Below is a Q&A with Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman about The Book of Sacred Baths
1. What is a sacred bath?
A: A sacred bath is time to connect to your Spirit and hear guidance. To create a sacred bath you create a sacred space, light a candle, put in Epsom salts, essential oils and an appropriate crystal into your bath water. You call in Spirit (whether that’s your Higher Self, God, the Goddess or your angels) for guidance in the sacred waters. Then you make a prayer and state your intention. You relax in silence, do a specific meditation around your intention and listen for mesages. Afterwards, you journal about any inspiration you received. This process normally takes 25 minutes.
2. Why would a psychologist write a book about how taking a bath can improve your life?
A: So many people are stressed, lost and disconnected these days. They are bombarded by outside stimulation and messages. Many times they are plagued with limiting beliefs and negative self-talk as well. Taking a sacred bath is a relaxing easy practice to help them destress, re- connect and let negativity go down the drain. It allows them to shift from fear into love. It also leverages an existing ritual that’s an enjoyable easy way to slow down, meditate and connect with the Divine and your inner voice.
3. What is your personal story of doing sacred baths? You do them with your husband too?
A: My personal story was that I went through a rough time. Today I’m healthy and happily married with two kids but it wasn’t always that way. Four years ago I had breast cancer and was told by doctors that I had a 50% chance it would be terminal and 25% chance with chemo and radiation. I lost all my hair for a year and proceed with treatment. During that time I got an intuitive message to write a legacy of books and I began connecting much more regularly to my Spirit. Having cancer also made me slow down and attend more to my self-care. It was then that I began taking these sacred baths to relax, connect with Spirit, for self-care, meditation and to channel creative ideas (I wrote 19 books in 4 years while working). My relationship with my husband improved and I lost 40 pounds in six months. I began embracing love instead of fear and acting on my spiritual guidance over ego. I felt directed.
I later started doing these sacred baths with my husband as an inexpensive date night. I experimented with different essential oils and crystals and my husband and I tried different intentions for our relationship. One day when we were taking a sacred bath together and I got a message that was going to write, ‘The Book of Sacred Baths’ and that it would be very helpful to individuals and couples. I had been doing this process daily for several years and it felt like it was time to share it.
4. As a therapist you see people who experience a sense of disconnection and stress. Why are these baths a good tool for the person experiencing this?
A: When we are busy we are in our ego and monkey mind. We are also in a beta analytical state that starves us of oxygen and puts us into our fight or flight nervous system. This makes us feel disconnected, stressed and even depressed. When you take a sacred bath you breathe, pray and meditate. You are filled with love, oxygen, higher consciousness and a deep sense of connection to your intuition. You feel clear, calm and often have a greater sense of well-being.
5. How is a sacred bath different from a regular one?
A: A sacred bath is a ritual with 12 elements which calls in the Divine or your Higher self for guidance. It has a clear intention and it transforms your thoughts, emotions and areas of your life. In a regular bath you shave, shampoo and wash, that’s for physical hygiene but a sacred bath is for your spiritual and emotional hygiene.
6. What are examples of a few baths that would help career women?
A: In my book there are sacred baths for career women around leadership, achieving your goals, communicating with your boss, creating abundance and more.
7. You have baths for couples to take together too. You have done this with your husband. How is it helpful?
A: It helps us to relax, center, fill with love and get guidance on our relationship. It is also a helpful tool when couples fight. It releases tension and allows them fill up with love and higher guidance before they use destructive words. It’s a relaxing loving time out that is like a reset button.
8. What messages have you received in your sacred baths? Do you encourage journaling afterwards?
A: I received so many helpful messages with creative ideas for articles, books and for my spiritual development. I think it’s very important to journal afterwards because when you are relaxed, you are in a dream-like state and sometimes you will forget the guidance you received if you don’t write it down. And you want to be accountable to integrate it into your life in an ongoing way later.
9. What is your life mission? Is there a theme to your 15 years of work as a therapist and to the 21 books you’ve published?
A: Yes, I am here to empower people through change, to help them love more and to connect to Spirit. I am on book #21 and I think all of them touch on that in some way, even though the topics seem different. They also all help people transition from fear to love which seems to be important to do in our daily lives. You can learn more about my book legacy project at www.parachutejumppublishing.com/books/
10. Are these sacred baths helpful to moms like you?
A: Yes, moms are often giving and they don’t have time to refuel or to practice self-care. Taking a sacred bath can relax them, clear their mind, help them let negativity go down the drain, allow them to receive guidance and to refill with love. 
11. Where can we learn more about sacred bathing?
A: You can order, ‘The Book of Sacred Baths’ on Amazon, Barnesand Noble.com or Llewellyn.com. It is the one book you will need on sacred bathing and has 52 bathing rituals, one for each week of the year. It covers six life areas. It is a great gift for yourself and a loved one. You can also learn more on my website www.sacredbathing.com
Happy bathing!
Paulette
Bio: Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman is a licensed psychologist with a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology and is the author of twenty-one books. Her latest book is ‘The Book of Sacred Baths’ published by Llewellyn Worldwide. She is a certified life coach, author, teacher, relationship expert, and speaker. She has a private practice in Manhattan and does coaching by phone. Visit her online at: www.drpaulettesherman.com and www.sacredbathing.com