Hypnosis: A Serious Path to Exploring and Transforming Our Inner Potential
- Mourad Chouaki
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Introduction
When we hear about hypnosis, many still imagine swinging pendulums and blank stares. Yet hypnosis is far more than a cliché or a form of entertainment: it is a powerful tool for inner transformation.During my interview with RTS (watch the interview here), I had the opportunity to present hypnosis as it truly deserves to be seen: rigorous, scientifically grounded, and profoundly human.
My personal journey led me from fundamental physics to the exploration of altered states of consciousness. At first glance, the gap seems wide. In reality, it stems from the same drive: understanding the invisible, questioning what isn’t immediately observable — whether particles or human consciousness.
Exploring the Hypnotic State: Between Science and Consciousness
Defining hypnosis is not straightforward. It is not a single phenomenon, but rather a family of altered states of consciousness, marked by heightened attention and expanded imaginative capacity.Contrary to popular images, hypnosis is not about losing control. Quite the opposite: it is about gaining deeper access to — and influence over — our internal processes.
Modern neuroscience (Oakley & Halligan, 2017) confirms that hypnosis involves specific modulations in brain networks responsible for attention and emotional regulation. It is neither sleep nor unconsciousness, but rather a different way of connecting with ourselves.Learning to enter a hypnotic state is learning to interact consciously with our own inner landscape, to reshape perceptions, and to strengthen adaptive capacities.
This opens up a wide range of practical applications: emotional regulation, overcoming behavioral blocks, pain management, performance optimization in both business and sports.One of the most powerful examples I witnessed was supporting a marathon runner who, after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, managed to achieve his second-best personal time just months after his diagnosis.This success was not about "erasing" the problem, but about reconnecting to deep motivations and redefining identity beyond the illness.
In daily professional life, small self-hypnosis techniques, like discreetly rubbing the index finger and thumb while linking it to a positive emotional memory, can serve as powerful internal anchors — tools for calm, focus, and confidence, accessible anytime, even in the middle of a high-stakes meeting.
Toward a Humanistic and Conscious Hypnosis
The approach I favor is largely inspired by Milton Erickson, a pioneer of flexible, metaphor-based, resource-oriented hypnosis.Rather than imposing direct suggestions, Ericksonian hypnosis trusts the individual's inner resources to find their own pathways to change, using stories, symbols, and indirect communication.
Today, hypnosis is experiencing a resurgence of interest. This is not just a fleeting trend. It reflects a deeper societal shift: a growing need for introspection, mental health, and personal alignment. In a world of increasing external demands, many are feeling the call to reinvest in their inner world — to reconnect with conscious adaptability and authentic transformation.
In this light, hypnosis is not an escape. It is an art of learning to live more lucidly.
Conclusion
Far from clichés and fantasies, hypnosis is a subtle, rigorous, and deeply human art.It offers a path toward emotional autonomy, personal alignment, and the conscious reshaping of our behaviors and perceptions.Whether you're navigating a life transition, enhancing performance, or simply seeking to live more authentically, hypnosis provides a serious, demanding, and powerful way to engage with yourself.
Scientific sources
Oakley, D. A., & Halligan, P. W. (2017). Hypnotic suggestion: opportunities for cognitive neuroscience. Nature Reviews Neuroscience.
Terhune, D. B., Cleeremans, A., Raz, A., & Lynn, S. J. (2017). Hypnosis and top-down regulation of consciousness. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews.
