



THE EMOTIONAL PARASITE OR SPIRITUAL VAMPIRE

These people drain all the positive energy out of you.  They are sad negative pessimistic people who no longer appreciate the beauty of life.  They are the drama kings and queens.  They want your empathy, sympathy and support but will never listen to your advice, not enough to change their behavior anyway.  When you see their number come up on your phone it is a real drag.

They may listen to you during your hard times, but only because it makes them feel better about themselves.  They are never satisfied.

They feel that life is unfair.  Of course life is unfair, always has been and always will be.

Expecting life to be fair is like thinking that if you don't eat the tiger, the tiger won't eat you.

HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF PERSON

You should make an effort to limit the time and energy you give them and instead better use that time and energy more constructively.

Negative people can only effect you, if you allow what they say or do to trigger a negative reaction in your own mind.

A helpful tool you can use to master your mind and resist people's negative attacksis meditation.


MEDITATION

For thousands of years people have practiced meditation for emotional, physical and spiritual well being.

Nowadays scientists better understand the benefits of this practice.  Brain scans show that people who meditate show increased activity in the regions of the brain that directly control anxiety, depression, and pain tolerance.  By meditating, you can better control these psychophysiological conditions.  Meditation also increases alpha-wave activity, and even changes the shape of the brain and increases brain size.  If you want to understand your mind, sit down and observe it.  If you would like to try meditation, I would recommend Sam Harris' thirty minute guided meditation with atmospheric music on YouTube. Sam Harris is one of the country's top neuroscientists who has also spent years training in Tibetan Monasteries.

Another technique that you can try when negative people whine to you, is to make believe they are singing a beautiful song for you instead.


THE AGGRESSIVE NEGATIVE PERSON

The aggressive negative person is a jealous, judgemental, hostile person who often uses intimidation to satisfy their own personal agenda.  They love to control what you think, do and say.  When they speak to you, they do so in a demeaning and condescending manner.  Since they are not content with their own life, they want to ruin yours.  This type of individual likes to talk negatively about you behind your back, often ridiculing you to other people.  Any idea you bring up to them, they will tell you why it won't work.  They are acutely aware of all your faults and love to run over your ideas and belittle you any opportunity they get.

Sometimes they even attempt to physically intimidate you with their authority or power over you.

One of the worse scenarios would be if that individual is your Boss.


HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE NEGATIVE PERSON

Since the aggressive negative person feels better about themselves and their life, by demeaning you and crushing your spirit, it is imperative to have the physical and mental skills and tools to be able to resist their psychological and emotional attacks.  Neutralize them in your mind.  You don't have to buy into their negativity.  Here are some skills and tools you could use to accomplish this.



STUDY ZEN

There is a reason that the Japanese Samurai adopted zen principles and practices.  It allowed them to accept death and appreciate even the most minor things that happened during their day.  The Samurai had to live this way because they were never sure whether or not they would be killed the next day.

Zen allows a person to control their mind.  Study Zen my friend!


STUDY SOME FORM OF MARTIAL ART

When people practice martial arts, they re-enact a life and death struggle everytime they train.  Every other daily confrontation seems insignificant compared to that struggle.  Martial Arts teaches a person to push themselves, conquer their fears and become self-sufficient.

God forbid  your encounter with this aggressive person becomes physical or violent, you will have a better chance of protecting yourself.


PREPARE YOUR BODY AND MIND FOR STRESS

If you eat healthy, exercise regularly and sleep well, your body and mind will be better able to  handle stress and therefore, enable you to withstand the emotional attack presented to you by the aggressive, negative person.


CONCLUSION

You are the architect of your own life.  Try to avoid people who turn off your smile.  Remember who you spend your time with is who you become.

If you can't find the people that you hold in high regard, then become the person that you and others would respect. 

Stand up for yourself.

About the Author

Mr. Bank is the CEO and president of CPI Investigations, a multi-dimensional  private investigative firm with offices in Manhattan and New Jersey.  Mr. Bank is a life long martial artist.
http://www.privateinvestigatorny.com

MASTERING LIFE

MASTERING LIFE

Create the life you want to live.  The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.  The person you are today is not who you have to be tomorrow.

