Mission Statement
Sacred Heart Beats is an organization founded in principles of service, creativity, purpose, and community.
We believe and teach that rhythm is a tool for mindfulness, meditation, and communication for team building and conflict resolution. Our circles offer individuals these tools, regardless of their physical or mental abilities.
our purpose
Sacred Heart Beats facilitates peaceful, playful, and creative problem-solving interpersonal and group dynamics and communication through improvisational therapeutic drumming.
We help:
Individuals find comfort in their unique creative voice and the interplay of it with others
Families find safe and creative ways to connect to loved ones
Students to communicate with greater nuance and self discipline to peers and instructors
Vulnerable individuals and their caregivers to the larger community through drumming and movement
We recognize that the need to create, and to be seen and heard is part of the universal human experience and happens most readily within the context of safety. We achieve this by careful selection of assistants or trained supervision as appropriate to the setting.
The joy of drumming brings about healing and reduces suffering and stagnation. We hope to share this healing experience with all who join us in circle.
about scott & Carey
Scott’s career in music spans 30 years and a variety of platforms including education, performance, and recording. Carey’s work with the drums began in 2016 when she joined Sacred Heart Beats, bringing a rhythmic background from general music and dance education.
Together they have served an intensive apprenticeship within the elder care and special needs communities, and also in various educational settings, as artists in residence in Elementary, Middle, and High schools, as well as guest teaching at Clemson University, and speaking at the South Carolina Brain Injury Conference.. They draw upon the insights found in those settings and from their own backgrounds, and weave in principles of effortless mastery, improvisational music theory and groundbreaking science in the field of neuroplasticity. Their combined vision is community and group healing through improvisational drum circles.
They are mystics, musicians, healers, and educators.
about alijah
Alijah has been immersed in music and art all of his life, beginning his drumming instruction at the early age of two, learning from and alongside his father, Scott. He also plays saxophone and guitar, and is an avid listener and student of all musical genres, where he draws inspiration from a long list of musicians and styles from around the globe and through history.
Alijah began working with Sacred Heart Beats in 2019, bringing with him his skills of facilitation and exploration he learned from working with different musical groups and ensembles as a leader and composer while attending high school and college. As Educational and Creative Programming Director he is tasked with community outreach and event planning for the organization, as well as creating new and exciting programs for implementation in public and private school settings, and also coordinating and managing various homeschooling programs, as the lead facilitator in these settings.
He also teaches private one on one music lessons and small group drumming sessions, with a focus on improvisation and creative free play in group settings.