Elements of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is not some magical form of mind control, nor is it some panacea
for curing all thewoes of a person.Hypnosis does not profess to magically
provide an individual with uncontrollable strengthsthat will create miracles. It is
neither sleep nor a trance.Hypnosis is a process in which the individual who
elects to use it can focus more closely orclearly on whatever it is that he or
she desires to change. It is accomplished throughexperiencing various
levels of relaxation.Hypnosis is sometimes accomplished well through the
assistance of verbal suggestions.There are as many definitions as there
are theories of what hypnosis is and is not. Yet whenreviewing these
theories and definitions there exist certain commonalities that
continuouslyfollow from one definition to the other.The existence of altered
states of consciousness.It appears to involve the whole mind, Conscious,
Unconscious (the brain) orSubconscious.The appearance of a heightened
state of suggestibility.If you combine all of the above elements, we could say,
“Hypnosis is a process that produces relaxation, therefore causing a
distraction of the
Conscious Mind, while providing heightened suggestibility and
increasing awareness through the cooperation and participation
of the Subconscious Mind 
.”
 The basic formula for hypnosis is:
Expectation + Imagination + Anticipation = Hypnosis

Once the induction is completed the next step is to deepen the level of hypnosis. According to Don Mottin, there are
many ways to deepen hypnosis. Here are a few.

1. Realization
2. Compounding and pyramiding of suggestions
3. Fractionation
4. Visualization
5. Post-hypnotic Suggestion
6. Relaxation
7. Repeated Induction
8. Counting
9. Metaphor

You might be asking, “Why is deepening hypnosis important?”  A good question.  To answer this question let’s look at
hypnosis depth charts.

The Davis-Husband Scale was published in 1931. It identified 4 major levels and 30 minor levels.

The Lecron-Bordeaux Scoring System for Indicating Depth of Hypnosis, published in 1947, describes 50 levels of
hypnosis.
The Arons Master Depth Rule (1961) measures six levels of hypnosis. The six levels are as follows:

1. Lethargy, relaxation, eye catalepsy, arm catalepsy

2. Catalepsy of isolated muscle groups, heavy or floating feeling
3. Smell and taste changes, aphasia
4. Receptive to post hypnotic suggestions, analgesia
5. Age regression
6. Anesthesia

Historic Reference for your review:

Jean-Martin Charcot in 1880's delineated 3 stages of hypnosis: 1. Lethargy 2.
Catalepsy and 3. Somnambulism
Other clinical depth scales include:

1931 Davis-Husband Scale  Davis L., and Husband, R. A Study of Hypnotic

Susceptibility in Relation to Personality Traits. Journal of Abnormal and Social
Psychology, 1931 pp# 26, 175-182.

Depth   Score      Responses to Test Suggestions

Insusceptible
       0      None
1 Hypnoidal
      1      Relaxation
      2      Fluttering of the eyelids
      3      Closing of the eyes
      4      Complete physical relaxation
      5      Catalepsy of the eye-lids
2 Light trance
      6      Limb catalepsy
      7      Rigid catalepsies
      8, 9, 10   Progressive Glove anesthesia
      11, 12      Partial posthypnotic amnesia
3 Medium trance
      13, 14      Post hypnotic amnesia
      15, 16      Personality changes
      17, 18, 19   Kinesthetic delusions
      20      Complete amnesia by suggestion
4 Deep Trance
      21      Ability to open eyes without affecting the trance
      22      Bizarre posthypnotic suggestions
      23, 24      Complete somnambulism
      25      Positive visual hallucinations
      26      Positive auditory hallucinations
      27      Posthypnotic Systematized amnesias
      28      Negative auditory hallucinations
      29      Negative visual hallucinations
      30      Hyperesthesia
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Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales Form A (1938)

1 Postural Sway

2 Eye Closure

3 Hand Lowering (left)

4 Immobilisation (right arm)

5 Finger Lock

6 Arm Rigidity (left arm)

7 Hands Moving Together

8 Verbal Inhibition (name)

9 Hallucination (fly)

10 Eye Catalepsy

11 Post-hypnotic (changes chairs)

12 Amnesia

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1947- Lecron-Bordeaux Scoring system for Indicating Depth of Hypnosis   Lecron,

L., and Bordeaux, J. Hypnotism Today. New York: Grune and Stratton.  pp # 64-67
Depth   Score      Symptoms and Phenomena Exhibited
Insusceptible
          0   Subject fails to react in any way
1 Hypnoidal
          1   Physical Relaxation
          2   Drowsiness apparent
          3   Fluttering of eyelids
          4   Closing of eyes
          5   Mental relaxation, partial lethargy of mind
          6   Heaviness of limbs
2 Light trance
          7   Catalepsy of eyes
          8   Partial limb catalepsy
          9   Inhibition of small muscle groups
         10   Slower and deeper breathing, slower pulse
         11   strong lassitude (disinclination to move, speak, think, or act)
         12   Twitching of mouth or jaw
         13   Rapport between subject and operator
         14   Simple posthypnotic suggestions heeded
         15   Involuntary start or eye twitch on awakening
         16   Personality changes
         17   Feeling of heaviness throughout entire body
         18   partial feeling of detachment
3 Medium trance
         19   Recognition of trance (difficult to describe but definitely felt)
         20   Complete muscular inhibitions (kinesthetic delusions)
         21   Partial amnesia
         22    Glove anesthesia
         23   Tactile illusions
         24   Gustatory illusions
         25   Olfactory illusions
         26   Hyper acuity to atmospheric conditions
         27   Complete catalepsy of limbs or body
4 Deep or somnambulistic trance
         28   Ability to open eyes without affecting trance
         29   Fixed stare when eyes are open; pupillary dilation
         30   Somnambulism
         31   Complete amnesia
         32   Systematized posthypnotic amnesia
         33   Complete anesthesia
         34   Posthypnotic anaesthesia

  Depth     Score   Responses to Test Suggestions

         35   Bizarre posthypnotic suggestions heeded
         36   Uncontrolled movements of eyeballs
         37   Sensation of lightness, floating, swinging, of being bloated or swollen,
detached feeling
         38   Rigidity and lag in muscular movements and reactions
         39   Operators voice seems like a radio station fading in and out.
         40   Control of organic body functions (heart beat, blood pressure, digestion,
etc.)
         41   Recall of lost memories (hypermnesia)
         42   Age regression
         43   Posthypnotic positive visual hallucinations
         44   Posthypnotic negative visual hallucinations
         45   Posthypnotic positive auditory hallucinations
         46   Posthypnotic negative auditory hallucinations
         47   Stimulation of dreams (in trance or posthypnotic in natural sleep)
         48   Hyperaesthesia
         49   Color sensations experienced
         50   Stuporous condition in which all spontaneous activity is inhibited. 
Somnambulism can be developed by suggestion to that effect.
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1957- Heron Depth Scale OIeron, W. Clinical Applications Of Suggestion And Hypnosis.

Springfield, Il.: Charles C. Thomas.

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Harry Arons
1961- Arons Master Depth Rule Arons, H. New Master Course In Hypnotism. Irvington, N.J.:
Power Publishers.
1. Hypnoidal

2. Light trance

3. Medium trance

4. Profound trance

5. Somnambulism

6. Profound Somnambulism

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