Possibly the most useful examination of the states of hypnosis is the Ramey/Sichort depth scale.

From the assumption the client is hypnotised the following states can occur, the top being the lightest and the bottom, the deepest.

Refer to the hypnosis glossary for the meanings on this page.

Hypnosis

Hypnoidal State

• Physical relaxation

Light State

• Eye, limb and body catalepsy
• Light anaesthesia (glove anaesthesia)

Medium State

• Partial amnesia
• Posthypnotic anaesthesia (local)
• Posthypnotic suggestions (simple)

Deep Hypnosis

Somnambulistic State

• Mental relaxation
• Posthypnotic amnesia
• Eyes open while in hypnosis
• Bizarre Hypnotic suggestions
• Positive visual hallucinations
• Positive auditory hallucinations
• Spontaneous amnesia
• Hyperaesthesia
• Negative visual hallucinations
• Negative auditory hallucinations
• Age and pre-birth regression

Beyond Deep Hypnosis

Esdaile State

• Anaesthesia without suggestion (general)
• Muscles develop a waxy precatatonic response

Catatonic State

• Muscular locking of skeleton (without suggestion)

Sichort State

• A state of extreme muscle flaccidity (discovered by Walter Sichort)
• Subconscious sensing of danger
• Rapid healing (6-10 times an individual’s normal rate)
• Individual can heal others using mind-to-mind healing