THE ZEN CONCEPT OF KAI-ZEN

Kai-zen is the Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement of working practices, personal efficiency, physical and psychological well being, etc.

KAI-ZEN MEANS CHANGE FOR THE BETTER

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to act.  Progress is the ultimate motivation.  What you do everyday matters more than what you do once and awhile.  If you pursue your dreams long enough a compound effect occurs.  This momentum will carry you where you want to go.  Push your boundaries.  Kai-zen is a step by step approach.

You have to emotionally condition yourself to think differently.  Condition yourself for success, turn frustration into excitement.  Think clearly and be flexible.  Try new approaches and if they don't work you at least get an education.  The road to someday leads nowhere.

THE FEAR TRAP

Fear could be a good thing as long as it is you Counselor and not your Jailer.  Quiet your mind so you can hear intuition over fear.  Fear can make talented people unsuccessful.  Don't fear past failures.  Failure is not a sign of personal incompetence, it's just one experiment that has gone wrong.

NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

You'll never be free in life until you free yourself from the prison of negative thoughts.  Growth begins at the end of your comfort zone. Remember nothing is permanent, don't stress out to much because no matter how bad the situation is, it will change. 

"You have the power over your mind, not outside events.  Realize this and you will find strength"-Marcus  Aurelius

UNDERSTAND YOURSELF

Being a polygraph examiner, I deal with people's attempt at deception all of the time, but the worst of all deception is self-deception.

ELIMINATE NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR

The reason we human beings have a hard time controlling negative behavior, ie. drug abuse, alcohol abuse, gambling, cigarettes, over-eating junk food, inactivity, etc. is that all of those behaviors have an effect on our brains.  When we participate in these behaviors, there is an increase in the brain's release of the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. These are the brain's feel good, pleasure organic chemicals. These chemicals are naturally released when we are happy, eating good food, having sex or exercising. Different people have different demons of course, but the best way to deal with this toxic behavior is to replace it with positive behavior.  We must recondition ourselves in order to get the same good feeling from positive behavior, such as achieving great goals, accomplishments, and improving our self image. One way of doing this is to start new routines.  Human beings love routines, it makes us feel comfortable.  Replace bad routines with good ones, i.e. replace inactivity with an exercise program and replace junk food with health food.  Remember take care of your body, it is the only place you have to live.  If you make a small positive change everyday, you will create and unstoppable positive force.

GOOD FRIENDS

I believe Lennon and McCartney said it best with the lyric, "I get by with a little help from my friends."

THE TRICK TO BEING A GOOD PARENT

Try to be the person you needed when you were younger.

ON SUCCESS

Always remember you can't always be rich if you don't have happiness.  You can't have great success without inner peace.  You can't really be wealthy without your health.

CONCLUSION

Grand Master Masaki Hatsumi, the founder of the bujinkan often says "Gambatte" (keep going)

 "You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough"- Mae West 

In six months from now, you can be in a completely different space, mentally, physically, spiritually, and financially.  Keep working and believing in yourself.  

When you write the story of your life, don't let anyone-else use the pen.  

About the Author: 

Judd Bank is the CEO and President of CPI Investigations, a multi-dimensional private investigation firm with offices in Manhattan and New Jersey and over 35 years of experience. Mr. Bank is a life long Martial Artist.  http://www.privatedetectiveny.com

THE ROLE OF A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR IN CORPORATE INVESTIGATIONS

A Corporate Investigation is an investigation of a corporation or a business in order to reclaim something that was stolen from the corporation, and attempt to identify the wrong doing, misconduct or ethical lapses.

A Corporate Investigation must safeguard people, assets and reputations from theft, misappropriation, inside threats and dishonesty.

A Corporate Investigator must protect a company's interest either physical, financial, or virtual.

