LEETONIA — Sarah Goff, a Shaman who practices in Leetonia, was born with the sense to help others.

Her gift of clairvoyance — a “sixth sense” that allows individuals to access information through means other than the five physical senses — developed to the point of being able to “know” things about her elementary school classmates.

“I would then get ‘knowings’ if you will and let the kiddo know what I was getting. It was fun to see the kids’ surprise of ‘how did you know that?’ We thought it was fun.”

Goff decided to develop her gift and set out to study different spiritual practices and religions.

Along with her studies, Goff was fronting a rock band, was married and working as a waitress.

She was born with ulcerative colitis and at this point in her life it became uncontrollable.

“I was bleeding out every five to twenty minutes and sleeping on the toilet with a pillow on my lap. I knew I was dying but no one could tell me why. The doctor who was treating me told me, ‘I’m sorry, I’ve done everything I can for you.’ I laid there crying. I then heard a voice say, ‘You can get up and claim your miracle, or you can die.’

“I snapped out of it. I crawled out of bed and to my computer. I emailed every spiritual circle I had a connection with. The Lakota, Kundalini, Yoga, Nichiren Buddhists, work and my friend community. Within an hour, people were showing up at my door with all kinds of help, including a referral to Dr. Richard Kroop. He immediately admitted me into the hospital,” Goff said.

“Early morning on the second day, I died. I felt as if I was being pulled down a long hallway. I then came into the brightest white light. I was no longer in pain. I felt the cells of my body begin to return and a beautiful peace that would stay with me for weeks,” she said.

Several months after this experience, Goff went out for the evening to see her husband play guitar.

“A man touched me and asked if he could sit down in an empty seat at my table. I immediately got flashes of his childhood and challenging things that had stopped him from enjoying his life. He confirmed all I had seen and left. I was so embarrassed. I couldn’t control it. I went and hid in the car. My husband came out to ask what was wrong. We agreed that I needed teachers,” Goff said.

One of them said she was a shaman.

Goff explained that Shamanism is a practice that promotes healing. Shamans work with people in a way that allows them to bring healing to the “we” not just the “me.”

This is accomplished through years of apprenticeships or they might be initiated into the work through a near-death experience.

Through her business Soul Rolling-Intuitive and Shamanic Sessions, (soulrollinglove.com) the classes take clients on healing journeys into the subconscious mind. Along with classes, she offers one-on-one sessions.

“Anything from dealing with a challenging diagnosis to relationship challenges. The modality varies depending on what each person needs. It is thought that when a person ‘loses power’ through ailments or challenging scenarios, the shaman can journey / meditate / pray to call the person’s power back. Really anyone who experiences ‘being stuck’ can benefit from seeing a shamanic practitioner,” Goff said.

She names energy work, writing practices, sand paintings, fire ceremonies and other indigenous practices as possible courses of action for healing.

“Freedom is a state of mind. Shamans are masters of perspective. We assist folks in looking at the bigger picture,” Goff said.