Corporate Investigators will often work hand and hand with forensic accountants and attorneys.  They can act as a liaison with law enforcement agencies if deemed necessary.

A work place investigation is a fact finding investigation  to determine what happened with respect to a particular incident, whether or not suspected conduct did or did not take place.  

An Investigator must determine what are the circumstances involved in the suspected incidences and whether it was a violation of company policy or of the law.

In order to accomplish this, these investigators have the following tools and techniques at their disposal.  He can conduct background checks, pre-employment interviews, surveillance, and he might place undercover operatives in the company or install covert CCTV cameras.  The Investigator will look for substance abuse among the employees and staff.  He will also monitor the staff's social media and will often hire cyber security experts to look for computer data theft.

COMPUTER FRAUD AND INVESTIGATION

A Cyber Security Expert can help a corporation recover, reconstruct, and review data in order to later be examined by a forensic accountant or an attorney, to determine if an employee has stolen company data or intellectual property. 

Conclusion

Corporations are being scrutinized today as never before.  Companies are being constantly examined and investigated by local state and government agencies.  Private plaintiffs are filing more and more cases with significant allegations that attempt to call a company's conduct into question. Competitors are becoming more devious and sophisticated  in stealing corporate intellectual property more than ever before.  Employees are less loyal to firms in today's transitional environment, and in this era is it is better to err in the side of caution.

It is crucial to remain vigilant in effort to identify and stop schemers that damage corporate value and safety.




About the Author:    

Judd Bank
Former Detective for the Queens District Attorney's Office
Current CEO and President of CPI Investigations


http://www.privatedetectiveny.com

THE ROLE OF A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE CASES

THE ROLE OF A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR IN  CRIMINAL DEFENSE CASES


The role of a Private Investigator in criminal defense cases can be summed up in this analogy.
The Private Investigators are the bullets, the criminal defense attorney is the gun.

Without the information, the private investigator provides (the bullets) the defense attorney cannot effectively render quality representation for this client.   He can only pull a trigger on an empty gun.

Years ago, when I worked for the Queens District Attorney's Office I felt that when a police officer arrested someone they were probably guilty.  However, after working closely on criminal cases with many defense attorneys, I have a more balanced point of view.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS


The principle of freedom which Americans value so high is demonstrated in this nation's commitme

nt to the presumption of innocence in a criminal trial.

Criminal Defense Investigators must stand ready to aid in the defense of an accused regardless of public hostility toward the accused, or personal distaste for the offense charged or the character of the defendant.

A Private Investigator should never intentionally misrepresent or mislead pertinent facts to the court.

It is important to remember that a Criminal Defense Investigator has the same attorney - client privilege for protection of the clients confidences that exists between the defense lawyer on the case and their client.  This privilege should never be abused.

THE FUNCTION OF A CRIMINAL DEFENSE INVESTIGATOR

The goal of the Criminal Investigator is to work towards getting the defendant acquitted of the charges being brought against him or her by establishing reasonable doubt.

First, a Private Investigator will speak with the attorney to make sure that the specific criminal charges and applicable statutes are clearly understood.  The the Private Investigator will scrutinize police reports, photographs, evidence, texts, witnesses, statements, social media, and witnesses statements pertinent to the case looking for inconsistencies from one witness to another.

The Defense Investigator must verify and validate all of the investigating information the police department  has submitted to the court.  Then the Defense Investigator will talk to all witnesses reviewing and verifying all evidence physical, verbal, video, etc. that will be used by the prosecution looking for holes and gaps.

At this point the Private Investigator will attempt to develop new intelligence, he will canvas the area in question in an effort to locate new witnesses or establish new evidence.

The Criminal Investigator will gather all this information and prepare to testify if the defense attorney deems it beneficial.

CONCLUSION

The Prosecution has it's detectives diligently looking for incriminating evidence in order to convict the accused.  A defense team should be just as though as the Prosecution's Investigation.


About the Author:  Former Detective for the Queens District Attorney's Office
Current CEO and President of CPI Investigations





http://www.privatedetectiveny.com